CHAPTER 3
My brows furrowed as I staring at the guy who was standing right in front of me. I couldn’t see his eyes because the hoody he was wearing is covering his face. The wind blew between us but I remained looking at his tall and masculine figure. My heart is beating faster as well. I can’t help but to think that there is a reason why he’s now here. If I am not mistaken he was the guy I saw in the CCTV footage.
“Who…are you?” I asked. I saw how his head move. My heart is thumping so fast because I am so eager to see his face. I want to see his face and even though I’m not familiar with him I have great feeling that he is somehow connected in this case.
I stepped forward but I stop when my cell phone rung. I looked at my phone and I saw attorney An’s name. I press the answer button and put it on my ear.
“Hello?” i asked.
“Detective Lux? I heard that you went back to the dump site?” she asked. I stared at the man in front of me. But when he turned his back on me I got nervous. Is he leaving now?
“Y-Yeah…Can I talk to you later attorney? I have something to do.” I said hurriedly wanting to stop the call so much. The man is now walking away! Damn!
“Alright! I need you to report when you come back.” She said before turning off the call.
“Wait!” I called out the man but he didn’t stop walking! I run after him but the wind blew hard at me that made me close my eyes and when I opened it the guy with a black hoody is now gone.
I drove my car back to our firm but my mind is clouded with so many things. Who is that guy? Why did he run away? Why didn’t he talk to me? Why? I have so many questions and I feel like I won’t have a good sleep tonight.
When I went back to our firm I reported what happened to the site and I also gave them the cell phone I found. Attorney said that she will give it to the police to get investigated. When I went in to my office I turned on my laptop and search the entire CCTV camera around the dump site. I need to know the person behind this. I need to know the owner of the cellphone. When I remember the man in the black hoody I have a hint that he is not the person who put Mr. Rosario’s corpse in the dump site.
After a long while of searching I just find out that there is a CCTV camera in the store near the dump site. So I get up again and drive my car towards the car. When I arrived I saw an old lady. She’s maybe the owner of this store.
“Good afternoon, ma’am.” I called her attention. I smiled when she looked at me.
“Good afternoon! How can I help you?” she greets me politely. I pointed out the CCTV and looked at the old woman.
“Is the CCTV camera is still in use?” I asked. The old woman seems confused.
“Yes, it’s 24 hours in use. Why?” she asked. I nodded and smiled more.
“Can I have the copy of the footage of it yesterday until this afternoon?” I asked politely.
The old woman was kind and she immediately gave me a copy of it. I went back to my office and played it on my laptop. I was busily watching the footage but one thing caught my attention. It was a black van. The van was simultaneously driving around the area five times yesterday. I stop the video and copied the plate number. I played it again and stop when I saw someone familiar!
My eyes widened when I saw the man in a black hoody! He is standing near the store and was staring at the van that was passing by! I suddenly had goose bumps while watching. Who the hell is this person? Why is he always present in every damn scene?
I continued investigating the case and when I get tired I went up to sleep. But loud noises from outside of my office woke me up suddenly. I checked the wall clock and got shock when I realized I’ve been sleeping the whole night and it’s already 7 am in the morning!
I stood up and enter the bathroom. My office is almost my house now. I have clothes here and my things. Because when my cases are piled up I don’t have time to go home and rest so I always choose to stay here instead.
When I got finish cleaning myself up I sat back on my seat. I was about to turned my laptop on when Inspector Kyline went in.
“Detective, didn’t you heard the news?” she said that made me confused.
“What news?” I asked.
“There’s a murder case that happened last night. A student got killed while walking home. The police said that it was a case of bullying.”
“Did the murderer get jailed already?” I asked.
“No. the suspect is also a minor.” She said. I stopped for a while. Knowing that the suspect is still a minor you would realize the world is becoming more evil now. Even minor can do such evil things. Being a criminal wouldn’t define you whether you are still a child or adult. Everyone could be a criminal without anyone noticing it.
I got distracted when Inspector Kyline went nearer and put a folder under my table. I looked at her in confused eyes.
“What is it?” I asked. She sighed and stared at me.
“You should see the crime scene, Detective Lux.” My brows furrowed at what she said.
“What are trying to say, Inspector?” I asked a bit tensed now. Is it possible that it’s also connected to the case of Mr. Rosario and Jean Fajardo’s death?
“Look at the pictures.” She stated. I looked at the folder she gave and I immediately take a look at it. I saw the pictures of Mr. Rosario’s corpse and there is something on his pulse. It was a tattoo of a three black lines. The next picture is Jean Fajardo’s corpse and when I look at her pulse my eyes widened when I saw the same tattoo! The color black ink of three lines!
“Damn…” I whispered. In the next page is the student’s corpse that Inspector Kyline was talking about. I looked at his pulse also and my lips parted when I saw the same tattoo!
“It looks like the person behind their death is also the same person.” Inspector Kyline said.
“But you said that the person who killed this student is also a minor?” I asked confused. She nodded in response.
“Yes. But the suspect is also found dead, Detective.” I stopped and close my eyes after hearing her words. What the hell?
“The knife that was used in the murder also found in the crime scene. And the finger prints were owned by the suspect and just a meter away they also found the suspect’s body, and like what you saw, they all had a tattoo in their pulse.”
I sighed heavily and immediately stood up. I take all my things including my cellphone.
“I need to go to the crime scene.” I said and went out of my office.
I drove my car as fast as I could. Why is this happening? Seeing the tattoo on their pulse it feels so familiar. It’s like I already seen it in the past but I couldn’t remember it. I craned my neck while driving. My head suddenly throb because of too much thinking.
I parked my car and I saw that some of the police are still there to investigate. As usual I introduce myself to have them also let me investigate.
I checked where the body has found especially the suspect. I interview some of the police and they told me that it is confirmed that the suspect who murdered a student is also now dead. His finger prints were found in the knife that was used. They also found out some bruises that telling us that they fought before their death. But the question here is…who is the murderer of the suspect?
And who gave them the tattoo? Is it an illegal organization like what I suspected? And the tattoo is so familiar to me! Where did I saw it? Damn!
I sat down in the near bench because I feel so exhausted, mentally and physically. My body wants rest but my mind says to go on with whatever I am doing. I close my eyes and summarize all the information that I have about this case. But I sense that someone is watching me so I open my eyes. I looked around the area but I didn’t see anyone. I was about to leave when someone block my way.
My brows furrowed as I slowly trailed the man’s body. I stepped backward when I saw his familiar clothes. The man with a black hoody! He’s here again!
“Why are you here again?” I asked confused. I always saw him in different places where every crime scene is. This guy is so mysterious and I can’t help but to be curious about him. I want to know him, to talk to him because I know he could help with this case or if any chance maybe he’s also involve in this case so I wanted to…know him.
I got shocked when his arms extended towards me and handed me a handkerchief. I stared at it and I realized that it was mine! I looked at him but like what happened in our last encounter I couldn’t see his face because of his hoody.
“You left it at the dump site.” I had goose bumps when I heard his baritone voice. I slowly took the handkerchief on his hands and after that I looked at him once again. I am really curious about him. Is there any chance that I can talk to him? He talked right?
“I want to know your name.” I said very slowly. I stared at him for a long while. This man is so tall. I think I’m just right above his chest. He was tall that screams of manliness. He is also masculine. You can see it through his figure even though he’s wearing heavy clothing.
“I know you have the right to hide your identity. But I am really curious. You are always there wherever the crime is. I am not suspecting you I’m just looking for a witness.” I said politely. He stepped forward so I panicked a bit. Damn! Why don’t he talk instead?
“Are you sure that you want to know my name?” he asked that made me think a bit. But I am determined so I nodded.
“Yes.” I answered. He stood up just inches away from me. My heart suddenly beat faster. I couldn’t almost breathe because of too much anticipation.
He slowly put away his hoody on his head and lifted up his head to meet my eyes. And when our eyes met, my heart suddenly stops beating for a while and when it back beating it was loud and clear. I heaved a deep sigh and I almost lost my breath.
“Dark Hades…is my name.”