That Summer In Brooklyn

Chapter 07

07 - Chasing the City's Heartbreaker

Max

Two months later.

I AM one hundred percent sure that it was Summer whom I saw near Elixir today. Kung wala lang akong kausap kanina baka nahabol ko siya agad. Akala niya siguro makakapag-tago siya dito sa Brooklyn. Malaki ito pero marami akong connection na pwedeng magdala sa kanya pabalik sa akin. I couldn't believe that she actually fooled me.

Summer Davis wasn't her real name. There's no Summer Davis who came in and out of John F. Kennedy International Airport three months ago. Yes, three months na siya nandito sa Brooklyn dahil noong magkakilala kami naka-isang buwan na siyang pagala-gala at kung sino-sino ang niloloko. Marami akong naka-usap na kapwa ko naloko din nung nag-file ako ng blotter NYPD tungkol sa nawawala kong heirloom ring. Sa iba hindi bagay ang nakuha kung 'di pati malaking halaga ng pera. Summer had introduced herself in different aliases.

Genevieve Perez.

Gwen Smith.

Paris Mckenzie.

Erica Cortez.

Lastly, Summer Davis.

Paano niya na-atim na lokohin ang tao dito sa Brooklyn? Kahit ako na nirerespeto siya at hindi sinasaktan. Damn that woman! Hindi niya dapat ginawa iyon sa akin at kinuha pa ang pinakamahalagang bagay na tanging alaala ko kay Mama. I heaved a deep sigh. I lifted up the glass of scotch that Claudel gave me a while ago. Two months have passed and I still don't have a clue where that con artist is hiding. Nana Zeny said to let it all go and begin again. Ako lang ang matigas kasi nga importante iyon singsing sa akin.

Dinala ko iyon para ibigay sa kanya dahil akala ko sigurado na ako. Mabilis ang lahat at kuha-kuha niya ang loob ko. Wala siyang pinagkaiba sa lahat ng nakilala ko dito. Nakuha niya ako sa mga kwento niya kahit na sa umpisa palang ay hindi na nag-tutugma-tugma. Nagpunta ako sa malaking bahay na laging pinag-hahatiran ko sa kanya noon. Doon ko nalaman na walang Summer Davis na nagmamay-ari noon. Yes, it's already a bank's property, but Summer wasn't one of the owners. I was blinded by a half baked infatuation.

Damn!

"Boss, tingnan mo ito." Claudel showed me a photo of a woman who looks exactly like Summer. Kinuha ko sa inside pocket ko ang cellphone at pinag-tabi iyon. It was her. The red curly hair, the eyes, and lips damn! The mole above that sinful lips is also fake!

F**k it, Max! She stole something important to you, yet here you are, traveling down memory lane. I told myself that I couldn't be David Jones, but I got fooled by the same girl just like him. Marami din siyang naloko na mga lalaki na nakuhaan din ng pera. They met her at Mumble, a dating application popular to rich, lonely guys of different ages here in Brooklyn. Summer and I didn't meet there, but because of David Jones, I got scammed.

"What is her name?" tanong ko saka binalik sa inside pocket ng suot kong coat ang cellphone.

"Beatriz Natividad." Halos pabulong na sabi ni Claudel. Inabot ko sa kanya ang baso saka mabilis akong lumabas ng Elixir. Now that I have the real name, chasing time is on. I have to catch her and get back my heirloom, by hook or by crook. Kapag nahuli ko siya, hinding-hindi na niya ako matatakasan pa ulit. Kinuha ko sa valet attendant yung susi ng Tesla ko at pinaharurot iyon paalis...

***

I CROSSED my arms underneath my chest while I watched the city lights from where I was standing. Pinaka-mataas na lugar iyon at tanaw na tanaw ko ang kabuuan ng Brooklyn Bridge. Sun was about to set and the sky turned glowing orange and pink, casting an almost surreal hue. Hindi ko alam kung sa paanong paraan ko nakahiligan ang pagtingin sa langit? Maybe, my late Mom influenced me because she loved to paint the sky, the sun and the moon.