SQUIRREL'S SCHEME

CHAPTER I. ALPHA OF SUSPICIONS

September 9, 2018.
Saturday, 6:06 A.M.

I was sipping my cup of green tea in the veranda when a newspaper deliveryman arrived in my house's entrance and as usual, placed the rolled newspaper into the gap of the gate's design then left the steps without any sound.  No worries about the payment, he's being tasked by my dear brother to do the thing in exchange of something he couldn't afford. The power of money.

I don't know what drove me to do so but I think some mythical creatures within the vicinity casted an extreme enchantment directed to my system for me to spare my highly-esteemed time getting the daily issue on the gate and unrolled it. Kung may nakakikilala siguro sa akin to malamang pinagtatawanan na ako sa ginawa ko.

I was frozen-shock when I saw the news headline. Sino ba namang hindi magugulat sa laman ng balita? The caption reads:

YOUNG MODEL SLAIN: BELIEVED TO BE THE STRANGLER'S FOURTH VICTIM

     A 24-year-old model of the most well-known brands in Tudela was found brutally murdered inside his home in Noir Villa shortly after midnight. Police say there is strong evidence that his death is related to the deaths of three other men who were strangled in their homes within the last four months.

    The most recent victim has been identified as Kusk Noir, an in-demand model and member of KKK Kings. He was last seen alive yesterday, where he was currently present in a Nylon photoshoot. It is believed he didn't gone straight home from the shoot because he was spotted clubbing with his squad around 9:30-11:30 PM at Avenuerre, 2 kilometers away from the shooting place. His friends, namely; Kreios, Addy and Kerr stated that Kusk went home past twelve in the morning and was drunken-dead. They didn't bother to hold him instead let him out of the club on his own.

   The killer apparently got inside his house by simply knocking on his doors and the victim let the squirrel in. Cops, based on their observation, stated that there was no sign of forcible entry...

It went on. There was a photograph of paramedics carrying his body out of his aristocratic home. Visible to the taken shots was the sign: CRIME SCENE: DO NOT CROSS.

If there's no sign of forcible entry, there's a possibility that the victim was acquainted or somehow connected to the squirrel. Why let the squirrel in if he or she's a stranger to you?  Walang pamimilit na nangyari base sa ulat ng mga kapulisan so...

A tune played on my phone and that's a sign that someone — not just someone — but somebody's trying to reach me out.

♫︎ I'm a barbie girl in the barbie world~
~ Life is plastic but fantastic ♫︎

The barbie ringtone. It's been a while since we last talk. I found the receiver and turned the speaker on. Wala namang ibang tao rito so eavesdropping wouldn't be an issue.

"Lo?" tipid kong ani.

"Have you heard the news?"  the voice on the line asked directly without even bothering to say "hi" to me or asking how my life's going here.

"What news?" I responded as if I'm unaware of the latest issue of Tudela Gazette.

There was a pause. What he's up to?

"About Kusk..." pabitin nitong usal. Pa-thrill masyado, alam ko na naman.

"Hmm?"

"He's dead,"  nanlulumo niyang ani at saka bumuntong-hininga. Ako nama'y kunot-noong nakikinig sa pinagsasabi nitong kausap ko sa kabilang linya.