Take Me to Isaiah

Chapter 02

Chapter 2 - Autopsy Result

        When I'm satisfied with my look, I went out of the bathroom and fixed my  flat hat before heading out to the building where the autopsy room located.

The clothing style in this country is very stylish and different compared to Philippines. I'm not used to it. 

Pisti! Ang kati na ng katawan ko. I just pushed the thoughts and shaked my head. There's no time for backing out or else, I will regret. Nandito na din naman ako kaya bahala na si Satanas sa'kin sa bansang 'to. 

I wore a loose double-skirted dark brown jacket bound tight to my body with a white cloth besides breeches and gaiters of brown cloth, and I had the gaiters turned up as far as the middle of the leg, which verily seemed to be of pure alabaster. 

Of course, this is not my clothes.

Syempre, pinaghirapan ko din naman itong kunin sa lalaking nagngangalang Leonardo, isang spanish coroner. Nalaman kong siya ang gagawa ng autopsy report sa bangkay ni . . . Veronica. If that's true, however, I don't believe its the woman I'm longing for through the years. 

I promised him though to return his clothes and identity after I made the autopsy report.  Unfortunately, he couldn't hear what I've said. He's sleeping quitely at the bathroom. 

As I walked towards the adjacent building, I wandered my eyes to the foreign people around me. I saw a man putting his hands in his coat pocket. He looks cool so I also did it with my coat, and copied the way he walks. 

The atmosphere in Spain is very different compared to the country I'm living. It's gloomy and somewhat violent and rude. Treeless. Rocky. You can see their pair of eyes screaming austere. Iyung tipong malalaman kaagad nila na hindi ka nabibilang dito isang tingin pa lang. 

I shivered of the thought. Kung hindi lang talaga para sa kuriosidad ko ay kanina pa ako tumakbo pabalik sa Pilipinas. Yawa jud. 

"Good afternoon, are you Mister Leonardo? The room is now ready for the autopsy. Here." The man in black tuxedo leads the way. 

I  lowered down my hat to half-cover my face when we walked down the aisle. Baka mabisto pa tayo at malaman nyang bisdak pala ako, hindi espanyol. 

Napatigil kami sa paglalakad nang may nakasalimuha kaming espanyol na mukhang police officer. Mabuti na lang at hindi ako ang pakay niya kundi ay itong katabi kong katulad niyang espanyol. 

"Are you doing the autopsy now?" wika nito sa matigas na english. Sumagot naman 'yung katabi ko. "Yes, Chief Inspector Picasso! The burned body is inside." 

"Thank you very much, I have a favor to ask you. Please perform the autopsy immediately so that the body can be cremated as soon as possible, to block the media. I don't want to publicize my sister's death." 

"Don't worry Sir. The coroner assigned to this is very quick and accurate to do the autopsy. We will give you the result immediately."  

"Thank you so much. I know you can do it fast and accurate. "

Tinapik ng police officer ang balikat ng katabi ko. Naguguluhan ko naman silang tignang dalawa, mukhang nahalata ito ng katabi ko. "I think you've misunderstood Sir. I am not the coroner, this is Mr. Leonardo, the one that I've told you assigned to this case."

The man in tuxedo gestured his hands to acknowledge me. The police officer turned his gaze at me, but I just answered them with a nod whilst holding my hat in my head. 

They didn't seem to find me suspicious as I go along with them. When we arrived in the autopsy room, a subordinate gave me a white plastic gloves and mask, I wear it in front of them whilst the two guy were now at the side of Veronica's body. 

Naramdaman kong nanginginig ang kamay habang natapos ko nang suotin ang gloves habang tinitignan ang bangkay sa harapan na sunog at nangungulay itim. 

Paano ko malalaman na siya talaga ito? Seryoso akong pumunta doon sa bangkay at tinawag ang atensyon ng dalawa kong kasama kanina. 

"Por favor sal." I told them to get out, it didn't turn out in a good manner. 

"Why? I am the brother of the deceased." The police officer answered in hard english. "No me importa." I don't care, I answered him in hard accent. 

"Don't be rude, Mister. I am also here to investigate." When he answered that, I called the subordinate and he handed me the pen and booklet, then, I gave it to him. 

"Here, you do the autopsy, I'll just get out." Pagkasabi ko no'n ay tumalikod na ako sa kanila at tatanggalin na sana ang suot na gloves pero bigla itong nagsalita at sinabing aalis na sila. 

I smirk. Mababait din naman pala kayong mga espanyol, pero naisip kong sinakop nga pala nila ang Pilipinas noon kaya babawiin ko na. 

Pinaalis ko din ang subordinate sa loob ng room, tanging ako na lang ang nasa loob pagkatapos kong isarado ang pintuan. 

Pinuntahan ko ulit ang bangkay ni Veronica at inalis ang puting tela na nakatakip dito. Kahit na naka-surgical mask ako, naamoy ko pa rin ang baho nito lalo na't sunog ito at buto na lang ang halos makikita mo. 

I set my watch into 5 minutes. Kailangan kong magmadali dahil baka mabisto agad ako. Kinuha ko ang isang flashlight at tinignan ang parte ng ulo. I immediately grab a tweezer when I spotted a large amount of cigarette ash in the airway of the dead. I look it carefully and think. 

This prove that fainting ang severe burn of lungs caused by massive inhalation of high-temperature, poisonous gas. 

I tried to look at the body of the corpse but I dare not. It looks like the dead person was dancing  before she was swallowed in the raging fire because of the position of the corpse

I turn off the flashlight and think. 

I grab the pen and booklet in the table and wrote down all the details. I stop writing when my phone vibrates in my pocket. I almost rolled my eyes when I saw it's Irene. 

"Ano? Busy ako!" I exclaimed.

"Chill. Nag-date kayo agad ng babae mo dyan? Ay iba ka na Isaiah!" Tukso niya sa'kin pero hindi ko ito masakyan at inumpisahan ulit magsulat habang inipit ang cellphone sa gitna ng balikat at ulo ko.

"Hoy! Nandyan ka pa ba?" Napapikit ako sa gulat at lakas ng sigaw nya. Pisting yawa. "Oh? Oh? Nandito pa ako! Irene naman, busy talaga ako ngayon okay? Kailangan kong ibaba na 'to-" 

"Ah ganon? I'll just remind you Isaiah na hinding-hindi ka makakapunta dyan sa Spain para makita iyang babae mo without mey, okay? I gave you my ticket-" 

Pinutol ko kaagad siya. "Tinawagan mo ako para lang dito?" seryoso ko ng sabi. Hindi agad siya sumagot sa'kin. 

"Look, I'm very busy right now. Don't waste your money for an international call just to annoy me. Bye." I ended the call and put it in the table. Natapos ko nang isulat ang autopsy report kasabay nang pagtunog ng relo ko. 

Ano nga ulit ang sunod kong plano? I thought. Kailangan kong malaman ang background ni Veronica para makunpirmang siya nga ba talaga si V na kilala ko at hinahanap ko. 

Itinukod ko ang dalawang kamay sa gilid ng bangkay ni Veronica at tinignan ito ng maigi. Ikaw ba si V na kilala ko? I badly want to ask her, how I wish I could turn back the dead person alive. 

That's when I find something odd on her gums. Naningkit ang mata ko sa nakita, kinuha ko agad ang flashlight at itinutok ito sa kanyang gums. 

Bakit may mga mercury lines? I touch it using one finger and smell. This is an indication of mercury poisoning. 

So the dead person was been poisoned? If yes, then who did it? 

I wrote it all down. I was about to finish the last word on the booklet but the door suddenly swung open. Iniluwa nito ang isang pamilyar na pigura at nakatutok ito ng baril sa akin. Veronica's brother. He wasn't the only one around, holding a gun, there were a lot of police officers also aiming at me. 

"What are you doing?" Nagtataka kong tanong, gesturing my hand to the officers around him. 

"You're not the coroner! Impostor!" He shouted whilst slowly walking towards me. I put my upper hands in the air as a sign of surrender. 

Yawa na ni ron. Nagsimulang manginig ang kamay at binti ko. Sinong hindi kakabahan eh wala kang soberanya dahil hindi mo sariling bansa ang inaapakan mong lupa?  They can even kill me now! Sana pala nung tumawag si Irene ay pinapunta ko na sila dito ni Inspector Cha para naman may kadamay ako!

I tried to compose myself. "What are you talking about? I'm the coroner." 

Hindi siya sumagot sa'kin at may isinenyas sa likod. Nanlaki ang mata ko nang makita ang totoong Leonardo na mukhang bagong gising pa lang, suot niya ang damit pang-pinoy ko. Itinuro niya ako. "¡Ésta persona! ¡Me dio un tabaco pero me sentí mareado en el momento en que lo encendí!" He accused me for giving him a tabacco that made him dizzy after he litted it. 

Binigyan ko sila ng ngisi kahit na nanginginig na ang buong kalamman ko. "Ba't gumising pa ang gagong to," bulong ko sa sarili, subalit mukhang narinig nilang lahat. 

"He's speaking a different language! He's not spanish!" Uh-oh. Mukhang nalaman na nilang hindi ako espanyol. Now, this is worse. 

Hays, bogo-a jud nimo Isaiah uy! Gusto kong batukan ang sarili dahil sa kabobohan. May lumapit sa'king dalawang police officers at kinapkapan ako. Wala silang nakitang gamit sa damit ko, maliban na lang sa phone ko na nandoon naman sa table. 

Gusto ko sanang hablutin ang phone sa kamay ng officer dahil ito na lang ang natitira kong pag-asa para mabuhay at humingi ng tulong, pero duwag ako. 

Humugot ako nang malalim na hininga. "Sir, let me explain." 

"I don't need further explanation. Your presence is enough to be an evidence for fooling us." 

"Sir, do you think I'm doing this to fool around?" seryoso kong sabi sa kanila. Hindi nila ako pinansin at ini-handcuff ang kamay ko. The two policemen drag me out of the room, but we came into a halt  when a familiar figure of a woman blocked the way. 

Halos gusto kong tumalon sa tuwa nang makita si Irene sa harapan. Ngunit hindi ko ginawa dahil tinutukan din siya ng baril ng mga kasamahan ng kapatid ni Veronica. 

Is she dumb? Bakit nandito 'to? 

"Anong ginagawa mo dito?" I whispered at her but she was really bold enough not to answer my question, instead, she confidently straighten her back with a smirk plastered in her doll face. 

"Mr. Picasso. Long time no see," sabi ni Irene sa lalaking nasa likod ko. Wait, magkakilala sila? 

"And who is this young lady? I don't know you." Gusto kong mapa-facepalm sa harapan ni Irene dahil mukhang nahihibang na talaga siya. He didn't know her. Wala na talaga, wala nang pag-asa. We're dead now.

"You're right. You don't know me, but I know someone who knows you very very well," Irene said.

"I'm sorry. I'm busy today. I don't have the time to reminisce old acquiantances," Veronica's brother answered. 

Irene smiled and give way, I saw Inspector Cha behind her back, smirking at me. I don't know where I got all the strength to run and hugged him like a boy, not a man. "Inspector Cha! Salamat naman dumating ka, yawa jud uy, akala ko mamatay na ako!" Luckily, hindi ako umiyak sa kanilang harapan na mukhang batang nagsusumbong sa kanyang nanay pag may umaaway. 

Nandidiri naman siyang napatingin sa'kin, nagulat ako nang kinuha niya ang pekeng bigote sa mukha ko at itinapon ito. Napadaing at napahawak naman ako dito dahil sa sakit. 

"Inspector Cha? Is that you? Oh gracías mi amigo, how are you?" Bigla na lang naging malumanay ang boses ng police officer at sinenyasan ang mga tauhan na ibaba ang lahat ng mga baril. Napatingin naman ako sa kanila. Ganon ganon na lang? 

Pinalabas nya ang mga ito at tanging kaming apat na lang nila Inspector Cha, Irene, kapatid ni Veronica, at ako ang nasa loob ng autopsy room. 

"I apologize Inspector Ricardo for my friend's dilemmas. His mental health is not stable, so in behalf of his actions, let me share the punishment with him." Pa-hero din tong si Inspector Cha, eh. Tinignan naman ako nang kapatid ni Veronica na may pangalan na ngayon. 

"Let me formally introduce myself, Inspector Ricardo, my name's Isaiah Alegres." We were about to shake our hands when I noticed the handcuff is still there. Inspector Ricardo noticed it too but the villain didn't even called his officers to unlock it.  Instead, he gives Inspector Cha a brotherly hug, leaving my hands in the air. 

"Pft!" Narinig kong tawa ni Irene, siguro nakita din niya iyun. I just made a face to her. Nagsimulang mag-usap ang dalawang Inspector sa harapan namin, nagtinginan kaming dalawa ni Irene dahil sa sobrang close ng dalawa. Kagaya ko, hindi din nya siguro inakala na may kakilala si Inspector Cha na espanyol. 

Nagsalita si Inspector Ricardo. "I still need to talk to your friend to know his motive and why he did that. Was that related to the suicide case of my sister, Mr. Alegres?" Binalingan niya ako ng tingin. 

"Sir! It wasn't my intention to fool you being the fake coroner. However, I don't think that's important for now." Kinuha ko ang booklet sa table at ipinakita sa kanya ang autopsy report. 

Pagkatapos niyang basahin ay tinignan niya ako, hindi kumbinsido. "Are you professional to this field?" Parang suntok ito sa'kin dahil kinuwestyon nya ang abilidad ko imbes na paniwalaan ang resulta. 

Seryoso ko naman siyang tinignan. "Yes. I think your sister's death is not suicide. It's a murder." 

Matagal siya bago sumagot. "Do you know my sister? Why are you so eager to find out the autopsy result?" 

Napaiwas ako ng tingin sa kanya. I can't tell him that I know his sister. How could I know? I'm not even sure if Veronica and the V I know is the same. I need time to think and find out. 

Inspector Cha saves me. "Don't worry, Sir. I know Isaiah, he's my detective consultant. He deserves the reputation in our country."

I saw his brow creased. "I already closed the case as suicide because of public's uproar. My sister is a famous painter, the media wanted to show the world how she died.  I want to give my sister's death to be respectful so that she can rest in peace.  I didn't expect this." Ipinakita niya ang resulta ng autopsy sa'min, we just nodded. Pinatiran ko si Irene nang makitang nagsusulat siya sa kanyang notebook, siguro gagawa na naman 'to ng tabloid write-up. Sinabi nang ayaw ng relative na ipublicize eh. 

"There must be someone who tried to poison her, Sir. As the autopsy said, I found a mercury line in her gums. It indicates mercury poisining. But we can't be sure of that unless we'll go to the crime scene," I eagerly said to persuade him. 

Nagsalita naman si Inspector Cha. "Isaiah's right. We have to look it closely, Sir. There's a big possibility it's a murder." 

Hindi ito sumagot. 

Bakit ba nag-aalinlangan 'to? 

"Sir. Do you want the culprit to just get away like that?" mapangahas na tanong ni Irene. Agad ko naman siyang pinatahimik, hindi ba niya nakikitang hirap na hirap na nga kami ni Inspector Cha na kumbinsihin ang espanyol na 'to? 

"Alright. As a punishment of what you've did, solve this case quietly. If you can't, then you will pay for violating the law in Spain." Napalunok ako dahil sa paraan ng titig niya. I trust my abilities, but I don't know why I asked him how much is the compensation. His answer made me stumble because the price is worth 500 thousand pesos! 

Anong law ba ang nalabag ko at mukhang kailangan ko nang ibigay sa mga sindikato ang lamang loob ko? 

I just pushed aside the thoughts and continue the interrogation, "Sir, can I see your sister's painting?"

"Why?" 

"I just want to confirm things out," I answered. Actually, hindi naman ito related sa case. Gusto ko lang makita ang style nito, kung may pagkakapareho nga ba sa style ni V. 

Inspector Ricardo whistled and command his man something. Later on, they were now holding a canvas on the easel, and my body froze when I glimpse Veronica's painting. 

The diverse geometrical figures of a woman dancing in the raging fire is very familiar to my eyes. It was one of those painting the V I know posted in her ** account. 

Tell me I'm just dreaming. But I know I'm not. Sinuri ko ang kabuuan ng painting. Napatigil sa paglalakbay ang mga daliri ko sa canvas nang  may nakita  akon pangalan doon . . . there was a signature of the artist with  my name, and it says . . . take me to Isaiah. 

I stare at the phrase, it keeps on appearing to my mind like a multiple snap of the camera. I regret it now to open this case, because I'm afraid that if I dig deeper, I will end up being hurt.