THE LYING GAME (on-going)

CHAPTER FIVE | Tailed

Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind – William Shakespeare

THE LYING GAME | XM AGENCY SERIES

CHAPTER FIVE | TAILED

ZOE

All of his files were clean.

All of the businesses he had were legit and he was even a philanthropist who was helping abandoned kids and churches. He was a self-made billionaire with billions of net worth.

Napakagat-labi ako habang nakalatag ang mga papeles ng mga businesses ni Gregorio Laxamana. He owns a pharmaceutical company, a bank, shipping company, ang dami niyang sinusuportahan na mga orphanage at simbahan. And right now, he was the biggest shareholder of a hospital previously owned by the late Perry Azaceta.

Tiningnan ko ang litrato ni Gregorio Laxamana. Kinakagat-kagat ko ang mga kuko ko habang nakatitig sa litrato niya. Kinuha ko iyon at talagang tinititigan ko. There was something about him. I was just looking at his picture but... it looked like it was talking to me. His eyes were mysterious. Deep. Cunning. Like those eyes seen so many things not ordinary people were able to see. His smile, vicious. Like a smile of the devil who did something that made him victorious.

Napahinga ako ng malalim at parang napapasong binitiwan ang litratong iyon. Tiningnan ko ang ibang mga papel na nasa harapan ko at pilit na doon ipino-focus ang atensiyon ko. Pero parang tukso na napapatingin ako sa litrato ni Gregorio Laxamana. Pakiramdam ko sa akin siya nakangiti. Pakiramdam ko ay nakikipag-usap ang mga mata niya sa akin.

Shit.

Inis kong itinaob ang litrato. Damn it. Litrato pa lang ang nakikita ko pero pakiramdam ko ay kumakabog na ang dibdib ko. Kinuha ko ang isang folder na nakuha ko mula sa mga gamit ng tatay ko at binuklat iyon. Naroon ang mga listahan ng mga napatay ni Gregorio Laxamana. Pero lahat ng ito ay suspetsa lang at hindi napatunayan. Pero sa mga reports na nakasulat doon, sigurado silang ito ang may gawa sa mga tortured bodies na natatagpuan ng pulisya.

Gregorio Laxamana was doing vigilante justice. That was written from the reports that Javier Silva left. The case files that I got has lots of crooked government official and people who do injustice to others. Mayor Hanauer got missing and until now was not yet found. The reports that I got were connected to Mr. Laxamana. One councilor died because of accident but according to this report, he was beaten until he was a pulp and later on died. Two generals, a senator that was tortured and killed too. And the last one was a burned body found with a placard on the body with writing 'Drug Pusher ako huwag tularan.'

All of those could be a work of other people but the reports my father did and his other companions were thorough. They were all sure that Gregorio Laxamana did those. And he didn't work alone. It says there that Gregorio Laxamana was recruiting people to work for him.

Muli kong dinampot ang litrato ni Gregorio Laxamana at muli kong tiningnan. Siya kaya talaga ang gumawa ng mga iyon? Walang konkretong ebidensiya sila daddy pero bakit sigurado silang ang lalaking ito ang gumawa noon?

Napahinga ako ng malalim at inimis ko ang lahat ng mga folders na nasa harap ko at inilagay sa drawer tapos ay sinusian iyon. Naiwan ang litrato ni Gregorio Laxamana at iniipit ko iyon sa planner ko tapos ay isinuksok ko sa bag. Tamang-tama na may narinig akong pagkatok sa cubicle ko at nakita kong nakasilip doon si Chief Sierra.

"How are you?" Nakangiting tanong niya at tuluyan nang pumasok sa cubicle ko tapos ay naupo sa nasa harapang silya.

"Okay naman ako, Chief. Nakakapag-adjust na." Kinuha ko ang patong-patong na mga folders na ibinigay sa akin ni Tobie at napatingin doon si Chief Sierra.