Detective Rivalry

Chapter 29: Surprise!

Felicine

"Eudayme is dead."

Napatawa naman ako sa deciphered message. That can't be. Nakatext ko pa si Eudayme kani-kanina lang. But I still have this uneasy feeling.

"Nakatext ko pa si Eudayme kanina lang. Baka tinatakot lang tayo ng L organization." I said, dismissing the thought that it might be true. "Uso ngayon ang mga ganyan 'di ba?"

"Hand me your phone." Cali demanded. Inilagay ko naman ang aking kanang kamay sa aking bulsa kung saan nakalagay ang phone ko.

"Why?" I asked him, squinting my eyes. "I told you, that isn't true."

"Just hand it over." Cali held out his hand, asking for it. Without any choice, I handed over to him my phone.

Agad niya naman itong kinuha at nagpipindot sa screen. Wala namang password ang phone ko kaya hindi na siya nagtanong pa. I went to his side to take a peek.

Binabasa niya ang conversation naming dalawa ni Eudayme! Inggit ba siya kaya niya binabasa ito? I shrugged off the thought. Now isn't the time to make delusional scenarios. 

"Why do you think Eudayme sent me a "goodluck" message?" I asked him. He was busy reading and squinting his eyes at every message we sent to each other.

"Do you really think that it was Eudayme who sent that to you?" He asked me. Napakunot naman ang noo ko sa sinabi niya. "Think of this, Felicine. Every person has message patterns. You, me, him, everyone. Now, what difference do you see between this latest message from the message he sent to you an hour ago?"

Kinuha ko naman sa kanya ang phone ko at tiningnang maigi ang mga message. Ano ang naiiba sa message na ito kanina?

5:45 am

GOOD MORNING MY DEAR~

Good morning Eudayme.

Just wanna let you know na sa tapat ng gate kita hihintayin. Doon ko na din ibibigay sa'yo 'yung assignment mo.

Ingat ka sa pagpunta sa school!

Thanks Eudayme. I owe you! Ingat ka rin!

6:54 am

Nareceive ko na 'yung assignment ko. Thank you ulit!

See you later?

Gano'n ba? Sorry kung hindi kita naihatid sa room mo ah.

Something came up that's why you have to go to your room solo.

Bawi ako sa sunod.

Anyway, goodluck!

Ah! 

"Walang tilde symbol 'yung latest message." I said. Cali nodded. "You mean, someone else messaged it to me so I won't be suspicious of it?" 

Again, he nodded. "Right!" he said and crumpled the paper where he wrote the code. "Where did you last saw him?"

"The guard told me that he went left. Papunta sa abandoned room." 

"Where did you get this paper?" He asked next, showing me the paper I got.

"Abandoned room." 

"Then let's head there." He said and started walking. I followed behind him.

"Cali, aren't you going to put your bag first in your room?" I asked, looking at his backpack.

"No. Wouldn't it be the same as you? Our rooms are on the same floor yet you didn't put yours."