DESPEDIDA GONE WRONG. What's supposed to be a memorable send-off party ends up in tragedy as the celebrant drops dead after making a toast. Of all the possibilities, murder seems to be most likely scenario. And the suspects? The four attendees who w...
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JUSTE
I YAWNED as I reviewed the scribbles in my notepad. How much time has passed already? One or two? I had been trying to fight off the sleep since the first interviewee. I needed to look like I was interested, that I was a professional. Kaya kahit inaantok na ako, nagawa ko pa ring isulat ang mga importanteng detalye sa kanilang mga kuwento. That's an ability that I had developed over the years.
Maybe I could take note of the salient points even if I was dozing off? Nah, just kidding.
So far, three of these kiddos—wait, what were their names again? Anastacia, Beatrice, and Cole—had been cooperative. Only the last one, Desmond, refused to say anything. He had every right to remain silent, and I was kinda impressed that he exercised that right. That's something I didn't expect. His friends—sorry, his acquaintances—had been cooperative so I presumed the same from him. My bad, he's not the same as the bunch.
The three narratives were clear to me. I could already paint a picture of what transpired in the Zafra residence. Kumbaga sa isang surveillance, tatlong CCTV camera ang pinanood ko. Alam ko kung nasaan ang mga tao sa video sa particular na time stamp. Desmond's point of view wouldn't make much of a difference, but I was hoping to hear his side of story to corroborate what the rest told me. Maybe another time?
I closed my notepad, put down my foot from the table, and walked out of the room. It's close to midnight already, and those kids needed to go home. Umalis na kanina si Anastacia. Tatlo na lang ang naghihintay sa lobby.
"Thank you for your cooperation," I told them when I got closer to their seats. I put emphasized on the last word as I shot a glance at their bespectacled companion. "We have, more or less, a vivid picture of the events before the death of your instructor. We'll wait for the autopsy report to know the exact cause of death. I hope I can still expect your cooperation by then?"
"Sure, sir," they all answered, even the one who chose not to cooperate.
"Do you want to be escorted back to your homes?" I asked, craning my neck to the left and looking for an available officer who could drive for them. "Montalbo! Wala ka namang ginagawa, 'di ba? Baka pwede mong—"
"My dad's picking me up here," Cole cut my words short. "He'd be here in about . . . three minutes."
"How about you, Beatrice?" I asked. "And Desmond?"
"I already booked a GrabCar," Beatrice replied. "The driver's on the way rito sa station. Sana'y hindi siya masyadong magtaka kung bakit dito ang pick-up point niya."
"Magko-commute ako pauwi," Desmond answered. "Wala naman silang maho-holdap sa akin. Wala rin namang naghihintay sa 'kin sa bahay."
"Pwede ka naming ihatid kung gusto mo," I offered him out of courtesy. But my gut told me that he would turn it down.
"Huwag na. Baka ano pang isipin ng mga kapit-bahay ko kapag nakita nilang inihatid ako gamit ang police car. Tsismoso't tsismosa pa naman ang mga 'yon."
