Raven

Chapter 26

It is always the best policy to speak the truth, unless, of course, you are an exceptionally good liar.

- Jerome K. Jerome

?

Raven's POV

After the interview, s***h interrogation, with the Montero couple, we went back to the unit that was lent to us. We'll gonna stay in for the night and head back to school first thing in the morning. There, we organized the documents and the statements they juiced out from Liam and Hel.

They asked me to spill out everything I fished from the two, of what I saw earlier. So I told them everything. No use in keeping it a secret, they've known about my ability all along.

I told them how I heard Hel talking to someone on the phone and called them brother. And the fact that that person has 5 million dollars in his bank account, courtesy of Hel Montero.

"Hel said she hired his brother for this. But she only had one brother, and that is Chief Superintendent Daniel Bridgerton." Lemon interjected. "Can someone hire a high-ranked police to do your dirty deeds?"

"Who knows, maybe they're a pair of sickos." Sucrose said.

They played the recording they had of the interview earlier. Listening to the audio, I could clearly hear Hel's voice.

...

"They're all trash."

"They're not worthy of Liam's love."

"Liam's mine."

"He can't escape my grasp."

...

I was baffled by the statements that she spouted. Night told me that she was under hypnosis. Her answers may be perfunctory but she really did sound she was happy of it.

Liam wasn't spared. I told them how I saw him standing in front of his first girlfriend's dead body and was very agitated to take away something from the crime scene.

There was silence. And then suddenly the three of them laughed.

"Holy s**t!" Sucrose said while clutching his tummy.

"Oh my styx! I think I'm gonna pass out!" Lemon said in between breaths, still laughing.

"I never thought he was like that. Another handsome man going unavailable for us girls." Night sighed. She took the recorder and played it.

I heard Liam's voice. He was confessing about the one he did. He said he never expected to see his girlfriend lying on bed where they "made love". He forgot his 'backless brief' and he was afraid the police might discover it and use it as an evidence of his entanglement with the victim.

He confessed that the one he likes was Daniel Bridgerton, but doesn't want to hurt Hel who's crazily in love and obsessed with him.

"Now, we're finally done with gathering evidences and the interrogation of the suspects. Next stop, the entrapment." Night declared.

"Ooh, my favorite part." Lemon said happily while clapping her hands.

We were busy planning for the next step when the doorbell suddenly rang.

"You guys ordered something?" Night asked as she glanced at Lemon.

Lemon shrugged and stared at the door. "I can't get through her head." She said moments later of glaring at the closed door.

Sucrose stood up and went to open the door. He was alert and ready to act up if it's an intruder. When the door was finally opened, I heard a familiar voice.

"I came here to pick up Raven. Is she inside?"

I saw Lilibeth at the door. She stared at me and gave me smile. "Hi."

I walk up to the door and thanked Sucrose. "I'll take it from here."

He hesitated for a while but then he nodded and gave Lily a look.

"I thought you said you had some errands to do?" I asked softly.

She looked behind me first before talking. "I did. But Miss Harlequin told me to pick you up."

"Why? Is there something wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing's wrong. She just wants to invite you on their camping trip." Lily answered. "You go say goodbye to them."

Just like Lily said, I said goodbye to everyone. Lemon didn't want me to leave but she received a call from Blyneia.

As we passed by the front desk, that smiling guy was staring at me again. He looked at me intently and although nervous, I also stared back. When he realized that I'm not backing down, he started grinning. I was about to avoid my gaze when I noticed his expression changed. It was for a moment though. Then he scoffed and turned his back.

I looked at Lily who was also smiling beside me. Did she do something to that guy?

"Lily, I have to tell you something." I told Lily the moment we got in the car.

Lily didn't talked, she only looked at me, which made me feel bad.

"D-During my birthday, something happened. I a—I'm s-sorry, for not telling you aba-about it." I paused and asked her. "Remember the thing about my dreams?"

I saw her nodded so I continued talking. "Not only I can dream of people's secret, I can also discover it through hand touch now."

"I know." She said. "It was The Oeuvre who gave us the information. Are you hungry? I brought food."

She took the paper bag beside her. There was a food container in it. She gave it to me and gestured for me to eat.

I was stumped. This was not the reaction I was expecting. While the car was moving, I finished all of the food Lilibeth prepared. I missed her cooking.

"I'll drive you tomorrow to the campsite where the mistress and the kids were." She informed as she handed a can of soda at me.

I looked at her and asked. "Can't I just have the whole day to have good sleep?"

"No, silly." She laughed. "Spend your time with her. It's all that she asked of you."

࿈

I woke up around 10 in the morning. Yumiko entered my room and told me that she was sent by Lily to help me prepare.

"She got some errands to do. She told me to accompany you to relieve some time off while waiting for her to come back." She said while preparing me a breakfast.

Now that the only one's left in the house were the butlers and the maids, this was my chance to explore the whole library in high hopes of finding a book about Haku's existence.

Yumiko also helped me look for the book, but all I gained was dust mite allergy and a book of poetry. No book where there's a name Haku within it.

"Hmm, I guess I'll have to hit Alice's shop next time." I sighed as I left the room.

Lilibeth also returned the moment we were finished scavenging inside the library. She gave Yumiko some reminders, and then we're good to go.

࿈

It's Monday morning and I just missed my second class.

I'm at The Oeuvre right now, sitting on a chair in front of the members of the Investigatory Team and Miss V. I felt like I am going to be executed. My stomach also felt a little queasy and I am really not comfortable with them looking at me like that. I hate it when I am stared at.

"No one told us about your ability. We discovered it on our own." Blyneia said. She was sitting on the table with a lollipop in her hand while pointing it towards Lemon. "After all, you're not the only one who have powers."

Lemon grinned. "Your head is too loud and messy. I can comprehend some information but not all."

"I have never seen such complicated past as you." Reginald said, giving me a half smile.

"Y-Your aura and subconscious self is very fascinating." Milcah said softly, avoiding my gaze.

"My ability doesn't affect you." Night said, brows creased. "I suspect there is someone protecting your consciousness."

Someone's protecting my consciousness? It was Lilibeth, wasn't it? She's the only one I knew who could calm my thoughts down.

"Starting tonight, you're going to join them at the Special Night Class. It's only for two hours every school day, your sleep won't be compromised." Miss V said while giving me a piece of paper. "Fill it up and give it to me once you are finished."

"Say something." Sucrose said worriedly. I just noticed that I haven't been talking since I entered The Oeuvre.

"Uh, can I have some water? My throat's kinda parched."