Project LOKI ③

Chapter 45: The Scarlet Thread VI (Ruby Riddle)

A/N: And we're back! Did you miss me? Did you miss the QED 4? Let's continue where we left off!

LORELEI

"Strychnine poisoning?"

THEY ALL stared at me with furrowed eyebrows. Loki was the least surprised among the three. He'd probably heard of that poison before kaya alam niya kung ano ang epekto nito. Alistair's face relaxed as he flashed a hint of recognition. Jamie was somewhat clueless, but the name might have rung a bell in her.

Nasa maingay at crowded na cafeteria kami ngayon. Humabol ako sa aming lunch pagkatapos ng pakikipagkita ko kay Luthor sa library. Our secret talk didn't take that long. After he showed me the autopsy and toxicology report, we didn't have anything else to discuss kaya iniwan ko na siya roon. We couldn't be seen together kaya nauna na akong umalis sa kanya. He'd leave the library after ten minutes.

It felt like we were spies exchanging confidential information about our own targets.

"Where did you get this information?" Loki asked. Dahan-dahang naningkit ang kanyang mga mata.

"Wrong question," I replied. Hindi ko pwedeng sabihin sa kanila, lalo na sa kanya, na galing kay Luthor ang impormasyon. That might raise an alarm or something. I must keep my source anonymous. "We should be asking who could have poisoned Augustus."

"Again where did you get this information?" Loki asked again, his eyes still narrowed into slits. He's really persistent. Sinubukan ko na nang ibahin ang topic pero ibinabalik niya pa rin. Why was he so curious about it? "You're obviously trying to deflect my question."

"Because the question is irrelevant at this moment." I sighed. But he's right. Dine-deflect ko nga ang tanong niya. Sana'y makisakay na lang siya. "Kahit malaman n'yo kung saan galing ang info, walang magbabago, 'di ba? Augustus will still be dead. His killer is still at large. Kaya nga gusto kong mag-focus tayo sa mas importanteng punto."

"Lori, posible kayang..." Jamie's voice trailed off as her eyes gave me an intriguing look. Napatigil siya sa pagkain niya ng sandwich. "...ninakaw mo ang reports mula sa campus police? Is that the reason why na-late ka sa lunch session natin? Because you had to break into their office?"

Muntik nang magdikit ang mga kilay ko.

"You do know that's strictly illegal, right?" Loki added. Wow, ah. Sa kanya pa talaga galing 'yon. I wouldn't be surprised kung si Alistair ang magsasabi noon because we know very well that he's stickler to the rules. But from Loki? Kinda unexpected. "I must admit I would have considered that strategy to get what we need. I didn't know you had it in you."

Now they're getting the wrong idea. Kapag nga naman hindi mo agad nilinaw ang isang bagay, lalabo at lalabo ang paningin ng iba tungkol doon.

"I don't think Lori stole anything." Alistair came to my defense. He knew me the most so I wasn't surprised he didn't fall for the I-stole-something angle. Ipinatong niya sa mesa ang iniinom niyang tubig bago nagsalita. "She has her own ways."