The two approached the victim's house. For Raine, it was her second visit, but for Zane, it was his first. The funeral had been held in the city at one of the local funeral homes. The house remained locked and under investigation, with police officers standing guard, ensuring no one could enter.

As they walked down the street, several eyes followed them, the quiet gaze of the onlookers heavy with curiosity. Despite the house's remote location, the villagers made no effort to hide their watchfulness, their interest in the ongoing investigation apparent.

"The burial's tomorrow, right?" a passerby asked, pausing as they crossed paths.

"Yes, are you attending?" her companion replied, offering a brief glance at the person before moving on. "They mentioned it during the wake last Thursday."

"Of course," replied the woman. "You did the pagpag, right? We don't want bad spirits coming into our houses if we don't follow superstition."

"I did," her colleague answered, and their voices slowly faded as they moved toward the pathway leading to the nearby houses.

"Hear that?" Raine asked, her eyes narrowing slightly as she glanced at Zane.

"Of course I heard it," Zane replied.

"You miss your own province? Where is it, anyway?" Raine asked, her gaze shifting to Zane. "In Bicol, am I right?"

"Uh... yes. Why?"

"Nothing, just curious," she replied, her tone light. Then, they both came to a stop, their eyes catching the police tape ahead.

The house before them was smaller than the Suarezes' home, painted a fresh white. Perched on a small hill, it had a five-step cement staircase leading up to the flat land where it stood. A modest garden stretched along the side, and a fence made of densely planted small trees ran around the property, their roots clearly well-established over the years. The house itself appeared recently painted, just enough space for two or three people. Police cars were parked at the base of the hill, along the narrow two-way street, while crime scene tape surrounded the fence and the perimeter of the house.

"Look who we have here," called out one of the forensic investigators, leaning near the stairs under the shade of a large pili tree. "I thought you were off duty, Doctor de Verra. Why are you here again? Detective Inspector Ferrer must've called you again, huh?"

"Who are you talking to?" Detective Ferrer's voice came from behind as he stepped outside the house, scanning the area for Mendez. His eyes landed on Raine as he approached him.

"The raven's back," Mr. Mendez said with a smirk, his tone playful. "If there's a mystery to be solved, she'll be circling overhead. And now, it seems, she's picked up a little sparrow tagging along."

"Very funny, Mr. Phil," Raine replied, her smile widening. "Did you forget I'm part of the team assigned to investigate this case? Or is your memory a little foggy, or perhaps your stressed-out brain is just playing tricks on you?"

"Are you forgetting that I hold a higher position than you?" Mr. Mendez asked, rising from his seat, his tone sharp.

"No, sir," Raine replied, her voice calm, though there was an unmistakable edge of sarcasm in her words. "I wouldn't forget something like that. I'm just focusing on the matters at hand."

"Enough, enough!" DI Ferrer interjected, his voice firm. "The last thing we need is another scene. We don't want this whole neighbourhood poking around here again."

"Plenty of gossip, then?" Zane asked.

"Everyone here seems to want to be involved in everything that's happening around this land," DI Ferrer muttered, rubbing his temples. "Anyways, have you got new reports back at your lab?"

"None that keeps the track, that's why I'm here," Raine replied, her gaze scanning the area around them.

"Bringing Mr. Nuñez again, huh?" Ferrer asked, his eyes shifting to Zane. "Mr. Nuñez, you do realize this is an active crime scene, right? I can't just let anyone in, especially with eyes everywhere. It keeps messing with me-especially at night. Flashlights, murmurs, dogs barking-it's all a nuisance."

"They don't know us," Raine said in her cool voice. "And like in that first case, he'll be the one to confirm my deductions."

"But-" Ferrer began.

"Ah! Ah! Ah!" Raine interjected, shaking a finger in front of them. "Eyes... Ears," she added, her eyes darting to the people lingering in the background, her gesture a silent reminder of the prying gazes around them.

The police officer, with his gloved right hand, lifted the police tape, allowing Raine and Zane to pass. They entered the house, their footsacks and gloves providing the necessary protection. Inside, a few investigators from the forensics team were already working, their movements methodical. The door closed behind them as they began their task.

"There are already young people calling themselves private sleuths, roaming around and making me lose my temper," DI Ferrer said, his frustration palpable. "Sergeant Cruz is out there, talking with the children's parents, explaining the rules to them. Their kids could be arrested for trespassing."

"Well, I was a young private investigator before," Raine replied. "Convinced by my cousin to join his team rather than snooping around without formal access." She looked at Ferrer with a faint smile. "Just keep him under control. He'll have his worst nightmare if he ever contaminates this crime scene."

Ferrer's frown deepened as he shot a glance at the young investigators outside. "Let's hope he'll cooperate well," he muttered.

"I can just go home. The whole 'worst nightmare' thing feels eerie, so I guess it's better if I should just leave," Zane said, glancing towards the door.

"Just give him a chance," Raine replied. The words seemed to silence DI Ferrer for a moment. "Great!" she added, her tone lightening as she turned to lead the way towards the bedroom.

"Doctor De Verra!" called one of the investigators, who had recognized her voice.

"Mrs. Milton! I'm glad you're back after your leave," Raine greeted warmly.

"The surgery was successful! Glad to be back!" Mrs. Milton beamed, her face glowing with a mixture of relief and joy. "Thank you for helping me."

"It was no biggie," Raine said with a modest shrug. "Are you sure you're alright working now?"

"I am. The doctor and our leader allowed me to," Raine replied, her voice trailing off as she continued snapping pictures of the living room, her camera clicking quietly in the stillness of the room.

"Anyways," Raine continued, her tone shifting as they turned their attention towards the bedroom. "This is where she was found lying on her bed."

The room was modest, with purple walls that seemed to close in, their rich colour now carrying an eerie weight in the silence. One casement window was on the far wall, partially covered by curtains that fluttered lightly with the breeze. A ceiling fan, dusty from lack of use, hung motionless above. On the side of the room, a set of drawers was packed with clothes-neatly folded, yet giving the impression that they hadn't been touched in a while. Under the bed, books were piled up. The bed itself was positioned facing them, with the door along the same wall.

"Luminol was sprayed," DI Ferrer said, "but no footsteps were found leading from the window into the room. A handprint was discovered, originating from Amara, our victim. Only her footsteps were found in this area. In the living room, we found prints from a size 40, as well as from sizes 37 and 38."

"Have you traced them?" Raine asked, guilt flickering in her eyes. "Apologies, I haven't been able to keep up with the case due to my hectic teaching schedule."

"The size 40 traced back to a brand worn by the woman living just a few meters ahead-one house after the last on this small hill," DI Ferrer replied.

"Ms. Beatrice Suarez?" Raine inquired.

"That's correct," the detective confirmed. "Today marks the fourth day of investigating the other two. Mrs. Suarez claims she doesn't know who the other people are, but says her new friend often lets them into her house."

"As far as I know from the data analysis, those two were young individuals with a strong build, their footsteps tracing a path from the living room to the bathroom and back again," Mrs. Milton said, peeking from the living room while maintaining her post. "One footprint, size 38, entered the doorway of this bedroom but stopped there, not entering. The size 38 then circled around, calmly sat on the sofa here, and left with size 37."

"Since everyone around here is curious and up to date, have you tried getting their opinions?" Zane asked.

"We did, but some were too frightened to cooperate-claiming that bad omens or whatnot might befall them," DI Ferrer replied.

"May I ask if you believe in superstitions, Inspector?" Zane inquired.

"Why?" the detective asked.

"Besides being nosy, most people here seem to be superstitious," Zane replied. "If you can't beat them, join them."

"Those are nonsense. Of course, I don't believe in those silly things," DI Ferrer replied.

"Most city folk seem to have moved past them," Raine added.

"You can't just dismiss them as nonsense. There's a reason they exist," Zane countered.

"What are you getting at?" DI Ferrer asked.

"It just occurred to me-the burial is tomorrow, isn't it?" Zane said. "Even if they didn't have a close relationship with the deceased, they'll still attend out of respect for their former townsfolk." Zane paused. "Perhaps you can identify the owners of those shoes there. If they have a connection to Ms. Amara, the likelihood of them attending the burial is high."

"You're finally learning," Raine said, then turned her attention to the inspector. "What time is the burial?"

"Eight in the morning tomorrow," Inspector Ferrer replied.

"Then, if you're attending, make sure to go to the funeral home before the coffin is moved to the hearse that will take her to the cemetery," Zane advised.

"Superstitions, right?" DI Ferrer remarked.

"Yes, but we should follow them, at least for the sake of this case," Zane answered.

"Now tell us the other superstitions you know," Raine said.

"Avoid wearing red or any bright colours, don't bring food home from the wake. Don't go straight home after attending, and there'll likely be a basin with hot water mixed with citrus leaves at the funeral home. Those attending should wash their hands there first. You should also stop somewhere before heading home-what they call the pagpag," Zane added. "Lastly, don't look back when the procession starts."

"Alright, we'll do our best. Is that why you came here?" DI Ferrer asked.

"Just checking in. We'll be staying at Mrs. Suarez's house to stay on track," Raine replied.

"Have you got a 'hunch' about her?" DI Ferrer asked.

"I suppose so, but for now, I'm focused on finding a possible connection for this case. If I can solve hers, this strange case might finally come to light," Raine said. "Then, maybe we'll have a break in the serial killer's case, too."

"So, you're back at it with the sleuthing, are you?" the inspector asked. "We're letting you join us, but solving your own case... that's dangerous."

"In these kinds of cases, we need to think outside the box," Raine replied. "Don't worry. My hunch says this case will soon come to light. We'll be looking around here for a bit, then head back to Mrs. Suarez's place to join her family for dinner."

"I know you're great at crime solving, but just be careful," the inspector said. "As your cousin and a police officer, I'm still concerned about your safety."

"That's why I've got my personal assistant," Raine replied. "He's not the best, but he'll do." She squatted down, pulling a small utility kit from her bag, using the mini flashlight inside to shine light on five books stacked under the bed. The titles were mostly about mythology and folklore.

"Yeah?" Zane remarked. "And that personal assistant of yours is just here because he's going with the flow."

"I wish her story was finished. She did a lot of research, and I salute her for it," Raine said, flipping open one of the books. It looked like it had been opened regularly. "Were there any drafts of her book?"

"Yes. It was about a woman who could see supernatural beings and was searching for her lost love. She could see premonitions and talk to the dead," DI Ferrer replied. "But in the middle of her conversation with mermaids, who claimed to know her lover's whereabouts because of a ship, the story came to a halt. I suppose her love will never be found."