Green Harbor

CHAPTER 2

Hours and days and weeks of interrogation, tracing, and the constant need of public statements made Zelena dizzy. The killer left no signs back at the Green Harbor. They seem to be pretty clever, too, no fingerprints, no weapons left behind. The car was found damaged against a tree and thought to be crashed after losing control.

She saw all of those photographs at the police headquarters that had her father's body, blood, and the officers noted that the bookstore's floor was wet and flooding from the bookstore's garden hose, probably the suspect's way of erasing footprints. The driver was reported missing, too.

And they didn't catch the killer's name, but now they had given them the title "The Green Harbor Murderer".

That night when her mother texted her to come home, Katha was already at home with their mother, then Zelena, and then Victoria coming home late because of her schedule. How many hours have they been crying, telling each other they have to stay strong? And Zelena, for once, cried too. Even she was surprised. It is like when the wheels of a bike have been spinning for so long that when it stops, you get knocked out of it. She felt knocked out of the bike.

Today was the day. Her father's funeral. She took charge in writing invitations only to their relatives as her mother preferred her husband would be buried privately when the sun is setting. Zelena invited Keone and his family, too, for they were a business partner of her father's.

Katha started cooking breakfast while Victoria sat with Zelena. Their mother zoning out somewhere upstairs. "Did you ever love Papa?" Victoria suddenly spoke.

"Funny 'cause I was about to ask you, too. Why didn't you come with us at the police station?"

Victoria rolled her eyes. "I'm just a mall owner, I feel small to be even sitting next to you. Second, I was the one who took charge of our mother-dear, while you twinnies go off to some Sherlock adventure."

Zelena let out a laugh. "No shit."

They can hear Katha opening and closing cabinets back at the kitchen. "Now where's that darned knife when I need it, it can't just disappear out of nowhere!"

--

It was near sunset now and the mass at the church just ended. Victoria was driving them all to the cemetery. Their mother seated at the passenger seat and the twins at the back. Zelena felt as though she had a big rock blocking the airways of her throat, not even Katha's hand holding hers can calm her down. She felt ashamed, now that she realized the last time she had seen her father, she was almost beaten to death.

"I don't see Mr. Villamor's car anywhere." Their mother said, looking out the window and checking whether everyone was present. "Are you sure you sent out those invitations to everyone, nak?"

"I was meaning to tell you earlier that they declined the invitation." Victoria answered. They didn't notice they had already arrived at the cemetery. "Safety, I heard."

Everything went by so fast, and Zelena couldn't tell whether it was because the sunset had gone by so quickly. The kind words the guests give her are all the same and fake. And she should know, now that her father's gone, it's no surprise his family enemies are rejoicing.

"Zelena," She hears someone calling her name. Keone was walking up to her now. "I'm sorry for your loss." He whispers once he arrived in front of her.

"Thank you." Zelena nods.

"So, I heard. The case is still unsolved." Keone says. "The media also said that ... Cayla has been teasing about another book release."

"A book release." Zelena echoes.

Keone eyes her closely. "Yeah, no wonder she has been pretty busy. Didn't even stop to attend her label's CEO's funeral."

Zelena, unable to talk much longer, processes the information in her head. "I'm sorry?"

"Didn't you hear?" Keone asks gently. "Cayla's moving to your label. How are you so clueless?"

"I'm-" Zelena is lost in thought. "I don't- Why didn't I know about this?" She looks at Keone one more time. "Are you suggesting I should do something about it, or?"

The young man hears his mother call him and he slowly backs away. He shrugs after a long pause, then he leaves.

And just like that, Zelena realizes what Keone meant. "That's right. She invited Papa out for dinner."

--

Two days had passed, and Zelena received an order to report at the headquarters with one of the directors. She opens the door to the room, greets everyone, before being seated next to Cayla Villamor. "My condolences, Miss Luka. I'm sorry we had to decline your invitation to Mr. Luka's funeral."

"Where have you been after that night?" Zelena kept her voice steady, not making any eye contact. "I was the one who gave you my father's phone number. So I assume you went out with him?"

Cayla nods. "It felt strange how the TV says he was alone. I swore I must've fell asleep. It was pretty late at night, after all." She looks at Zelena now. "Anyway, that Green Harbor Murderer ... seems way too predictable. You could catch him in no time, if that makes you better."

Zelena looks back at her and nod. "It does, thank you. I'll think about it."

The meeting ended pretty early. So far, two things cleared up Zelena's questions : one, Cayla was clueless about that night. But not too clueless to not know about Zelena's contract being terminated before her father's death. And that she is now the replacement for Zelena.

Still fuming, Zelena left the room first and contacted a driver while she gathered up her things at the office before leaving. All she could think of is, what was she going to do now? She grabbed her bag and boxes heading out the door.

She didn't stop to look at the party Cayla was now holding at her office, with beer and cake and people. Outside, Zelena asked the driver to head home. Something was definitely off, she thought, Like there was something they're not letting me know.

--

Meanwhile, at the back of the Luka Publishing House building, a janitor came to grab the bins of garbage over to the garbage truck. Once he's done, he grabs a broom and starts sweeping. At one point a couple of high school kids came running, knocking over the tower of garbage bags, spilling trash all over the ground.

The middle-aged janitor muttered curses as he had to drop the broom and clean up after the plastic bags. He stopped when he spots something that catches his eye.

"A bottle of Chloroform?" He scrambled over to see whose office did the garbage bag come from. The janitor's face becomes colorless.