Roland watched carefully as Zaina Tariq started to speak with empty, unblinking eyes.
"I was going back home from school late. That was before summer vacation, so I was also looking for places to look for a summer job. The expenses pile up easily in studying nursing, but more than that…. I wanted to buy a better telescope and astronomy books."
"For what?" Harker said.
She and Felix seemed to both share an interest in astronomy. But they went to different high schools and college universities taking different bachelor degrees.
"Astronomy is my true passion. I only took nursing because that's what my parents told me to. That's what they needed me to take. They're already lenient towards me not praying and going to the mosque. Deep down, they know that I'm an atheist. But religion is the only thing they'll give me a pass on, I need a job where I can easily get money and raise my family from poverty."
Roland whispered in amazement. "She's even answering more than what you asked her."
To think that at some point, Mr. Xi also hypnotized him like that to question him and gain things for blackmail….
Roland deeply hated the idea of his own will being taken from him. He already felt like a puppet that was constantly being used and manipulated as a rich man's son, and wanted to break free from that by pursuing law. But it still never ends. People will still try to take advantage of each other no matter what.
Meanwhile, Harker was more focused on getting Zaina to confess that she was there on the night that Dahlia got killed. He had bought a recorder on the way, and was recording this conversation.
Because he knew that even if Felix was found innocent, they would still look for a suspect to put behind bars. They can't do that to a shadow.
So a human person responsible for that vendetta would suffice. He will bring the recording to the police and have Zaina take the fall if he had proven that she was involved in getting her former best friend framed.
He shushed Roland in case he gets heard in the recording. Then, he asked:
"On your way home, did you see Felix and Dahlia by the street near the Circus Cabaret bar?"
Zaina answered in a monotone:
"Yes. Or at least, I thought so."
"You thought so?" Harker frowned.
"I wasn't sure. I did see someone that looked like Felix. I don't know what Dahlia looked like before, and I avoided watching news reports about her death or reading the newspaper. I can't take it. I can't believe that Felix would ever do something like that."
Harker started to be a bit unsure because of this. But he continued with his interrogation.
"What did you do when you saw them? What did you feel?"
"I felt…."
Her answer was the one he least expected.
"Sorry for Felix. Sorry that he would have to use Dahlia as an excuse. From what I know, she already had a boyfriend, so it won't really work in the long run. But there aren't many women he can get close with because of how people see him."
Harker leaned closer on the table. "An excuse for what?"
"Why he was still single. Felix's parents were not as lenient as mine. They expect many things from him given their culture and that he was raised Catholic. That meant no sex before marriage, but they also expect him to get married eventually. A normal marriage."
Roland's eyes widened. He whispered. "Does that mean that…. Do you think Felix is…."
Harker knew what he was asking, and went to ask Zaina directly.
"Do you mean that Felix doesn't like women?"
"Yes. He doesn't like women." Zaina answered.
Harker frowned. "So he… He likes men?"
But Zaina shook her head at this.
"That's not it. He doesn't like anyone."
Harker was confused at this. "How can anyone not like anyone? Do you mean he doesn't like anyone yet? What about you?"
Zaina responded. "He doesn't like anyone that way, never did since he was a child. He and I are the same."
Roland came to understand now. So…..
They were the same as Artea.
Harker clenched his fist. "That's…. That doesn't make any sense! I saw you two carve your names on a tree, and how jealous you were of him talking to another girl! I can believe that Felix may not be interested in anyone, but you….. You're clearly interested in him!"
Zaina answered:
"I am. But I was jealous not because I liked him romantically, but because I liked him as a friend. Felix was the only one who shared the same interest as me, and we were so close before. But even if we've grown distant, I didn't bear any ill will towards him. Actually, we made a deal that if we get forced by our families to marry, we'll marry each other. But that won't work, because our parents expect us to marry someone of the same religion."
She sighed. "So I thought Felix must be getting desperate to look for anyone who was willing to be his 'girlfriend' that would be fine with not having sex or romantic affection like me."
Harker countered. "But I saw— But Felix said you looked angry and jealous."
Zaina corrected him: "I was angry at how society forces us to have romantic relationships, but I was also jealous that he found someone. I didn't know Dahlia had a boyfriend yet. It's harder for me to find anyone who's fine with that arrangement because let's face it. My race and my connections to Islam will always be a factor for most people."
Harker rubbed his forehead. He was so sure before, but this…..
This only made him more confused. So was it really just a coincidence that Zaina was there? Did the universe just want to throw him off and humble him by reminding him that everything was not as they seem?
'Don't get it twisted'. It was like the force of fate itself was reminding him of that.
And he even initially thought that they could just be friends. But he was so determined to get this case done with ease that he let assumptions get the best of him.
"I see…. Then can you think of anyone who may have a grudge on Felix? Someone who might resent him enough to frame him for this crime?"
Zaina shook her head. "No. Even if he was bullied, I don't think Felix ever wronged someone enough to deserve that kind of revenge."
She added: "I think the worst he ever did to 'someone' was when he accidentally broke one of the geode collections at school. He told me about how much the school headmaster scolded him for it, that he thought he was going to be expelled."
Harker sighed. He's back to square one. But at least, he gained more information on Felix now.
This geode thing may just be a coincidence too. Still, Felix and Dahlia were classmates, so Holmwood University might just be where he could find this person with a vendetta against him.
He turned off his hypnosis and the tape recorder. Zaina's eyes cleared, and she blinked in confusion.
Roland spoke softly to her. "Thank you for your time, Ms. Zaina Tariq. I'll be starting to question you now. How are you feeling?"
"Oh…. I'm fine. I just get spacey for a while sometimes, I don't remember….. Anyway, I'm fine."
Roland went on to pretend to be interrogating her, which was more like a friendly chat. Harker went outside to think. He was incredibly wrong.
Once done, Roland went outside with him and allowed Zaina Tariq to go home.
"We should follow up on what Artea said. You know, about the police chief's son going after the same internship. That might be the vendetta Ivan Ivanovich was talking about." Roland told him.
Harker lightly nodded, but his mind was now out of the case for a while.
"Rol… Are you..." He faltered.
Roland frowned. "Am I what?"
Harker shook his head, as if he was already disproving what he was about to ask. He instead asked:
"Do you have feelings for Artea Holmwood? Or are you only marrying her just out of convenience like Zaina and Felix?"
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