My phone suddenly rang. I was almost home because I had already met with the foremen and received their reports.

A number was calling. I answered it. It was my mother. The voice on the other end sounded important. It was unusual for my mother to call me.

"What's wrong, Mom? It seems like..."

Before I could finish my sentence, my mother interrupted, "Hurry up and go home, Le! There's a big problem!"

I was shaking. Was something wrong? Had something happened to my mother or father? I immediately left the foremen, leaving them to go home. I said goodbye to the officer there; it was already closing time, and it was already Isha prayer time.

I immediately went home, wondering what was going on. I passed Mang Krim's food stall, and it looked open. It looked like someone was eating there, so I just honked the horn for Mang Krimo.

I hurried.

I passed Mang Krimo's food stall, then went back, and finally, I passed the old house. I wasn't afraid anymore; I'd already discovered something inside that afternoon. So, of course, I wasn't afraid anymore.

However, as I glanced at the old house, I caught a glimpse of a shadow emerging from one of the windows. I glanced back, but the shadow was gone. I even stopped my motorcycle, but I didn't see anything else.

I thought to myself, 'Hopefully, that shadow was just my imagination.' I left the place and headed home. I was in a hurry. What's wrong, Mom? That's all I could think.

@ of @ @

"What's wrong, Mom?" I got home and immediately asked my mom.

Mom calmed down and told me to sit down. Suddenly, she started talking about Nadia. Why Nadia?

"You went out with Nadia this afternoon, didn't you?"

Well, Mom knew deep down that Nadia was going with me. We said goodbye when we left.

"Well, Mom knew, and Adnan said goodbye too."

"You don't know yet, do you? Nadia hasn't been home since this afternoon."

I was immediately shocked. Why did this happen so suddenly? Nadia was a girl who never dared to go out alone, especially since it was already after Isha prayers. So where did she go if she hadn't returned yet?

"Doesn't Mr. Kusrin know where she went, Mom?"

My mother told me that this afternoon, Nadia had asked to go to the village head's house, Mr. Norman's. Then, since then, she hasn't returned. When Mr. Norman visited, he said she had left before Maghrib.

So, Nadia hasn't returned since leaving Mr. Norman's house.

I was confused by this, especially since my mother was worried it was because I met Nadia earlier that afternoon. Maybe Nadia wanted to report something because she was in a hurry to leave for the village head's house this afternoon.

I thought for a moment, "Mr. Kusrin?"

My thoughts became increasingly confused. Shouldn't I suspect the village head of his help if it was something he was hiding? That meant... Nadia had entered a crocodile's nest! This couldn't be allowed to continue; where should I look for Nadia at this time of night?

Oh yeah, I took out my phone and called Nadia's number, which I'd already saved. I called, but it didn't work once. Twice, three times, and ten times. Her phone rang, but she didn't pick up.

I was getting more and more worried.

Just as I was about to leave again, a group of people arrived. Who were they?

All 30 of them I'd promised dinner with. They were a group of people who used to work under my division when I was a foreman. Had they all come at this time? At the wrong time.

But? Damn right!

"Everyone, I need help this time! It's important!"

I tried to explain, and they already knew that Nadia, Pak Kaum Kusrin's daughter, hadn't come home this late at night. So, I had something to reassure me.

I asked a few people to check Nadia's house again to see if she had returned. Then, I asked a few people to go to the village head's house and ask him once again where Nadia had gone after leaving his house.

As for me, I asked Jono to go look for a place that might be where Nadia was if she wasn't anywhere.

"But, what about dinner, Boss? Didn't you promise to roast chicken?"

Jono was up to his old tricks again before we all dispersed to our respective tasks.

"Okay, this time I'm asking for your help. So, if you all help me, I'll roast a goat for us all!"

"Hooray!" Jono shouted excitedly, at a time like this? Oh my!

"So... I have one more request: after one group goes to the village head's house and one group to Mr. Kusrin's, gather again. If there's no answer, you'll go straight to the old house where Mbah Pati left us his inheritance."

Everyone was shocked to hear that, their nerves visibly shrinking.

"Why are you at the late Grandpa Pati Le's house?" Mamak was curious and joined in.

"That house is suspicious and used by criminals, so... Jono and I will go there first to investigate."

"But, Boss...!"

"But, Boss!"

"But, Boss!"

Everyone protested a little, perhaps a little afraid.

"Okay! I'm asking for a favor this time, and it's important. I promise to slaughter three goats, and we'll eat together later!"

I'm always up to something. Why did that idea just come out of my mouth?

"Hooray!" Jono again, immediately nodding in agreement.

"Ready!" "Ready!" I didn't expect the others to do the same, immediately nodding in agreement. Indeed, even the devil is defeated by eating together!