DESPEDIDA GONE WRONG. What's supposed to be a memorable send-off party ends up in tragedy as the celebrant drops dead after making a toast. Of all the possibilities, murder seems to be most likely scenario. And the suspects? The four attendees who w...
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JUSTE
I ALMOST fell asleep as I listened to Anastacia's narrative, but I tried to keep from yawning as it was rude. This was exactly the reason why I didn't want to work overtime. I'd feel sleepy while interviewing witnesses or suspects.
". . . Then Desmond checked his pulse, but he said he's gone. That's when we called for an ambulance. It didn't take long until the police came and invited us to this station. 'Yan ang natatandaan ko sa mga nangyari."
Finally, she's done! One down, three more to go. I hoped the next witness wouldn't lull me to sleep. But I should expect the worst. They'd tell me the same flow of event, but from different perspectives.
"Thank you for your detailed recollection of the events." I leaned forward and rested my elbows on the table. "Just to confirm if I got your version of the events right: You and that Cole person went together to the victim's house . . . The victim cooked the meals for your dinner . . . Each of you gave him a gift, yours is a Parker pen . . . The victim talked to you in private one by one . . . You went first, Beatrice was second, Cole was next, and Desmond was last . . . Did I get those parts right?"
Anastacia nodded.
"Afterwards, you all went to the balcony for a toast . . ." I continued reading my notes. "The victim held the wine bottle, Cole brought out the wineglasses, Desmond carried the ice bucket . . . Cole volunteered to open the bottle, but he made a mess . . . So from the balcony, you transferred to the living room . . . You acted as if you were poisoned . . . Then the victim collapsed on the floor . . . Desmond declared that he had no pulse. Still correct?"
Anastacia nodded again. My listening skills were still spot on despite almost falling asleep.
I closed my notepad and raised my gaze at her. The premise of this case was clear to me. "From the moment you arrived at the victim's house, only the five of you were there. Was that correct?"
"Yes," she answered. "As I mentioned, Sir Zack was living alone in his house. Wala siyang ibang kasama ro'n. Kung meron man, ipinakilala niya na sa 'min at malamang nakasama na namin sa party."
"No people from the outside came into the house?" I asked next. Sorry, but I had to be thorough. I must leave no stone unturned. "Like a food delivery man or a courier?"
Anastacia shook her head. "We didn't order anything, and Sir Zack didn't receive any package that day. Kaming lima lang talaga ang nandoon."
So . . . One house. Five people. One of them died. Four witnessed it. No secret tenants or outsiders.
"Do you know what that means?" I looked at her in the eye, and our gazes were locked in a staring contest. "If the victim was murdered, one of you is the murderer."
Her eyes cutting their gaze away, Anastacia nodded. She didn't seem to be surprised by what I had revealed. It's fairly obvious after all. She must have contemplated that angle before she went into this room or while narrating the events to me.
