"Okay ka na ba?"
"Nee-chan."
Nasa tabi ko ngayon si Akane at Riye. Hindi ko sila masagot nang maayos dahil nanginginig pa rin ang buong katawan ko sa takot. Nandito pa rin kami sa loob ng banyo, pero this time, kumpleto na kami at may kasama na rin kaming mga pulis.
Marami ring guests ang nakasilip sa may pintuan ng C.R. kaya lalo akong na-anxious. Bakit ba kasi nangyari 'to? If I was just more attentive. If I didn't let her out of my sight, this could have been prevented. Kung sinuot ko lang ang necklace ko, sana nadetect ko na kanina pa na may mangyayaring masama.
"Hey, huwag mo ngang sisihin ang sarili mo, Akemi," sabay tapik niya sa balikat ko. "Wala namang may gustong mangyari 'to kay miss Bianca, eh. And yes, I can hear you. Masyado kang distracted at hindi mo namamalayan na bukas na ang isip mo."
Hindi ako nakapagsalita. Alam kong tama ang sinasabi ni Akane pero nandoon pa rin 'yong feeling na kung may iba akong ginawa ay hindi sana mangyayari 'to. I was at the scene. Ako ang pwedeng makatulong, pero wala akong nagawa kundi sumigaw. I failed as a detective. I am a failure.
"You are not," matigas na sabi ni Akane.
"She's right," dagdag naman ni Ken. "Kung hindi ka sumigaw ay hindi namin malalaman ang nangyari at posibleng makatakas pa ang pumatay sa kanya kung hindi agad hinarangan ang gate."
"Ms. Akemi?" tawag ng isang police officer na kausap kanina ni Sir Hayate.
"P-po?"
"130 beats per minute? That's hella fast," he suddenly said. "Don't be too nervous."
'That's his sixth sense. He is the new head of the Criminal Investigation Division.'
Medyo nasasanay na rin ako sa presence ni Hiro sa ulo ko. Bigla-bigla na lang kasi siyang sumasagot kapag nagkakaroon ako ng tanong sa isip ko. It was surprising most of the times but I'm grateful kasi tinutulungan niya akong maka-cope up sa Atama family pati na rin sa Tantei High.
Napatingin ako sa police officer at napanganga ako nang bigla na lang nag-shift ang kulay ng mga mata niya from black to green, and back to black. Ngumiti naman siya nang makita niya ang reaksyon ko kaya tinikom ko kaagad ang bibig ko.
"I just want to hear your statement as the first one to discover the body."
Tumango ako at tinulungan niya akong tumayo. My body was still shivering but I gathered enough courage to face Ms. Bianca.
Nakahiga siya nang patagilid at dilat pa ang mga mata niya habang kumalat na ang dugo niya sa buong cubicle. Umabot din ang blood stains sa dinging at shower curtain pero nanatili ang tingin ko sa tatlong letrang nakasulat sa tiles:
b e a
Sinabi ko naman sa kanya kung ano ang naabutan ko nang pumunta ako rito sa C.R. Buti nga at nag-i-input din sina Sir Hayate at 'yong lima kapag natitigilan ako sa pagsasalita.
"We have three primary suspects," panimula ni sir Hayate habang kausap niya 'yong police officer.
Sir shifted his gaze toward the three women who just entered the crime scene—Bea, Elle at JL. Dahil sa dami ng mga nakikiusyoso mula sa labas ay minabuti ng ibang pulis na isarado ang pinto sa C.R. at kami na lang ang natira kasama ang tatlong suspects.
"Hey! Bitiwan mo nga ako! Kaya kong maglakad mag-isa!" sigaw ni Bea sa officer at nagulat ako dahil biglang nag-iba ang ugali niya. Nakasunod naman sa kanya sina Elle at JL.
"Why are we here?" tanong ni JL. "Don't tell me kami ang mga suspects ninyo?"
"Yes," sagot naman ni Sir Hayate at iba-iba ang naging reactions nila. "For now, you three are our primary suspects. Especially you, Bea."
"It's not me! At hindi ko alam kung bakit pangalan ko ang nakasulat doon! I'm not a killer!"
"Calm down. You are just one of the suspects."
"Suspects? Why do you have to include me?" Elle complained. "What the hell? Pumunta lang ako sa party na 'to to chill tapos biglang I'm one of the suspects na? I'm calling my lawyer!"
"At ano naman ang basis n'yo para gawin kaming suspects sa pagkamatay ni Bianca?" mataray na tanong ni Bea at medyo natatakot na ako sa kanya.
"Because someone sent her a death threat after the death of his boyfriend. I'm sure you know who he was," sagot naman ni Sir Hayate.
"Her ex-boyfriend," Bea emphasized. "And what? Dahil lang kay JC kaya kami naging suspect?"
"Yes. There's a high probability that their deaths are connected and the three of you are the missing pieces of this puzzle. For now, sumama muna kayo sa amin ni Ryuu para sa statements and alibis ninyo."
After sabihin 'yon ni Sir Hayate ay tumingin siya sa amin. 'This will be your assignment for today. I want you to solve this case. I'll get additional information from the suspects. Good luck.'
Lumabas sina Sir Hayate at Ryuu, the police officer, as well as the three suspects at naiwan kaming anim dito.
"Done?"
"Y-Yeah."
"Then let's examine it."
Napatingin naman ako kina Reiji at Riye nang marinig ko silang nag-uusap. They were taking pictures of the crime scene. Isa-isa naman silang lumabas kaya sumunod ako at doon ko na-realize na papunta pala kami sa guest room. Pagdating namin doon ay agad na napaupo sa kama si Akane.
"Bakit kasi hindi natin 'to sinuot?" she muttered while looking at our necklaces. Iniwan kasi namin 'yon sa kama dahil takaw-atensyon sila, lalo na't pool party pa.
"Kasi hindi bagay," sagot naman ni Ken kaya sinakal siya ni Akane gamit ang kwintas. Medyo natakot nga ako na baka biglang mag-black 'yon dahil kay Akane.
"Where are the pictures?" tanong ni Hiro na huling pumasok sa guest room. Tumahimik naman bigla sina Ken at Akane.
"Here, nii-san," sabay abot ni Riye ng camera sa kanya.
Hiro pressed a button on the right side and the pictures were developed instantly. He laid the pictures on the floor and the six of us stared at them. Hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala na patay na si Ms. Bianca dahil parang kanina lang ay kausap pa namin siya.
"A dying message?" Reiji commented while poiting at the bloody letters on the tile.
"Hm? I think so." Lumapit si Akane sa tinuturo ni Reiji. "Look at her index finger. It's covered with blood. It's possible that she used her remaining strength to write down the name of the murderer."
"But it can also be a frame act. A diversion," dagdag naman ni Ken. "Paano kung ang murderer mismo ang nagsulat niyan gamit ang daliri ni miss Bianca?"
"But something is strange," mahinang sabi ni Riye. "Bakit walang narinig na sigaw or signs of fighting back si Akemi nee-chan?"
"That means she had no chance to scream or fight back. Look at this photo. She was stabbed right at the heart," Hiro noted.
Nagpabalik-balik ang tingin ko sa kanilang lima. They already had their individual input regarding the case just after seeing a couple of photos. Akane said they were the 'best' family and I think, that's true.
"How about you, Akemi?" sabay tingin sa akin ni Ken. "Anong masasabi mo?"
Bigla namang na-shift sa akin ang attention kaya kinabahan ako.
"Uhm . . ." Tumingin ako sa pictures pero wala na akong nasabi dahil nabigay na nila lahat. Nakakahiya tuloy.
"Did you see anything strange?" tanong naman ni Reiji.
I was about to say I didn't, but one picture suddenly caught my attention. Maybe . . .
"I think si Ms. Bianca talaga ang nagsulat ng bea," sabi ko sa kanila.
"Paano mo nasabi?" Akane asked.
Tumayo ako at pumunta sa shelf kung saan ko nakita ang notebook ni Ms. Bianca kanina at nilapag ko sa harapan namin.
"Here," sabay turo ko sa sulat niya. "Same ang 'a' niya sa dying message. 'Yong may buntot sa taas."
"Oo nga. It's not usual to write this letter in this form nowadays," pag-sang-ayon ni Akane.
Natahimik kami matapos no'n pero sakto namang tumunog ang phone ni Akane.
"Sakto," she smirked. "Sir Hayate just forwarded some information."
Pumunit siya ng isang pirasong papel doon sa notebook na kinuha ko at sinulat niya lahat ng nakalagay sa text ni Sir, saka niya ipinakita sa amin.
Victim: Bianca Avila
Age: 25 y/o
Cause of death: Homicide; stabbed at the heart (murder weapon: missing)
Place and time of death: 4th cubicle shower room; 8:04 PM
Time of death: 8:13 PM
Time discovered: 8:15 PM
Suspects
Name: Beatrice Faye Antonio
Age: 23 y/o
Relation with the victim: ex-girlfriend of her deceased boyfriend
Alibi: 7:50 PM – went to the comfort room to pee and vomit (witness: Akemi)
8:00 PM onwards – stayed at the garden to sober up (no witness)
Name: Elle Abigail Quezon
Age: 25 y/o
Relation with the victim: best friend of her deceased boyfriend
Alibi: 6:00 -8:00 PM – stayed in the pool area (witness: guests)
8:00 - 8:15 PM – went out of the house to get her own towel in her car (no witness)
Name: Jessa Louise de Vera
Age: 28 y/o
Relation to victim: older sister of her deceased boyfriend
Alibi: 6:00 - 7:45 PM – stayed in the pool area (witness: guests)
7:45 PM onwards – went to the kitchen to get some food and water (no witness)
Nang mabasa ko 'yon ay napatingin ulit ako sa 'bea' na sinulat ni Ms. Bianca at doon ko na-realize kung ano ang gusto niyang iparating.
It wasn't 'bea'.
I think I already know the identity of the murderer. It must be her.
***