Erudition of Doyle: Volume One

CHAPTER 28: CASE VI - THE HORRIFYING ADMIRERS

Case 6: The Horrifying
Admirers (The Missing Acting
Detective Chapter, Part Three)

ROSALINDA

Hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala sa ginawa ni Ajax noong isang hapon. I didn't expect nor imagine that he could do that. I want to ask him questions, but he wasn't around yesterday and today. Where is he? His classmates said he's present, but I cannot find him anywhere. Is he avoiding me?

About the progress of finding my brother: They still don't have any leads, and their investigation is nothing but dust. There's still no light from their investigation, not even a glimpse from behind the closed curtains.

Natagpuan ko ang sarili kong nabundol mula sa likuran ng isang lalaki. Mataas siya kaya't kinakailangan ko pang i-angat ang aking ulo para tingnan siya. Napaatras ako ng kaunti bago ko siya tiningnan. Pagkaangat ko ng tingin ay natagpuan ko siyang bahagyang nakatitig sa akin.

It's Solomon.

"It's you..." bungad ko sa kaniya saka pilit na ngumiti, ngunit umalis lamang ito nang walang binibitawang kahit anong salita. But I noticed that he had a worried expression despite his serious demeanor. May problema ba?

Huminto siya sa isang classroom doon sa may dulo. If I remember well, it's the section where Doyle is.

"Excuse me," pagkuha niya ng atensyon mula sa isang babaeng nagwawalis sa labas mismo ng silid.

"Yes?" Kung kanina ay nakasimangot ito, ngunit ngayon ay lumiwanag ang mukha nito dahil kay Solomon. "May kailangan ka po ba?"

"Is Doyle present?" he asked.

"Ah, hindi po eh."

Hindi na tumagal si Solomon doon saka naglakad na papalayo. Nang papalapit na siya sa akin, agad ko siyang tinanong kaya't napahinto siya sa paglalakad. "Is there a problem?"

Nakahalukipkip itong humarap sa akin at napabuntong-hininga. "Mind your own business," sabi niya at napatingin sa aking ID. "Miss Rosalinda."

"Is this about Doyle? I'm one of the members of the Literature Club. Not only that, but we are friends as well," nagsinungaling ako sa huling parte na sinabi ko. We are not friends, but I have to convince him. "As a friend, if the problem is about Doyle, well then, would you share even just a bit?"

"A friend?" Umiling ito saka naglakad papalayo. "Why would he have a friend? My brother would never make anyone his friend." Brother? "He will never think of friending anyone. So, it's impossible that you are his friend."

Pinanood ko siyang naglalakad hanggang sa nawala siya na parang bula. Napahawak ako sa aking baba. I never thought he had an older brother. But how weird that Doyle and he are both Grade Eleven students. Well, as far as I know, Doyle is only fifteen years old. And according to Solomon's introduction earlier, he is eighteen, which is the same age as me. Doyle is supposed to be in Grade 10 right now, right? Whatever.

Solomon is obviously trying to find his brother. Why? I cannot jump to conclusions; I don't have enough information.

"Rosa," tawag ng isang lalaki mula sa likuran ko. Napalingon ako sa kaniya para alamin kung sino iyon. He's Clark, I guess. "We have a problem."

Humarap ako sa kaniya at hinintay siyang magpatuloy sa pag-uusap. "I heard earlier from his older brother that Doyle went missing. Lumabas daw si Doyle, at sabi pa niya ay nagpapahangin lang siya. Ngunit hindi na siya nakauwi sa mansyon nila. Also, earlier, when I opened the clubroom, I saw a letter from Maya—the one who also always sends him letters, but Doyle chooses to ignore all of them." May dinukot siya mula sa kaliwang bulsa niya at inabot iyon sa akin, na agad ko namang tinanggap.