31 Days
Apprehension

Nana walked over from the kitchen with a tray of three cups of warm tea. Of course he should welcome unexpected guests after his trip to Lombok. There Alex and Agus sat down with friendly faces.

There was no Farel accompanying, he reasoned that he had to do a lot of office work in his own room. In fact, he was in a state of anxiety and fear. But Nana was very relaxed to face the two policemen.

After the tea drink was served well, then Agus opened the conversation of the purpose of this meeting. Agus explained that he only wanted to ask a few related things for the case they were handling.

First Agus explained if he wanted to ask about the restaurant he had managed since 8 years ago. Where the restaurant was once the place of work of one of the employees they were investigating.

Agus gave a sheet of photo paper Firman who was working at the restaurant Bali Tropical. Agus just wanted to ask further if he knew this man further.

"I pioneered Bali Tropical since 2014, when I was still managing 2 branches only. Because at that time I was still plunging into the restaurant, of course I know all the employees who work there," replied Nana while sipping tea.

"Oh so, of course it will help us a lot," Alex replied a little hesitantly.

"I remember this guy was Firman, the second branch restaurant cleaning staff. He is only a graduate of Junior High and works very diligently. That's all I know."

"Then do you know why he only worked for a year?"

"Mmmmm. I don't know, I don't know for that matter. Sorry..."

Alex returns to hand over Firman's photo paper and Siska is embracing each other. Agus certainly wanted to ask if Nana knew what the relationship between these two people was. Because some say if Siska often come to the restaurant at night.

Nana started smiling looking at the photo, it seemed like she was starting to remember something.

"This woman is the boyfriend of the Word. Of course I met him a lot when the restaurant was about to close. He was kind and very friendly to everyone.

Your questions make me suddenly remember the sweet past," replied Nana with a faint laugh.

Alex and Agus nodded in understanding, at least they had obtained one important piece of information. But there's still so much they want to know.

Next Alex gave 7 photo papers containing pictures of other victims. The seven photos are victims after the Word was killed. Of course they were victims of a serial murder 7 years ago in Jakarta.

Suddenly Alex wanted to see Nana's expression after seeing the seven photos. He wanted to see if there was any connection from the restaurant owner.

"I don't know who they are. Even they are not customers of Balinese Tropical restaurant," replied Nana casually.

"Why do you know?" ask Alex.

"Poor people with lives of suffering like theirs cannot eat in such a expensive place."

Alex is stunned to hear Nana's answer, sounding like a common but cliche answer to a situation like this. Alex suddenly sees a butterfly necklace wrapped around Nana's neck. He began to realize, if the butterfly looks very familiar to him.

Alex finally asked permission to go to the toilet. After entering and locking the door he then took out the HP in his pants pocket. He then looked at the investigative report and compared it to Siska's butterfly tattoo.

How surprised Alex, did not manage to match the two images so exactly the same. But the problem is that he does not know when and where Nana can make a necklace like that.

********

After returning from Nana's house, the two of them were already in the office. Alex seemed to be daydreaming about many things, from now on he just kept quiet and kept silent. Agus certainly realized the change, he felt that his boss was not right.

Alex ends up rounding up all the serious crime teams on the spur of the moment. He wants to say a lot of things, of course he has to say. After everyone got together and sat in a circle, Alex began to open the meeting.

"Combining a murder case 7 years ago with now is quite difficult, we must know what hidden patterns we have actually missed so far.

Agus's face turned upside down, because with this case he had to investigate Nana. He had to put aside all personal matters with his neighbor, especially Mother Surti really liked Nana. He has to be professional in his job.

"But why should this restaurant? if revisited, the restaurant did not have much relationship with the other 7 victims.

Maybe this is just a coincidence. Because Firman worked there and Siska had a relationship with him. This is very weak evidence" said Bima while swinging a pen.

"Remain, too far we should suspect a reputable restaurant as good as that. Moreover, we have to investigate the conglomerate's child" complained Radit pessimist.

"We should then investigate the restaurant until it is completely out of suspicion. We don't have much time left, we should have caught the criminal as early as possible!!"

In the end, everyone had to obey Alex's orders. The investigation began to be divided into assigns to each person. Like Radit who had to do an interview with a restaurant employee who had worked with Firman.

Karina was assigned to look for restaurant operations for the past 8 years and Bima took part in investigating the background of the founder of the Bali Tropical restaurant.

Everyone has their duties except Agus. He told Alex to talk to him with four eyes.

******

As usual, Alex and Agus always spend time together on the roof of the building to just smoke. I don't know what purpose Alex told him to speak four eyes, of course it's not something ordinary.

They continued to look at the sky of Jakarta which was so calm. They are busy with their cigarettes.

"This investigation turned out to be more difficult than we thought, especially you Gus."

"I knew. It is not easy to have to investigate a woman who is very close to my own mother, even we are neighbors so close," Agus replied with a lethargic face.

"I have a special suspicion with Nana, that woman is too attractive to me."

"Why?"

"You should hear this carefully. First, as a man asked many questions by the police, given many photos of different people, he showed no reaction at all.

In my experience, almost everyone in that position is always insistent on asking who they are? what does that have to do with me? are they dead? is he okay? is he a police fugitive?

But look at Nana's reaction as long as we give the interview. He looked very calm, as if he would already know who they were and what had happened to them."

"Is that the only reason you suspect my neighbor?" ask Agus ngotong.

Alex let out a very long sigh, of course it was very difficult to explain to Agus. He already knew Nana quite closely, there was a bond between them that had to be neutralized.

He then handed me a picture in the HP gallery. Alex shows a tattoo of the Siska butterfly in the back area. He explains that this butterfly tattoo is a Siska design.

Butterfly tattoo design is very secret and rarely people know except the customers of the striped nose. But he finds Nana wearing the exact same butterfly necklace as Siska's.

"Boss knows for itself, thanks to the media when everyone knows if the latest victim has a distinctive tattoo. It's not a private thing anymore" said Agus.

"Ok, that's why I need you now. You investigate when and where the necklace was made. We need data and facts to get rid of all suspicions!"

Agus was upset not playing, he ruffled all his hair. He didn't even want to get involved in this investigation, it was too heavy.

But given the many casualties and he was a police officer. All the worries that were stirred up in his heart should he keep away. It's for the good of everyone.