"Witches? What sort—the green-skinned ones, school-going ones, or—" Raine's tone dripped with sarcasm.
"This is serious, Ms. De Verra," Eteri replied, unfazed. "My employer's concerned about the recent serial killings in the city. Something’s afoot, and they are certain of it."
"Desperate, I see. Plenty of private investigators out there—they could even hire someone from other cities or anywhere in the Philippines," Raine countered. "Why me?"
"Simple—it’s a matter of trust, Ms. Raine. And please, don't betray that," Eteri warned. "Now, do you remember the victim from last Monday? The report’s in, and it suggests she may have died from a ritual gone awry."
"What? The woman couldn't have died from something personal, like health issues?" Zane questioned.
"Pathology reports show she was in perfect health. No drugs, no poison," Eteri replied.
"And where did you dig up that information?" Zane asked, eyebrows raised.
"My employer isn’t one to be trifled with," Eteri responded coolly.
"Suit yourself," Zane muttered. "Anyway, maybe it was a bangungot—a bad dream so intense it can stop the heart. People sometimes don’t even have a chance to wake up to call for help."
"Some articles debunk that theory, Mr. Nuñez," Eteri replied, her tone unyielding. "They claim it lacks scientific evidence." Raine shifted uncomfortably, the familiar sting of being outsmarted creeping in.
"Better than your theories of bruhas, mangkukulam, mambabarang, and aswangs," Raine muttered under her breath.
Zane interjected, leaning forward. "Since we're tossing theories around, why do you believe witchcraft is involved?"
Eteri took a measured breath. "Listen, I don’t know if you’ll believe me, but I’m convinced this was witchcraft. This wasn’t just an ordinary death. There are forces at work here, forces beyond what we can see."
"Is this your employer speaking, or is it you?" Raine asked, eyes narrowing.
"To be honest, I don’t believe in the supernatural. Neither does my employer," Eteri replied.
"And who exactly is this employer of yours?" Zane pressed.
"I’m sorry, Mr. Nuñez, but I can’t say. I gave my word," Eteri said firmly.
"Then why are you here, Ms. Magallanes? I’d wager you’re meeting someone after this, aren’t you?" Raine challenged.
Eteri paused, momentarily taken aback. "What? How did you—?"
"That golden ring, for starters. It's new and polished, yet you keep fiddling with it—classic sign someone’s aware it's being noticed. And then there’s the little touch-up with your cardigan and makeup... clearly trying to impress someone," Raine observed.
Eteri glanced down, a faint blush colouring her cheeks. "You’re right. I have a... meeting. But it's only a friend," she murmured.
"Alright, no more sidetracks," Raine said, folding her arms. "Now, why are you here? Let’s go back to the beginning, Miss Magallanes."
"I'm neither confirming nor dismissing the mangkukulam theory. I just want to shed light on the situation," Eteri replied.
"If you’ve already seen the victim—Amara—she was researching strange things for the stories she was writing, wasn’t she? And there’s that odd atmosphere surrounding it all."
Eteri took a deep breath, feeling the gravity of the moment settle. "Yes, she’d been researching old Filipino rituals and superstitions. Obsessed, really," she admitted. "I met her before at one of the libraries. She was one of our loyal customers… or, well, she used to be."
YOU ARE READING
The Missing Link
Mystery / ThrillerThe peaceful town of Nueva Aurora was rattled by a series of baffling murders that sent shockwaves through the community. Lorraine Adriella de Verra, PhD, a science teacher with a long-held ambition to become a crime investigator, and her newly acqu...
