The Misguided

Somebody Knows...

Chapter 11- Somebody Knows...

Lilian sat outside the church, fiddling the bandana in her pockets. Someone knows. Someone in the crowd of the whole town swarming through the doors would know precisely what went down at Camila's house that night and that she was the one who murdered her husband; An investigation of the murder played out in their head, collecting evidence that would conclude she's the killer, ultimately leading her to a pile of ash ruins.

It's been two weeks since Daniel died, and Camila was convicted of first-degree murder, serving thirty years in the local Detention Centre. Lilian was utterly shocked by so much evidence proving she was the culprit, yet they never questioned it. Camila's lawyer was recently disbarred for illegal activities, yet they never gave her a retrial, considering the apparent lack of defence in court- Lilian witnessed entirety of the immoral scene as the testifier.

"You just became an apologist for what you go against." Camila's last words were replayed in Lilian's head for the past week, each time losing an impression of herself.

She heard from the gossip circulating Lilac Dove while she exercised at the Communal Centre the other day that Camila eventually admitted to his murder. Lilian can't grasp why, when she's the most determined person she knows, she is not letting swift obstacles hinder her way to success.

Lilian thinks she feels guilty. Guilty of betrayal, she was a firm believer in karma.

A tap on her shoulder awoke her from being lost in her ocean of thoughts, from her only escape. She shifted her head backwards to see Susan standing over her with a concerned look, slowly sitting beside her, resting the crutch on her left.

"Are you okay, honey? This is the third time today. The ceremony is starting soon."

The funeral, or the ceremony, filled with people who barely knew Daniel, maybe talked to him once taking out garbage on the streets, being here for the sake of prestige and superficial respect- tearing as if he was the glorious man who saved them from a house fire. Some are probably here for a free meal to fill their stomach. Or, here to finally witness his downfall for temporary satisfaction.

"I know, Mom, I'm sorry. It's just- I can't believe he's gone. It all feels so surreal."

"I'm sorry, honey, it must've been hard." Susan comforted, "You know, I was never fond of Daniel that much. I think you are aware of that." Susan turned around and tucked Lilian's hair strand behind her ears. "You just never seem to know what's going on with him. He's mysterious, not in a good way."

"I found out Daniel killed someone a few months ago."

"Oh dear, it's Rose Adams, isn't it? Your father and I did a whole investigation on this. That's how bored we were without you."

"What did you guys find? I also tried but found nothing except for a few missing posters and portraits." Lilian was intrigued, snapping back into reality.

"It's so much more complicated than you would think," Susan said. "We talked to this nice lady at the local police station specializing in this case, and she gave us some information. Your father and I don't think he actually killed her because the body was not found- she allegedly fled the country. She lived in Africa under a different name, Darcie Ambrosio. It's just a cover-up for something bigger."

"Did you ever find out what the cover-up -"

Lilian's father, Joe, rushed towards them in a jog and shushed Lilian precipitously. "Why are you guys still out here? The funeral is starting soon! The casket was dropped off ages ago !"

"We'll finish this conversation later; now, let's get this funeral over with," Susan suggested, slowly curving her thighs to make a stand. Lilian held her mother up in the crutches and brushing past the strangers as they slowly made a way inside the church; Daniel's portraits pattered across the walls. They were greeted with condolences, the ingenuine "I'm sorry" and "He's in a better place," within the arrival to their seats. Lilian and her mother sat down in the front row beside the rest of her family alongside Daniel, sobbing hysterically. Lilian could not help but notice Xavier's absence; She knew of their upbringing of rivalry, but to miss the send-off was simply blunt.

The crowd went dead silent when the funeral officiant cleared the mic on the chancel, while the pallbearers walked through the tight aisle wearing all black ; upheld the sandalwood casket with sorrow.

"... Today is also a day to celebrate his life, that he graced this world with his presence, making it a better place through his interactions with others, his contributions to the society and his family. Instead of the emphasis that he was gone, we should appreciate he lived."

"Daniel was a caretaker. He was a father, a husband, a son," The pastor announced, reading a script laid on top of a bible, "But most importantly, he was a child of God. May the lord be with him and give him all of his blessings, watching over him always. For as long as the eternity in the Heavens above us."

"Amen."

Lilian fiddled with the bandana again, glancing her head around swiftly after the grievance speech ended and saw Dr. Marco. She was surprised to see him sitting in the far corner of the audience; as he previously mentioned, he couldn't come due to strict laws of patient-doctor professionalism; why the sudden change of mind, she wondered. As she decided to make her way to him, his head lifted and glanced back at her, a face that dissected every ounce of her emotions while masking the unknown of truths. She waved at him, but he didn't wave back and exited the church staring at his phone. Lilian decided to follow him as he stopped right outside the door. Lilian stayed inside and slightly peeked over at him and saw it -an identical cardstock telling Lilian to kill her husband in his hand and a cell phone in his other hand.