Cases Uncovered

18 | Nueva Aurora University

"Relying on someone else without exerting any effort of your own is just not right. Because the one you rely on most, can disappear, at any time."

- Jodie Starling 

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Chapter 18:
Nueva Aurora University

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RAINE

After what I observed at Mr. Jerico Tan's flat, I have a sense that something is amiss.

Once again, I closed my eyes. My room was locked, and so was the window.

███████████

Inside my mind, images from Apartment 217A greeted me. I found myself back in our old house — alone and seated in our brightly lit living room.

"Raine de Verra," I read from the replica of the note I saw in the owner's room.

Raine de Verra,
I was right! It's h—

The text was cut off there. Below it was written, "Stay Away!" Based on the handwriting, a woman wrote it — more gentle and delicate. Additionally, the ink used for those words matched the pen used for the symbol in the office.

According to research, men's handwriting tends to be hurried, sloppy, and spiky, while women's handwriting is often more regular and neat.

Mr. Tan's writing, on the other hand, appeared rushed. I also noticed scattered papers in the room showing he might have planned to go home after work.

He returned to write that note, but once he was found by that mysterious woman, it was interrupted. Someone might have taken Mr. Tan!

“If whoever has him doesn't want me involved,” I muttered to myself, “then why did Mr. Tan write to me? I don’t know him or any relatives, but in his haste, he wrote my name.”

I stood up, a lingering memory resurfacing. There I was, standing in front of our flat’s building, my gaze drifting to the path leading to Mr. Tan’s flat, as if retracing my steps to find a way inside.

One section of the flat's bay window was ajar, but it was positioned too high for me to reach. I attempted to climb up several times before realizing I needed a chair. After borrowing one, I finally managed to slip inside.

"It's annoying, good thing no one saw me." I was about to mutter when a spark of hope came to me.

"If someone did take Mr. Tan, they might have entered through there, too," I said aloud. I recalled the window mirror, now revealing a smudge I had missed before.

"A woman strong enough to push the mirror using her foot," I murmured to myself. The size of the shoe print, unmistakably smaller and more delicate, suggested a woman’s footprint. Its rugged tread indicated it was a boot.

"I need to inform Detective Ferrer." In an instant, I snapped back to reality — standing by my bed and looking towards the door.

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My cellphone lay on the bedside table.

Detective Ferrer. Call.

“Why aren't you answering?”

I tried calling him again, and on the third attempt, he finally answered.

"Oh, Raine, you called. What's the problem?" he asked.