Caden quickly replies to Madam Nigera's question without hesitating and gives the book.
"Gosh! Both of you smell like a dead rat." Madam Nigera covered her nose. "Just take a shower, okay?"Madam Nigeria walks away leaving both of them.
They quickly run to their rooms, however, a few minutes later someone knocks on Bradley's room 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. "What happen to your face?" Madam Theresa wrinkled his brow seen looking at the dirt stains on Bradley's face.
Bradley ducks his head and keeps scratching his head over and over again. "Huh, I just ...."
"Ugh! Whatever." Madam Theresa shakes her head dan rotates her eyes. "Just buy this ingredient for me. okay?"
"Yes, Madam."
Bradley goes outside and looks at the cloudy sky, so he grabs the black umbrella hanging on the door and walks outside.
"I need to hurry up and buy all these materials before it rains." Bradley quickens his pace trying to resist the wind chill which continues to blow against his skin.
Bradley finally arrives at a medium-sized house with the signboard "Paolo Grocery Store" as his destination. He 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 and 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, hello dear. How can I help you?" asked a chubby man with a mustache and white hair who appeared from a door in front of Bradley.
"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 nodded faster then Mr. Paolo walks over to Bradley and whispers something at him.
"Hey Kid, I have some new information and it is about the mystery of Eugene's death," said Paolo, glancing left and right. "I think his death has been premeditated."
"What!"
Bradley yells loud enough until some buyers near them look at them with a strange looks. Mr. Paolo just smiles at them and they continue for looking their stuff.
"Sorry, Uncle." Bradley lowers his head. "I'm just shocked to hear about it."
"Don't worry Kiddo, that's fine." Mr. Paolo rubs Bradley's head. "I was also shocked to hear about that for the first time."
"But uncle you don't talk nonsense, right?" Bradley curiously asked Mr. Paolo. "What if it's just a hoax?
"I don't know either, I just get the information from one of my friends. " 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 shuts 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 at Mr. Paolo's words because he probably will get arrested by the police or something if he spreads fake news.
Mr. Paolo then opens Bradley's mouth, picks up a nearby newspaper, and starts reading it "Oh my, another missing person." He shook his head looking at the headlines of the news.
"Another?" Bradley furrows his eyebrow. "How long has this been happening?"
Mr. Paolo said this incident has already happened a few days ago. Many people say the number of missing people is increasing day by day and the police are also trying to investigate, but strangely the kidnapper has not 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 with their faces looking so happy. He stops for a moment and sees the beautiful sight.
"Oh, I wish I have a family like that."
The words keep ringing in his mind. He wants to feel how much real parental love he has 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 arrives at the orphanage 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.
"Is it possible that Mr. Eugene's death is premeditated, but who will 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 and 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."
"Cad, 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 to 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." Caden shakes his head repeatedly.
***