2024-09-24 16:08:34"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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Every transition is an intensive ritual that demands deep focus and complete control over our senses. Only well-trained Onmyojis can successfully conduct a transition in their investigation of supernatural crimes. It has taken many years of training for some and for me, it was, strangely, an easy craft to master. My teacher, Master Sato, observed this may be a result of my mother's background. She was also trained as an Onmyoji. Gradually, I planted my feet in the basin. The warmth travelled through the pores on my skin and breathed life into every cell of my body. I began meditating, chanting the Ksitigarbha Mantra, Om Hahaha Vismaye Svaha, which I regarded as the golden standard of mantras. It was something that soothed my heart, and drives away the cloud of dust in our minds and dispelled anxiety, anger and all dark vibes. As I meditated and focused my energy, trying to find the point of light in my consciousness, The process is pretty much like gliding in the air. The distur
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Kelly understood intuitively what I meant“Like when I need to climb that big tree in our temple grounds,” she asked, with glee glowing on her cheeks.“Like we used to do when we were kids,” I said.Saying she placed one foot on a shelf and held her hands out as a leaping platform. I took off my red jacket and flexed my muscles. Oji Hasegawa said “Don’t break my shelves or cupboards. It is very expensive.”“I will not. Rest assured, Oji”Oji Hasegawa returned to his seat and sat down in comfort.Without battling an eyelid, I ran and stepped on her palm. At that moment, she gave her hands an upward thrust and I threw myself upwards. Using my powers, I propelled myself towards the kite and stretched my handsHowever, just as I reached, the kite darted off with a glimmer. In the flash, I lost my balance and fell backward. At the nick of time, I managed to grab the corner of a cupboard to steady myself but it was too late. The grip was slippery and I had a bad landing on my hip. The sh
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“Adam, I think your impatience had abducted your rationality. I am not convinced you should have it."I swallowed hard. Oji Hasegawa was toying with me. His style.“Adam, you have allowed your emotions to take precedence.”I nodded “Maybe I had.” The urgency of helping Mavis resolve her jamlock had hijacked my rationality.“You should consider all the threats to the Chua family and then consider options at your disposal.”“Maybe you are right but I felt this is a cause worth trying.”Oji Hasegawa drew a long sigh. “Adam, the heart to help is commendable but the price you must pay is too high.”I have heard of the consequences of crossing life and death. “Oji, I am aware of the consequences. I hope you can consider helping me. I shall be grateful.”Hasegawa gave me a stony silence and then, unexpectedly, guffawed. “I don't like my senpai, your master but that is between us. I have not been active in the sect for another reason. However, I will still be ready to extend help when it is
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I took a deep inhale and pronounced my intentions. “I would like to borrow the Kanji from you.”Oji was unfazed and said in a deep voice ‘The Kanji?”I nodded, waiting for the icy rejection. Oji leaned forward and then smiled. “Do you think you are here to borrow a pair of pants?”“I am sorry if I sound too impetuous?”Oji Hasegawa began pacing in front of me and stopped within inches of me, face to face.“You young Onmyojis behaved like you could do things with ease. There is no respect for rituals. You think have the powers to behave as you please.”“I did not intend to offend. I am sorry.” I bowedOji Hasegawa shook his head “Remember to show respect for tradition, and show regard for the other realms,”“I will bear that in mind.”“Borrow the Kanji? For what purpose?”“I know I may sound rude to come here uninvited...” I continued with my courtesy but Hasegawa replied curtly, cutting me in mid-sentence.“Reason?”“We needed to help us solve a mysterious death. There has been evid
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When we reached the given postal code, we were met with a row of shophouses without any clear indication of the specific address we were looking for. When Kelly was about to give up, I had noticed something. I squinted my eyes to be sure and, when I was, told Kelly about it. I pointed to the display facade of the shop in the middle of the row which seemed to be well lit.“Toys? Adam, what are you telling me?"“Look at that.”I pointed to the Daruma Doll that perched on the highest shelf of the shop's facade. Daruma Dolls are quite easily found in Singapore though it is not common and the ones at department stores are regular wares from the factory - presentable as home decor but are not endowed with powers.The one that caught my eye is as big as a football. To any amateur, it looked just a display set but to me, it looked different. There is a conspicuous dot on the forehead of this Daruma Doll and most importantly it was wooden. In my sect , only the highest Onmyōji gets to dot th
Chapter 48
er witnessing Aminah's frailty, we decided not to continue our interrogation. I executed a prayer of serenity that put her to rest. After she slid into a slumber, we left. We walked out of the ward and headed down to the carpark. Kelly took over the wheel. She had quite a way with cars and had a penchant for racing on the roads. In the past, I had genuinely feared for my safety but somehow reached my destination, safe. This time, as I needed time on my own, I took the back seat. My head was brimming with thoughts as I tried to digest the information mess in my mind. As our vehicle exited the carpark, back onto the street level, we passed by a red Mercedes GLA. The polished exterior and the glimmer of newness captured my mind. I was pretty sure I had seen it before. However, my mind captured something else - the driver.It rang a bell but as we were already about to join the main traffic, I did not ask Kelly to pause to investigate but I made a mental note to follow up on it. I sa
Chapter 47
I summoned my ‘qi’ and mastered the movement of the energies. “I need help.” She cried. The agony in her heart-wrenching vocals drummed in my heart.“Breathe, Aminah! ” I commanded, "Breathe and look at me." I said " Her eyes widened as her grip on my hands tightened. Instantly, in my body, I felt a surge of energy travelling up my veins. I tried to fight it but the strength of that force grew. This is the power of the dark spirit. I inhaled and used my internal powers to control the darkness. However, it slithered Images begun to form in my mind like a series of files have being downloaded onto a laptop - the mansion, the rooms, the Chuas- John, Marcus, Mavis, Jonathan, and the lawn with its towering trees. In rapid succession, I saw the images of the pictures on the walls, the children playing on the lawn and in the drawing room with its furniture and the street outside the mansion. Then there many more and I felt my mind working at a feverish rate to digest them until there was
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Every nerve in my body was charged as I hopped onto Visnu’s car. I was eager to talk to Aminah again. I owe her an apology after my rash act. More importantly, she is key to unlocking information that may help the investigation. The journey to the hospital was swift with Visnu behind the wheel. Kelly sat at the back, anticipation written on her radiant face. She has that dauntless vibes that infects you and gives you that boost. Her strength and independent streak can be attributed to her upbringing and training. At the hospital, we found Aminah warded in a single ward on the twelfth floor. It was a thoughtful arrangement knowing the trauma Aminah has experienced. There was a policeman stationed outside the ward to assist, and he swiftly snapped to attention upon seeing Visnu.As we were about to enter, Visnu held onto the doorknob, looked at me and asked.“How do you want to do this?”I sensed his reservation and immediately understood his concerns."I promised I will be careful i
Chapter 45
“You promise.” Visnu’s stern look made me uncomfortable and I repeated my promise“Thanks, Adam. We know you are working hard to uncover the truth.”"Let me share my findings?” I said looking down at the pad in front of me. “My transition last night yielded two key findings. Let’s talk about Mavis Chua. I had planned to start with her because I needed a family member to assess the predisposition of the spirit. It was a correct decision as the spirit did not attack her.”“Only you?" May askedI nodded “I suspected the spirit could be a member of the family who is long deceased.""This is sounding ridiculous," May remarked as she eyeballed Visnu. I bit my lips."Who are you suspecting?" Visnu asked"The most likely one would be the deceased Mrs Chua," I replied"The mother?” May added, skeptical and continued “Mother? You suspect the mother is unhappy with Claudia and came back to attack her?”Visnu asked. “Looked there may be some animosity or can you provide some causes for that nas
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We never found a satisfactory answer. The best way to find out is to visit the columbarium. Though it was past midnight, every cell in my body called for action. However, I knew that was not possible.After we wrapped up our discussion, I headed to the showers. There was a certain humidity from the action and I felt sticky on my back and arms. As I stood under the showers, thoughts of the mansion flowed into my mind. I worked out the possible scenarios when there is an attack by a supernatural entity. A resident spirit in the residence or neighbourhood? Or it could be a spirit sent by a family that was unfriendly to the Chuas? Could there be another spirit that is deeply unhappy with the Chuas?As I turned off the tap, the steam from the hot water bath cleared but my mind remained cluttered. After I dried myself, and walked out to the corridor, I was treated to a symphony of whistles and snorts. Kelly has fallen asleep. She told me she had a hard day. What had she been up to in the
