PSYCHESTRAIN

05| Dine with the Devil

05| Dine with the Devil

The first victim was announced missing on June 16, 2019. According to the journal, he died a couple of days before that date. Certainly, because it has to take 24 hours before announcing someone as missing. It was Trevejo who addressed his case to the authority after not serving for two days. He has gone out of sight after arriving at the mansion straight from the city, where he sent Helena for her hospital appointment. He was supposed to wait for her to finish her errand, but he received a call from the mansion that told him to drive back instantly. Whoever was the caller, it was not Judge Trevejo, but it was confirmed to be someone who was at the mansion at that time.

The same day of his murder was the day his last footage in the mansion was recorded. In the footage, he seemed to have been planning to take a leap from the balcony on the 3rd floor. After he seemed to have changed his mind and took a leap backwards instead, he went inside. After that, he was never seen.

That was all according to the police reports; he managed to have access with the help of Glen and from the judge. All the information that Fajardo's mother gave was least concerned with his murder. It was more of his relationship with the Trevejo since it was what Irwan asked the most; it also happened to be what she could only provide.

"Pinatay talaga 'yun dito, eh," Roger, one of the family's drivers, said. It was five in the morning, and he had just arrived from his visit to Agusan. Roger found Irwan smoking, and Irwan offered him one, which he never hesitated to take.

"Naabutan mo siya?" Irwan asked.

"Hindi, na-hire ako mga ilang linggo bago siya mawala. Kung hindi ko nga lang kailangan ng pera hindi ako nag-apply eh. Baka magaya pa ako dun." He released a puff. "Ikaw 一andito ka ba para imbestigahan yung mga krimen sa bahay na'to?"

"Mga?"

"Oo, mga! Ang dami kayang nangyayaring kababalaghan dito. Una yang pagkawala ni Clemente, tapos yung mga namamatay na hayop dito; ang alam ko rin may nabaril na ritong politician eh, di lang sigurado kung namatay ba. Tapos, idagdag mo pa yung pagpapakamatay ng asawa ni Judge dito. Tapos, yung anak niya pa."

"Anong meron kay Allysa?"

Roger turned to look at him, and Irwan did meet his gaze. He then snorted in a sarcastic manner. As if finding Irwan's question absurd.

"Ang weird niya kapag nandito siya sa mansion." Aniya, "hindi ko pa siya gaanong nakakausap pero base sa obserbasyon ko at sa mga kwento ng iba pang kasambahay dito, parang may ano sa utak talaga yung batang yun eh. Sayang nga, may itsura pa naman."

"Hindi ba siya ganiyan kapag wala siya rito?"

"Hindi, siguro hindi. Kapag nahahatid ko siya sa school niya nagiiba yung awra niya. Depende lang siguro talaga sa lugar na saan siya o sa nakasalamuha niya."

***

The mansion was sad and empty when he entered. It was dark, as the dimmed light was the one illuminating different corners of the house. For Irwan, it feels unusual and inappropriate to even continue heading inside, but he still did, headed to his room, and took an hour-long nap.

When he woke up, he searched for Nina; none of the housekeepers were appearing, even at ten in the morning. He spent minutes walking down halls and empty rooms. And when he heard noises and smelled the aroma of some cooked foods down a narrow hall where Nina used to enter, he did go and find them.

"Gipangita ba nimo si Attorney? Wala siya, umalis kanina nung natulog ka," aniya.

"Si Allysa?"

"Hindi pa yun nalabas mula kanina. Ipapatawag ko kay Marisol para sabay na kayong kumain." She walked past him with a tray of viands on it. "Halika, huwag kayo doon sa malaking mesa; kayo lang dalawa, mingaw."