Detective Rivalry

Chapter 37: Forethought

Felicine

"Who do you think planted a bug on you?"

"Sino, Felicine?"

"Why do you think they planted it on you?"

"Sa tingin mo Felicine, bakit?"

"If that device wasn't here, were definitely screwed."

"You're welcome, Cali."

"I wasn't referring to you, Horace. I was talking about that device over there."

"But I was the one who invented it."

"The inventor is excluded."

"What?!"

"Stop it, you two!" Agad ko silang pinigilan sa kanilang sagutan. Kanina pa palipat-lipat ang tingin ko sa kanila na para bang nanonood ng isang tennis match. Kung hindi ko siguro sila kilala, I would probably think that they are some kids who happened to have the body of a teenager.

As usual, I'm in Cali's unit. Horace is here too, Eudayme's not here to do something else, a business if he may call it. If he was here, I'm sure that this unit will receive a lot of complains from the other tenants. I can also imagine Tita Rose, marching her way towards here just to stop the nonsense noise made by them.

Or even I will be included.

Nakaupo ako sa solo couch habang si Horace at Cali naman ay nakaupo sa mahabang sofa. They were staring at each other, with some imaginary fumes coming out from their heads.

Really, meron bang taong nabubuhay na hindi ni Cali kayang makipagsagutan? Almost all of the people I know had a little word fight with him.

In front of me was the device they were referring to earlier. I picked it up and examined it with my eyes. Hindi nalalayo ang bigat nito sa isang phone. Pareho lang din ang sukat ngunit magkaiba pagdating sa screen.

Kung sa normal na phone ay wallpaper at applications ang makikita, dito naman sa device na ito ay isang radar-like-map ang makikita. May mga pulang tuldok na umiilaw rin ang makikita dito.

"What's this device, anyway?" I asked. Naunang kumalas sa tinginan nilang dalawa si Horace. Humarap siya sa akin ng may ngiti sa kanyang labi.

"It's a listening bug detector that I made by myself." Horace said proudly. Nakita ko namang napairap si Cali sa kanya. "Those red dots over there are bugs that I also made. Once na nakapasok sa range ng bug detector and bug, makikita mo na may red dot na lalabas. Kung gumagalaw yung bug, gagalaw din ang pulang tuldok diyan."

My eyes were fascinated by his invention. I was amazed that he managed to do something like this. Hindi lang pala siya isang magician, but also an inventor. This invention of his will be convenient for us while investigating, especially in identifying whether if someone was listening secretly at us.

"I have a person in mind." I said, answering the first question Cali threw at me. Napatingin naman silang dalawa sa akin. Actually it was two, but I rather not tell them the other person's name. "Xachary."

"Xachary who?" Horace asked, blinking his brown eyes repeatedly. It wouldn't be surprising kung hindi niya kilala si Xachary. He's a new student after all.

"Only him?" Cali fixated his eyes at me. He must be reading my mind by observing my expression. Kailangan kong tumingin sa kanya ng diretso. Nabasa ko kasi sa isang article na once dinivert mo ang tingin mo sa kausap mo, nagsisinungaling ka. "So he had physical contact to you, eh? Perhaps he tapped you on your back."

He rested his back to the couch he's sitting then crossed his legs before closing his eyes. I felt relieved when I convinced him that I wasn't lying. And I wasn't surprised na alam niya kung paano napunta sa akin ang listening bug.