✔ 02 | Flames Of Madness [Soon To Be Published Under PSICOM]

CAPITULUM 23

DEATH headquarters
Eastwood
7:45 a.m.

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District Officer Rizee Mariano sat across of him. Her blue highlights caught the sunlight as she sipped her cup of latté. Pinagmasdan ni Nico ang pagpatong niya ng cup sa mesa. Masusing inobserbahan ni Nico ang ikinikilos ng dalaga. It doesn't take long before he reached his conclusion: 'She's a coffee lover.'

"A golden retriever. How old is she?" Rizee addressed Nico's pet.

"She's a year old."

Sa kanyang tabi, tahimik na kumakain ng kanyang dog biscuits si Goldilocks. Naaalala na naman ni Nico ang pagpupumilit nito kaninang sumama sa kanya. Usually, he would just leave all of Goldilocks' necessities at his apartment and leave her there. Kahit gaano pa ka-"hindi organisado" ng tirahan ni Nico, Goldilocks can always nagivate through the mess and find her bowl of dog biscuits and water.

Heck, she can even manage to poop in his toilet bowl and flush it afterwards!

'Thank Sherlock she's an independent dog.'

O sadyang natuto na lang ito dahil sa magulong pamumuhay ng kanyang amo?

Napabuntong-hininga ang binata at sinimulan na ang pagtatanong, "So, care to finally tell me what brings you here to this inferno of paperwork? At 'wag mong sabihin sa'king kailangan kitang ilibre ulit ng kape."

Ibinalik na lang ni Nico ang kanyang atensyon sa iniinom na kape. This was already his second cup of coffee this morning, but it still wasn't enough to calm his nerves. Alam niyang konektado sa kasong hinahawakan nila ang anumang impormasyong dala ngayon ni Rizee.

Ngumisi si Rizee at sumandal sa kanyang upuan. "Aw. Too bad, Yuki."

Ilang sandali pa, sumeryoso na ang district officer. Ipinatong niya ang kanyang mga kamay sa mesa at mahinang nagsalita, "Nakahanap na kami ng witness sa nangyaring sunog kagabi sa Kingstone Industries."

Mabuti na lang at kakaunti lang ang mga empleyadong nasa loob ng pantry. Malamang dinaragdagan pa ng nababaliw niyang tiyuhin ang trabaho nila.

Detective Nico smirked. Mukhang mapapadali na ang trabaho nila.

"Nakita niya ang histura ng Robinhood Arsonist?"

"Partially, yes. Ang sabi niya nakakita raw siya ng lalaking sumakay ng van kagabi. Naka-hood raw ito ay may bitbit na bag. It was dark, so she couldn't clearly see his face but she said she can describe enough of his features."

Sinilip na muna ni Rizee ang kanyang cellphone bago bumaling ulit sa detective, "I've decided it's best if I told you this information first. Mas mainam na rin na kayo ni Detective Brian ang mag-interrogate sa kanya. Ako nang bahala sa artist's sketch kung kakailanganin natin. May tinawagan na ako kanina para sumundo sa kanya. We'll just use the interrogation chamber in our precinct since it's more convenient for our witness."

Kahit pa mukhang umaayon sa kanila ang takbo ng kasong ito, masama pa rin ang kutob ni Nico sa mga nangyayari.

'Why does this case seem to be too easy?'

Or maybe, that's what the Robinhood Arsonist wants them to think...

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