Tricked (COMPLETED)

Article 1 - Section 22

“Hi, Miggy. I'm Eliza! Do you want to play?” Pagpapakilala ni Eliza kay Miggy.

Eliza is good at doing this. Maybe because she had undergone the same trauma, she had helped me help kids recover before in Florida. So I decided to bring her to the hospital, see if she can help Miggy talk again.

“Ang ganda naman ho ng anak niyo Doc. Ang bait pa.” Nakangiting papuri ni Lolita habang pinapanood namin si Eliza na patuloy na kinakausap si Miggy kahit hindi ito sumasagot.

Habang abala siyang panoorin ang mga bata ay abala rin ako sa pagoobserba sa kanya.

I really think she is involved in this case more than the authorities think she is.

Hindi lang siya basta kapatid ng killer at ng witness.

Nakikita ko yun sa takot na mga tingin ni Miggy sa kanya. Halos mag tago ang bata kada lalapit siya. It’s not because they’re not close. The kid won’t be scared of her like that unless my ginawa siyang hindi maganda rito.

And that’s what I needed to do.

Find evidence.

“Hi Russel!” bati ko sa secretary ng magpasyang puntahan si Achilles sa opisina para maka-usap tungkol sa kaso.

The faster this case is over, the better.

“Doc!” gulat na saad ni Russel ng makita ako.

“Is Prosecutor Catalan around?” nakangiti kong tanong.

“Oo doc. Kakabalik niya lang.”

“Is he busy? What’s his next schedule ba?” Baka maistorbo ko pa ang schedule niya since hindi naman ako nakapagpa-set ng appointment.

“Hindi naman doc. Mamayang 3 pm pa yung next hearing niya.” Sagot nito habang nakatingin sa computer niya, probably checking his schedule.

“Can I meet him?” alangan kong tanong.

“Wait lang doc.” nakangiti niyang paalam bago tumayo sa upuan. Kumatok siya sa pintuan ng opisina ni Achilles bago tuluyang pumasok.

A short while later ay nakangiti itong lumabas at tumingin sakin bago tumango.

“Pasok na kayo, Doc.”

“Thanks.” Ani ko bago pumasok sa opisina.

Sumalubong sakin ang pamilyar na amoy niya pagkapasok ko sa opisina.

“How can I help you Doc?“ he asked, not looking at me.

Nakatingin lang siya sa mga papeles na hawak.

“I want to request for a reinvestigation.” I said in a professional voice.

He stopped writing, binaba niya ang papel na hawak at hinarap ako.

“A reinvestigation?”

“Yes.” I said after nodding.

“The investigation is over Doc. We're already preparing for the hearing. Why are you asking for that?”

“I think Lolita Gomez is somehow involve in the crime as well.” Agad ko nakita ang biglaang pagdilim ng mukha niya.

“You met with her?” he asked, sounding a little mad.

“Yes?” Naguguluhan kong sagot, di malaman saan nang gagaling ang galit sa kanyang mukha.

“You meet a person you’re suspecting as an accessory to a crime?!” I stared at him stunned.

“Bakit ka sumisigaw? Of course I’ll meet her. My job is to help Miggy Gomez, the witness to stand on trial. Siya ang bantay ng bata, what do you expect?”

Sandali siyang natahimik bago niya bahagyang pinisil ang pagitan ng kilay, one of his mannerisms every time he’s stressed.

“I’m sorry about that.” He said in a low voice.

Nagpakawala ako ng isang buntong hininga bago tipid na tumango.

“It's alright. Now, can we talk about it?” tanong ko sakanya na sinang-ayunan niya naman.

He asked me to sit on the couch for a moment as he searches for the files he needed.

A little while later, we had a tower of paperwork on his small coffee table as we were discussing the case.

“Yes, I do think Lolita has something to do with the crimes as well.” Saad niya habang iniisa-isa ko ang mga dahilan kung bakit ko pinaghihinalaan si Lolita.

“Miggy’s not talking because she is always around. Takot na takot sa kanya yung bata.”

“But I was wondering what the motive of the murders was? Anong kasalanan sa kanila ng mga Torres for them to result to doing something as that?” tanong ko.

Investigation shows no connection between the two families.

Itinanggi rin ng Torres family ang pagkakaroon ng koneksyon sa magkakapatid na Gomez.

Pauline Gomez stated that she just chose the Torres family randomly for her crimes. She said she just wanted to kill.

“Gusto kong maka-usap ang suspect.” Saad ko habang nakatingin sa kanya matapos mabasa ang report ng interogation sa suspect.

“Why?” tanong niya.

“I wanted to see her say these things again.” Saad ko habang hawak ang case report.

Matagal niya muna akong tinitigan before he let out an exasperated sigh and rise from his seat. Kinuha niya ang coat na nakasampay sa likod ng swivel chair niya at inaya na akong lumabas.

“We can talk to her now?” mangha kong tanong.

While I was working as an aide in Florida, Chester had to go asked for permission and set an appointment before we can meet the suspects as well.

Seems like it’s nice working with a prosecutor as well. The job is done a lot faster.

“Of course.” He said bago binalingan si Russel at nag bilin ng ilang paalala.

“Let’s go. Let’s just use my car, para mabilis.” Magproprotesta pa sana ako pero nauna na siyang maglakad papunta sa parking lot kaya wala na akong nagawa kundi sundan siya.

I saw the familiar trailblazer I saw the first time I went here.

So this is his pala.

“Seatbelts.” Paalala niya ng makapasok na kami sa sasakyan niya.

Pauline Gomez had stronger features and aura compared to her sister Lolita. Kahit na dalawang taon lang ang tanda nito sa huli ay matured na matured na ang dating nito.

“Sino ka?” kunot ang noong tanong nito ng makita ako sa interrogation room.

“Hindi na mahalaga kung sino ako.” Matapang kong sagot.

It's best not to tell her that I’m a psychologist. She’ll be on guard if she knows.

“Hoy! Prosecutor ka diba? Sino ba ‘to? Bakit niyo pinapasok yan dito?” tawag niya sa atensyon ni Achilles na nakatayo sa malayong gilid.

Hindi naman siya pinansin ni Achilles kaya muli niya akong binalingan.

“Anong kailangan mo?” tahimik ko lang siyang tinitigan hanggang sa unti-unting nagbago ag ekspresyon sa mukha niya.

“M-mag-salita ka nga! A-ano bang kailangan mo?” nauutal nitong saad ng hindi na mapakali sa mga titig ko.

Iniiwas niya rin ang mga mata niya sakin.

Napangisi ako sa nakitang reaksiyon mula sa kanya.

That’s easy.

“Anong koneksyon mo sa mga Torres?” bigla kong tanong sa kanya.

Sandali siyang natigilan at ilang beses na kumurap bago ako sinagot.

“Wala nga. Ilang beses ko ng sinabing wala.” Ulit niya sa sagot na nakasulat rin sa case reports.

“Then why did you kill them? Bakit lahat ng mga biktima mo ay isang Torres?” Her eyes wandered around the room, trying not to meet with mine.

Padabog kong pinukpok ang lamesa na nakakuha ng pansin niya kaya binaling niya ang tingin sa direksyon ko.

I took that chance to ask the same question again.

I glanced back at Achilles with a triumph smile when we heard her answer.

Malayong malayo ang sagot niya sa naunang interrogation.

“Tama lang yun sa mga demonyong tulad nila.”