Night Walker Detective

V1 - Chapter 29

‘The impossible could not have happened, therefore the impossible must be possible in spite of appearances.’ – Murder on the Orient Express

-Donovan’s POV-

Today is another day. Just another day at the office. I arrived early than usual. Hindi na rin naman na kasi ako matahimik sa bahay hangga’t hindi ko naso-solve ang suicide cases na hawak namin.

When I arrived at the office, only Detective Angeles and Detective Ventura are in here, wala pa rin ‘yong tatlo, though maaga pa naman. Dumiretso na kaagad ako sa pwesto ko at tinignan ang pending reports na kailangan kong gawin.

I also check my email and found three new messages, all from the family of the victim from missing case we’re currently working on.

They all are understandably hurt and desperate for an answers, and they continuously calling us with what they believe are more leads and evidence for us to look into.

After reading their messages, I return the emails and replied to all of them and take down information, which turns out to be promising. I just assure them that we’re going to do everything we can to get answers and find their daughters whereabouts.

I also email them my mobile number so that they can get in touch with me more easily.

It’s a small gesture and an even smaller comfort, actually. But I know, that it brings a little more relief to the family of the victims and to let them that we, detectives, really do care about their plight.

After I get off the phone, I look through the case files and plan on what I would do today. Base on my note list, we need to interview the close friends of the victims on our missing case, as well as the teachers of these students.

As I look through the files, I set up an interview for the late afternoon to give time to the witnesses since they still have their class right now. I just need to get as much extra information, para mas mapadali na rin ang pagresolba namin sa kaso.

Wala rin naman kaming emergency case ngayong araw kaya gusto kong pagtuunan naman ng pansin ang missing cases. Ilang linggo na rin naming hawak ang kaso pero hanggang ngayon ay wala pa ring progress. Nakapag-interview na kami no’ng nakaraan ni Detective Raynolds pero wala rin kaming masyadong impormasyon na nakuha.

Kakaunti lang din ang CCTV na malapit sa lugar kung saan huling nakita ang mga biktima kaya naman mahirap tukuyin kung ano ang sunod na nangyari. Mukhang hindi rin naman na-kidnap ang mga biktima dahil wala namang tumatawag sa mga magulang na nanghihingi ng ransom money.

-Third Person’s POV-

Doctor Wilson Clinic

Kasalukuyang naghihintay sa labas ng clinic si Jerome Dela Cruz, hinhintay niya na matapos ang session sa dermatologist ng kanyang girlfriend na si Naomi Cruz.

“It’s about time that she’s done,” bulong nito sa sarili at tinawagan ang number ng babae.

“The phone is turned off. Please try your call later.”

At dahil hindi matawagan ang number ng babae ay naisipan niyang tawagan ang number ng clinic. Nagda-dalawang isip siya kung papasok na siya sa loob ay baka naman siyang paglabas ng kanyang girlfriend kaya naman nanatili siya sa labas ng clinic.

“Hello, this is Doctor Wilson Clinic, what may I help you?” sagot ng nasa kabilang linya.

“Hello, this is Naomi Cruz’s guardian. Is she still in her surgery?”

“Okay, sir, let me check our records,” saglit na nahinto ang kanilang pag-uusap. Matapos ang ilang minuto ay muling nagsalita ang babae sa telepono. “Sir, Naomi Cruz’s surgery, we rescheduled it. Let me call her, sir.”

Nakarinig naman ng mahinang pagtakbo at pagbukas ng pinto si Jerome. “Sir, I think she already left. Mukhang kaaalis niya lang.”

Naguluhan naman ang lalaki sa sinabi ng babae dahil hindi niya pa nakikitang lumalabas ang kanyang girlfriend.

“Ano? Ano bang sinasabi mo? What do you mean? Umalis na siya?”

“Due to her resistance to alcohol, she couldn’t get anesthetized, so her surgery was postponed and we rescheduled it. Sabi niya, she wanted to lie down for a while, but I think she just left.”

“Miss, ano bang sinasabi mo? What kind of nonsense is that? Hindi siya umiinom. She can’t even drink, so how could she be resistant to alcohol? Saan naman siya pupunta kung gano’n? Saka kanina pa ako naghihintay dito sa labas at hindi ko naman siya nakita,” galit na wika nito sa kanyang kausap.

Naputol ang kanyang sasabihin ng maka-receive siya ng text. Nang tignan niya ang kanyang cellphone nakita niya na ang text ay galing sa kanyang girlfriend na si Naomi.

Jerome, I’m sorry, but I think I’m not ready yet. Matagal kong pinag-isipan ang tungkol sa bagay na ‘to. Pero kapag itinuloy natin ang kasal, sa tingin ko ay hihilahin lang natin ang isa’t isa pababa. Let’s end it here and let’s break up. I mean this. ‘Wag mo na rin akong hahanapin dahil ayoko nang makipagkita pa sa’yo.

“Anong kalokohan ‘to?” hindi makapaniwalang tugon ni Jerome ng mabasa ang text message mula sa kanyang girlfriend.

At dahil hindi siya makapaniwala sa nangyari, at dala na rin ng galit, agad siyang pumasok sa loob ng clinic upang harapin ang girlfriend.

“Nasaan ang girlfriend ko? Nasaan si Naomi?!” sumugod naman papasok ang lalaki pero agad siyang hinarangan ng nurse na nasa reception desk.

“Sir, baka umuwi na ang girlfriend mo. You can’t do this here.”

Kumalma naman ang lalaki at pilit na nagpaliwanag sa nurse. “She was fine when she went into the surgery. Maayos pa kami, nag-plano pa kami ng gagawin namin ngayong araw. Then how could she suddenly break up with me through text? Huh? Paano?” at ipinakita nito sa babaeng nurse ang text message na natanggap niya kanina.

“Sir, mas maayos natin ‘to kung kakalma po kayo—“

“Nasaan ang boss niyo? The director? T-that director, the way he was leering at her seems off. He must have done something to her. Nasaan siya?”

“Sandali, sir. Huminahon po kayo! Don’t do this here! What are you doing?”

Pilit na pinipigilan ng nurse ang lalaki ngunit hindi ito nagpapaawat at sumugod sa operating room kung saan ginaganap ang operations.

Pagpasok sa loob ay nabungaran nila ang doctor na naglilinis ng mga kagamitin. Kaagad naman na lumapit ang lalaki sa doctor at hinablot ang kwelyo nito.

“Nasaan si Naomi? Sagutin mo ako!”

Dahil sa gulat hindi naman nakasagot kaagad ang doctor. “Si Miss Naomi Cruz? She’s probably in the recovery room.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Someone texted me using her phone. Alam kong hindi siya ‘yon. I know very well that she can’t be that mean to me. Hindi niya gagawin sa akin ang bagay na ‘yon.”

Hindi pa rin binibitawan ng lalaki ang doctor kaya naman umawat nang muli ang nurse.

“Don’t be like this. ‘Wag mong gawin ‘to dahil lang sa isang breakup text.”

“Please calm down, sir. This is a misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding?” hindi makapaniwalang tanong ng lalaki. At dahil sa sobrang galit, itnulak niya ang doctor pati na rin ang nurse na pumipigil sa kanya.

Lumapit ang lalaki sa mga kagamitan at nakita niya ang bagong linis na scalpel kaya naman kinuha niya ito at itinutok sa leeg ng doctor.

“Don’t get smart with me. Tuwing nagpapa-check-up si Naomi, napapansin na kita, iba ang tingin mo sa kanya. Nasaan na siya?”

Dahil tutok ang atensyon ng lalaki sa doctor, ginamit na pagkakataon ‘yon ng nurse upang lumabas at tumawag ng pulis.

“Hello, this is Doctor Wilson Clinic in Capitolio.”

-----

“Detective Angeles, I receive a report about patient’s guardian wielding a scalpel to the doctor at a medical clinic called Doctor Wilson Clinic in Capitolio.”

Kaagad naman na pinasa ng police officer ang tawag sa detective. “The caller’s name is Samantha Mantha, nurse in that medical clinic. The patient disappeared in the recovery room and her guardian is causing a scene. I tracked the call and she’s at the clinic.”

“Put me through.” Agad namana na kinonekta ng pulis ang tawag upang makausap ni Detective Angeles ang nurse.

“Ma’am, this Detective Angeles of crime unit 1. Anong ibig mong sabihin na nawawala ang pasyente?”

“We anesthetized the patient, but it didn’t work. Which is nangyayari talaga minsan. So sinabihan ko siya na magpahinga muna sa recovery room, pero bigla siyang nawala. She disappeared. Please… please come quickly!”

“Ma’am may we know the assailant and the name of the victim?”

“Sandali. I have the patient’s health insurance form and the consent form of the surgery. His name is Jerome Dela Cruz and the patient name is Naomi Cruz.”

Nang marinig ang kinakailangan na detalye kaagad naman na pinaalam ni Detective Angeles ang nangyari sa mga kasamahan.

“Crime unit 1, we have an emergency. The caller is Samantha Mantha, 24 years old, nurse at Doctor Wilson Clinic. Patient Naomi Cruz, who was going to receive a surgery for her burns, has disappeared. The nurse reported that the patient’s guardian, Jerome Dela Cruz, is threatening the director of the clinic, Willy Wilson.”

Kaagad naman na na-alerto sina Detective Portman at kaagad na naghanda.

“Detective Ventura, check their identity and the doctor. Track their phone as well.” Utos ni Detective Portman, kumilos naman kaagad ang detective at hinanap ang mga impormasyon na kailangan.

“The assailant has a scalpel in his hand, so please be careful. There are also female patients, so please go with female officers from central patrol division,” muling paalala ni Detective Angeles sa mga kasamahan.

Mabilis naman na kumilos ang apat na detective at hinanda ang mga gamit na kailangan.

“We’ll be on our way. Update us on progress, and inform me regarding to the information of the perpetrator and the doctor,” bilin ni Detective Portman sa dalawang detective na naiwan at kaagad silang umalis upang pumunta sa crime scene.

Abala naman sa paghahanap ng impormasyon sina Detective Angeles at Detective Ventura ukol sa insidente.

Napahinto naman sa ginagawa si Detective Angeles ng may maisip.

“Miss Mantha, is there anything odd about the couple? May napansin ka bang kakaiba sa kanila?” tanong ni Detective Angeles ng makaramdam na parang may kakaiba.

“Something odd? Si Miss Naomi Cruz, maganda siya pero may malaking marka ng sunod sa kanang balikat niya hanggang leeg, may malalim din an sugat sa ilalim ng kanang tainga niya. Possible na nakuha niya no’ng bata pa siya dahil mukhang matagal na ang mga marka.”

Nagkatinginan naman ang dalawang detective sa isa’t isa na tila ba parehas sila ng naiisip. Nanatili naman silang tahimik upang mapakinggan mabuti ang sinasabi ng nurse.

“There’s a surgery called multiple resections. It’s a surgery that opens scars and recovers blood vessels and it’s very expensive. It’s a large scale special event. Then, biglang nagtanong ‘yong guardian ng pasyente about sa CCTV’s ng clinic. Dahil kabubukas lang din namin hindi pa nade-deliver ‘yong ibang equipments, like the CCTV’s. Hanggang sa magtanong na siya kung may compensation ba ang clinic kapag may nangyari sa pasyente.”

“Hindi kaya katulad ‘to no’ng kaso sa Marnina na faked medical malpractice?” komento naman ni Detective Ventura nang marinig ang paliwanag ng nurse.

“Faked medical malpractice?” naguguluhang tanong ni Detective Angeles.

“‘Yong magpapanggap na mag-asawa at pipilitin na magbigay ng compensation ang hospital.”

“Detective Angeles, speaking. We assumed that this case is similar to a scam that faked medical malpractice to force the clinic to give out compensation,” imporma ni Detective Angeles sa mga kasamahan.

Mas binilisan naman ni Detective Raynolds ang pagmamaneho upang agad silang makarating sa crime scene, habang ang central patrol division naman ay papunta na rin.

“Detective Ventura, speaking. I looked into the director, but there’s nothing special. Malinis ang kanyang record. He used to work at Winsley Medical Hospital and has been practicing medicine for the past twenty five years and he specializes in cosmetic surgery and dermatology. He opened the Doctor Wilson Clinic four months ago pero marami na rin silang pasyente.”

Napatango-tango na lang si Detective Portman habang nakikinig sa sinasabi ni Detective Ventura.

“How about the assailant and the patient?”

“Jerome Dela Cruz, 29 years old, he’s a marketing manager and base on his medical record, he has an anger management. While, Naomi Cruz, she’s 27 years old and a marketing assistant working on the same company with Dela Cruz.”