One Last Crime

Kabanata 27

Riqueza

I woke up in the middle of the night. I tried to sleeping again but I just kept tossing and turning on the bed. I get up to get a glass of water but I end up in front of Lendhel's room.

The light is still on, since the door is open I peek inside.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

He turned to me, eyes are sleepy but he's still gorgeous. He's wearing reading glasses. How can he look so good even though he's sleep deprived? He's in a loose plain shirt, and a black pj's.

"You should rest, Chantrea."

"I cannot sleep, maybe because of all the crazy things happening to me?"

He nodded. Bumaba ang tingin ko sa desk niya. Mukhang marami siyang tinatapos ngayon. Mas madali sana ang trabaho nito kung hindi siya naandito. Nagbabantay sa akin.

"Do you want a coffee?" I asked.

"That'll help, thank you."

Bumaba ako sa kusina at ginawan siya ng kape. Pag balik ko sa kwarto nito ay hindi ko maiwasang pasadahan ng tingin ang nasa desk niya.

I pulled the silk robe that slipped on my shoulder as I sat on the end of the desk.

"What's that?"

"Namatay ang kabit ng lalaking ito. Her wife is the prime suspect... probably because of hatred. Where is the evidences."

Turo ko sa picture kung nasaan may kasama nito ang asawa ng babae.

"Whose this?"

"Her friend."

I nodded.

"May I?" aniya ko ng tignan ang folder na malalaman ng statements nila.

My head tilted.

"Why?" he asked.

"It's just odd that it says here she had a fight at a dolce gabbana store for shoes that she doesn't like, which is very specific. But in this picture she wears it."

May record ito sa presinto tungkol sa ginawa niyang away. Katabi naman nito ang larawan sa gilid kung saan suot niya ang sapatos.

"They took that picture before the murder."

"Is there a close Dolce Gabbana store near the crime?"

"I guess..."

Kumuha ito ng map ng Riqueza.

"The suspect threw the body near the docks, here."

His head tilted. "Napakalapit nito sa krimen."

"Odd right?"

"Yeah."

My eyes remained on the map. By"I never knew that Riqueza is this big."

"Malamang ay dumiretso ito sa salsalota at nagbangka papunta sa Alaganda Island para makabalik sa Tierra Monta ng hindi namamtaan sa puthadocks. Para mag mukhang doon siya nanggaling pabalik."

Nangunot ang noo ko.

"What's wrong?"

"Just found out how fascinating the names of the places here in Riqueza are."

He chuckled. "Dito ka lumaki pero ngayon mo lang nalaman ang mga ito? Don't tell me you dont know this places."

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't... Dahil hindi naman ako gala nung bata ako hindi katulad mo Lendhel. Isa pa, umalis ako sa Riqueza no. I never had a chance I explore around here unlike you who've been here all your life."

"Or did you study at manila?"

He shook his head." Sa Riqueza university ako nag aral."

"They say maganda sa Univ na yon."

"Yeah, it is."

"Doon din dapat ako kung hindi lang---" namatay si Mariya.

His eyebrows furrowed. Eyes wondering. "Hindi lang?"

I swallowed. "Kung hindi lang maganda ang offer sa akin sa ibang bansa."

Muntik na!

"So... Saan ba maganda magbakasyon dito sa Riqueza."

"Seryoso ka ba Chantrea? Hindi mo talaga alam?"

"Hindi nga...But I remember a place we visited when I was young. It was on the other side of Riqueza."

He nodded.

He's about to close the map when I noticed something. "Wait... Tierra Monta? Didn't your family own it?"

"Yeah."

"And your cousin owns Rancho Monte?"

He nodded.

"You guys are filthy rich! Para bang pinaghatian niyo ang Riqueza! Sa kanan ay Tierra Monta sa kabila naman ay Rancho Monte. Bakit ba ngayon ko lang naisip? Nasa gitna pa ang Riqueza University!

"Yeah, most of the city's money came from Tierra Monta and Rancho Monte but they are still small towns, they're the source of goods and exports in Riqueza."

I grabbed the map from him. "And look at the map! If you put it vertically, it looks like the letter R!"

He giggled beside me.

"What?"

"Para kang bata na nakahanap ng treasure."

I rolled my eyes at him. "Tignan mo kasi oh!"

"Tingin mo may treasure sa kung saan dito sa Riqueza? I mean, I'm sure it's not a coincidence that the map looks like a letter R? Right? And treasure has an R in it!" I cannot hide the excitement in my voice as I stared at the map.

For sure there's a treasure hurried in Riqueza. I raised the map in the air with both of my hands. Tinapat ko iyon malapit sa chandelier ng kawarto nito.

I narrowed my eyes, looking for clues.

"Imagine it Lendhel mas lalo kayong yayaman. When you found it you can have all of it!" Muli akong humarap sa direksyon niya ng hindi nilalayo ang mapa mula sa akin tingin. It was right in front of my face.

My eyebrows furrowed when he pulled down the map and wrapped his arms around my waist. Tinangala niya ako. "You're the only treasure I want to keep." his eyes darted on mine.

He planted a small kiss on my tummy and hugged my waist.

Uminit ang pisngi ko sa ginawa nito. I rest my hands on his soft hair.

"Chant..."

I gulped at his raspy voice. His body is pressed on mine and his warmth setting fire on my body.

"Hmm?"

"Matagal ko ng alam lahat ng sinabi mo. I'm a detective I'm the first one to know about it." He chuckled.

My lips protruded. I thought I discovered something new!

"Do you want to go on a vacation?"

I sighed. "Kahit naman gusto ko, hindi pwede. The person sending death threats to me can be anywhere."

Who knows where that person is right? Baka po pagkalabas ko ng safe house ay bigla akong barilin or saksakin.

I shivered at the thought.

"Well... there's still a place in Riqueza where strangers are not allowed. Tanging mga taga lugar lamang nila."

My eyebrows raised. "Where is that?"

"Salsalota," aniya, tinuro niya nasa kaliwang dulo ng map.

"Kung may mag tatago ka nga roon, siguradong hindi ka mahahanap."

"Then why are we here instead of Salsalota? Kung mas hindi ako mahahanap doon?" I asked while curling his hair.

"Dahil masyadong malayo ang Salsalota mula dito. Isa pa, hindi nila hinahayaang may makapasok na taga ibang bayan tanging mga tao lang sa Salsalota ang nakakapasok at nakakalabas. Unless you have a property there."

My head tilted. "Really? Ganun din ba sa ibang lugar dito?"

"Nope just Salsalota," he said.

"But isn't it unfair for the other towns?"

He shook his head. "All towns agreed to it because they're preserving the agriculture and peace of the town."

Kung iisipin ay tama nga naman iyon. It's also a good way to preserve the agriculture and beauty of it. I can't wait to go there... I'm expecting it's majestic there.

"We have a rest house there, don't worry I'll bring you there when you're not at risk anymore."

"Then I should look forward to that." I smiled.

My eyes remained on him. The gap between us grew closer.

Nangunot ang noo naming dalawa ng may kumatok sa pintuan. Sino naman ang bibisita ng madaling araw?

"Stay here," he said. He grabbed his gun on the desk cabinet and went downstairs.