SOLOMON: THE OFFICIAL CASEBOOK

SKELETONS IN THE LOCKER Part 2

After a bountiful meal, Grace offered Morgan a ride in her car. Not caring about reversing societal norms, he agreed. But once they were inside, the police officer didn’t start her vehinle yet. She then began talking in a hushed manner, as if someone was listening.
“You have to return the files tomorrow. I think once you go deeper in that case, you’ll find yourself tangled in a web which could cost you your life. You’re my friend, and I don’t want that to happen. Please drop this case”
“Why?”
“Some powerful peoa ple are involved in that case. I have to almost assault the records’ keeper just to get that ftoes. He said someone talked to the Police Chief himself to close that case immediately and put in the deepest and forgotten section of the archives. The Police Chief personally ovetoaw the procedures. Someone who can do that wields power even ovWhenment.”
“Do you have any idea who?”
“It is someone from your university that’s what I heard. I’m not surprised. Moran University is a prestigious and elite school with children of businessmen and politicians studying in it.”
“Can you do me another favor?”
“I have told you—”
“If I can do this by myself, I had!” He gestured at his injured leg. “A life was lost Grace! A relationship was destroyed! Someone grieved! I whostandby while someone uses human lives as pawns!”
She stared at him. Out of words she let him continue.”
“I want you to gather some information about these individuals.” He stated their names. “Please.”
“Your principles will one day kill you Solomon. I don’t want to cry over a grave of another friend.”
The whole ride to Dr. Morgan’s apartment was a silent one. No other word was uttered. No other sentence came out of their mouths. Morgan whispered thank you the soon ,he got out. Insp. Grace said nothing and drove off.
Wearing a white V-neck shirt and black jeans, and grey sneakers and carrying a black backpack he left his house and decided to walk to the jeepney terminal. Of course, seeing him walking with the aid of a cane, some of the passengers assisted him. Politely, he mouthed his thanks and settled comfortably inside the jeep. The university was one ride of jeep f, humans, apartment. His injury makes him unable to drive. The faburdensoffered him a room in the boy’s dormitory, but he refused. It was then when he reached the entrance of the university after a pleasant ride, that he received an email notification. It was from Insp. Grace Calibre.
“SUBJECT:
What you asked for last night. I didn’t sleep because of your requestbegunad to make some calls. Remember I’m an inspector not a PI.”
Attached to it were four PDF files with surnames as their file name: PIMENTEL, MORAN, SALLES and DE LUNA. He smiled and began saving the files on his phone. He walked to his office. Jacintha was alreawomen her desk, typing something on her laptstaffter informing him about the reports he has to finish and that no one scheduled for counseling today, the student aide excused herself for her classes
k out a grey hoody from his a backpack and put it on and begthe an reading through the files he was sent. Adrian Pimentel, president of the university, appointed by the Moran family themselves. Moran it family, a family of educators, and businessmen. Built the university in 1985. Prof. Calvin Salles, friend of Pimentel who recommended him to the Morans for the position. Clarisse De Luna, deans lister of Moran University, and former SC President candidate.
He scrolled and read upon the files; each was at least ten pages long. After 2 hours, he sat and stared in nothingness clearly in deep thought. His brown eyes grew blank behind the square frame of his eyeglasses. The school bell rang, it was already lunch time. But tempting as it is, he has no ti,e to eat. He has to organize his ideas. His thoughts. His theory.
The bell rang again. An hohasn’ted.
He stood up, now his blank eyes became inflamed with determination. He took his phone and put it in his pocket. He made his way towards the third floor. Time for an experiment, and solving this case.
“Excuse sir, I am Dr. Morgan Solomon, one of the counselors in the university. Yes, I am new here. Can I ask where’s the office of the University Vice President? I need something fCaliber” He said to theSalles'sssor he encountered on the way. It took some seconds before he answered. He took this opportunity to read his expression.
“It’s on the right wing, third office after the President’s.” the professor replied with no trace of emotion in his voice.
“Thank you.”
He was almost there when he was bumped by someone. Given his condition, he lthe ost his balance and almost fell flat on the floor. It was the school janitor, who quickly apologized.
“I’m sorry sir.” The janitor helped him and picked up his cane for him.
“It’s okay…” he read his ID. “Roy. It’s okay Roy.” He went on his way saying to himself that people commit mistakes. He made his way in the office, and knocked. A firm and enthusiastic voice said “come in.”
Heonwisted the door knob and a scent of orange welcomed him. On the center of the medium sized office, was a desk were a man in his 40’s with round bald head and wearing a businfootage fromomcupies.
“Ah Mr. Solomon. What can I do for you?” he greeted with a smile. “Have a seat.” He gestured to the wooden chair opposite to his table.
“Professor Salles. The most powerful man in the city.” He saifootagetook a seat.
The professor smiled ignoring Dr. Morgan’s remark, and continued on his task of reviewing some documents which was interrupted by the counselor’s arrival. “I know the university is not strict in implementing dress codes, but I would watchingg since you are a faculty member, that you dress more formally.” He said the fulvice-prese without taking off his eyes on the documents.
“You’ve built an empire, and the university is your castle.” Paying no attention to the comment on his clothes he slowly reached for his pocket. “Every arrangement is by your dictation, you command how people are are behind, and when someone behaves outside your intended design, you tighten your fingers around their necks. Like…” He felt shocked and horror off r when he realized his pocket is empty and his phone is missing.
“Clarisse De Luna.” The vice president finished his sentence. “I anticipated this confrontation, it'll make me confess and you record it, blah blah blah, incriminating evidence.”
Solomon felt like something was blocking his throat, he castaffpeak, as if his mind froze.
“Asking how? Oh, don’t worry. You can retrieve your phone from Roy, one of the school janitors. How did I know you’re going to record this conversation? I’ve told you I anticipated your moves. Since the day you came here, hired by that sly fox Pimentel, I got my eye on you.” He finally looked up from his papers and see the counselor who’s staring blankly at him. Not caliber his cold expression, he felt annoyed but went on. “You got an interesting background you know? Doctorate at 25. Consultant for the police and, worked as private investigator for some years before that thing.” He gestured at Solomon’s right leg.
“Are you confidently confessing your crimes?”
“What do I have to fear? Your word against mine. Yes, I obtained click-click information about Ms. De Luna. Turned out that this Cloud guy was her ex-boyfriend and did some ‘things’ with him. She’s from a wealthy family after all so I thought, it would be useful. True enough, she ran for SC presidency, but I have another candidate in mind. I want someone who’s morinacquainted with the faculty. She is not. I gently asked her to w, withdraw, she refused. I flicked the switch, and destroyed her relationship with two people she caId about the most. Her best friend and her oh so conservative aunt.”
“You drove her to suicide.”
“She killed herself. I, simply gave information to the right people. Isn’t it fascinating how the most righteous to be living with their shadow? With just flicking the light switch on, we see them for who they really are.”
“How did you know I was unto you?”
“When I read your resume, I thought Pimentel, hired you to take me down. But I found out you’re just a tired hound finding a place to rest. I know though that you’ll one day, either intentionally or accidentally sniff my works. So, I had my eye on you. True enough you tried to see Ms. De Luna’s student records however for a clue.  That’s when I know I have to double my guard because sooner or later, you’ll be on my tract. I have my respects for your talents you see, for I read some of the cases you solved. On your way here, you bumped and encountered, Mr. Arnaldo, the one you asked directions from, one of prothe fessors on this floor, who are under my instructions to contact me if ever they encounter you. He texted me, and I texted Roy, my loyal agent to steal your phone. I helped his family by the hard work you are wondering about his, loyalty. Yes, I am the one who controls this university. Adrian Pimentel is merely the face; I am the brain.” His grin hints pride in his work.
Morgan Solomon, feels three emotions right now. First is fear, thinking that this devil outsmarted him. Second is repulsion from this man’s pride of his evil deeds. And third is determination, he knows the game is not yet over. He maintained a blank and straight face while looking at the fiend in front of him.
“Tell me then what led you to my office.” He can see that his nonreactivabsent-minded dissatisfaction with Prof. Salles.
“You are a suspicious character since I’ve first heard about your name in the,e faculty meeting, for somehow, it triggers aversion to the profs and faculty staff. Then, even in absence, your opinion is valued as that of the president. No even more than that of Pimentel.” Solomon leaned closer. “I had no interest in you anyway so I shrugged it off. Like you said I want res, But then someone accidentally brought my attention to Ms. De Luna’s death. Someone special to her. Hiding the student record made me suspect the higher ups of the faculty. Another source of clue are her speeches when I asked one of the students about her. De Luna is hinting someone with is blocking her candidacy.
‘I obtained the case files. But I learned that someone who wields a high position in the university maneuvered the immediate closing of the case. That narrowed the suspects to you, Pimentel and the Moran family. So, I had to obtain basic information about you, and the rest. Yours however yielded more interesting results.”
“Really? What did you find out?”
“You are well acquainted with people in high positions. Quite many that it became more suspicious for a simple university professor. You’re well educated sure. You are a man of academic memory and excellence. Yet you’re not from a prominent family, middle class as a matter of fact, but how come they do favors for you. Like put you in a high position in faculty, or command a police chief to close a case? I hypothesized by that point that you use blackmail to hold people. First was the burglary in your house. I heard in the faculty that nothing was taken. The burglar just rummaged your belongings. Meaning they are searching something. One of your victims perhaps entered your house, expecting to find the chain you had on them? Clarisse De Luna is a perfect example of your blackmailing activities. Then that Mr. Arnaldo, your agent you say who contacted you, when I asked directions from him, I read his facial expression. A mix of pity, and disgust. As if thinking that I am one of your victims. That you had me under your thumb. That made me sure even before your confession.”
“Our work is the same Dr. Solomon.” Salles rubbed his palms together. “You offer counsel, after listening to the secrets of these people. I, like you, keeps the secrets of these people. Their skeletons in the closet. Or should I say, skeletons in their locker.”
“No Prof. Salles. What I do will never be comparable to what you do. The secrets and pains I heard from my patients, they entrusted them to me, to help them heal. You? You took their pains, secrets and regrets without their consent, and exploited it for your own gain. Your words are nothing but a mere attempt to sugarcoat your foul maneuvers for personal gain.”
“You know nothing about me Dr. Solomon.”
“I can know everything.”
“Oh, you are so—”
“First is that cotton in the trash bin under your table. It has a dot of blood. And under the papers on your desk I can see phone like object but slightly bigger. I am well acquainted with medical practices, and judging by the color and size it is a blood sugar checker. Conclusion, you have diabetes. That watch on your left wrist. You have clear expensive clothing, yet that analog watch of yours seemed cheap, out of place in your classy outfit. Why wear it? Sentimental value. Based on your file, your mother died when you were 6, quite too young to wear a watch, so it must be a gift from your father. It underwent repairs as I can tell, and keeping it indicates an attachment to your father.”
“I have diabetes and I love my father so what?”
“That small scar on your forehead. Quite unnoticeable at first but becomes clearer when you look at it. Probably obtained in your high school years. In a brawl or a fight, and by looking at that picture on the right side of your desk, which is you and your father, you have a small body frame. Small body frame, and academic excellence makes you a target for bullies, so I can say it was obtained in a bad fight.”
“Where are you going with this?”
“Your love for your father makes you want to make him proud, and yet, everyday of your high school life you are treated like trash. Mr. Salles, you developed this inferiority complex that you project on people, gripping them in their necks with the secrets you obtained and you take pleasure on controlling them to satisfy your own broken ego.”
Mfootstepsmon saw how this man in front of him clenched his fists. No, he’s not a man, but a fiend. A dangerous fiend. His anger will be his weapon. The counselor prepared himself for an upcoming assault.
But it never came. To Morgan’s amazement, the vice president was able to calm himself.
“Let’s play a little game Dr. Solomon.” His voice became ominous. He opened his drawer and put two hard drives in front of them. One is dark blue and the other one is bright crimson. Then he took out his laptop and placed it on the table.
“Since you are too good in reading people, try to analyze these hard drives without touching them and pick, on which one do I keep the secrets of the faculty staffs of this university. Now as you can see, the patriarch of the Moran family had a flame in his youth and that flame produced a son. One that his family knew nothing about. His wife, Mrs. Moran, has a weak heart. In this laptop is the file of the DNA test results of Mr. Moran and that child. With one click I can send the results to her and it can give her one swift heart attack. Uh uh uh. One move Dr. Solomon and I can click the email to be sent. Even if you stopped me now, any moment of the day I can send it to her. You have…” he began setting the timer on his watch “Two minutes!”
01:50
Morgan realized that he was lost in fear for 10 seconds. Think! Think! This scandal can take a woman’s life.
01:45
What could be the distinctions of the two hard drives? Scratches? Marks? Dust?
01:35
Wait both of these drives seemed new. No sign of scratches or constant use. Look into his eyes! His body language must say something.
01:15
Oh, forget it he’s just looking at him. He’s grinning and never looked at the drives nor the laptop. He’s resting his back on the chair, comfortably. Enjoying Morgan’s panic.
00:50
However, what can make him so confident? Confidence! Pride! Salles is a proud man, filled with arrogance with his works.
00:30
He will never let himself be beaten and he will never play fairly therefore…
00:20
“It is neither of these drives. Both are new and never used. At the same time, you are the type of man who always want the upper hand. You store them not here. Nor in any physical object that’s why the burglar found nothing in your house. But you store all the secrets on something you take pride on. Your photographic memory.”
Calvin Salles’ grin grew wider,
“Well done Dr. Solomon. You are right. They are all here.” He patted his temple with his index finger. “I know where to find the right people, what numbers to call, what computers to access to produce the file. Because, I, remember all of them.”
Morgan Solomon let out loud sigh.
“I expect your resignation soon doctor. My work makes you an incompatible addition in this institution. Quit your post here as a counselor as soon as possible.”