CHAPTER 31: MISBEHAVED

SORCHA'S POV

Ibinaba ko ang mga dala kong folder sa harapan ng mga boss ko. Hindi lang sila ang naririto ngayon kundi maging si Daze na tahimik lang na nakaupo sa tabi ng kapatid ko. Nilapitan ko ang huli para bigyan ko ng kaparehas na kopya na mayroon din ang iba.

"What have we got so far?" Thorn asked the room.

I looked at my brother, and I tipped my head as if urging him to speak up. Pagkatapos kasi ng mga nangyari kanina ay siya ang una kong tinawagan. This is the first case he's leading, after all.

"Aubrey Ballard, who was supposed to be dead, matched with recent prints found on the gifts Daze received. As of now, forensics is conducting a thorough digital footprint search that could potentially trace Aubrey's movement. We're keeping it discreet for now since we want to minimize the possibility that she'll go into hiding," Kuya Nevan explained.

Pierce nodded. "That's a good decision. She's confident right now that she won't get caught. She's confident enough that she would evade being captured since she lived for years undetected. At this moment, she has a misplaced sense of invincibility because she thinks that she got away with Vanessa Santana's murder. So let's make her think that way until the moment we can seize her."

"Any theory, Nevan?" Gun asked.

Lahat ng atensyon, maging ang sa akin, ay napunta sa kapatid ko. I almost want to take a picture of him and send it to my parents. He looks calm, centered, and ready to kick some ass.

"Santana's place was clean of trace evidence. Sa dami ng fans ni Daze, bakit siya ang napili ni Ballard? It's possible that it could be random. But for years, Ballard stayed quiet. There's no reason for her to come out now."

"That is true," Axel mumbled, scanning the files in front of him. "The gift she sent probably wasn't the first time. It's hubris. She's taunting Daze and everyone in the investigation because just like Kuya Pierce said, she has a misplaced sense of invincibility. There's even a chance that some of those that Daze donated to charity came from her, and this wasn't the first time."

"She didn't expect that we would have someone in the team like Sorcha who would immediately recognize the name she used." Tinapunan ako ng tingin ng kapatid ko at pigil ang ngiti na tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. Walang makakatalo sa magkakambal pagdating sa pagbubuhat ng bangko ng isa't isa. "My guess is that Santana and Ballard's paths somehow crossed. Santana is known for fighting with trolls on the internet. It's possible that she recognized Ballard. Audio lang ang kumalat noon bago iyon napigilan ng dating management ni Daze, but according to resources, some managed to find her online before her account was suddenly taken down. There's a possibility that Santana is one of the few who knows Ballard's face."

"So she killed her," Gun surmised.

Tumango ang kapatid ko. "The only question is why. We could say that this is an act of obsession. She doesn't want to share Daze with the world. Or the other scenario could be that she wants to sabotage Daze's career for a completely different reason. Her actions appear more vindictive than just an obsessive infatuation."

Coal looked up from the material in front of him. "How about Daze's manager before?"

"Nasa US siya nang pumutok ang balita tungkol kay Santana. May sakit ang nanay niya. We contacted him for a possible meeting when he came back, but he didn't want to comply. We're still trying to reach him as of now," Kuya Nevan answered.

Trace was already on the move before his brothers turned to him. "I'll make sure that he won't be able to refuse," he said while holding a phone to his ear, and then he walked out of the room.

Napuno ng mahihinang pag-uusap ang kuwarto at nagkaroon ako ng pagkakataon para balingan si Daze na nananatili pa rin na tahimik. I carefully took another step toward his direction, stopping only when I was right beside him.

I bit the inside of my cheek when he looked, and I saw the myriad of emotions running around his eyes. He looks like he's drowning in so many of them that my being here even took him by surprise.

"Want to sit down?" he murmured so only I could hear.

"Yeah." Nang umakto siyang tatayo ay inilagay ko ang kamay ko sa balikat niya para pigilan siya. "You need to sit too."

"I'm okay. You can take my seat."

"O pwede ring kumandong ako sa'yo."

I wanted to pat myself on the back when the dark clouds swirling around him suddenly halted. Napalitan ng pagkagulat ang ekspresyon sa mukha niya at bahagyang umawang ang mga labi niya. I wasn't being serious, but at least it worked.

Iyon nga lang ay kapalit niyon ang kagustuhan kong lumubog na lang sa kinatatayuan ko nang ma-realize ko na nagkataong pagkasabi ko niyon kay Daze ay siya namang pagtahimik ng kuwartong kinaroroonan namin. In short, narinig nilang lahat.

Hindi ko kailangang lingunin ang kapatid ko para malaman na sa kaniya galing ang malakas na pag-ubo. I'm pretty sure that the heavy gaze that I'm feeling on me is coming from him.

"Umm... or anyone's... uhh... lap?" naging patanong na sabi ko. "I-I mean sa kapatid ko pala. Tama. Kakandong ako kay Kuya."

Nilingon ko ang kapatid ko na naniningkit ang mga mata habang nagpapalipat-lipat ang tingin sa amin ni Daze. Pinandilatan ko siya bago ako humakbang paatras. Pero hindi ko naman nagawang makalayo ng tuluyan dahil pinigilan ako ni Daze sa kamay.

"Bago pa tayo mauwi sa trip to Jerusalem—" natatawang sabi ni Domino. "Meron na ba tayong hula para sa motibo?"

"Daze's old manager?" Coal asked, turning to my brother.

Kuya Nevan looks conflicted. "It's possible."

"But you don't think it's him?" Thorn pressed.

"No. The situation with Ballard happened when Daze was still working with that manager."

Si Pierce ang sumunod na nagsalita. "Maybe they wanted to make an issue for Daze. Para maging maingay ang pangalan niya."

"Nowadays, that kind of issue will just end up with the talent being cancelled by the public. Lalo na at bago pa lang noon si Daze. I don't think his manager at that time will choose to create an issue that early," my brother said, stating his argument. "I think it's someone who holds a stronger grudge against him."

"Griffin Lowell." Nag-angat ng mukha si Daze. His gaze went straight to the oldest Dawson. "He's the director and producer who took advantage of my brother and other young actors and actresses when they were minors. You can look into him and my family's history. If it comes to a point that the public will need to know, then so be it. I'm giving you my consent to do anything you need to do. Pero kung may dapat malaman ang publiko ay ang kaugnayan ko lang sa mga nangyayari. My brother's involvement should stay a secret. I'll tell you everything I know, but in return, please make it so that what happened to my brother won't be revealed, even if it means using me to cover it up."

The tension in the room could be cut with a knife. It was Thorn who spoke up. "Are you sure?"

"He'll breathe free soon. I wouldn't be surprised if he's trying to be released early. He knows what I did, he heard my lies, and he saw me do it without an ounce of guilt. He has every motive to retaliate." Humigpit ang pagkakahawak ni Daze sa kamay ko. Just a day ago, I was the only one who knew. It was as if it triggered the shift. Now everything is crumbling and falling outside the open. "But I wouldn't take my words back. Till the day I die, my brother gets to keep his secret. He never wanted anyone to know. He just wanted to save me that's why he tried his best to convince our parents to cut ties with Lowell. So, yes. I'm sure. I'll do anything as long as he stays out of all of this."

Daze knew his brother the most. Through the quick research I did on him, it seems like, despite his young age, he carries an unyielding pride. He didn't look arrogant about it, instead, it was as if it were just a part of him. He didn't look like someone who would want his life to be defined, but what happened to him. I guess it's one of the reasons why Daze has protected his story all these years. Daze has been keeping his secret, but at the same time, he made sure that the person who made his brother suffer would get convicted for the crime he committed.

There's nothing shameful about what Daze's brother experienced. Kung may dapat na mahiya ay iyon ay ang taong gumawa ng ganoong bagay sa kaniya. But no matter what we say, his situation will garner sympathy. He's no longer here to speak for himself, and Daze knows that. So he didn't want his brother's story to be carried by lips that didn't know him. To have him as a topic of conversation that could either support him or ridicule him.

"We'll inform you if there's any change," Thorn said after a while. "For now, hang on tight. This will be over soon."

NATAPOS ko na ang pagdidilig at lahat pero hindi pa rin kumikilos si Daze sa kinaroroonan niya. He's in the pool with his back facing me, so it's not surprising that he didn't see me. But he's not even swimming or anything. He's just sitting on the stairs at the pool while looking at the sky as if it has all the answers in the universe.

Humugot ako ng malalim na hininga at lumapit ako sa faucet na nandito sa garden at hinugasan ko ang kamay ko at pagkatapos ay kinuha ko ang may kataasan na bangkong kahoy nasa loob ng outdoor garden storage ko. Dala iyon na tinungo ko ang bakod sa pagitan ng bahay namin ng kapatid ko para tumalon sa kabila.

Sinipat ko ang bakod nang makaakyat ako sa banko. "Okay. It's not as easy as I thought it would be."

Para kasing ang dali para kay Daze niyon nang talunin niya. Kung sabay. Higante eh. "May mga bagay talaga na hindi ginawa para sa mga pinagkaiitan ng height," bulong ko sa sarili ko.

Nasa akto na akong kinokonsidera ko ng lumabas ng bahay at umikot na lang nang maramdaman kong may nakatingin sa akin. Muntik pa akong mapaatras nang makita ko ang kapatid ko na nakalapit na pala sa akin ng hindi ko namalalayan.

He regarded me with a suspicious look. "Maybe I should consider getting an electric fence."

"Har har." Inangat ko ang mga kamay ko. "Help me."

"Bakit? Para literal kang umakyat ng ligaw?"

"Tatay ka ba ni Daze para ipagpaalam ko siya sa'yo?" Pinandilatan ko siya ng mga mata. "I'm going to make a full Irish breakfast tomorrow, and I wouldn't give you some."

Napangisi siya at kaagad siyang lumapit sa akin. Minsan ang simple lang talaga ng mga lalaki eh. Pagkain at libre sa iisang context lang okay na sila.

Walang kahirap-hirap na nagawa akong buhatin ng kapatid ko papunta sa loob ng bakuran niya. I kicked his shin lightly when he put me down, and as expected, he retaliated by pushing me with his forefinger on my forehead.

"Tamang-tama ang dating mo. Warrick will come over to stay with Daze. I have something to do tonight."

I shrugged and waved my hand as if to shoo him away. "Pwede ka ng lumayas."

Dinutdot niya ulit ang noo ko. "Behave. Noon hindi ako mangingiming iwan ka kay Daze pero ngayon..."

"Pero ngayon?"

"Pero ngayon concern na ako sa puri niya na baka i-take advantage mo." Napapailing na pumalatak siya. "Marry the poor guy first, Sorcha, before you corrupt him—aray!"

Napayuko siya at napahawak siya sa binti niya na sa pagkakataon na ito ay malakas kong sinipa. I stuck out my tongue at him, and then I turned around towards Daze, who, I wasn't surprised, was already looking at us. Napakaingay naman kasi ni kuya.

"Hey, Red," he said with a small smile when I stopped near him. "I should thank my lucky stars that a goddess decided to pay me a visit tonight."

I rolled my eyes. "What if matulog ka na? Parang nag-hahallucinate ka na."

Umupo ako sa tabi niya at ibinaba ko ang mga paa ko sa tubig. Naka-shorts lang ako kaya hindi naman ako natakot na mababasa ako o ano. At saka ang lapit ng bahay ko.

Nag-init ang mukha ko nang maalala ko ang gabi na iyon kung saan huli kaming nandito sa pool na ito.

"I could read your face like a book," Daze murmured, his eyes flashing with more life than they had moments ago.

Ginaya ko ang ginawa sa akin ng kapatid ko at dinutdot ko ang ulo niya. "Umayos ka. Nandiyan si kuya."

A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Not for long."

"Behave," I hissed.

"If memory serves me right, I wasn't the only one who misbehaved in this pool, Red."

__________________________End of Chapter 31.