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2024-10-29 19:42:56"Gentlemen, I am a staunch Christian. Please do not set up an altar here. I do not believe in such stuff. Mr Adam! It makes me feel unrespected."
"It's Doctor Adam…" Mui intercepted but quickly stepped back with a tight smile. My trusted assistant. The act caught John Chua by surprise.
He was not used to being contradicted. He was irritated and fighting for words.
"Can I ask you something about your partner or girlfriend?" I ventured before he could ramble on.
There was a stony silence before he said blandly "Ask."
"Do you know if Claudia has any enemies? Does she have bad blood with anyone now or in the past?"
"Excuse me but I thought I had already answered that question twice when the police spoke to me two hours ago. Now you asked again!"
John Chua threw up his hands in exasperation. His expression of feeling made me felt awkward like I had made an odd request that he jump off a building.
"Let me reiterate Claudia is one of the finest humans I have ever met. She is gentle and kind. She loves animals and the arts. She studied Art Management in Australia. Recently she wanted to pick up oil painting. We are supposed to go Milan…"
John Chua stopped. His face crumpled in sorrow. The death of his partner must have drained him emotionally.
I felt sympathy for him and wanted to back off to give him a breather but, simultaneously, the curious cat in me decided to pounce for more information.
I did not wait for John Chua's reply. Taking a deep breath, I decided to persist and ask
"Did anyone visit last night?"
"I thought I had also answered that?" he replied.
"Did anything happen last night? Anything usual." I pressed on and was aware that the mood had turned sobre with my blunt questions.
John Chua had irritation written all over his face with his eyebrows now knitted. At this moment, Visnu coughed and punctuated the atmosphere
"Adam, we checked the CCTV. There were no visitors. I have my men checking the CCTV videos for the past week to try to pick up potential suspects" Visnu interjected.
"Dr Adam. Whatever, it is, I just want to say…to say" He wrapped his right hand into a fist as a bout of choler surged through his face. Suddenly, John Chua trembled and fell backward.
Aminah was swift and caught hold of him while Ah Hock then grabbed a wheelchair nearby and brought it over for John Chua.
The petite helper massaged his back while Ah Hock fanned with his hands for better ventilation. The gesture summarized their relationship.
Seeing his fragility, I felt guilty. John Chua regained his consciousness after fifteen minutes. I reached over and squatted down.
"Sir, I am sorry I had to ask these questions. I know you are upset but Miss Claudia's death may not a simple one."
John Chua threw me a suspicious glance like an irritated headmaster with a delinquent student.
"Are you suspecting something? What are you trying to say?"
The patriarch's words always carry weight, and John Chua is no different. He speaks softly, but his words packed a punch.
"Dr Adam. I hope you be cautious with your words."
"I am an honest man. I say what I think and it is best I do so if we want to crack the case as soon as possible."
I stood my ground and kept a tight lip in my usual obstinate manner.
John Chua looked away and maintained a stiff silence. Eventually, he spoke "Then I wish you can solve the mystery behind her death as soon as possible.
"I will try my best," I said
"I don't believe you are better than these professionals?" He gestured in the direction of May and Visnu. "I would trust the Singapore Police on any day. However, you, are just another, another..."
"Conman?"
"I did not say that."
"I had learned to live with that misunderstanding."
John Chua shook his head and whispered to Aminah. He wanted to leave as they quickly wheeled him back into the house. As he disappeared into the comfort of his mansion, I found myself staring at a blank. I straightened my back
I could feel May laughing at me.
"You are too direct, Adam," Visnu whispered. "You know these tycoons have big egos."
"I am here to help solve your case. I am not here to serve egos." I asserted " Visnu, May, my questions were part of my methods to gauge the vibes. I am trying to gauge John Chua's emotions."
"What did you feel?"
I took a deep inhale before saying "True sorrow. Real love. The tears are for real."
"You should leave matters to the police" May complained "We cannot support your investigation based on your whims or vibes reading."
"You are entitled to your views, Inspector Li," I said coldly and addressed her using her surname. "I do not operate on whims and I know what I am doing."
I turned to Visnu. "Seriously, you looked for me. Visnu, I can always return to the comfort of my faculty office."
"Don't be peeved. My intentions have not changed, Adam. I will support you but you need to work closely with us."
I eyed May and then Visnu
"Honestly, I sensed something but I could not put shape to that feeling. It is too early."
"Focus on doing what you are best at. I am not asking you to pander to them. Do what you think is necessary but do not be too direct with them, especially someone like Mr Chu.
"Honestly, I beg to differ..."
"Dr Adam!" A response darted across the space, towards me, and stopped me in my sentence. We stopped our discussion and looked in the direction of the voice.
John Chua was shouting from the kitchen. His sudden about-turn took me, all of us, by surprise.
"What do you need, Dr Adam Wong?" John queried.
I walked over and lowered myself to John Chua who slouched in his wheelchair.
"I would like to come over tonight and I need your kind permission to be here."
"What? You want to stay here tonight?"
I felt awkward but nodded "This is part of my investigation job."
"You want to come tonight. What do you plan to do?"
"To kickstart my investigation, I would usually audit the place for spirits. It is like a doctor treating a patient - it starts with checks and diagnosis before a prescription can be made."
"I am lost."
"Pardon me. I cannot explain the details, but I will ascertain the presence of spirits. If there are, I will proceed with a communication with the spirits to determine their intentions and predisposition."
"Predisposition?"
"For example, I like to know their name - whether they are aggressive or harmless."
"Spirits?" John Chua shook his head. "Look at this place." He gestured towards the interior of his house. "My home is clean. We have a happy time as a family living here. I have never experienced any incidents of ghost attacks."
"I think after this murder, I may need to investigate and communicate with them."
"You talk about communication like you are calling someone with the phone...?"
"The other world and spirits that normal humans cannot see. We may not see them but they exist. My process usually yields some important information and clues for the final resolution of the crime."
John Chua shook his head.
"I know about your stuff, Adam. I do not believe there are any evil spirits here. I am a faithful Christian and our family have been living very well for the past decades."
"I respect those facts. However, because of Claudia Goh's death, I need to probe again. As an Onmyoji, I promised there will not be any altars."
John Chua mulled. I could sense his phobia and distrust from the eyes but he had not vehemently expressed his dislike of me and the world I represent. I have begun to realize the death of his partner has seriously affected him, both emotionally and physically.
After a long pause, he looked at Visnu and said
"ASP Visnu, I hope you know what you are doing here." Then John Chua looked at me "You get one night, and I hope you can give me some answers."
I was lifted to hear of the approval.
"I cannot guarantee but a session will always be helpful. I will try my best."
I turned to Visnu and winked.
"But you get only this night. If you have nothing and you are just a charlatan, some scammer. I don't want to see you again."
He said softly but his words packed a punch. Despite feeling the aggression, I managed a diplomatic smile.
"Mina here will stay with you. I will be at my other residence with my son. The night is too painful to be here alone."
I nodded and smiled as John Chua waved his helper to push him away.
*
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ay confronted me and I saw her aura was an intimidating ring of red. “What was that for, Adam? Why did you do that?”"Calm down. Don't snap." I defended myself. “ I am just trying to find the truth. I am not hurting her.”“You should at least tell me before you do it?”“Would you believe me?”May shook her head “I tried and I know you have super powers and can see these things and communicate but can you not interfere with my work? She was about to tell me.”“The truth is your methods don’t always work. She did hear something but somehow did not pick it up. She saw something.”May bit her lips “Fine! You had your chance but this is the last time. I will have to report the matter to Visnu about this.”"So be it. For now, let us give Aminah medical assistance,” I said. Ah Mui had brought over medicated oil and applied it on her temples. “So what did she see? Why is she like that?” May asked. “ I think she had seen the spirit. “What is that?”“During the transition, we arrived back
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After a long and awkward silence, Aminah spoke with a firm tone“I am a mother. I have two children – six and four. I cannot be with them because I come Singapore. I need to make money for my family. However, I make sure they have toys. They have no childhood but I must give them enough money. I saw things Mum Claudia threw. They belonged to Marcus, Mavis, and Jonathan. All memories. You cannot throw.”Aminah's lament brought a sense of melancholy and I realized May's stern look had softened. Her eyebrows drooped. She is human, after all.“I can fully understand. Then what happened?” I said.“Mum Claudia was angry. She put things in the box and threw them by the roadside.”“She was mad at you?” I repeated. “Mum Claudia was so angry and her voice loud. I feel my ears burning… " Aminah grimaced and slapped her forehead. "She blamed me for mistakes I did not make.” Aminah shook her head as her eyes burned with angst. “I did not make mistakes.” Her face crumpled in stress as tears roll
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May looked haggard, probably from the rigours of the new investigation. The dark eye rings spoke of a sleepless night. However she still looked menacing with her slender build and trained arms. “May Li?”“I can see you have just finished one of your….work”“Thank you for your kind words.”“Really?”“You used to say ‘strange rites’ or ‘odd rituals’”“People change.”“People change.” I repeated, “Why are you here?”“Adam I need you to stop whatever “ “Siti Aminah I need to question you.” It is important.”I looked at Aminah whose face was now white as a sheet of paper“What happened?”“We would like to seek some clarification.”“Did you get your investigation wrong?” Mavis asked“Madam, our investigation showed that Aminah and Claudia Goh had a long telephone conversation on the day before she died.”Aminah shook her head continuously“No, no. I did not kill Mum Claudia. No, I did not.”“I did not say you kill her. Can you calm down?”At her cue, the two officers tried to restrain h
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I woke and felt like I was starved of oxygen. “Ah Mui! Mavis!”I cried out loud but nobody responded. I was all alone on the lawn. Alone.The lawn. Why am I here? In my ears, I was accompanied by the chorus of crickets sounds and birds’ chirps. I looked up and found the skies were blue with roses of clouds. A pleasant day and a hot breeze over the lawnThen I remembered Mavis. She was with me at the transition. Could she still be in the mansion? I looked in the direction of the house and was surprised.The mansion that stood in front of me was vastly different from the one I knew. I have seen it before. I slammed my fist in my other palm. I remembered. It was in the pictures Ah Mui had shown meAs I walked towards the mansion, I realized I was looking at an incredible thing. The mansion was from another era. The paint is different a faded yellow instead of a fresh white. The red bricks portion of the walls were old while the ones in 2024 were freshly built. The windows were of
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I knew something was amiss from Mavis's expression. I formed the sword fingers, inhaled, and turned slowly, ready to fight. I quickly scribbled a protective charm with my Buki brush and pulled the protective shield over us.I soon found myself staring into a dark abyss, a mass of dark energy throbbing and palpitating with each movement sending a ripple of dark energy. We meet again.“兵“ I shouted and executed a swiping move with my right palm to reinforce the shield of energy. Contrary to my expectations, the dark mass did not attack and instead hovered in front of us"What is it?""This is what I wanted to find out."“Is this the same spirit you encountered, Adam?”I nodded. “Do not be afraid. Control your breathing.""I wish I can..." Mavis said and I felt her quivering voice“Raise your scarf,” I said and Mavis obliged by holding up her right hand. Slowly I kept my brush. I joined my hands and bowed“With all respect, I am Adam Wong-Takahashi and I am a sprit master. I want to h
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We took our seats, side by side, each other.As the trail of agarwood incense drifted into the air, I began my chanting.“Focus,” I whispered.Slowly I felt the water in my feet drift. I caught sight of Mavis opening her eyes. It is her first time and naturally, she is nervous. “Close your eyes. Drop the curtains on your soul. Stay focused but relax. My chanting is the wind to drive a sail. Focus on your mother and the times you spent with her.”“Drop your curtains on the soul.” Mavis smiled, eyes closed. I looked at her intently. She is even more beautiful with her eyes closed. I snapped back to reality“Let’s get started,” I pronounced. I began to focus my mind. Moments lapsed, and soon, it looked like it was not going to happen. I realized that as I gravitated toward the vortex, Mavis remained elusive. I sensed fear in her, and she withheld her consciousness. I could not feel her. I slowed down my chanting and stepped back into our reality. I opened my eyes to check and foun
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After the permission was obtained, I was back at the Chua Mansion. This time with Ah Mui. The skies were a lot brighter than the the usual nights thanks to a full moon. It gave me a feeling of crystal clarity and provided a soothing sensation to my tight chest. The moon also has a nurturing effect on the minds of Onmyojis. With my bag slug over chest, I led Ah Mui down the walkway, past the lawn towards the tentage where the funeral is held. There is a small crowd and a prayer session was going on as we arrived. The casket has arrived after the mortuary gave the clearance. I peeked and found the Chua family seated at the front row- there was John Chua, Marcus, his wife. Their faces were stern and unsmiling. However, Mavis was not in sight. Suddenly, I felt a touch of chill on my shoulder. I swung around to find frail figure standing behind me – Aminah“Hi Aminah? Nice to see you. You can call me Adam.”“Hi sir, hi sir. Madam Mavis. She in living room.”Saying she led the way and
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I rushed home after the meeting with Ah Mui to make preparations for the night’s outing.The first thing I did was to head over to the altar and light the incense. I clasped my hands and prayed. Gently I hit the bronze bowl on the altar. The tingle of metallic harmony rippled through the room. Before I chanted the mantra, I searched for my guardian spirit. “Mon?” I called. Within seconds, there was a spark in the air in front of me and Mon materialized like it hatched from air. It released a low croon, the usual greeting when it sees me. Fluttering the wings like a bee, Mon landed on my palm. “Hi, buddy. I need you to be with me tonight. We may be handling a foe. I will need you to cover my back, alright?”Mon flashed a grin and nodded. I checked its features - the horn is bulging out its forehead and its tail has gone longer. It leaped into the air and circled over my head like a gleeful bird. “That’s the spirit.”I commended.“Now can you settle down? Meditate and feed on the s
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The episode at the mortuary sapped some of my energy and left me flat. On my way back to the office, I was sipping continuously from the water bottle. Despite emptying a one-litre bottle of water, I felt dehydrated. However, the sight of Claudia's distressed spirit dwelt in my mind. It is hard to erase it but it did not affect my moods. I was determined I would find justice for her - find the killer and bring him or her to justice.Back in the office, my mind shifted to my hunger pangs. Earlier, I had asked Ah Mui to order a hearty meal and she did not let me down. When I arrived at the office pantry, I found a table of food and she was laying out the paper plates.One of the key conditions for a successful exorcist assignment is to be fully fed. A full stomach gives us energy and stamina to create the talisman and spells to quell the malevolent spirits.Over a meal of bak-kut-teh(pork ribs soup), fried carrot cakes, and my favourite Wan Ton noodles, we chatted“I got your favourite
