The new semester opens with a bang that shocks the four Houses of QED University, an exclusive school for promising students of the science of deduction and art of detection.
The Holmesian Harriet Harrison never thought that the day would come when...
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HARRIET
TICK! TOCK! Tick! Tock!
I was already fidgeting sa kahihintay sa kanya. Pinagtitinginan na tuloy ako ng mga staff sa cofee shop. Halos thirty minutes na kasi akong nandito at tubig lang ang iniinom ko.
Nasa isang mall ako ngayon sa labas ng university. Kailangan ko na kasing bumili ng damit para sa Sherrinford Soiree ngayong Biyernes. Normally, students aren't allowed to leave the campus premises. But in special cases, pinapayagan kami ng aming House leaders para lumabas.
For the upcoming party, I bought a blue off-shoulder dress that reaches my knees. Medyo revealing ngunit hindi masagwang tingnan. For sure, mas may kakabog pa sa suot ko sa Biyernes.
Nalusaw na ang yelo sa iniinom ko tubig. I know that person's a busy man. Kinailangan ko pa ngang magpa-appointment para makipagkita sa kanya. Nakakadismaya lang na hindi pa siya on time dumating.
"Sorry if I am late." A man in his early forties took the seat across my table. He wore a white longsleeved shirt with dotted neckie. His hazelbrown eyes looked at me through his circular spectacles.
Meet my dad: Harold Harrison. He is highly respected in the field of law and he was dubbed as "The Incorruptible." Siya kasi ang tumatayong judge ng Angeles City Regional Trial Court and he handled major cases in the past.
Remember the list of the criminals acquitted by his court? I got the information from his staff. Siguradong hindi niya ako bibigyan ng kahit anong impormasyon dahil classified ang mga detalyeng hinihingi ko. But as always, I managed to find a workaround.
"You are thirty minutes late. I only have less than an hour before I return to the university," I said, relaxing my arms after minutes of being crossed across my chest.
"Pasensya na kung pinaghintay kita, Rie." My dad removed his glasses and started wiping the lenses. I noticed the smudge of ink on his left palm. "Alam mo namang marami kaming tinatapos na papeles sa korte kaya nag-a-adjust ang schedule namin."
"Yes, I can tell. Masyado kayong naging busy sa pagpirma ng mga case file o pagsusulat ng mga report."
Natigil ang dad ko sa kanyang ginagawa at tiningnan ako nang ilang segundo. Pagkatapos noon, bumalik na siya sa pagpunas sa kanyang salamin. "I won't ask kung paano mo nalaman 'yon. Pero bago mo pa ako ulit sabihan ng kung ano-ano, pwede bang um-order muna tayo? Hindi ako nakapag-break kanina sa office."
Tinawag namin ang matangkad na waitress na malamang ay kanina pa naghihintay. Nag-order kami ng dalawang slice ng cheesecake, isang earl grey tea at mocha frappucino
"Habang hinihintay natin ang order natin, pwede na siguro tayong mag-start?" tanong ko pagkaalis ng waitress sa tabi ko.
"Go ahead," my dad nodded.
I opened the PDF file of the list and placed my phone in front of him. He stared curiously at it as he read the names. There's no doubt that he recognized some of them.
