Watcher

Chapter 4: Mystery

Caden quickly replied to Madam Nigera’s question without hesitating and gives the book.

“Good. I think both of you should take a shower. Dust and dirt seem to have stuck to your bodies."

Madam Nigera walks away and back into her room. Bradley and Caden quickly run to their rooms. However, someone knocked on Bradley's room a few minutes after taking a shower. He opens the door and it turns out to be Madam Theresa.

“Bradley, these are all food ingredients that you must buy.” She gives Bradley a shopping list and basket.

"Yes, Madam.”

Bradley walks away from his room. The sky looks a bit cloudy, he takes a black umbrella hanging on the door and walks outside. The gust of wind is also quite strong., so Bradley fastens his movement. He doesn’t want to get wet after buying all that stuff.

A medium-sized house with the signboard “Paolo Grocery Store” is his destination. Bradley always buys foodstuff in these places because the owner is generous and Mr. Eugene’s best friend.

“I’m sure uncle Paolo has all of this stuff.”

The venue is not very big, but there are always shoppers inside. He sees several types of fresh meat of various sizes arranged inside a see-through box.  On the other side, several shelves contain all the spices, some fruits, and vegetables. This place is also equipped with air conditioning, so people are not going easy to get sweaty. There are also fresh fish, shrimp, and crabs put inside glass boxes.

“Uncle Paolo,” Bradley shouts while elongating his neck. "Uncle, where are you?"

"Oh, hi dear. What can I do for you?" asked a fat man with a mustache and white hair.

“Uncle Paolo, I am looking for these ingredients.” Bradley gives the paper containing the list of groceries to him. "Do you have all these?"

"Wait a moment. I will check this material first.” Mr. Paolo takes the notes, and basket and starts searching for the ingredients.

Bradley goes around looking at this place with a big smile on his lips. He loves this place because it’s so calm with classical music and of course, he doesn’t hear Madam Theresa’s voice here. A few minutes later, someone walks toward him.

“Bradley, this is all stuff you need it.” Paolo gives the basket to him. “So, how’s Madam Theresa?”

“Yeah, same all.” Bradley rolls his eyes. “She always yelling at the orphanage every day.”

Paolo sighs. “Well, her trait is like that.”

Bradley nods faster. Mr. Paolo walks closer to Bradley and says something in a low voice. 

“Hey, I have some new information. It is about the mystery of Eugene's death,” said Paolo, glancing left and right. “I think his death has been premeditated.”

"What!”

Bradley is shocked to hear that. Some buyers near them look at them with a strange look. Mr. Paolo smiles at them, they continue for looking their stuff.

“Sorry, Uncle.” Bradley lowers his head.

“Don’t worry. That’s fine.” Mr. Paolo rubs Bradley’s head. “I was also shocked to hear about that for the first time.”

“Uncle you don't talk nonsense. Are you sure about that?" asks Bradley curious. “I think people are just making it all up.”

“I hope so,” Paolo nods. “However, if it’s true. I believe the person who killed Mr. Eugene may be a person around him.”

“So you mean Madam Th-“

Mr. Paolo shut Bradley’s mouth before he continues his word. “Hey Kid, don’t say that word.” His eyes look around. “We don’t have any proof yet. So, we can judge her already.”

Bradley nods faster. Mr. Paolo opens Bradley’s mouth and takes a newspaper near him. He starts to read headlines in the newspaper. “Oh my, another missing person.” He shakes his head.

“Another?” Bradley furrows his eyebrow. “How long has this been happening?”

Mr. Paolo this accident happened 2 days ago. Many people say the number of missing people more increasing day by day. The policemen try to investigate it, yet the kidnapper hasn’t been found yet.

“Well, I think you should back to the orphanage kid.” Mr. Paolos advises Bradley. “This place is so dangerous, now.”

"Yes, I think so."

Bradley walks away from the shop and rushes back to the orphanage. On the way, He sees a child playing in the field accompanied by parents. Their faces looked happy. He stops for a moment and looks at the beautiful sight.

"Oh, I wish I have a family."

The words keep ringing in his mind. He wants to feel how much real parental love he had never gotten before. There’s no one in the orphanage that he considered family now except Caden.

“Ok, I better hurry and go home.”

Bradley shakes his head trying to realize his current position. He fastens his steps toward the orphanage and luckily, when he arrived it starts raining.  he opens the door, puts back the umbrella, and immediately rushes into the kitchen.

“All right, that is all now.”

 He puts the ingredients on the table and walks back to his room. Along the way to his room, Uncle Paolo's words still cling in his memory.

“Could it be that Mr. Eugene's death was premeditated, but who would do that?”

Bradley just takes a few breaths. Deep down in his mind, he is still wondering about what Mr. Paolo said.  He hopes that is just fake news made up by ignorant people. Suddenly, Caden comes out of his room.

"Brad, where have you been?" Caden asked curiously. "Why is your face so tense?"

"Madam Theresa told me to buy some things.”

“Oh, okay.”

 “Caden, there's something I want to tell you." Bradley grabbed Caden's hand and entered his room.

He got information from Mr. Paolo that Mr. Eugene has been killed by someone. Caden’s blue eyes widened for a moment hear about it.

"Wait. Brad, are you sure about those words?" Caden asked hesitantly. "We haven't found any evidence at all, have you?"

"Yes, that’s true. But what if it's true?" Bradley asks curiously.

“It means someone is really after Mr. Eugene's life,” said Caden, shaking his head.

***