Amidst The Darkness

Chapter 5: Suicide or Murder Part 2

Kaagad namang dumating ang mga pulis na nakadestino sa lugar. " After finishing digging clams, while the three of you were cleaning up the trash, Clein came back before all of you with the bucket of clams that you took. And when all of you came back to the car, you found him like this." Lauren said, interviewing the friends of the victim.

" Tama ka." Sagot ni Bruce, Ang lalaking may panyo sa ulo.

"The mouth of the victim smells of almond, and judging from this bottle of green tea na nakita sa gilid niya, It seems that Clein died by cyanic acid that was mixed into his green tea." I said, analyzing the body of the victim.

Rumehistro ang gulat sa kanilang mukha.

"Just as I thought."

"Is it suicide?" Asked by the short haired girl named Eily.

"What do you mean by "just as I thought?" Tanong ni Lauren.

" Mukhang palagi siyang problemado sa mga nagdaang araw." Sagot Ng babaeng may mahabang buhok na nahngangalang Kylie.

" Pero Hindi namin alam kung Anong pinoproblema niya, pero base sa kanyang pinapakita sa mga nagdaang araw, posibleng ito ay suicide." Bruce said na sinang- ayunan naman ng lahat.

"Or taking advantage of Clein acting as he was, someone poisoned his green tea." Lauren accused. I nudged her but she just look at me with raised brow.

"Anong ibig mong sabihin? Na isa sa amin ang naglagay ng lason sa inumin niya?" Eily exclaimed. Tumango lang naman ang katabi ko. Ang sama ng tingin sa kanya ng tatlo. I hold her hand. I felt her flinched because of the sudden contact.

The three of them bought the green tea at the convenience store. Hindi raw kumain si Clein kaya bumili rin sila ng rice balls at snacks kasama Ng inumin. Eily is the one who took the green tea out of the plastic bag and handed it to Clein. No one also touched the bottle while he was drinking it. Ang oras na nahawakan nila ito ay noong bumili nila iyon. Bruce only throw the rice balls at him while Kylie just open the bag of chips and put it near him. They didn't touch the green tea even once. I was watching the whole time so I know that they're telling the truth. Clein opened the bottle, nobody beside him touch it.

"Officer, this bottle was found in the feet of the body." One of the forensic officer said and handed me the bottle. It's not pills but powder. There seems have cyanic poisoning in the bottle.

"Forensic officer, please checked this bottle together with the plastic bottle and cap." I commanded.

I approach the forensic officer and get the bottle of green tea and cap that was placed in a plastic. I noticed the blood on the rim of the bottle where you drink from but there's nothing on the cap. This is probably because..

"Clein hurt his finger." Kylie said.

" Kung ganoon, nasugatan niya ang kamay niya habang naghuhukay. I think he was digging clams while thinking of something." Eily added. Tama naman siya.

Sa madaling salita, hindi pa masiyadong nagsasarado ang sugat niya noong binuksan niya ang inumin kaya may bakas ng dugo sa cap Ng inumin. But when he brought the bottle here and opened it again, he noticed the blood on it so he wiped off the blood first then opened it again. A person who is about to commit suicide wouldn't do that.

" Officer, nandito na  ang result." A forensic officer approach me.

"The poison that was inside the green tea was cyanide. Mayroon ring lason sa cap ng plastic bottle. The content of the glass bottle we found was also cyanide. It's safe to conclude that Clein committed suicide." He explained. Is it really suicide?

Clein opened the cap of the bottle of green tea and started drinking it. Then he brought the bottle here. Walang sino mang may pagkakataong lagyan ng lason ang kanyang inumin. But something bothers me. That person's remark.

With that, realization hit me. I asked the three of them to give me their trash bag. Nag- abot sila ng tatlo. They separate the trashes well. Lauren looked at me curiously.

I checked what's inside. May anim na plastic bottle sa trashbag.  Isa na roon ay ang kaparehong brand ng green tea kung saan may nadetect na lason ngunit lima lamang ang nakita kong cap. So that's the story. It wasn't suicide.

Bumalik ako sa lugar kung saan Kumain Ang magkakaibigan at nagsimulang maghukay.

"Anong hinahanap mo?" I just ignored her and focused on digging. She sigh and started digging too.

After a bit, I finally found it. The cap with the trace of the victim's blood.

" That's the cap of the green tea bottle, there's a blood on it too. Dont tell me that the cap is.." she looked at me. Realization is written all over her face.

Bumalik kami sa parking lot kung saan naroon ang tatlong suspek.

" We figured it out. One of you killed
Clein." I said. They looked at us, shocked.

" Eily handed the green tea to Clein. Bruce just throw the food. They can't possibly put the poison on the victim's drink. While Kylie opened the bag of chips and put it near the victim and while doing that, you switched the cap with poison on it and you don't even have to touch the bottle to simply mix the poison into the drink." Lauren stated, facing the culprit. Yes, it's Kylie.

" Pero uminom na ang biktima. Kahit sabihin na nating pinalitan ang cap sa isa pang cap kung saan nakalagay ang lason, hindi aabot ang lason sa inumin ng biktima." One of the police officer questioned. "In order to mix the poison that is on the cap into the drink, you'd have to shake it." He added.

"Pero hindi niya shi- nake ang inumin" Eily interrupted.

"He placed it sideways. Clein returned to the car holding two buckets. Both his hands were full. If so, he'd either hold it under his arms or to put the bottle sideways into the pocket of hoodies that you're all wearing." Tumango- tango ang mga police officers.

"Sa ganoong paraan, mahahalo ang lason sa inumin dahil nakatagilid ito." I nod at the officer's statement.

" When you removed the cap, ilalagay mo ito malapit sa'yo hindi ba? The only one who has the chance to switch the cap was the one who placed the bag of chips near the victim. The bag of potato chips would serve as a great blinder." Said Lauren.

I showed them the cap that we found. Napansin ko ang pamumutla ni Kylie. "May bakas ng dugo ang cap na ito na galing sa sugat ni Clein sa daliri. This would serve as evidence that the cap of the bottle was change with the one with poison on it." Nagsimulang manginig so Kylie. Napaluhod siya sa sahig. Tumulo ang luha niya.

"Hindi ko gustong gawin ito. Ginawa ko lang iyon para protektahan Ang reputasyon ko. Masisira ang mga pinaghirapan ko kung kakanta siya sa nagawa nagawa naming krimen." Sabi niya habang umiiyak.

Lumapit sa kanya ang mga pulis at pinosasan siya. Sinakay nila ito sa police car papuntang presinto.

" When did you realize that she's the culprit?" Laura asked. We're now heading to the hotel.

"When the blood was found on the rim of the bottle, she mentioned Clein hurting his finger. Kung may dugo kang nakita sa taas ng plastic bottle, iisipin mong may sugat siya sa labi I sa loog ng bibig, di ba? That's how I figured it out." I said. Tumango tango siya. " Walang bakas ng dugo ang nakita sa cap malapit sa biktima. She said what she said because she saw the blood when she switched the cap." Nandito na kami sa tapat ng elevator.

"You're adept at deducing things, so why can't you deduce my feelings?" She said suddenly. Mukhang nagulat din siya sa mga salitang binitawan.

"Don't mind me." We're now inside our room. She was about enter the bathroom when I grab her arm. She looked at me. I can see that unknown emotion again. I can also sense her fear.

" I want an answer as clear as yes or no. Do you like me?"