Euclid Shellingford

CHAPTER 2: The Investigation

Wednesday. Two days after the murder of Chris Drebber.

A soft music is playing on the background creating a melancholic mood that can sweep over anyone. Then there's the melody that begins in an earnest, with a murmuring, almost desperate ache that really never fails to touch one's soul. Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata is just simply one of the best classical music ever created, at least for me.

"You really amazed me with your keys Mai," I opened my eyes and looked at where the voice came from.

The girl playing the keys stopped for a moment to look at the guy who has just entered the room. And I'm not sure if it's because of his carefree aura or he, interrupting the girl playing the piano but, I felt a little bit annoyed by his presence.

"Thanks but I don't need any of your compliments Eder," she coldly responded.

The guy named Eder just chuckled as he sat on the sofa. Mai on the other hand, continue on playing the piano.

After few minutes, three other guys entered the room together with a brown-haired woman who looked like a foreigner.

I looked at each of them to confirm the faces of the suspects I got from the police files. The girl playing the piano is Mai Kojima, 19 years old, half-Filipina half-Japanese, the victim's cousin. The tall brown-haired woman who has just came is Rachel Alcala, 19 years old, half-Filipina half-German, girlfriend of the victim. The one sitting in the sofa is Eder Strangerson, 20 years old. He's one of the childhood friends of Chris Drebber together with two other guys namely Nicolo Trevelyan and Gray Kojima, Mai's brother. And lastly, Chris' brother Carl Drebber, 19 years old.

So all the casts are here. I cleared my throat so as to get their attention.

"I guess everyone's here so  let me tell you the reason why all of you must stay here until the investigation ends," panimula ko. They were all looking at me, waiting for what I will say. Kinuha ko yung papel na nasa bulsa ng jacket ko't ipinakita sa kanila.

It goes like this:

Six is more.

I want less.

White should it be instead of red.

I AM the one who killed Chris, catch me if you can.

         Sender: LINKEN        

"Ohh... a creepy riddle? What does it mean?" Eder asked.

"As you can see this is just a printed copy of the message made by the culprit sent via e-mail. Natanggap ito ni Inspector Dy last night. Siya yung may hawak ng kaso ni Chris Drebber. And this is the reason why all of you have to stay here in the safehouse."

"Six is more, I want less..." napapaisip na ulit pa ni Nico sa mga katagang iyon. Nakita ko ang iba't ibang reaksyon mula sa kanila.

"S-So ibig mong sabihin ay posibleng may mamatay pa sa'min kaya kami nandito sa safehouse niyo? This is so ridiculous! So absurd! Mas gugustuhin ko pang magstay na lang sa bahay kaysa naman dito na nanganganib pala ang buhay namin!" Rachel burst out. She looked really scared but at the same time, there is a little hint of... guilt. 

"Wow ha? Parang hindi mo boyfriend yung namatay ah! Wala ka man lang pakialam kung mabigyan man ng hustisya o hindi ang pagkamatay niya?" galit na sabi ni Nico dito.

"FYI! EX-boyfriend ko na si Chris! One week na kaming hiwalay bago pa siya namatay!"

"Hush guys... mahiya naman kayo kay--ano nga ang name mo?" tanong sakin ni Gray. He looked like the calm type of a guy.

"I'm Euclid, Euclid Shellingford. Inspector Dy is my uncle at humingi siya ng tulong sakin para samahan muna kayo dito habang wala pa siya. Maya-maya ay pupunta na rin siya dito."

"Oh I see... akala ko pulis ka rin eh"

"Nah... college student lang din ako tulad ninyo. Actually, we're on the same school--Elite's Academy."

Tumangu-tango naman siya.

"Ahm excuse me, hanggang kelan kami dito?" tanong naman ni Carl.

"Hanggang sa mahuli na ang pumatay kay Chris Drebber," sagot ko.

Tumahimik ang lahat. Napansin kong punung-puno ng emosyon ang mga mukha nila. Well, I can't blame them. Close friend nila ang naging biktima at two days pa lang simula nang mangyari ang krimen.

Now that I finally got my hands on this case, I won't let that culprit do whatever he/she wants to do. I'll make sure that the truth will come out in the end.

***

"So what can you say about them? Any suspicious acts or something?" Inspector Dy asked after he arrived.

"I have an idea who the sender is but, I still need more time to know what's this case all about," I answered.

"I see... may tiwala naman ako sa deduction mo and I know that you can solve this problem... just like the old times," he said while patting my head. I just nodded at him.

All I have to do for now is to listen to their conversation so I can gather clues. I'm holding a book on one hand having a title of 'Sherlock Holmes Adventure Volume 1' on its cover. I'm pretending to be reading but the truth is I'm observing their every movement and every little talks.

Ang sabi kanina ni uncle, ang unang nakakita daw sa bangkay ni Chris Drebber ay ang childhood friend nitong si Nicolo. That was almost 5 hours after the victim's time of death, which means sunday around 1 a.m naganap ang krimen. 

Napag-alaman ko ring ang mga nursing students ay may privilege na gumamit ng mga laboratories kahit anong oras nila gustuhin since nasa loob ng campus lang naman ang dorms na tinutuluyan nila. That answers the question of why a surgical knife is used in the crime instead of other knives.

"Oi Nico may tanong ako...," I just came back to my senses when I heard the voice of Gray.

"Ano yun?"

"Di ba ikaw unang nakakita sa bangkay ni Chris? Wala ka man lang bang napansing kakaiba?"

Natigilan si Nicolo sa tanong nito. Napansin kong nanahimik din ang iba pa.

"Kung may napansin man akong kakaiba, sa akin na lang muna siguro yun ngayon..," makahulugang sabi ni Nicolo.

"Teka.. kung may alam ka, sabihin mo agad nang makatulong sa pag-usad noh!"

Is it just me o talagang may tensyon nang nagaganap sa mga ito? Kakaiba rin ang ekspresyon sa mga mukha nila Rachel, Mai at Eder, habang si Carl ay nananahimik naman.

Halos napakislot naman ang lahat nang biglang tumunog ang door bell. 

"L-Looks like the delivery is here," Rachel nervously said as she goes to the door.

"Anong pinadeliver niya?" Eder asked. Nagkibit-balikat lang ang tinanong niyang si Carl bago ito tumalikod papuntang kusina. Bumalik naman si Rachel na may dalang box ng red ribbon.

"Sinong gusto ng cake? I have black forest here!"

"Cake? Para ka lang nagsecelebrate ah? Tss..." asar na sabi ni Nicolo.

"Wala akong pakialam sayo at sa mga issues mo Nico, kung ayaw mo ng cake eh di wag!"

"Excuse me..." nakiraan naman si Carl sa gitna ng dalawa dahilan para matigil sila sa pag-aaway.

"Gagawa muna ako ng kape para sa lahat," sabi ni Mai.

"Tutulungan na kita Mai!" Sabi ni Gray na sumunod naman sa kanya.

Tumayo naman si uncle para lapitan si Nico at saka may kung anong ibinulong dito. Siguro ay tungkol yun sa sinabi nito kanina.

Maya-maya pa'y dumating na sila Mai at Gray dala ang mga trays ng kape. Binuksan naman nila Rachel yung box ng cake at pinaghati-hati.

"Gusto niyo ng cake inspector? Euclid?" alok ni Gray. Kumuha naman kami ni uncle ng tig-isang slice nito at ininom ang kapeng ibinigay ni Mai.

"Nico may isang slice pa ng cake oh, kunin mo na!" alok ni Eder dito.

"Hindi kumakain ng cake si Nico," sabi ni Carl.

"Ganun? Ang sarap-sarap pa man din! Siya akin na lang yung share niya ha?" kinuha niya yung natitirang slice at kinain ito.

"Bakit naman ganito timpla mo Mai? Ang tabang! May asukal ba 'to?" agad na reklamo ni Rachel pagkatikim sa kape.

"Eh matamis na kasi yung cake kaya hindi ko na nilagyan ng asukal yung kape," sagot ni Mai na nagpaismid sa'kin.

Kaya pala sabi ko parang may kulang sa kape...

"Pagpasensyahan niyo na ang kapatid ko, hindi talaga naglalagay ng asukal si Mai sa kahit anong inumin. Nasanay kasi siya kay daddy, diabetic kasi yun!" paliwanag ni Gray.

"Okay fine!" sabi ni Rachel na wala nang nagawa kundi lagukin ang kape. Mapakla pa ang naging itsura nito matapos uminom ulit sa hawak na tasa. Agad itong sumubo ng cake, marahil ay para maibsan ang pait na dulot ng kape.

"Aaahhhhh!!!" biglang tumayo si Nicolo habang hawak-hawak ang leeg niya. Lahat kami'y gulat na gulat na napatingin sa kanya habang nahihirapan itong huminga. Maya-maya pa'y bumagsak na ito sa sahig at tila nawalan ng malay.

"Nico! A-Anong nangyari sayo?" Nilapitan agad ito ni Eder pero pinigilan ko siyang mahawakan ito. Masama ang kutob ko dito. Agad akong lumuhod sa tabi nito at saka ito pinulsuhan. 

Tama nga ang hinala ko. Jeez! I looked at my watch. 

"2:38 p.m. That's the time of death," sabi ko.

"Noooo!" namumutlang sigaw ni Mai.

"Anong time of death? Nagbibiro ka ba? Hindi pa siya patay! Hindi pwede! Imposible!" hindi makapaniwalang sigaw din ni Gray.

"Oh my God!" usal ni Rachel na mukhang hindi din alam kung anong gagawin.

I inspect Nico's body. There is no trace of poison on his hands so it means that the poison is not absorbed by his skin. I looked at his face intently. His breath smells like... almonds? Potassium cyanide.

"Euclid?"

Nilingon ko si uncle. Pumasok na sa loob ang mga pulis at ang forensics team.

"Potassium cyanide ang ikinamatay niya," sabi ko. Ngayon sigurado na akong isa sa mga ito ang may gawa ng krimen na 'to.

The culprit really has some guts killing someone right before our eyes huh? I'll make sure to unmask you before you seal away the truth! Now that I have some clues who you might be... just wait and see...