Erudition of Doyle: Volume One

CHAPTER 3: CASE I - THE MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF MERMAID

Case 1: The Mysterious Death of
Mermaid (The Deduction
Chapter, Last Part)

ROSALINDA

"I heard some noises over here, like someone’s lifting something," he said, leaning against the lockers.

"Are you sure?" I asked again, seeking confirmation.

His face scrunched up. "Yes! Why wouldn’t you believe me, you damn it! How many times do you need to make sure I’m telling the truth? Kung hindi mo man lang ako papakitaan ng tiwala, aalis na lang ako!" he shouted, and the sound made my ears ache.

"Lower your voice," I muttered, glancing around. "If we get caught, we will be in big trouble." Said I, but he didn't seem to care at all.

I started going through the locker numbers one by one. Before coming here, I had asked the facility management for a list of the boys’ names and their locker numbers. As I scanned through them, one number immediately caught my eye, it belonged to one of the suspects.

Number 094.

"Let's go to the swimming sports club," I said, marching toward the back exit of the building. I could feel him following me, his footsteps heavy and quick, clearly annoyed, yet unwilling to leave my side.

I glanced at him briefly; his expression was almost indescribable. He shot me a glare the moment he noticed I was looking.

"What?!"

"I said, lower your voice—"

"Then stop staring at me," he snapped irritably. Why is he always so angry?

I looked away, directing my gaze toward the pool’s circulation system. Something was off. At first glance, it wasn’t obvious, but the flow of water was irregular. The water was turning cloudy, almost discolored, and on top of that, there was an unusual, chemical-like smell lingering in the air.

I walked closer to the ladder to inspect it. That’s when I noticed a loose bolt, barely holding the structure together. The combination of the faulty circulation and the compromised ladder led me to a troubling conclusion: the pool wasn’t just poorly maintained, someone had tampered with it.

"Let's call the police."

Napataas siya ng kilay. "Bakit?"

"This isn't an accident; this is a murder." I declared that it confuses him.

A few hours had passed when the police finally arrived. Perfect timing, as the school owner was also present. He allowed the officers to enter, even though their investigation had already concluded.

It was the first time I had seen the school owner in person. I had always just heard about him. They said he was usually present on the first day of classes, but I had never caught a glimpse of him before.

He is tall, very tall. If I had to guess, he must be between 200 and 215 cm, maybe even taller. Yet, he is extremely thin, almost skeletal. He looks to be in his forties. He wears a black suit, his necktie slightly askew. His nose is long, his eyes small, but he carries an air of innocence, complemented by a genuine, warm smile.

When he noticed us, he quickly approached. I fully expected him to be angry and to scold us, but he wasn’t. Instead, he greeted us with overflowing energy.