The Queen's Biggest Mistake

18. Deceiving Game

An intelligent person understands others,
A brilliant person understands himself.

-Chinese Proverb

Chapter 18

Lumabas agad ako ng palasyo. At katulad nang sinabi ni Valmont, nagkukumpulan ang aking mga miyembro sa labas. Nakagawa sila ng isang bilog ng mga tao at panay ang bulung-bulungan patungkol sa babaeng nasa gitna ng kumpulan.

"..Siya ang pumatay?.."

"..Kahinhin niya ah?.."

".. Tahimik lang yan, mamamatay tao pala.."

"Silence! Give way to her majesty!" Valmont shouted over the murmurs of people. They immediately shut their mouths and cleared a space so that I could see the person in the middle of the crowd.

She was kneeling on the ground, her arms were shot up, pointing toward the sky as if surrendering to the police. Her fingers were badly shaking, tears flowing from her eyes while she kept repeating the words, "Kasalanan ko.. Ako ang may gawa.. Oh.. I'm sorry.."

Marlyn.

The Safronov janitress. Jackson's girl that night.

"Valmont, bring her to the interrogation room, now."

A bulb was hanging over our heads. A white table separated us. We were sitting across each other. Marlyn's wrists were tied. A recorder was placed on the table. Only Marlyn's sobs were the noise inside the room.

I started the recorder. I stated the date, the people inside the investigation room for formality's sake. Then I pinned Marlyn with my unnerving fiery blue gaze.

Her sob quickly stopped.

"Did you kill Agent Simon?" I asked, my voice cold and intimidating. My expression hard as a stone.

"O-opoo.." Muli na naman siyang humikbi. Sobrang kawawa siya ngayon na nag-aalinlangan ako kung paano niya nagawang patayin si Simon sa isang karumal-dumal na paraan.

"What's your motive Marlyn?"

"K-kami po ni Simon habang nanliligaw po siya ng ibang mga babae." Humagulgol si Marlyn. Her anxiety and sadness were real, I was sure of that.

"How did you plan to kill him, Marlyn?"

"Tinawagan ko po siya at sinabi ko po sa kaniyang may nag-aaway sa Citadel. Nagmamadali po siyang pumasok sa madilim na gusali, nagpasama po siya sa akin. N-nang makarating n-na po kami sa seldang hinanda ko upang p-patayin siya, doon ko na po g-ginawa ang plano." She raised her tied hands to wipe her tears.

"Saan mo nakuha ang baril? Nasaan ang baril na ginamit mo?"

"Baril po yun ng tito ko. Sinunog ko na ho."

"Bakit sa selda ni Sheila? Bakit—"

"Mahal na reyna, tama na po. Pakiusap. Pagod na po ako't nakokonsensya." Muli siyang humagulgol. My heart went out to her, pero hindi ko iyon pinahalata. Nanatiling matigas ang aking mukha. "Arestuhin niyo na po ako, ikulong o di kaya'y patayin. Nakokonsensya po ako kaya po ako sumuko ngunit ayoko na pong balikan. Pagod na po ako."

Pinatay ko ang recorder at tumayo na.

"Agent Valmont, bring her to a comfortable room. Magpahinga muna siya at pakainin. Tsaka natin itutuloy ang interrogation."

Lumabas ako sa interrogation room nang hindi sila nililingon. Nanatiling matigas ang aking ekspresyon. Dahil sa oras na bumigay ako ay tuluyan nang mawawala ang maskara ko ng pagpapakatatag.