3. Mysterious Invitation

(4 months later)

"LASAGNA BOLOGNISE, TABLE NUMBER TWENTY-FOUR!" The loud exclamation came from behind the counter.

The atmosphere of this restaurant in one of the small districts was bustling. Usually, there was a surge of customers on holidays. Three waitresses were pacing back and forth, including Maura. She was overwhelmed by the number of customers, which became more and more abundant as the day went on. Repeatedly, some customers called out to her to place an early order or to add more. Maura's harsh sigh came out for the umpteenth time.

The buzz of conversation and laughter from certain tables filled the air. The sound of small children crying was inevitable. Maura had just finished recording an additional order from a customer, then walked quickly to the cashier's window.

"More orders," Maura said as she handed a piece of paper to one of her coworkers.

"Oh my. Shouldn't Mr. Carlo have added more employees here?" Audric, Maura's male coworker, frowned at the bustle in front of him. The man's face looked both annoyed and resigned.

Maura chuckled, then tapped her index finger on a piece of paper. "Do your job first, don't complain too much. This customer is a bit fierce."

Audric turned to look at Maura, showing curiosity. Maura quietly glanced around, then beckoned Audric to one of the tables. The customer from earlier had gotten angry at Maura for being impatient to add to the order.

"Ah... understandable," Audric replied, nodding his head.

Maura's index finger was pointed at Audric while wiggling gently. Her eyes narrowed with a lopsided smile. As if signaling Audric not to talk about anything.

Audric chuckled. Maura now stepped towards the door of the restaurant. Outside the building, there was a line of customers waiting in line. Maura really couldn't understand those who gave up their time and energy to queue at this restaurant.

"Please enter the front three rows. There are three tables-" Before Maura could finish her sentence, the people in the front three rows immediately ran into the restaurant. Maura's body staggered back a bit to give way to them.

After they had entered, Maura was left looking at them in disbelief. It felt like Maura wanted to be annoyed, but the customers before her were staring innocently. As a result, Maura smiled and nodded her head while giving a waiting signal. The customer exhaled as he rolled his eyes in disgust.

Wait, that should be Maura!

Turning to the restaurant, Maura was about to step inside. But the sound of a motorcycle roaring to a halt distracted her. Maura furrowed her brows when she saw someone in an orange jacket get off the motorcycle while taking something from a sizable plastic bag.

"In the name of Maura Gia Florenza?" the man asked while reading the description on the package in his hand.

Maura was taken aback. "I... yes?"

The man handed Maura a slightly wide box-shaped package. It was not large. "For you," he said.

"Wait, from whom?" asked Maura. She was a little hesitant because she didn't have anyone close to her. She even lived alone.

"No sender's name," the man replied.

Maura accepted the package hesitantly. She nodded briefly as a sign of thanks, then the man left. For a few moments Maura watched the man leave before examining the package in her hand. Curiosity was instantly sparked, prompting her to immediately run over.

But instead of continuing her work, Maura approached Audric and dragged her partner by the hand.

"Hey, hey! What are you doing? I want to work!" Audric babbled as she was dragged by Maura towards a deeper room for employees.

Maura hissed. "Shhh. Shut up! Just for a second."

Audric's eyes fell on the package in Maura's hand. "What is that thing? Someone sent you a package?" she asked, not getting an answer from Maura. Then Audric came up with her own conclusion. "Well... gee, or don't tell me you have a girlfriend now?!"

Maura squinted sharply at Audric, making the man instantly purse his lips. Clearly the wrong question. Maura didn't even believe in the concept of love.

"Here, someone gave me a package." Maura showed the package, placing it in the middle of herself and Audric. "But there's no sender's name. That's weird. I even live alone and there's no way I'd expect a distant relative to send me something."

Audric watched as Maura deftly cut open the package. Her face looked impatient and curious.

"But it could be. Who knows, a distant relative might miss you?" asked Audric.

Maura stopped cutting and looked up at Audric. "My father is an only child, while my mother's siblings are scattered and don't even contact each other."

"Could it be your mother?"

Maura's body stiffened. But Maura made herself look calm. "Ah, no way. What would she send me something for?"

Maura and Audric no longer said anything. They focused on the package box that had been opened. Maura tore off the outer wrapper of the package with all her might, then opened the lid of the box which turned out to be smaller than she expected.

Inside the box were four printed photographs, a rectangular brown mailing envelope, and a sound recording device. Maura furrowed her brow.

"I thought it was food," Audric said originally.

Maura took four prints, while Audric took a voice recorder. The four prints showed a view of the hills, an abandoned place, a wooden door, and a room that felt familiar to Maura.

For a few seconds Maura watched the four prints. The only thing Maura recognized was the photo of the room with aluminum walls. The crusts of stains on the walls of the room reminded Maura of the incident four months ago. The room in this photo was exactly the same as the room where she was kept.

Maura suddenly felt nauseous remembering the bodyguards who were shot by a group of who-knows-who. But Maura's mind was more focused on the person who saved her. At that time Maura was told to leave, and as a result Maura no longer knew what happened in that place because she ran away, alone. To this day, Maura doesn't even know who that someone is.

As for the other two photos, the photo of the hill and the photo of the wide wooden door at the front of the place, Maura could barely recognize. At that time Maura ran away at night so the surroundings were dark. Even if it was true that the two places in this photo when put together with the other two photos were Maura's place of confinement, then...

"The sender is him," Maura said almost softly. She gazed uncertainly at the photo in her hand.

Audric turned his head. "Her? Who is she?"

Maura didn't answer. She quickly opened the rectangular envelope, taking out the piece of paper inside. For many seconds Maura's eyes were focused on the sentences written on the paper. The corners of her lips could not help but curl into a very thin smile. The sentence on the paper read:

You must be questioning something. Come, let's meet. Cecilia Hotel.

Maura's whole body flinched stiffly. She stared at the letter for a few moments, then turned to Audric who had apparently been watching for a few seconds. With curious lines on her forehead, Maura looked at Audric seriously.

"Can you help me find information about the murder four months ago?"