by Rona Go
"Call the police!" It was Jerone who spoke. "Pray, we're not too late and find Jenssen alive!"
Chapter 30
Guilty!
Guilt was the word of the day. Jonah mused as she rolled over on Jane's bed, pulling with her the thick comforter until it coiled around her body locking her in. She rolled back to her original position, unfastening the comforter. But she remained buried underneath the covering. She did not want to get up. After last night's adventure, she wanted to stay asleep but her body was already protesting. It was probably oversleeping that she was already having a mild headache.
Jane had gone back to the hospital right after they informed the police what Damian had overheard the man saying. Damian told the police Jenssen will be brought to an abandoned warehouse which was only within the neighborhood.
Jervais and Jerone stayed awake half of the night awaiting for any information about Jenssen from the police. Jonah was the first one to go to bed last night and almost instantly, her mind had shut everything off the moment she shut her eyes and lay down on bed.
But come morning and everything came rushing forth— Jenssen's disappearance…Hugh's kiss… and the guilt.
Jonah had a bucketful of guilt she was trying to get rid out of her system. There was the guilt of being more preoccupied with Hugh's kiss and what it meant rather than Jenssen's predicament. There was also the guilt of kissing Hugh and enjoying it rather than pining for Xavier and his kisses. And there was just plain and simple guilt for being guilty.
It was not as if Jonah was not totally worried about Jenssen because she was. But she was just keeping her emotions at bay. It was just too soon to mourn for another loss in the family when it had not even been a week after Brice's death. Although, a great fear was present for the imminent danger surrounding the whole family and the quest for the new healer.
And Hugh… Oh, God! Why did I have to kiss him back? Jonah contemplated. She knew where her loyalty was but she was betraying her own self. It was not as if she and Xavier had settled things about their relationship. But neither did Hugh.
"I am young and I should be seeing and getting to know more people! It's not as if X and I are married or anything!" Jonah blurted out loud. "I mean for goodness sake, people my age are out there having fun and I am miserable because of just two yummy boys!"
After reasoning with herself and still feeling guilty, Jonah buried herself deep inside the covers and groaned out loud. She wished she had a day of reprieve from everything else.
Just a day… I don't need forever for this. Jonah whispered to herself.
It was how Jervais found Jonah. Jervais entered the room and almost thought Jonah had gone down with the bulk of the linen hiding her. However, the loud groaning was impossible to miss.
"Jonah," Jervais muttered. "Get up!"
Without lowering the sheet, Jonah replied, "Jervais, shouldn't you be sleeping yet? I knew you barely had a wink last night. Go back to bed!"
Jervais sat on the bed, flipped the sheet away and revealed Jonah's face. "I got so much on my mind, I couldn't sleep!"
"I got so much on my mind and I want to sleep!" Jonah retorted. "Forever!"
"Huh! See what I told you," Jervais said triumphantly, "This so-called immortality that Aunt Judith was boasting about is nothing to crave for."
"It's not that I want to die now, Jervais—" Jonah said.
"Yeah, I know," Jervais answered. "It's just that one can have enough of something! Even life. And yes, I've had enough of this healer thing, so give me the belly chain!"
"What will you do with the habak?" Jonah demanded. She sat upright and stared long and hard at Jervais.
"I am going to wear it for the whole world to see," Jervais said. "Especially Aunt Judith! I figured the woman had spread out the rumor about us not to keep those who are interested with the healer's blood at bay. But it was for our own benefit. She probably wanted to draw one of us into admitting and sacrificing for the rest of us. And she's going to get it now. I'd be flashing it right under her nose that I am the new one just as I did with the white lady back at the Lively mansion. And I need the habak as a prop."
"Then, what?" Jonah said. "You will be putting yourself as a bait."
"I think I already am!" Jervais answered. "Come to think of it, it should have been me out there instead of Jenssen. I was supposed to come here and prepare Jane's things before Damian picked them up."
"No, Jervais!" Jonah insisted. "It could be anyone of us! It just so happened Jenssen was here and they got her!"
"Then enough is enough," Jervais shouted. She was already getting agitated by the minute. "They are not going to get any more of us! We'll draw them to us. They will have to reveal themselves to us. Or at least there has to be a face for our enemies. I do believe we know someone who's working with them. And I am going to bet it's either Aunt Judith or the white lady."
"Lower your voice, Jervais!" Jonah warned. "Aunt Judith may hear you!"
Jervais got the remote control which was on top of the bedside table and turned the television on. She increased the volume a notch higher drowning their conversation.
"We can't continue being scared of these people, Jonah," Jervais resumed her tirade. "And there's no way we can go into hiding. Think of Jerone's family. Think of X. Think of the things that we will be leaving behind because we became too chicken to stand up against them."
Think of Hugh… Jonah silently added to herself.
"Your mother was never afraid of these people. So why should we? If one of us is the new one, then we are more powerful than them," Jervais said. "All we need to do is to find the right person we can trust to teach us how your mother did it."
"Before the other party kills us," Jonah said matter-of-factly.
Just then, the program on television was interrupted by a live report which drew Jervais and Jonah's attention.
A reporter was saying, "What are hyenas doing in Roaring Brook Township? Authorities are puzzled as they found an empty warehouse housing a dozen of wild hyenas suspected of being smuggled from Africa. For the moment, the wild predators are being turned over to the Predators Conservation Foundation organized by Fr. Ulysses—"
Jervais muted the set and looked at Jonah. Both of them had the same idea going on in their minds. But it was so appalling to even voice out their assumptions.
"Could it be the same warehouse?" Jervais was saying. She stood up and moved towards the door but stopped. "Hand me the belly chain," she added.
Jonah opened Jane's bedside table and got the belly chain. She tossed it towards Jervais and said, "I'll just take a shower and be down in a few minutes. Don't do anything drastic without me, Jervais!"
Jonah had a quick shower, got dressed and went down in a record-breaking time. When she was able to join Jervais and her other siblings in the living room, two police officers were already there. Aunt Judith was also there.
From the looks of it, Jane and Jerone had already been crying with their red and puffed up eyes. Jerone was constantly dabbing just beneath the corner of her eyes to prevent her tears from smearing her make-up. But Jane had totally buried her face in her hands.
There were a few plastic evidence bags on top of the coffee table with Jenssen's belongings including a pair of red ballet flats, phone and bag. However, what caught Jonah's eyes was the other pair of red ballet flat which appeared to have blood on it. There was also a piece of clothing with dried blood stains on them. Apparently, these were the ones discovered in the warehouse.
"So are you saying you don't have any idea who's capable of doing this?" One of the officers asked. "I mean does your family have known enemies?"
"The Blood family is known for its generosity among other things. There may be some people who did not approve of our dear Rebecca but we cannot think of anybody in particular who could resort to such a heinous thing." It was Aunt Judith who answered the police.
Jonah went to sit next to Jervais. She whispered in Jervais' ear, "What is going on?"
/> "They found a few of Jenssen's belongings in the warehouse," Jervais whispered back. "Her shoe and a sweater."
Jonah gasped noisily drawing the police officers' attention towards her. But she did not mind them as she continued, "And Jenssen?"
"They couldn't find her," Jervais said. "Her body!"
"Is she dead?" Jonah asked.
Aunt Judith threw both of them a warning look before she faced the officers and said, "Our family would like some privacy now. We have just been through the death of two of our members and the other one is in the hospital. If there's nothing else needed from us, we would like to have the time to collect ourselves."
"Of course, we understand!" One of the officers answered and stood up. The other one also stood up and carefully gathered the plastic bags together. "We will be in touch for some developments. We may be inviting your driver—"
"Damian has been relieved from his post. We are no longer responsible and accountable for his actions," Jane interrupted.
"Of course!" The officer said. "Well, if there's anything that comes up, don't hesitate to call my office." He took out a business card and handed it to Aunt Judith. But Jerone who was sitting nearer the man, snatched it up.
Jervais volunteered to walk the two officers to the door. Walking right in front of the three women, Jervais sported out the belly chain hanging loosely around her waist. She had connected half of the chain to a black thin cord. However, it was only Jonah who seemed to notice.
Aunt Judith was already on her feet ready to leave the room. Then, she said, "Jenssen is gone. There's nothing else we can do about it. Since you are planning to do a final ceremony before Brice's ashes joins your father, you might as well include Jenssen."
"My gosh, Aunt Judith—" Jane protested. "They haven't found a body yet!"
"We don't need to. Let us put our concentration on the new one and finding out who she is rather than search for those that have gone ahead of us. And it will do us a lot of good if we keep quiet about this and solve it within ourselves. We still—" Aunt Judith then noticed Jervais who came in with Hugh and did not continue speaking. She frowned at him and turned to leave. As she passed by Jervais, she looked at her waist and saw the dangling belly chain on her. Her eyes grew large with shock and searched Jervais' face.
Jane was looking at Aunt Judith and followed the direction her eyes had taken and saw the habak on Jervais' waist. Her mouth began to open. Then, it closed again.
Aunt Judith's eyes roamed from Hugh to Jervais to the habak, but she did not say anything. After a while, she proceeded towards the basement in a huff.
Jervais sat beside Jonah pretending not to notice her Aunt Judith's reaction upon seeing the belly chain on her. However, she quickly exchanged a knowing look with Jonah.
Hugh sat down and occupied the vacant seat the two officers just vacated. He gave Jonah a small nod, who returned it rather shyly.
"Well, we can't mope around here all day!" Jerone announced. "There are things to be done! Businesses to attend to."
Jane sniffed out loud and agreed with Jerone with a little less conviction, "Well, if that's how we must handle this, then so be it. I'll have the ceremony arranged with Fr. Ulysses."
Jerone exited through the front door while Jane excused herself to change her clothes before leaving.
It was only when Jane and Jerone were out of earshot that Hugh told Jonah and Jervais excitedly, "When I saw the news, I remembered what Jenssen told X and me back then—about the hyenas. There are people within the Foundation who caught smugglers of hyenas but it has been kept from the media. Fr. Ulysses must have known about it. He is after all the founder of the Predators Conservation Foundation."
"But the report says the authorities are temporarily turning over the beasts to Fr. Ulysses!" Jonah said. "But you are actually saying that the priest is involved in this somehow?"
Chapter 31
Exposed
"I'll ask Jane," Jonah said. She stood up from the couch and walked in the direction Jane had taken.
"You can't tell Jane," Jervais insisted following Jonah.
"Should I wait here?" Hugh asked. He also stood up but he stayed to his spot in the living room. Jonah and Jervais stopped walking and looked back at him. "You've got to remember the person who said it is nowhere to be found. We don't have any evidence. We can't just march to Fr. Ulysses and accuse him of things," he added.
"Jane can subtly—" Jonah began.
"Jane cannot make him talk," Jervais cut Jonah off. "The police will!"
"No police," Jonah and Hugh said at the same time.
"You're beginning to sound like Aunt Judith," Jervais replied.
"Aunt Judith is right on that note—about the police I mean!" Jonah said.
"Fine, let's do this the woo-hoo way," Jervais said.
"And what is the woo-hoo way?" Jonah asked.
"We can use the habak!" Jervais suggested. She fingered the little trinkets dangling on her waist. "Aunt Judith did say it holds a secret of some sort."
"But we don't know how to use it, Jervais," Jonah said skeptically.
"Just do something with it. Instruct it. Touch it. Caress it. I don't know—" Jervais answered exasperatedly. "There'll be a way somehow."
"I'll get the real one," Hugh said.
Jervais untied the belly chain from around her waist and inspected it. "You mean this is not the real one? You've got me fooled over this one. And I happen to risk my life wearing this. I won't get killed for being the new one. I will get killed for faking this," she said with mocked anger, which made Jonah and Hugh chuckled lightly.
"That's not going to happen, Jervais," Jonah said. Then she became serious and added, "We'll have to tell Jane about Fr. Ulysses. She's going there anyway to arrange the final ceremony for Brice. And perhaps, Jenssen too. Then, we'll decide where to go from there."
"Good! That's settled then. I'll give you the real habak when you see X," Hugh said and walked towards the door but he stopped just a few feet away from where Jonah and Jervais were standing.
"I—" Jonah hesitated for a moment. With Hugh's eyes on her, she didn't know what she had been meaning to say. She was planning not to see Xavier for a while until she settled the confusion that was still bothering her.
"You are seeing him, aren't you?" Hugh asked. One of Hugh's brows had arched up in an inquiring manner but there was a trace of an amused half-smile on his face.
However, Jonah finally said, "Yeah, of course! Later!"
Hugh said, "Later!" And he was out of the door.
"What's that all about?" Jervais asked. She eyed Jonah suspiciously. "Is there anything I should know?"
"Nothing," Jonah answered. "Let's go find Jane and tell her."
"That certainly did not look like nothing to me," Jervais argued. "You're not even a widow yet and you're cheating on—"
"Quit it, Jervais!" Jonah warned.
"Okay, I'm sorry. It was done in bad taste. But—" Jervais said apologetically.
"Let's just find Jane, okay?" Jonah told her. Was she that obvious for Jervais to notice that something was bothering her about Hugh? Would Xavier notice too? Had Hugh noticed already? She certainly felt so exposed. Her body, her expression, her eyes, her words were all litmus tests to how she was feeling deep within her. And it was so difficult to pretend or delete the havoc she had created.
Jervais and Jonah went upstairs and found Jane all dressed up. Jane was about to leave to see Fr. Ulysses but Jervais and Jonah took her aside. The two relayed what Hugh told them and Jane could not hold back her shock and rage about the recent turn of events.
"If Fr. Ulysses is involved in all these, he had to be brought in for questioning," Jane said. She sat down at the edge of her bed. "Will your friends be able to testify to this?"
"Of course," Jonah replied. "But I thought we shouldn't involve the police in here. They will only launch a full investigation over the whole thing which will still leave all of us crying out a hocus-pocus! Let them do their job and
then we can do it our own way."
"How?" Jane asked.
"Ask Fr. Ulysses!" Jervais said. She went to the bedside table and opened the drawer to place the habak she was clutching in her hand.
"What is that? Isn't that your mother's belly chain? How did it get to you?" Jane demanded. She went to the bedside table and examined it.
"It's fake!" Jervais said.
"Then you are not leaving it here," Jane told Jervais. There was a trace of a grin on her lips and a twinkle of amusement in her eyes."For a moment there, I saw Aunt Judith looking like she had found her city of gold right in front of her when she saw you wearing that."
"Really? It was for her benefit. But she didn't look happy to me! She even looked irked!"
"Believe me! I've known the woman longer than you do. A frown to her is the same as being angry and blissful at the same time," Jane said. She leaned on the bedside table and relaxed her shoulders a bit. "But I am not going to put up another reason for people trashing my room again. So, you have got to dispose it!"
"No, don't!" Jonah quickly said. "It may come in handy sometime! We will never know." She got the fake belly chain and hid it in her pocket.
"No, Jonah! You are not going to put yourself in danger because of this," Jane said and extended her arm out to Jonah. "Give the belly chain to me!"
Jonah reached out for the habak in her pocket and gave it to Jane, who hugged her in return looking satisfied.
"So how are we going to uncover what the priest may be hiding?" Jane asked.
"We will just ask him point blank and we'll know from the way he reacts if he is onto something," Jervais quipped.
"Okay! But I'll have to do that alone!" Jane replied. "The two of you will have to stay here."
* * * * *
Jonah and Jervais had to promise to allow Jane to do the talking. And after hearing a warning from Jane for she had cautioned them that they will be exposed to danger more than ever, confronting the priest about Jenssen's disappearance, Jonah and Jervais smiled at each other surreptitiously. They were able to finally convince Jane to bring them along to meet with Fr. Ulysses.
