The longer hand of the clock strikes twelve as the short hand formed 30 degrees northwest.
11 p.m..
Jeez! I can't take this long damn silence here!
I get up and went out of my room.
"Oopps! Sorry, my fault!" I heard a young man said after hurriedly closing the door next to me. He smiled mischeavously as he turns his back and continued walking.
Tss.. I wonder who's staying next door. Base kasi sa itsura nung lalaking yun, siguradong sinadya niya yung pagbubukas ng pinto.
Jim Clemente.. the free-lance model, a weakling womanizer creature, tsk!
"Sino ka?"
Nilingon ko yung nagtanong sa'kin. She just came out of the room next door.
"I'm Euclid, Inspector Dy's nephew."
"Ahh.. I see. I'm Akasha Clemente, Ian's wife."
"Ohh nice meeting you madame," I shook her hand.
"Let me see, you're only 27 or 28?"
"28"
"Hmm.. and you've been married to Mr. Clemente for 10 years?"
"Well.. not really"
"Ohh.. but you know him for 10 years right?"
"Ahm.. yeah. Wait, I don't understand. What are you trying to imply here huh?"
"You've been happy with your married life even if your husband lacks attention on you. You always do household chores especially cooking and sometimes cross-stitching. Proofs are the small cuts in your thumb and forefinger which are probably result of holding the needle back and forth. There is also a slight burn on your palm which only implies that you're clumsy and a little careless when it comes to cooking. And you--"
"Hold on Mister!"
I stopped for a moment.
Jeez! I did it again!
"H-how did you know all that?"
"Ahm.. well, let's just say I'm your typical keen observer"
"O-okay.. you're weird"
I'm weird daw, tsk.
"I think I should go hehe," I went passed her.
My Holmes self comes out again! Jeez!
Di ko na naman napigilan ang sarili ko! Akasha Clemente huh? I wonder if there's still other people involved in this case na hindi ko pa nakikilala.
Pumasok ako sa isang pinto. Hmm.. mukhang library itong napasukan ko ah?
Mga luma na yung mga books na nandito, sayang naman di nila masyadong naaalagaan.
"Oh! I know this one! Haha" I took the book out of the shelf and turn its pages.
A Case of Identity by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle huh? It's the story of the step-father turned to be the vanished fiancee of Mary Sutherland.
"Not invisible but unnoticed, Watson. You did not know where to look, and so you missed all that was important--oopps!"
Pinulot ko yung nahulog sa book. It had a note written at the back that says:
"My beloved Cassy, Theo and I. 07/01/78 Signed: C.Locsin."
It was a picture. Ang babata pa nila dito ah? Teka.. may kamukha ito ahh? I'm sure I've seen him somewhere...
"Excuse me Mr. Euclid, pinapahanap po kayo ng uncle niyo"
Nilingon ko yung maid na tumawag sakin.
"Ah pasensya na kung pumasok ako dito nang walang paalam, natuwa lang ako sa mga libro dito"
"Ayos lang po yun sir. Hindi naman po ipinagbabawal na pumasok dito"
Tumangu-tango na lang ako.
"Ah oo nga pala! Ikaw lang ba ang maid dito?" Tanong ko habang binabalik yung libro sa shelf.
"Ah hindi po. Day-off po kasi nung isang maid tapos yung isa naman po, kinailangang umuwi sa probinsya kahapon"
"Ah I see. Ano nga palang pangalan mo?"
"Claire. Claire Arale po"
"Hmm.. nice name," I winked at her.
Lumabas na kami ng room.
Bat ganun?
Pakiramdam ko may mali?
Nadatnan ko naman sila uncle na naglalaro ng baraha sa living room.
"Oh mabuti naman ag nahanap mo siya Claire. Siya nga pala, kumain na ba si Cassandra?" Tanong ni Theo.
"Ahm hindi pa rin po siya lumalabas sir"
"Ganun ba? Quarter to 12 na ehh.. pwede bang pakigising siya? Hindi pa rin siya umiinom ng gamot niya.."
"Sige po senyor"
Umupo naman ako kasama nila uncle. Kalaro rin nila sila Ian, Alyssa at Jim.
Tik tak..
Tik tak..
Then suddenly, darkness started to flow in the entire house.
"Teka anong nangyari?" -Alyssa's voice.
"Ian icheck mo nga yung breaker," utos dito ni Theo.
Ting!
Teka, ang tunog na yun ay..
Nagkailaw na ulit.
"Aaaaahhhhhh!!!!" Sigaw mula sa taas kasabay ng pagtunog ng orasan, hudyat na ika-labindalawa na ng gabi.
"Ano yun?" Tanong nila.
"Galing sa taas!" Sabi ko tapos dali-dali akong umakyat sa itaas. Sumunod din naman sila sakin.
Naabutan naming bukas ang kwarto ni Mrs. Cassandra. Sa pinto nito, bumungad sa amin ang maid na si Claire na inaalo ang umiiyak na si Akasha.
"What happened here hon?" Tanong dito ni Ian.
"S-si mama! P-pinatay siya nung multo!"
"What?"
Tumakbo ako papasok ng kwarto. Naramdaman kong sumunod din ang iba pa sakin.
On the floor lying was definitely the corpse of Mrs. Cassandra.
"Mama!"
"Cassandra!"
Pinigilan ko silang lumapit sa bangkay. Tumulong naman si uncle na mailayo sila mula sa bangkay nito. Ininspeksyon ko ang katawan nito. Base sa kondisyon nito, ilang minuto pa lang ang nakakalipas mula nang mamatay ito.
Its indeed a cardogenic shock.
Now what did the mistress see to be shocked to death like this? Hmm..
***TBC
BINABASA MO ANG
Euclid Shellingford (Volume 1)
Mystery / ThrillerA renowned M.I. Detective was suddenly dragged by her mom to get back to his home country and study in an environment different from where he has been trained since he was a child. Much to his surprise, what welcomed him there is not exactly as the...
