Call Me SHERLOCK

What Dreams are Made Of

Chynna was predictably skeptical about the whole thing. After I spent about an hour staring at the ticket and the note and turning everything over in my head, pinballing through pretty much every emotion I had felt since I'd first laid eyes on Rhian across that street, I called her and told her to meet me because I needed to talk to her.

Now we were sitting in one of the restaurants in seaside MOA, looking out over the ocean as we talked.

I explained to her what happened and she stared at the note and the ticket for a good 10 minutes before saying a word.

"So, lilipad ka?" Usisa nya. Although her tone told me she already knew what I was going to say.

"I have to."

"You haven't considered the possibility this could be a trap or something? Eddie Gutierrez is on the loose, but you and I both know that, right? ...and that his specialty is revenge. Deep. Sick. Revenge Glaiza!"

"Honestly, hindi ko naiisip yan."

"And that's what worries me. You're one of the least trusting people I know. Something like this would set off all your alarms a month ago. Hell, if it didn't involve Cinderella, it would be setting off all your alarms... This woman is your Achilles heel, Glai and it's not like you're making much of a secret of it. Anyone wanted to get at you..." seryosong sabi ni Chynna at kitang kita ko din yun sa mga mata nya.

I replayed what she was saying over in my head.

She was right.

It could be a threat but... somehow I just knew that it wasn't a trap. I knew it deep down. I can feel it.

"It's not anyone. It's her," I said with conviction.

Chynna sighed, long suffering, and leaned back in her chair, I saw her running a hand over her face.

"You knew her for a day. Let's be honest here. And half that time she was acting in a way that would make any neutral outside observer, think she was using you and fully intended to fuck you over and leave you,"

Napangiwi ako sa sinabi nya. Bigla kasing kumirot ang puso ko dahil kahit aminin ko man o hindi, totoo lahat yun.

"So tell me, bakit mo ilalagay ulit ang sarili mo sa ganung sitwasyon? Di ka pa ba natuto?"

"Sa tingin mo ba hindi ko naisip yan? That I haven't been thinking of all that I've been through every minute I've been sober for the last 2 months? I've run through all of it, Chyns, every single second. Good and bad. And yes, I guess you're right. The whole thing makes me look like a idiot..."

Bumuntong hininga si Chynna at ramdam ko ang malambot na hagod ng kanyang tingin sa akin.

"I never said you were an idiot..." saka nya hinaplos ang braso ko.

"But no matter how many ways I look at it, and no matter how bad it all seems, and believe me, there are times it seems pretty bad... I can't stop coming back to one thing: she could've just left..."

Her brow furrowed. For once in our lives, we were both completely serious, not an ounce of bullshit on us.

"Anong ibig mong sabihin?"

I took a long sip on my cigarette and blow all the smoke out. All at once.

"Back in Isla Realonda, nung nabaril ako... Benjamin was knocked out, David and Dennis were dead. I was unconscious and halfway to my final destination. Dennis' half of the money was there. Her half of the money was there too. She could've hopped in car and drive away as fast as she could the second she knocked Benjamin out in the head with that lamp. It would've been the smartest way to go especially for someone as calculating as her. She would've cut her risk of running into the cops. She could've been free and clear before anyone even knew she'd been there..."