Chapter 43: Mystery Caller


    Arabe’s anxiety rose up immediately. The warm water in the tub became so cold that she could


    freeze. She had felt that the air inside her body was almost running out. She tried to gather all her wits,


    she took a deep breath and replied to the person on the other line.


    “Who are you? Sorry, but I don’t have time for this prank call.” Though her hands were shaking,


    Arabe tried topose herself.


    “If you want to know the truth, go to Hardley Café at 2:00 p.m. sharp. Do not forget toe alone and


    don’t you ever call the police or else you won’t like what’s gonna happen next.” The mystery caller with


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    a distorted voice clearly ordered.


    Goosebumps. Lots of goosebumps. Arabe had never felt so nervous like this. She felt her hand that


    was holding the telephone was restlessly shaking. She then held it with her other hand to stop the


    trembling and calmed down. This kind of suspense in her life, was too dangerous that she didn’t know


    how to handle it but she had to. If not her, who would do it? Her mother was the one who took care of


    her critical father in the hospital abroad. She was the only one left in Capital Z and the only one who


    could give justice to his father.


    “How would I know if you are telling the truth?” She then added with courage to conquer her fear.


    Dealing to this man on the phone was like dealing with a hideous criminal. This gonna be her first time


    dealing with a dangerous man. Well, for the sake of her dad again and for the love of her family, she


    would do what it takes even if her own life is at stake.


    “You will know that I am telling the truth if you wille to the ce. Don’t’ forget. You have toe


    alone.” The mystery caller then hanged up the phone without waiting her reply.


    Nervous mixed with doubt and fear, Arabe couldn’t move. She had felt her mind was going to


    explode. Thoughts of her father’s painful face lying in the hospital bed, the risk of putting herself in


    trouble and dealing with the man on the phone, they were all flooding uncontrobly in her mind. Sure


    enough, this man wanted something big for her. By the fact that the voice she heard was distorted, that


    caller wanted to hide his identity. And the way he ordered her not to call the police was something only


    criminal-minded person would say. He didn’t call her to be a witness in her dad’s case, but obviously he


    wanted to benefit from it. That, Arabe would need to know. But first, she needed to get first in Hardley


    Café on time.


    Arabe then quickly finished her bath, put on her clothes and drove out. ‘What a day! She just had


    escaped from the ind for 1 day and now another trouble was its on its way for her. This trouble could


    give her father’s justice or could put her life in danger.


    Exactly 2:00pm at Hardley Café.


    Arabe got inside while her eyes kept on wandering the ce. She needed to be vignt if she didn’t


    want to die that early. Her heart was beating fast. Her mind was full of dangerous thoughts and her


    body was trembling uncontrobly. Of course, she followed the caller had ordered her. She didn’t alert


    the police and she came in alone, but before she went there, she grabbed a small pepper spray and


    put it in her pocket. For whatever it may happen, she could use this for her self-defense.


    Arabe sat down on the corner table. Good thing there were other customers in Hardley Café. She


    could easily make a sound if something would go wrong.


    Then her phone suddenly rang. It was an unknown number. She figured it out already, it was the


    mystery caller.


    “Hello?” Arabe’s voice was staggering. She could feel the danger was alreadying and she


    couldn’t help shaking even her voice.


    “I can see you.” The distorted voice came again.


    Arabe was then frozen. She turned her head around to see who was holding a cellphone out of the


    other customers. There’s no one.


    “Are you kidding me?” Arabe’s fierce voice came out. Annoyed from being schemed, her anger


    welled-up. She couldn’t believe she let herself believed on the caller just like that. Just because he


    mentioned about her father’s case, she didn’t think too much and let this damn caller toyed her.


    “Enough. You are wearing a white shirt and a blue pants with white sneakers.” The caller replied.


    Arabe then was dumbfounded.


    This man was really into the site and watching her. Her instinct made her eyes to looked everywhere


    for the man, but she could not find anyone who looked suspicious.


    “Stay where you are. A waiter wille to you and will give you something.” After he ordered, the


    caller hanged up the phone without waiting for Arabe’s reply.


    ‘Gosh. This is what it feels like.’ Arabe was still shaking thinking her situation she was into right now.


    “Miss Arabe Jones?” A big waiter came in front of her and asked her.


    “Yes.” Holding the pepper spray in her pocket and forcing her shaky, mouth to open, Arabe replied.


    “This is for you.” Then the waiter gave her a small ck box. Then turned to walk away.


    “Wait! Who gave you this? Did you know him? Did you see his face? “Arabe quickly stood up to


    chase the waiter.


    The waiter stopped and turned on her.


    “Oh! I’m sorry, ma’am. Someone just gave me a big tip to give that one to you and left in a hurry. He


    was wearing a cap and a dark sunsses with a thick jacket. I couldn’t barely say if he was a man or


    she was a woman.” The waiter replied with full of innocence on his face. At the same time, his face had


    a hint of fear and curiosity from Arabe’s way of questioning. He was obviously didn’t want to be


    involved in some trouble.


    “Okay.” Judging from his words, Arabe took a step back and her back instinctively slouched in


    hopelessness.


    It seemed that the caller nned this very well beforehand. She didn’t want innocent people like the


    waiter to be involved in her trouble, so she just went back to her table and sat back again.


    With full of doubts and fear, she looked at the box on her hand. She was reluctant to open it since she


    was not ready yet to see what was inside. ‘What if it’s an organ? An eye? A nose? Ear perhaps? Gosh.


    Could she hold herself not to scream?’ Her thought made her want to vomit.


    She was struggling with herself for a long time before she got the courage to finally open the small box.


    With her shaky hands, she unwrapped the ck wrapper first, then to her shock, she found one piece


    of amethyst earring with blood stain tightly sealed on a small zip lock.


    Arabe froze again, as if her time had stopped. It seemed that the caller really knew something. ‘Who


    could be the possible owner of the earring?’ ‘Is the owner, the person behind the killing of her father?’


    ‘She is a woman.’ Arabe then concluded and her curiosity wanted her to did more of what happened


    that night. She was positive that the evidence she had on her hand would help the police to resolve her


    dad’s case fast and finally they would capture the real culprit.


    Gathering all her hopes and chances, Arabe quickly stood up and went to the police station. She


    then met the police officer Willy Jackson, who was the leader of the investigation of her father’s case.


    “Police officer Jackson, please have this evidence. I think this will help in your investigation about my


    father’s case.” Arabe said with full of hope in her face.


    “Where did you get this?” Police Officer Jackson was stunned. They had been trying their best to


    gather evidence at the crime scene, but they found nothing and this girl in front of her had one.


    Arabe was not ready for the officer’s question. She just went directly there without thinking it much.


    How could she tell him that there’s a mystery caller and that the caller just gave her the evidence? The


    mystery caller clearly ordered that there should be no police involved.


    “Oh. I’m so sorry officer, but I just found it on my doorstep just this morning. I don’t know who’s the


    person behind it.” Arabe tried her best to act normal in front of the officer, though she was really


    scared that her lie would be detected.


    The officer was a bit stunned by Arabe’s reply. It seemed someone added to their investigation.


    Could it be a witness or a suspect?


    “Did you already check your CCTV?” The officer asked with a flicker of hope in his eyes.


    “Hmm... I’m sorry officer Jackson but our CCTVs weren’t working for almost a week now. I should have


    it fixed, but I was caught up with my busy schedulestely.” Arabe tried her best to provide him an


    answer with her greatest alibi.


    “Okay then. I’ll have to send this to our forensicboratory. I will contact you once I get the result. Have


    a good day Ms. Foster.” Officer Jackson then quickly strode passed her.


    Arabe breathed a sigh of relief. The mouthful air, she held while she was being interviewed, now she


    finally let it go in a deep exhale. That feeling when she needed to lie and made some alibi to a


    respective man in uniform was quite horrifying than that of the mystery caller.


    “One more thing.” When Arabe was about to get out from the station, Office Jackson stopped on his


    way and turned to look at her again.


    Arabe suddenly turned into ice. “Shit! I’m doomed!” Her face turned to pale and her gaze remained


    low. She turned to face the officer, but still she was rooted to her spot. She tried to lift her upper lip to


    utter some words but she failed. Extreme fear of being doubted or be caught lying invaded her body.


    “Don’t forget to fix your CCTV. That person who gave you this evidence would might appear again.”


    Officer Jackson said then continued on his way out.


    ‘Huh!’ Arabe felt like mocking herself. Officer Jackson just made a reminder for her, but she felt


    extremely thrilled. How much more if she would finally face the real culprit?


    Back in her house, Arabe was waiting for the result. Her mind was pre-upied of the mystery


    caller’s real intention of giving her the evidence. She clearly understood that there’s no free in this


    world. This caller must have something in exchange of this evidence. Thinking of this, it made her


    goosebumps again. How could a fragile girl like her could handle this kind of havoc where dangerous


    criminals were involved?


    Arabe just prayed that she would surpass all of these in her life and the oue would be to her


    great benefit. For a moment, she forgot to think about Bill Sky and her position in Bill’s life. Her mind


    was centered on theboratory result. Hopefully that would point out the real culprit and end the


    intense suspense in her life and soon her father would be awake froma and everything with her


    family would be back to normal.


    Though Arabe wanted to share the news to his mom, but she opted not to as she knew that her mom


    had already suffered too much because of her father’s situation, let alone she was the only one who


    was with him abroad. Arabe’s conscience would not allow her to add more worries to her mom.


    Then suddenly her phone rang. It was Officer Jackson.


    “Ms. Foster, I have a good and bad news for you.” Officer Jackson greeted her without the proper


    ‘hello’.