ANASTACIA
I DID not want to let go of his hand, but I had to. Kailangan kong magtiwala kay Cole. Kailangang kong magtiwala sa innocence niya. Despite now being the most suspected, he still accepted the invitation to the police station wholeheartedly. If he had nothing to hide, then there's no reason for him to turn it down.
Still I couldn't help but worry about him. What if he's being framed up by someone on Zack's death? What if the real killer was out there, watching this whole drama unfold? Dapat 'yon ang mas pagtuunan ng pansin ng mga pulis. Pero nandito sila sa gymnasium at sinusundan ang lead na wala namang patutunguhan.
"Don't worry about me. I'm innocent so I have nothing to prove to them. I'll just show them good faith, okay?"
"But—"
"Mag-focus ka muna sa audition mo, Stacy."
Kahit na ganito ang sitwasyon, ako pa rin ang iniisip niya. Ang audition ko pa rin ang gusto niyang unahin ko kaysa alalahanin siya. Cole didn't deserve this type of treatment.
"Anastacia."
"Ano 'yon, Desmond?" I turned around to face the bespectacled student behind me. He's not the type to start a conversation kaya may pagtataka sa isip ko kung bakit bigla niya akong tinawag.
"Hindi nawala ni Cole ang varsity jacket niya," sabi ni Desmond. "May kumuha n'on mula sa kanya."
My eyes squinted at him. What did he mean by that? Hindi ko alam kung masyado akong affected sa nangyayari kaya may kabagalan ang process ng utak ko o kung hindi nagme-make sense ang sinabi niya.
"Pwede mo bang i-explain sa akin kung ano'ng ibig mong sabihin?"
He rolled his eyes first. "Sabihin na nating may nagnakaw sa varsity jacket ni Cole. At may ideya ako kung saan nangyari 'yon."
"T-Talaga?!" My hands held him on both of his shoulders. Napaangat ang mga balikat niya at napatingin sa mga kamay ko. He looked like he wanted to slap them away. "Bakit hindi mo agad sinabi sa mga pulis? Bakit makatulong 'yan para mapatunayan ang innocence ni Cole!"
"Kailangan ko munang ma-confirm bago ko sabihin sa kanila," pabalang na sagot ni Desmond. Hinawakan niya ang mga kamay ko at tinanggal mula sa kanyang mga balikat. "Malaki ang tiwala ko sa aking memory. Ngunit gusto kong one hundred percent muna akong sigurado."
"Then tell me where! Where was Cole's jacket stolen?"
"In the Guidance and Counseling Office."
"Eh?"
Instead of explaining it any further, Desmond just walked out of the gymnasium. Sumunod ako sa kanya at paulit-ulit na tinanong kung ano'ng meron doon at kung bakit doon nawala ang jacket. But he kept quiet while we're walking toward the college building. He got more annoyed every time I threw him a question, kaya nanahimik muna ako. Baka imbes na i-share niya sa 'kin kung ano ang nalalaman niya, magbago pa ang kanyang isip.
We entered the building and hurriedly climbed the stairs leading to the third floor. Mabibilis at malalaki ang mga hakbang ni Desmond. Kinailangan ko siyang sabayan para hindi ako mapag-iwanan.
The door to the guidance office slid open as we approached it. Naunang pumasok si Desmond at pumunta agad sa likod ng counter. Inalis niya muna ang sign na may nakalagay na "on bathroom break" bago siya umupo sa swivel chair. I leaned on the countertop and watched him impatiently open the computer. Paulit-ulit na nagta-tap ang mga daliri niya sa mesa habang hinihintay na bumukas 'yon.
My eyes roamed around the room. Wala yatang may appointment ngayon at wala rin ang guidance counselor. I couldn't help but feel teary-eyed as I stared at the door that led to the counselor's area. Naaalala ko ang unang beses na pumunta rito para mag-consult kay Zack. Si Desmond din ang nag-schedule ng appointment ko noon. Naaalala ko ang mga tawanan at kuwentuhan namin.
I was having a stage fright back then and I asked Zack on how I could fight if off. He gave me some useful tips which I applied during my first audition in the repertory theater. Luckily, nakuha ko ang lead role noon. I was very, very happy when I heard the news. 'Tapos nalaman ko pang sumali si Sir sa production namin. Parang nagkaroon ako ng on-stage coach sa pagkatao niya. He was there to support me and cheer me on.
But that was all behind us now. Visiting the past was sweet, but facing the present was bitter. Zack is dead. I found out yesterday that he broke my trust in a way I didn't expect. I also found out that if it weren't for him, I wouldn't have gotten the lead role. My guess? Posibleng may hawak siyang blackmailing materials laban sa director ng repertory theater. He used whatever he had in his phone to get me that role.
The realization not just hit me hard. It slapped me in the face, punched me in the gut and kicked me repeatedly. Now I wasn't very sure what to feel about him. Kung sanang buhay pa siya ngayon, matatanong ko kung bakit niya nagawa 'to sa 'kin. Maybe Cole, Desmond and Beatrice also had some questions for him. At dahil wala na siya, those mysteries would be left unsolved . . . forever.
"Bumisita si Cole dito sa office noong Monday three weeks ago, 3:36 ng hapon."
My reminiscences got interrupted by Desmond. He made some clicking noises through the mouse. Damang-dama ko ang diin niya sa pagpindot. Lumingon ako sa kanya. "Nandyan ba sa calendar n'yo?"
He shook his head slowly. "Sinabihan ako ni Sir Zacharias na huwag ilagay sa calendar ang appointment ni Cole. Dahil masunurin akong student aide at utos ng boss ko, sinunod ko ang sinabi niya."
"Then how did you know the time and date?" I asked curiously. Kuhang-kuha niya maging ang eksaktong minutes na pumunta rito si Cole. Unless he's just making those numbers up to make him look attentive to details.
"Matalas ang memory ko," sagot niya sabay tingin sa 'kin. "Tanda ko pa na suot niya ang varsity jacket noong pumasok siya rito. Pagkalabas niya mula sa office ni Sir, hindi na niya suot ang jacket."
"So naiwan niya rito ang jacket?"
Umiling si Desmond. "Hindi mo ba narinig ang sinabi ko kaninang nasa gymnasium tayo? Hindi niya nawala ang jacket. May kumuha n'on."
"At sino naman ang kukuha?" bulong ko.
"Sino ba sa mga nandito sa guidance office ang pwedeng kumuha n'on?"
Umangat ang tingin ko sa kanya at bahagyang naningkit ang aking mga mata. I could think of one person at this moment. And he's in front of me.
Bumuntonghininga siya't umirap ang mga mata. "Hindi ako, okay? Maliban sa akin, sino pa ba ang nandito noong araw na 'yon?"
My jaw slowly dropped. My eyes blinked a couple of times. "Sir Zack . . ."
"Dapat mo rin sigurong malaman na pagkapasok ni Cole sa office niya, lumabas si Sir na may suot na varsity jacket at cap. Makalipas ang isang oras, bumalik din siya rito na suot-suot pa rin 'yon."
"S-Sir Zack was the one who stole the jacket while Cole was here?" My eyes went wide at him. "Pero paano nangyari 'yon? Ipinahiram ba ni Cole sa kanya ang jacket? At kung oo man, bakit hindi niya matandaan na ibinigay niya kay Sir 'yon?"
"Tulog si Cole nang umalis si Sir," sagot ni Desmond. "Ch-in-eck ko siya sa loob at nakitang nakaupo sa couch habang nakapikit. May nakita rin akong teacup sa mesa no'n. Minsan pinapainom ng tsaa ni Sir ang mga estudyanteng may counseling session para kumalma ang mga ito. Posibleng sa sobrang pagod, nakatulog si Cole at ayaw siyang gisingin ni Sir. Posible rin na may pampatulog sa ininom na tsaa."
"Kung gano'n . . . lumabas ng office si Sir Zack suot-suot ang jacket . . . at kung ire-relate natin sa ikinuwento ng mga police detective kanina . . . posibleng siya ang bumili ng potassium cyanide do'n sa retailer? Posible kayang coincidence lang 'to?"
"Three weeks ago raw binili ang lason mula sa barbituate retailer ng lalaking may suot na varsity jacket ng basketball team," paalala ni Desmond sa 'kin. "Three weeks ago, may appointment dito si Cole. Three weeks ago, may kumuha ng jacket niya rito. Maituturing mo bang coincidence ang lahat ng 'yon?"
Masyadong coincidence naman kung gano'n nga. May possibility na nagkasabay-sabay lang ang mga pangyayari. Pero may possibility rin na connected ang mga 'to.
My knees began to feel weak. Napakapit ako sa countertop pero hindi na kinaya ng mga tuhod ko. I sat on the couch across the counter and tried to gather my thoughts.
"Teka . . . kung si Sir Zack ang bumili ng potassium cyanide na ikinamatay niya noong despedida party . . . does this mean his death is a case of suicide?"
No! That wasn't just it. He wouldn't go all through the trouble of asking Desmond to erase Cole's record from the calendar and wearing Cole's varsity jacket to buy the poison in that store. Masyadong elaborate ang scheme na 'to.
Wait a minute. Could it be . . .
I thought my eyes couldn't go any wider. Napatingin ako kay Desmond na seryoso ang mukha.
"Sinubukan niyang i-frame up si Cole," sabi niya, nagliwanag ang mga lens ng kanyang salamin. "Wala nang ibang reason pa kung bakit niya ginawa ang lahat ng 'to."
But why? Why would Zack do such a thing? I thought he's already in good terms with Cole? Dahil ba sa ginawa nitong pagsugod sa kanya rito sa guidance office?
"I still couldn't believe it," I muttered as my head hung low. "Sir Zack killed himself just to pin the blame on Cole?"
"About that suicide angle, hindi pa ako one hundred percent na sigurado riyan."
I raised my gaze at Desmond who reclined in his swivel chair. I shot him a look that begged him to elaborate what he meant.
"Ilang buwan ko nang kasama si Sir Zacharias dito sa office," kuwento niya. "Ni minsan, hindi ko siya nakitaan ng kahit anong senyales na magagawa niya ang gano'ng kakomplikadong bagay. Isa pa, kung gusto niyang gantihan si Cole, may iba pang paraan na hindi involved ang pagkitil sa sarili niyang buhay."
"Maybe you didn't know him that well?" I replied.
"Gaano ba siya kakilala?" tanong ni Desmond. "Sa pagkakakilala mo sa kanya, sa tingin mo ba'y magagawa niya ito?"
Muli akong yumuko. I'd say that Zack didn't look like someone who would have thought of something so extreme and complicated. But who was I to talk? It recently turned out that I didn't know him very well. May mga bagay na hindi ko alam na magagawa pala niya.
"Hindi na natin trabaho na alamin ang katotohanan sa pagkamatay niya," sabi ni Desmond. Muli siyang humarap sa computer. "Ipaubaya na natin sa pulis ang imbestigasyon."
"Then we need to tell them about what you've just told me!" Bumalik ang lakas ng mga tuhod ko at nagawa ko na ulit tumayo. I leaned again on the countertop. "If the police have any doubts about Cole's innocence, this will surely clear things up!"
"Sa tingin mo ba'y maniniwala sila sa akin?" angat-kilay na tanong ni Desmond.
"You're the student aide na on duty no'ng araw na 'yon! You're considered a witness to Cole's innocence!"
"Nakalimutan mo na ba na isa rin akong suspek?" he reminded me. "Magkakasama rin tayong apat no'ng gabing namatay si Sir Zacharias. Sa tingin mo ba'y iko-consider ng mga pulis ang mga statement ko?"
"But it's the truth!"
"The truth will only matter if it's supported by evidence," he replied. "Kahit may record si Cole sa calendar noong araw na 'yon, hindi naman namin nilo-log ang oras na natapos ang kanilang session. Hindi bale sana kung may ebidensya tayo na hindi talaga siya umalis noong araw at oras na bumili ang suspek sa barbituate retailer."
I snapped my fingers as a thought came to mind. "Security cameras! Pwede nating i-check ang pagpasok at paglabas ni Cole sa guidance office, 'di ba? Baka pwede nating gamitin na evidence 'yon!"
Napakurap ang mga mata ni Desmond habang nakatingin sa ilalim, mukhang pinag-iiisipan kung tama ba ang point ko. He raised his gaze at me. "Pwede 'yon. Kaso kailangan mo ng access sa surveillance control room para ma-review ang mga footage noong araw na 'yon."
I bit my lower lip. Obviously I couldn't just barge in there and ask whoever's in charge to let me see the recorded footage on the third floor. They'd say na wala akong authorization.
"Maybe you can," sabi ko kay Desmond sabay tingin sa malaki niyang ID card.
"Talagang idadamay mo pa ako rito? Ibinigay ko na nga sa 'yo ang impormasyon na kailangan mo. Pwede mo nang asikasuhin 'yan nang mag-isa. Hindi naman ako kaano-ano ni Cole."
"Ayaw mo bang matapos na ang case na 'to?" I asked him. "The sooner this is over, the better for us. Makababalik na tayo sa dati nating buhay. Wala nang pangamba na baka ma-frame up tayo o ang isa sa atin."
"Sanay na ako sa ganitong sitwasyon—"
"Desmond, please!"
His eyes and mine got into a staring contest. I wanted to show him my resolve so I tried so hard not to avert my gaze. Siya ang unang umiwas ng tingin. Napabuntonghininga siya't sandaling napapikit.
"Fine," walang gana niyang sagot. "Pero kahit gusto kitang matulungan, hindi kita mabibigyan ng access sa surveillance control room."
"Eh?" Kumunot ang noo ko. "'Di ba kaya ng media pass mo na bigyan tayo ng access do'n? Nakalusot ka nga sa gymnasium kanina."
"Hindi gano'n kadali ang magkaroon ng access sa mga mata ng campus," paliwanag ni Desmond. "I can use my media pass as long as I have an approved letter from the director of the Office of Campus Security. Pwede akong mag-request ngayon, pero dahil medyo late na, baka bukas pa maa-approve. Kaya mo bang maghintay hanggang bukas?"
I clicked my tongue. Si Cole ang inaalala ko. Kaya kong maghintay, but I couldn't say the same for the police who wanted to close this case as soon as possible. Baka they'd already served him the warrant since they got a reason to believe that he bought the poison and did it.
"Wala na bang ibang paraan?"
Nagkaroon ng katahimikan sa loob ng guidance office. Tanging ang tunog ng air-conditioner ang narinig namin. I didn't have any connections in the Office of Campus Security so wala akong maaasahan.
"May isa tayong kakilala na pwedeng makatulong sa atin," sabi ni Desmond matapos ang ilang sandali ng katahimikan.
I turned to him. "Sino?"
"The University Student Council secretary."
"Beatrice!" I exclaimed with widened eyes. That's right! USC officers had some sort of authority on campus. Kung papaliwanagan ni Bea ang mga taga-surveillance control room, baka payagan kaming i-review ang footage no'ng araw na nawala ang jacket ni Cole. "Where is she right now?"
"Baka nasa USC office. Doon naman yata siya laging tumatambay pagkatapos ng klase niya."
"Tara, puntahan natin siya!"
Nanatiling nakaupo si Desmond at nakatitig sa atin. "Sabihin na nating interesado akong sumama. Kaso hindi pwede. May duty pa ako rito sa guidance office. Hindi ko pwedeng iwan ang post ko. Hindi rin sandali ang pagre-review ng security footage. That will surely take some time."
"That's okay," sagot ko. Hindi ko rin siya pwedeng pilitin. At saka may naitulong na rin siya sa 'kin. I guess that's enough for me. "Kung gusto at kaya mong sumunod after duty, alam mo na siguro kung saan mo kami mahahanap. By the way, anong oras na pala?"
Desmond glanced at the monitor screen. "Four-fifty."
Just ten minutes before the audition for the lead role. Sinabihan ako ni Cole na mag-focus doon, kaso hindi ko basta-basta magagawa 'yon lalo na ngayong alam ko na ang dapat gawin para matulungan siya. Isa pa, I wouldn't be able to concentrate while he's on my mind. My performance might suck and I might blow off the chance of getting that role.
But not attending the audition was also the same as failing it. Mami-miss ko ang opportunity na ibinigay sa 'kin ng director. If that happened, I might settle for a supporting role, if not as an understudy.
Alin ba ang mas matimbang: ang case ni Zack o ang theater play?
Mukhang 'di ko na kailangang pag-isipan nang matagal ang sagot.
"Pupuntahan ko na si Bea ngayon," sabi ko. "I hope she's still in their office and she'll be willing to help me out."
"Good luck," walang ganang tugon ni Desmond nang hindi lumilingon sa 'kin.
Naglakad na ako palabas ng guidance office. The door already slid open. But before I stepped outside, I turned again to the bespectacled boy at the counter. "Thank you sa tulong mo."
Umangat ang tingin ni Desmond sa 'kin at marahang tumango. He didn't need to say "you're welcome" dahil ramdam ko naman ang appreciation niya sa pasasalamat ko. Or maybe that's just me.
I hurriedly ran down the stairs from the third floor down to the ground floor. I made some turns left and right, tried to go against the flow of students. Pinagtinginan ako ng mga estudyante, baka nagtataka kung bakit ako nagmamadali. Time was of the essence, and I couldn't waste any second.
Finally I came into a halt in front of the USC office. Hinabol ko muna ang hininga ko, inayos ang aking buhok at pinunasan ang pawis. Kahit nagmamadali ako, gusto ko pa ring magmukhang presentable at hindi gano'n kadesperado. I took a deep breath before I pushed the glass door inward.
"Excuse me? May I ask kung nandito ba si Bea?" tanong ko sa pinakaunang USC officer na nakasalubong ko sa lounge. He pointed me at the middle cubicle out of the five. Nagpasalamat ako sa kanya bago ako tumuloy ro'n. Nagpasalamat din ako dahil nandito ang taong hinahanap ko.
I walked past two cubicles whose occupants shot me with a glance. Ngumiti ako sa kanila at ngumiti naman sila pabalik sa 'kin. When I reached the third cubicle, I couldn't help but smile as I saw Bea seated there, facing her laptop. Sunod-sunod na pagta-type ang narinig ko galing sa kanyang cubicle.
Ayaw ko namang biglang pumasok at gulatin siya kaya marahan akong kumatok nang tatlong beses sa glass panel. Napaangat ang tingin niya sa 'kin at huminto muna siya sa pagta-type.
"Excuse me, Bea?" I called her. "May I come in?"
"Sure." She reclined in her swivel chair and gestured to the vacant seat in front of her. "What brings you here? I heard that Cole was invited by the police to their station."
"Tungkol nga kay Cole at sa pagkamatay ni Sir Zack ang pinunta ko rito."
I wasn't sure if it's just me, but I noticed Bea's fists clenched for a second there. Hindi ko na lang pinansin at nag-focus sa pinunta ko talaga rito.
"Nag-usap kami ni Desmond kanina sa guidance office," kuwento ko. "We believe that Cole was being framed here."
"Framed? Are you serious?"
I told him exactly what Desmond narrated to me and what my realizations were. Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Bea habang nakikinig sa akin. Maging siya siguro'y hindi makapaniwala sa mga nangyari at sa possibilities na nabanggit ko. Ilang seconds din siyang natulala habang nagkukuwento ako.
"Now we want to prove to the police that Cole is innocent," I continued when her consciousness was back. I had to slowly approach the point of my visit here. "Hindi sapat ang mga alam at sinabi ni Desmond para patunayan 'yon at i-confirm ang theory namin. We might need to check the actual security footages on that day."
"So you need my help to have access?" she asked.
I nodded. "Gusto ko nang mapanatag kaya gusto ko nang malaman ang katotohanan ngayon. I even had to skip the auditions for the lead role of the next theater production."
Bea folded her arms across her chest and remained reclined in her seat. Wala siyang imik. Mukhang pinag-iisipan niya kung tutulungan ba ako o hindi. I kinda expected some resistance from her, but I hoped that she'd cooperate.
"I know that you admire Sir Zack like me," I went on when she didn't say a word. "Alam ko rin na baka absurd ang theory na nagpakamatay siya at pinlanong i-blame 'yon kay Cole. Maybe we're wrong but—"
"I'll help you."
"Eh?"
"Bakit nagulat ka riyan?" tanong niya. "Ayaw mo bang tulungan kita?"
Kumurap ang mga mata ko't napailing ang aking ulo. "No, no! I mean, I'll greatly appreciate your help! I just didn't expect na papayag ka agad."
Bea let out a sigh. "I'm in the mood to grant favors today. Kanina, kinausap ako ni Cole at pinakiusapang huwag kong i-report sa OSA ang drug use niya. After some convincing, pumayag naman ako. Now, you're asking for my assistance and I feel like helping you out."
"T-Talaga? Thank you, Bea! Malaking tulong 'to hindi lang para sa 'kin o kay Cole, kundi para sa ating apat . . . at kay Sir Zack. The sooner this case is closed, the better for the four of us."
She flashed a faint smile. Tumayo na siya't pinatay na muna ang monitor ng kanyang computer.
"Shall we pay the surveillance control room a visit?"
-30-
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