***
"I want to ask your help, Mr. Vernon," said the guest
"What? Tsk. I told you I don't want to deal with the police" Lex spoke with annoyance.
"May I come in for a moment? There are things I have to talk about"
Lex thinking for a moment, considering how good it would be. Finally, he decided to let the woman in because there is so much emotion outside his door as if they are waving to say good morning to his sharp nose, plus Lex didn't have time to wear his mask before opened the door.
"Hhhhhh .... all right, come in," said Lex flatly by shaking his head towards the inside of his house.
The woman obeyed and went inside, her eyes tracing around the house with Lex who walked first to the kitchen followed by her.
The house doesn't even look like a house, garbage is scattered around, clothes also look out of place, bottles of energy drinks are scattered in every corner of the place.
'He can live in a place like this?' asked the woman in her mind.
They are now in the kitchen, in a room with a dull white paint with age, dirty dishes still there, in a small sink in the corner of the kitchen. Lex gave a glass of water that he took from the tap, indeed the tap water in Vellas is suitable for drinking, it's just that most people choose to buy mineral water instead of having to drink directly on tap water, as well as the woman in front of him, who immediately frowned at the treat in front of her.
"Your mask ... ??" the woman asked, raising an eyebrow and disinterested in the treats in front of her.
"No problem, the smells can't get into my house". Lex replied lightly.
"Heh, .. so it really exists?" replied the guest a little cynically with a piece of amused laugh at the beginning because she is not completely sure about what this man said.
"Of course, I didn't make it up. You're the only person I tell besides my mother. And that's because I have no choice." Lex replied a little offended.
"Then, you don't smell it from me?"
"Hmmm .... no, I'm also surprised. Have you never lied? Or have a grudge?" Lex responded in half disbelief.
"I don't know, I rarely interact with other people," she replied, shrugging her shoulders.
"Well ... maybe that's why" concluded Lex.
The guest just nodded her head as she looked around the room as if she understood what Lex meant.
"What do you want to talk about?" continued Lex impatiently.
"Hhhmmmhh ..." she exhaled softly, hesitating for a moment but then decided to speak.
"I need your help to solve the case, come with me to meet the witnesses and victims' families, maybe it can yield clues," she said later.
Lex raised his eyebrows, feeling a little surprised at the request of the person in front of him.
"You..what? Ask me to help you solve the case? Are you crazy?" Said Lex showing his reluctance.
"Yes, maybe I'm crazy, but there's no time, I have to do everything I can to catch the culprit before the victims increase."
"That's your problem, don't get me involved. I told you I hate dealing with cops." Lex sticks with the answer.
"Alright ... if you help me, I'll return your identity card after this is over". Bargain the woman.
"Phfft ... Hahahah ... sorry but I don't care about that card, just take it for you"
The woman frowned, biting her lower lip as she thought and weighed what she could offer to the annoying boy in front of her.
It is really annoying for her to have to persuade other people to help, as long as she had never done anything like this. She is usually persuaded to help handle serious cases considering her achievements so far.
Damn it! She thought.
"All right! If you are willing, I will do whatever you want" she said as she pounded the table in front of her.
Lex paused, thinking about the pros and cons he could get if he decided to help. He stared fixedly at the bluish bead of the woman in front of him. In his mind, he muttered that this person could be his ideal slave, plus there would be nothing to lose for him to only meet a few people and detect whether his testimony was honest or not.
"Okay, I'll help. But keep your promise to do whatever I want" replied Lex with a triumphant grin on his face.
"Tsk ... Ya ya ... okay" replied the woman, rolling her eyes lazily.
"Okay! Deal ?!" Lex excitedly reached out his hand to shake.
"Deal!" continued the woman, grabbing Lex's helping hand and shaking it.
Lex looks happy then starts to go to the room to continue his disturbed sleep.
"When you're done, then you may leave, I still want to sleep," said Lex, stretching his body.
"Where do you think you're going ?! Come with me right now!"
"What? Right now? You want me to do it today?"
"Of course, we don't have any more time, hurry clean and change your clothes now, I'll wait here".
"Haaaaiiih ..... annoying! Hey lady cop, I'm still so tired, you really have no heart" Lex annoyed while scratching his back hair roughly a sign of frustration at that person.
"Melva O'Connor" The woman replied, ignoring Lex's complaints.
"What?" Lex doesn't understand
"My name, Melva O'Connor, call me Mel".
"Aah ... well alright. Then call me Lex".
"Okay, hurry up! I'll give you 5 minutes!" Mel ordered unilaterally.
"Aaakkhh !! You're annoying !!" cursed Lex but kept walking to his room to get ready.
Mel shook her head because of the strange behavior of the man who had just left her, then she started walking around the narrow house while waiting for Lex to finish, she paid attention to every corner that looked rundown and unkempt.
Some of the furniture looks old and worn, and even seems like some of it is damaged and can no longer be used. Mel stopped in front of a nightstand where small decorations were placed, there are two photo frames there showing a young woman with a boy beside her laughing out of the blue as if there was no burden. Another frame shows the woman again but already looks a little old sitting on a staircase with a young man who she knows is Lex.
"This woman is his mother?" Mel talks to herself.
"Come on, hurry up!" Lex walked out of the room in an undefined tidy outfit, only that it was better than before, and it was certain that his flagship mask had faithfully adorned half of his face.
Lex's voice made her turn her head and take her attention away from the photos.
"But I'm really hungry, can we eat first?" Asked Lex because he hasn't eaten anything since yesterday.
"Okay, burgers are fine?" Asked Mel.
"Ya," said Lex modestly.
__o0o__
A package of big cheeseburger + Rooten (a type of cola) is already in Lex's hands and ready to be devoured, now they are in Mel's car, which is sliding over the highway towards the family residence of one of the victims.
Mel tossed a file onto Lex's lap who was sitting in the passenger seat next to her, making Lex almost drop his prized burger. He glanced irritably at the woman, but Mel didn't care and continued to stare at the road ahead.
"Study the file, there are profiles of the victims."
Mel said without looking at the person she was talking to and only focused on driving.
The man grumbled in resentment at the annoying woman next to him but still obeyed and opened the file with one hand, while the other hand was busy feeding the big burger to his mouth. In the car, Lex did not smell the scent of passionate emotions, only Mel's flat emotions which arguably smelled faint to Lex, allowing him to take off his mask and eat his food comfortably.
"Hmm .. ?? This is the first victim?" Lex made a sound as he looked into the file on his lap.
"Yup!"
"Screwy ... What's this?" Said Lex, astonished.