Murder In The Old Castle
221. Solving Puzzles

After the press conference ended, Reno and Dimas returned to the office. Reno retrieves the paper he found inside Anita Wijaya's mouth as the girl is killed hanging from a durian tree. Slowly he tried to understand the meaning, then handed the paper to Dimas who was sitting in front of him.

“You read this, Dim! Can you find the instructions in this article?”

When a star dims, three days and three nights Hermaphrodite will perish. When Venus shows up, beware of something abundant. In a vacuum, without friends and friends. His body was frozen, ice-cold in Siberia.

“What is this writing?” ask Dimas.

He received a paper from Reno, taking a close look.

“I found in Anita's mouth while hanging on a durian tree. Apparently the killer deliberately left this message so we can guess who gets killed next. Yesterday when Daniel Prawira was killed, I also found the inscription in his hand. I'll take it for a moment .... “

Reno retrieves a folder in the filing cabinet where he keeps a small piece of paper from Daniel Prawira's body. He handed the second paper to Dimas.

“Compare with this writing!” said Reno.

If the sun and moon cannot unite, the sun will be extinguished. One star will go back out. A bright young star. The sun's favorite star. The first star of twenty-six stars. The light dimmed in the gardens of the kings. Swung in the wind. Meronta.

Dimas compared the two writings, trying to solve the meaning of the words implied in them. He scrunched his forehead. Dimas did not follow the case from the beginning, so he had to trace the cases one by one.

“After Anita's murder happened, I just found out the meaning of this writing. Sun and moon, I don't know the meaning of that word yet. For all I know, the sun certainly symbolizes Daniel Prawira. Who is the moon here? The sun went out, this must be Daniel's death. One star will go out again, it turns out it's Anita. Because he was Daniel's favorite. The first star of twenty-six stars, I think it's some kind of A in 26 alphabets. The light dimmed in the gardens of the kings, of course, Anita who died in the durian garden. He was tossed in the wind, because his body was hanging and bobbing. Really, if only we could translate this puzzle from the beginning, this murder would not have to happen,” Reno said.

“Hmm, yes of course. Because of the puzzle it is actually clear the identity of the victim and how he was killed right?”

“Well, now we move on to the second puzzle. When a star dims, it's like Anita's death. Three days and three nights? Does this mean the murders will be carried out three days from now. If it is, we must move quickly to identify the identity of our next victim. When did Venus appear? Venus is a planet. It could mean women. I don't get it yet. Venus showing up? What do you think Dim?” ask Reno.

“Venus ... Venusian. Venus is a planet close to Earth. In the arrangement of the solar system, Venus is the second planet calculated from the distance to the sun. But I don't yet have any idea what Venus's connection to this case is. It could be as you say, that Venus could symbolize women. Men are usually represented by Mars. We'll investigate further!” said Dimas.

“Our time is narrow, Dim! I'm afraid that if we find out too late about the puzzle, the victim will fall again. We are now racing against time. The killer is not silent now. He is also planning his next murder. We have to be fast!”

“Good. Let's try to solve ...”

“Now we turn to the word Hermaphrodite. Have you heard that name?” ask Reno.

“Hermophrodite will perish. Hmm, if in the biological sciences that I have studied before, this hermaphrodite is a living creature that has two sexes. But usually animals, it is rarely found in humans. In Greek mythology, Hermaphroditus was the son of Hermes and Aphrodite, who were transformed into a double-matured creature. Does anyone have a double sex?” said Dimas.

“Entahlah. But my guess is one. In this real world there are indeed no creatures that are double guaranteed, only similar ones exist,” Reno said.

“You mean?”

“I mean, a man who looks like a woman or vice versa. It can be said yah .. kayak sissi. How do you think?” ask Reno.

“Can be so. It could be that the next victim is a sissy. Now let's go to the next sentence. Beware of something too big. What is abundant? Money, water, air, or what? This is a bit difficult to interpret because the meaning is quite broad. Will the next murder have anything to do with money, water or air? It's a little confusing. As we know, something abundant in this world is a lot!”

“In a vacuum without flaring, this is a quiet space or how is it? Closed room or something? In the air, this means a stuffy space or the like. But what room?” Reno was still wondering.

“Yes, it could be a vacuum. Before, he called something big. So there's no way that's abundant air. Maybe it could be water, because in the water there is little oxygen and humans cannot breathe in the water. Is this what is meant by hampa?” guess Dimas.

“Maybe. Your analysis makes sense. So what I'm noting here is, maybe the murder will happen three days from now, it has something to do with the water, the victim might be a pansy, and the last sentence is .... his body was frozen icy cold. Yeah, I think this must have something to do with water. The thing is, we don't know what water is meant here. It could be sea water, swimming pool water, or other water,” Reno said.

“OK .. okay! We ignore the water problem. Now we focus on the victim. Who do you think that sissy is meant here? Aren't there hundreds of wankers in this city?”

“Surely their number is in the hundreds, but the one that has to do with Daniel Prawira there is only one. I saw her look like a girl. How to behave, look and talk. It looks like it is him,” Reno said.

“Who?”

“Ollan!”

***

From the age of a dozen, he had been employed by Henry Tobing as a manager because Henry Tobing felt sorry to see the weak youth began to almost end his life because of frustration without friends and work. He was already preparing to jump off the bridge when Henry Tobing passed the bridge.

Ollan is a migrant from Sumatra to seek sustenance in this city. Even his family was not too attentive to him because of his physical shortcomings. That's what makes Ollan feel depressed. Fortunately, Henry Tobing saved his life, even giving him the opportunity to become a manager.

That afternoon, Ollan, who had just returned from Daniel Prawira's funeral, got ready for a small and cheap apartment. He rented the apartment because the rent was right in the pocket. There are only 10 floors of the apartment and it is located somewhat on the edge of the city, adjacent to Kampung Hitam, the legendary village in the city.

His schedule today is to go to the salon for cream bath and also facial skin care. He prepares everything needed carefully, should not miss small but useful items, such as tissues, lip balms, and powder so as not to impress oily skin. He prepares his needs while singing small.

Suddenly his phone rang, singing his favorite dangdut song. Soon he picked up, because the one who called was Rianti Tobing.

“Iya Bu Rianti?” answer Ollan.

“Lan, are you the same today?” ask Rianti.

“No, Mom. Last night, Ollan did not meet Ban Hen. Indeed, he had stopped by the Cafe that, but it was up that Ollan went home, Mom. Until this afternoon Bang Hen has not yet called,” explained Ollan.

“The problem is that he also did not return home, Lan. You don't know where he went,” asked Rianti.

“Waduh, where are ya ma'am? Don't understand either,” Ollan replied.

“Ya has Lan. Thank ye. Would you like to go to the salon today?” ask Rianti.

“Iya Ma'am. I'm going to the salon. Want to be with?” ask Ollan.

“Bby ... can! Let me pick you up, Lan. Half an hour!”

“Ready Bu!”

***

Inside his luxurious apartment, Faishal Hadibrata drinks a cup of coffee he has just brewed, while checking the messages that go into his cell phone. A beautiful girl came out from inside her room, wearing only a flower-patterned sleeping kimono.

“Bothered with the news of the girl's death?” ask the woman with the flower motif.

“Yes, my co-worker was killed last night. Whereas before he had accused me that I sent a bouquet of flowers containing rat carcasses to him. I didn't think he was actually killed,” Faishal said.

“Hmm, you're not the one who sent the bouquet to her right?” ask the woman suspiciously.

“Yes not, Mel! Crazy what! If I wanted to kill girls, you wouldn't be here today. Yeah, I'm a girl-lover, but I'm not a psychopath like Ferdy's case!” Faishal.

“Yes, I didn't say you were a psychopath either. Maybe you have some unresolved business. Everything could have happened. Uh, but I don't accuse you anyway,” said the woman.

“Don't think no!”

“Oke, so how? Are you going to marry me?”

“I don't know yet. I actually hate marriage. Why don't we just enjoy life without having a marriage bond?” faishal.

“Because we're human, Faishal! Not an animal that just stirs up lust. Understand that!”

***