Chapter 20: An Unexpected Ending (Resolution Chapter)
Nagising ako dahil sa mahinang pisil sa kamay ko. When I slowly opened my eyes, I saw Jeremy looking at me. Nag-aalala siyang napatingin sa akin. Saka ko lang din napansin na nasa isang kama pala ako ng isa sa mga guestroom.
"Anong nangyari?", tanong ko sa kanya at dahan-dahang bumangon mula sa kama. I looked around to find other people ngunit mukhang si Jeremy lamang ang naroon.
"You passed out", puno ng pag-aalalang wika ni Jeremy. "Right in front of Sir Ric's dead body!"
Dead body?! Tama! I was inside the closet and I saw Sir Ric approaching me. He was stabbed with a sharp thing from the back! I must be so terrified to witness it kaya hinimatay ako. But... He's dead?! He's already dead?!
"Bestie listen, did you take a glance at the killer?"
The killer. The killer. I was about to look at the killer's face when I was swallowed by the darkness! Marahil ay dahil sa sobrang kaba at masikip pa sa loob. But who could have done it?!
"Je, nasaan sila?" If I could help, I'd be glad too. Maybe I can recognized something out of the scent of the killer o kung ano man na maaring maging clue.
"Nasa silid kung nasaan ang katawan ni Sir Ric at kung saan ka namin nakita na walang malay."
Agad akong tumayo mula sa kama at akmang lalabas. "Maybe we will help."
"But Bestie-"
"I'm fine Je. Don't worry about me", wika ko sa kanya. The killer must still be inside this house and lurking around. We need to identify who it was to justify Sir Ric's death.
The door jerked open at pumasok doon si Miss Thalia na may dalang tray ng pagkain. Inilapag niya iyon sa mesang katabi ng kama. "Hello Amber, kailangan mo munang kumain. The police are now investigating upstairs. You need to eat dahil kahit anong minuto ngayon ay kakausapin ka ng mga pulis."
"Kakausapin?"
"Yes. They found you inside the crime scene so they need your testimony." Inayos niya ang suot na salamin.
"You're left-handed?"
"Yes, why?"
I don't know if it is right to ask something about it kaya itinikom ko na lang ang bibig ko. She looked at me puzzled at ngumiti. "I have to go."
Naiwan kami ni Jeremy sa loob. The food looks so enticing ngunit wala akong ganang kumain. Isa pa, how could I eat in this situation? Hindi ba't pinatay si Sir Ric? That explains why Jeremy seems so gloomy.
"Malungkot ako Bestie. I will not have a chance to see and support Sir Ric into the spotlight", Je said and sighed.
"I'm sorry for your loss." Uh, I don't know how to comfort people so he has to bear with it. Hindi man lamang iyon nagpagaan ng loob niya kahit kaunti, he sat beside me at hinarap ako. "You took much time upstairs. What's the story about?"
Ah the story. Tama. It was about the writer/voyeur and started writing what he saw in the activities of the ugly duckling turned swan girl. Then book was a hit until a serial killing occurred and all victims had a copy of such book. Ikinuwento ko sa kanya ang nalaman ko sa pamamagitan ng simpleng pagscan sa manuscript. I think it's the least thing I can do to comfort him. After all, he lost his budding-writer idol.
"Did you just say ugly ducking turned swan?", wika niya na nagniningning ang mga mata. "What a coincident, the character must be inspired from me."
Meh, what's with this dreamy guy beside me? "Ah, so you mean you're an ugly duckling turned into swan too?"
Tumawa siya ng mahina ay inalalayan akong tumayo. "Nope. An ugly duckling turned into a duckling but not ugly anymore. I'm sorry Bestie, you have to go through this dahil sa akin. It's your birthday but everything is complicated."
"Jeremy it's not your fault-"
"No. Kasalanan ko. If I didn't approach Sir Ric, edi sana kumakain pa tayo ngayon at hindi nandito sa bahay na ito, na may pinatay and his blood dripped on the floor where he left a clue-"
Napatingin ako sa kanya. "Clues? Sir Ric left some clues?"
Tumango si Jeremy sa akin. "Yes, he wrote letters using his own blood."
As if on cue, agad akong tumayo at hinila palabas si Jeremy. "Let's go there. I think I have seen the killer." Of course that's a lie. Nawalan na ako ng malay bago ko nakita kung sino man ito. Ngunit posibleng makatulong ako doon, I might remember something significant bago ako nahimatay sa loob ng closet. We rushed towards the crime scene at naroon nga sila. There were also additional police other than Inspector Fenris and Detective Adler. They carried the body out of the room and send it to the coroner. Our entrance made some noise kaya napalingon sila sa amin.
"Sison! You're awake", Detective Adler said. Lumapit siya sa akin at bahagyang bumulong. "Hey, talaga bang mas pinili mo pang pumasok dito kaysa magbigay ng impormasyon tungkol sa mafia? Just look what happened."
If I would let myself be impulsive, malamang nasapak ko na siya. How could he blame it to me? Kahit siguro hindi ako pumasok sa kwartong ito, Sir Ric will be murdered dahil iyon na ang plano ng kung sino mang killer.
"Detective, kahit wala ako dito, I think the killer will still kill him", wika ko sa kanya at humakbang palapit sa sahig kung nasaan ang naiwan na clue. On the floor, scattered the blood and there were letters made out of the blood. The middle letters that was written there was partly erased.
"Bakit parang binura ang gitnang bahagi?", tanong ko sa isang pulis na nandoon.
"Ah, yang bahaging iyan? Dahil yan sa braso ni Sir Ric, marahil ay nang mawalan siya ng malay at binawian ng buhay."
The remaining comprehensible letters there were O, S, E and R. The middle part before the E and R was partly erased. May mga blood stains din bago ang letter O. Kung may nakasulat man doon, maaring natabunan na iyon ng nakadanak na dugo ng biktima. Ayon na rin sa mga pulis, he was a stabbed in a critical part at maraming dugo ang nawala sa kanya.
We were told to leave the room at kinausap naman ako ni Detective Adler para sa testimonya ko. We've been sitting here for few minutes now ngunit mukhang wala akong maibigay na maaring makatulong.
"Look Sison, just try to remember something okay?", he said. I can sensed in his voice na bahagyang naiirita na siya.
"I told you that's all I know!"
He tossed the pen on the table. "If we will conclude, the letters could form OSLER, minus the L. Hindi kaya ang editor niyang si Osler ang pumatay sa kanya? He's also the one who's been doing all the pranks", pahayag niya. "Is that what you're thinking too?"
"No. I think what was written there is a bit longer than the name Osler. Where's Sir Osler now?"
"Sa ngayon ay iniimbestigahan sila ng mga pulis. I have taken account that the culprit is left-handed", wika niya. "As of now, we have two left-handed person inside. Thalia and Osler. Maging si Sir Ric ay left-handed din."
"I don't know how to deal with this now. Teka, you don't consider me as one of the suspects, do you?!"
"Well, you're in that room."
"Argh! I did not do it!", I hissed. Imposibleng ako ang gumawa niyon! I saw him being stabbed! Hindi ko nga lamang nakita kung sino ang may gawa.
"You cannot blame us", simpleng wika niya. Yes, he's right. After all, I invaded the room and peek at Sir Ric's laptop. It was my huge mistake.
"But you don't think it's me, right?"
He exhaled and tapped his hands lightly. "Well-"
"Huh! You're the worst!" Ah! If Gray is here, I'm sure he had already solved this case but... Teka, bakit ko na naman inaalala pa si Gray? He's not needed here anyway. I'm sure he enjoyed his birthday with Math!
Bigla na lamang bumukas ang pinto at pumasok si Jeremy. He looked so depress at padabog na pumasok siya sa loob, making heavy footsteps.
Footsteps? Ano nga bang meron sa footsteps?
"I hate this! Bakit si Sir Ric pa ang pinatay! Pwede namang ikaw Detective Adler eh!", Jeremy ranted and sulked on the side. Binato siya ni Detective Adler ng ballpen but he was able to dodge it. Looks like he's really pissed.
"Ayusin mo ang sinasabi mo bata."
Jeremy ignored him at bumaling sa akin. "I think the police thinks that Sir Osler did it base on the current evidence. Ayaw ko na! Sino na lang ang magsusulat ng mga bagong libro niya? Ano na lamang ang babasahin ko?! Argh! I hate it, I wish Sir Ric would still continue to write stories even if he's already a ghost!"
Ghost?!
Napatingin ako kay Detective Adler and just like me, the world Ghost have rang a bell in his mind. Tumayo siya at agad na lumabas ng silid na kinaroroonan namin and I immediately followed him. We were in the crime scene kung nasaan ang mga letrang O, S, E at R na sinulat ni Sir Ric gamit ang sariling dugo. It could be ....
"Something's strange with Ric Enriquez", mahinang sabi niya. "Last week when he received the first prank, ayaw niyang paimbestigahan iyon. But today's different. He's the one who called for us bago pa kami tinawagan ni Thalia dahil sa utos ni Eddie."
Lumapit si Jeremy sa kinatatayuan namin at nakisali sa usapan. He was catching his breath, maybe because after he ran after us. "Ngunit nagalit siya kanina ng sinabi ni Miss Thalia na nandito kayo."
"That's remarkable. Hindi kaya may itinatago si Sir Ric?"
Bumukas ang pinto at pumasok si Sir Eddie na tulak-tulak ni Thalia. Pumasok na din ang ilang pulis na kasama si Sir Osler. Nandoon din si Sir Kenny, the publisher at pareho silang lahat na tila nagulat sa lahat ng mga nangyari.
"Detective? Did you figure out something?", tanong ni Inspector Fenris at humakbang palapit sa amin. The floor was made of white tiles and I can hear his footsteps.
Footsteps. Ano nga ba talaga ang nasa footsteps?!
I closed my eyes and tried to recall everything and- that's it! I heard footsteps after Sir Ric's. A light and heavy alternate footsteps!
"I think I heard footsteps of the killer from inside the closet kung nasaan ako!", biglang pahayag ko. Everyone looked at me with an inquisitive eyes.
"The footsteps were alternately light and heavy!" Tiningnan ko silang lahat and when I saw that person's glaring eyes piercing towards me, flashes of events came into my mind.
"No, no it's fine since I will discuss this with my editor too kahit wala pa itong ending", nakangiting sagot ni Sir Ric. "I'd be glad to have you as my guests and witness my ending. Maybe the end will justify the means."
"Another thing that's bothering me is why did Sir Ric transfer his study room downstairs. Dati ay sa katabing silid ang study room but only after last month he moved here", nagtatakang wika ni Detective Adler at nahulog siya sa malalim na pag-iisip. "Well maybe for a change. Writers usually want a new environment."
"He just recovered from an accident last month kaya naging apektado ang paa niya. I think it will take much time to heal."
"You killed him Sir Eddie", I declared. It was a grave accusation but it just easily came out of my mouth like ABC. Nagulat silang lahat dahil sa sinabi ko at maang na nagpalipat-lipat ng tingin sa akin at kay Sir Eddie.
"Miss, hindi mabuti ang mambintang", wika ni Sir Kenny. "Eddie couldn't do it."
Sir Eddie's laughter filled the room. "Brat, what are you thinking? Sa lumpong katulad ko, I cannot come up here without Thalia pushing this crappy chair for me."
Humakbang si Detective Adler palapit sa kanya at sinipa ang wheelchair which caused him to do an immediate reflexive move bago pa siya mahulog sa sahig. "That unless you're already healed."
Nagulat ang lahat nang makatayo nga si Sir Eddie. He stepped forward towards me at nakakalakad na siya ngunit paika-ika pa siya ng konti. "Eh ano ngayon kung nakakalakad na ako? It doesn't prove anything! Isa pa, you concluded that the killer is left-handed and I am not a fucking left-handed!"
"It's Sir Ric who put an X on his own table. He is responsible for the pranks today maliban sa pranks noong nagdaang linggo na gawa mo", pahayag ni Detective Adler.
Sir Eddie was surprised to hear what the detective said at gayundin ang iba pang naroon.
"Anong ibig mong sabihin?", tanong ni Thalia.
"Last week, he was really furious when we were called to investigate here ngunit iba ngayon. He wasn't angry. I think he knows that something will happen today."
"But the letters. Bakit isinulat ni Ric ang mga letra ng pangalan ko instead of Eddie?", naguguluhang tanong ni Sir Osler.
"It doesn't mean OSLER. The letters O, S, E and R are letters of the word GHOSTWRITER. The killer is his ghostwriter which is Sir Eddie. Nabahiran ng dugo ang unang mga letra samantalang nasagi naman ng kamay niya ang panggitna kaya O,S,E at R na lamang ang makikita natin", I declared bravely.
"G-ghostwriter? May ghostwriter si Ric?" It was a great revelation for his publisher. Mukhang wala itong kaalam-alam tungkol doon.
"Ah, that explains why the study was moved downstairs. Upang convenient kay Eddie habang nagpapagaling siya", komento ni Detective Adler.
"The footsteps were yours dahil ang narinig kong yabag ay mabigat at tila hinihila ang paa. Given that your leg is not yet totally healed, ganoon ang maririnig na yabag mo. And you are no doubt his ghostwriter. Maybe this is what he means when he said he wanted us to witness his ending. He doesn't mean the manuscript but his own."
Napayuko si Sir Eddie. Basing from that response, I think he already concede to our theories.
"He deserved it! Dapat lang siyang mamatay! He's a selfish man na walang pakialam sa akin! He took advantage of me! Yes, I write for him! Dati ay plano kong i-submit ang mga manuscript na ginawa ko sa isang publishing company but he stole my work and claimed it as his own. I didn't do anything at pinabayaan na lamang siya but he manipulated me. He made me his ghostwriter at nagpapakasasa siya sa katanyagan na dulot sa kanya ng mga ginawa ko. It was fine for me sa simula but not until I found out na siya ang may kasalanan kung bakit nagpakamatay si Mommy! My adoptive parents were so good but he killed them! When Mom knew that he was observing them having sex, nahiya si Mommy. All this time, he was watching them! Nahiya siya and that forced her to commit suicide! Gayundin ang aksidente ni Daddy! He was preoccupied by that thought and shame while driving kaya naaksidente siya! So that voyeuristic hellish man deserve to die!", umiiyak na wika niya at napaluhod. "Yes, I made the first prank upang makonsensya siya ngunit wala lang sa kanya iyon. But now, yes he made those things on his own upang nandito ang mga pulis kung sakaling patayin ko siya. But nothing will stop me from killing him! Nothing!"
As I looked at him, hati ang emosyong nadarama ko. I felt angry and I pity him ngunit mas nangingibabaw ang nadarama kong inggit. Inggit dahil nagawa na niya ang kanyang paghihiganti samantalang ako ay hindi pa. I wish I would have the same courage to do something grave but doesn't regret it. I guess this case was closed and Sir Ric's life ended together with his writing career.
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-ShinichiLaaaabs
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