✔ 02 | Flames Of Madness [Soon To Be Published Under PSICOM]

CAPITULUM 10

Night Owl's Café
8:10 p.m.

---

Detective Nico Yukishito leaned against the leather sofa and inhaled the heavenly smell of his espresso. 'Damn. Bakit ba ngayon lang ako nakapag-kape?' Hanggang ngayon, hindi niya pa rin lubos maisip kung paano siya nakatagal ng 24 hours nang walang kape sa kanyang sistema.

"Coffee makes everything easy, don't you think?"

Nararamdaman niya ang pagtitig ng dalaga sa kanya.

Detective Briannova Carlos frowned and pushed aside her cup of frappucino. "Maybe for you, it is. Hindi ko talaga gusto ang lasa ng kape," mahinang kumento niya bago inilapit ang binili niyang milktea bago sila magpunta rito. "Coffee still tastes too bitter, even after adding a handful of sugar." She took a sip and started eyeing the papers and pictures on the table.

"I'm not aware that people who dislike coffee even exists on this planet."

Napapailing na lang si Nico at kinuha ang kapeng ayaw galawin ni Nova. Well, that means more for him!

Buong araw na nilang iniimbestigahan ang kaso. Nakakatuwang isipin na parang kaninang umaga lang, inililigtas niya pa mula sa puno ang isang demonyong Siamese cat. Now, he's chasing down an arsonist who left number clues for them. Sumasakit na naman ang ulo ni Nico tuwing iisipin niya ang mga numerong 'yon. Pinipiga na niya ang utak niya sa lahat ng codes and ciphers, trying to decode the message, but none of it makes sense.

"Ngayong nakakuha na tayo ng ebindensya na may pumatay nga kay Mr. Jones, the Eastwood police and our agencies will have no problem backing us up in our investigation."

He almost rolled his eyes, "Any human with a pair of eyes and a functioning brain will figure out that he was murdered. No big deal. Ngayon, kailangan ko---"

"NATIN!" Tumalim ang mga mata ni Detective Briannova Carlos.

Nico raised his hands up in defense. "Okay! Sheesh.. Ngayon kailangan NATIN i-decode ang iniwang mensahe sa'tin ng arsonist. I have a feeling that it will lead me---I mean, us---somewhere."

Paano nga ba nila nalutas ang Heartless Killer case kung hindi sila nagkakasundo?

Huminga nang malalim si Nova at uminom ulit ng milktea. "Sa ngayon, wala tayong alam sa arsonist slash killer natin. Ni hindi ko ma-trace kung sinong nag-deposit ng malaking halaga ng pera sa kanilang bank accounts ngayong araw. The initial reaction of someone who stole that large amount of money is to keep it safe in his bank account. Masyadong delikado kung itatago niya ito sa bahay niya dahil posible itong maging ebidensya laban sa kanya kapag natunugan ng mga pulis ang tungkol dito." Her sharp brown eyes scanned the pictures in front of them, "walang espesyal sa ginamit na murder weapon. It was an ordinary mallet manufactured by Kingstone Industries. Bago pa ito kaya't malamang ay nabili niya sa kung saang hardware dito sa Eastwood."

"Nice work, Nova." Nico smirked, "but I have to correct you on that. Hindi totoong wala tayong alam sa arsonist natin---"

"Robinhood Arsonist."

"What in the name of Sherlock?"

Nova sighed and ran a hand through her pink locks, "The media is calling him the Robinhood Arsonist. Bukod sa nagnakaw siya ng pera sa isang milyunaryo, nakita namin sa CCTV ng Eastwood Heights ang pinaghihinalaang arsonist. He was wearing a hoodie so we can't see his face. In the video, he was holding a black bag that we think contains the riches he stole. Hindi na napigilan ng HELP ang pag-leak nito sa journalists. Thus, the nickname RobinHOOD Arsonist or RA."