SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL (COMPLETED)

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE (Flowers)

"Ano ba ang pinasok ko?" Balik-tanong ko sa kanya.

"This. I heard that another son of Matthias Baldomero is dead. Gawa mo?" Paniniguro niya.

Napahinga ako ng malalim. "The situation calls for it."

Mahinang napamura si Declan. "I know how you hate those fuckers. But let me remind you, it's just a matter of time before those assholes can connects the dots and everything will point at you."

Marahan kong hinilot ang ulo ko.

"Karl was raping someone. What do you want me to do? Let him do that? I wasn't able to save Elodie when she was being..."

Napapalatak si Declan na nagpahinto sa sinasabi ko.

"So, it's about her again."

Napatiim-bagang ako. "You know it's always about her."

"Ted, this is not your fight." Napakamot siya ng ulo. "Sabi ko 'di ba tutulungan kita. But you are getting deeper. May pulis ng sumusunod sa iyo at konti pa siguradong wala ka ng lulusutan."

Inis kong ibinaba sa mesa ang hawak kong beer at naihilamos ang kamay sa mukha. Naiinis na naman ako nang maalala ko ang Gabriel na iyon.

"I did some research about that guy. Mia sent me some info, and he is quite an investigator. Straight. Lagi lang napupulitika sa trabaho kaya madalas walang nangyayari sa kasong hinahawakan." Paliwanag pa niya at uminom sa hawak na beer in can.

"Can you do something about that guy? I mean can you make him disappear?"

Sinamaan ako ng tingin ni Declan tapos ay ibinato sa akin ang lata ng beer na iniinom niya.

"Gago ka. You want to kill him? At anong kasalanan niya? Dahil lang sa magaling siyang imbestigador titirahin mo? You fucked up on that. Kasalanan mo kung bakit siya nakabuntot sa iyo ngayon. You should have stopped after you helped her. She's alive because of you. But what did you do? Nakialam ka pa." Tonong nanenermon si Declan.

All right. What I thought about killing Gabriel was way out of line. But the guy was getting on my nerves. Hindi lang dahil sa ini-imbestigahan niya ako, kundi dahil pati si Elodie ay dinidikitan niya.

"He is getting close to Elodie. Getting close like texting her late at night. Going to her office. Who in his right mind would do that? Hindi naman suspect si Elodie. I am just concern for her welfare. I mean, what if people know about what happened to her and what she did. She's been through a lot and...

"Wait." Putol ni Declan sa sinasabi ko kaya taka akong tumingin sa kanya. "Wait the fucking minute." Ngayon ay natatawa na siya at naiiling na nakatingin sa akin.

"What?" Kunot-noong tanong ko.

"Fuck you, Ted." Patuloy siyang umiiling-iling at natatawan.

"What?" Tumaas na ang boses ko at ibinato ko pabalik sa kanya ang lata na ibinato niya sa akin kanina.

"You like her."

Kumunot ang noo ko at napa-ehem. Umayos pa ako ng upo. "No." Pero alam kong labas sa ilong ang pagkakasabi ko noon.

"Sa lahat ng ginawa mo para sa kanya sasabihin mong hindi mo pa siya gusto? You jeopardize your new life for her. Risked your identity for her. I mean, all the efforts that you made for Elodie was way above everything. Did you even do that to someone? To Sesi?"