LORELEI

AND NOW, our investigation begins.

Iniwan muna kami ng fire marshal habang nangangalap kami ng ebidensyang magpapatunay sa aming akusasyon laban sa suspected murderer at arsonist.

There's an air of confidence around Bruno who was suspected of killing his live-in partner and burning her by starting up a fire in the apartment. Nakakainis ang ngisi sa mukha niya. If we could only use a smirk as an admission of guilt, he would be on his way to the police station right now.

"I trust na meron kang nahanap na ebidensya laban sa kaniya?" bulong ko kay Loki matapos niyang makipag-staring contest sa salarin.

"Well, none," he answered, turning around.

My face made a curious expression. "Teka, teka! You accused that man of murdering his partner and starting a fire without any proof?"

"I wanted to ruffle his feathers and observe his reaction," sagot niya sabay tingin kay Bruno. "He didn't expect anyone to see through his tricks, thus we caught him off guard. Based on his facial expression, the movement of his lips, the defensive stance he took, he is guilty of both crimes."

"Dapat kasi naghanap muna tayo ng ebidensya bago mo siya harap-harapang tinanong kung pinatay niya ang kaniyang kasama."

"My dear Lorelei, when was I ever wrong?" he asked in a matter-of-fact tone. He didn't seem to be amused by my doubt on his deductions.

"I can think of three instances," I answered, raising three of my fingers. "First, during the jumper case in school where you said it's a murder not a suicide. Second, when you thought Sir Jim Morayta was Moriarty all along. And third, when you thought that your brother Luthor is—"

Napatakip ako ng bibig bago pa dumulas sa dila ko ang mga susunod kong sasabihin. I was about to tell him that Luthor is the big bad he's been chasing all these years.

Loki's eyes narrowed into slits. "What about my brother? Where did I go wrong about him?"

Napalunok ako ng laway. Can I edit out that part where I mentioned his brother? Or can I time travel back to ten seconds ago?

His dull but questioning stare was pressuring me. Think, Lorelei! Think!

"You have always described your brother like an evil incarnate. You were wrong about that. He's actually a good guy."

Ugh. Those words got almost stuck in my throat. I can't believe that I've lied for him in front of his little brother! If Loki finds out the truth and he learns that I kept it from him, hindi ko alam kung anong magiging reaksyon niya.

His questioning gaze turned into a reassured one. "I was right all along."

Right about what?

"I hope that your romantic feelings for my brother didn't have any influence on your perception of him," Loki said. "Always leave some room for doubt, Lorelei. He's probably the best manipulator that this city has ever seen."

Napapikit na lamang ako at iniyuko ang aking ulo. Here he goes again with the wrong interpretation of things. If he's indeed a detective, he should have seen that I have no interest in his manipulative brother.

"Let me put it on the record: I have no romantic feelings for Luthor," I replied, shaking my head slowly. "Kaya tigilan mo na ang pang-iintriga sa akin, okay?"

"I heard some idiots say that love changes one's perception of people," Loki had a faraway look in his eyes. "You exaggerate the good qualities about them, overlook their flaws and imperfections, and forgive all their wrongdoings. It is like a mind-altering drug."

My God, you are hopeless, Loki! Ipinaliwanag ko na ang side ko ngunit talagang ayaw niya yatang i-give up ang Lorelei-Luthor ship niya.

"Can we please focus on the case instead of your babblings?" 'Yon na lamang ang isinagot ko dahil baka kung saan pa mapunta ang usapan namin. Tumahimik naman ang kasama ko kaya doon na natapos ang kaniyang pang-iintriga.

Now back to business.

"Saan tayo maghahanap ng ebidensya na pinatay ni Bruno ang kaniyang live-in partner?" I asked, shooting a sideward glance at the burned Room 207. "Dapat ba nating muling puntahan ang kuwarto nila?"

"You saw the condition of their unit. Everything got burned, leaving only ashes and disfigured items," Loki answered. "And you saw the smirk on Bruce's face. He is confident the fire will leave no evidence that we can trace back to him."

"Kung walang ebidensyang natira sa loob, sa labas tayo maghahanap," sabi ko. "He might still have the evidence that he killed Priscilla."

"Because of what happened to the victim's body, estimating her time of death would be difficult. We need to establish a timeline."

Muling nilapitan ni Loki ang aming suspek. Mukhang tuwang-tuwa si Bruno na wala pa kaming hawak na kahit anong magdidiin sa kaniya.

"Ano? Nasaan na ang ebidensya n'yo? O baka naman aamin na kayong puro pagbibintang lang ang kaya n'yong gawin?" tanong ng mayabang na lalaki.

"I have to give you credit for burning all potential pieces of evidence in your apartment unit." Hindi naman nagpatinag si Loki. Kaya niyang makipagsabayan sa pagiging arogante ng suspek. "Can you tell us when was the last time you saw your live-in partner alive?"

"Around nine o'clock ng umaga, bago ako pumasok sa trabaho," sagot ni Bruno. "Dapat kaninang ala-sais ay uuwi na ako rito, kaso nagkayayaan ang barkada kaya sinabihan ko si Pris na late na akong makakauwi."

"Meron bang makakapagpatunay na buhay pa ang live-in partner mo bago ka umalis ng apartment?" tanong ko.

Bruno raised his right hand and pointed at someone behind us. Paglingon namin ni Loki, we noticed that his finger was pointing at the landlady, Tita Martha.

"Saktong paalis na ako nang kumatok ang landlady sa unit namin. Bakit hindi n'yo siya tanungin? She can prove na buhay pa si Pris bago ako umalis ng bahay."

I called my aunt who's still hugging the giant teddy bear. Sumunod sa kaniya si Freya na walang tigil na nanlalambing sa mga paa niya.

"Oo, napansin kong paalis na noon si Bruno nang kumatok ako sa kanila," sagot ni Tita Martha nang matanong namin. "Ganyan na ganyan din ang suot niya."

"And why did you knock on their unit?"

"Nangako kasi sila na magbabayad na ng renta kaya pinuntahan ko. Nang magkausap kami ni Priscilla pagkaalis ng lalaking 'yan, nakiusap siya sa akin kung pwedeng mamayang hapon na lang ang bayad dahil magwi-withdraw pa siya sa bangko after lunch."

"See?" Bruno gestured his hand to the landlady. "Siya mismo ang patunay na buhay pa si Pris noong umalis ako. Kung hindi ako umuwi ng apartment noong hapon, paano ko napatay ang live-in partner ko?"

"Too early to celebrate, Bruce," Loki told him before turning to my aunt. "I trust your memory, landlady. I assume that you visited Pristina later in the afternoon to get the payment?"

Tumango si Tita Martha. "Bandang ala-una ng hapon. Nakausap ko pa nga siya noon at siya mismo ang nagbigay sa akin ng bayad para sa renta nila. Bagong bills pa nga ang iniabot niya sa akin."

Hindi napigilang matawa ni Bruno, akala niya siguro'y lahat ay pumapabor sa kaniya. Loki must be annoyed by the smug look on our suspect's face. He probably couldn't wait to put him to shame by presenting evidence.

"Did you notice anything suspicious after doing your business with the tenant?" sunod na tanong ng kasama ko. "May kahina-hinalang tao ba kayong napansin? Or anything that you think is strange?"

Napahawak sa kaniyang labi si tita at napatingin sa taas ang mga mata. "Noong bandang alas-kuwatro yata, may pumuntang taga-courier service dito at sinabing may package para sa Room 207. Pinapasok ko na lang sa apartment building."

"Wala kayong napansing familiar features sa kaniya? Kung kasing height ba siya ni Bruno o kasing katawan?" tanong ko.

Naningkit ang mga mata ni Tita Martha habang nakatingin sa suspek. Makalipas ang ilang segundo, bigla siyang umiling. "Mas matangkad 'yong taga-courier service na nakausap ko at mas mahaba ang buhok. Hindi ko lang napansin nang buo ang mukha kasi naka-shades siya noon."

"He used a disguise," bulong ni Loki sa akin. "He wore elevator shoes to make him look taller than he actually is and a wig to change his hairstyle. Common disguise technique."

"Kung ipinipilit n'yong murder ang nangyari, baka ang taga-courier na 'yan ang pumatay kay Pris ko?" Naging seryoso na ang mukha ni Bruno, but I can sense that he's only playing the grieving partner card. "It makes sense, 'di ba? Baka nag-disguise ang killer para papasukin n'yo siya!"

"Oh, did you just describe yourself and how you committed the crime?" Loki retorted with a smirk.

"Nasaan ka ng bandang alas-kuwatro?" I asked bago makapagbigay ng sagot si Bruno. "Can someone prove where you were around that time?"

"Saan pa? E 'di sa mismong office namin!" naiiritang sagot ng suspek. "Iniisip n'yo bang baka umalis ako sa aking workplace para mag-disguise bilang taga-courier at patayin si Pris? Kahit i-check n'yo ang CCTV camera sa building, hindi n'yo ako makikitang lumabas."

"What a coincidence! You described the scene the same way I imagined it," komento ni Loki.

"Gaano kalayo ang pinagtatrabahuan mo mula rito?" sunod kong tanong.

"Isang sakay lang ng jeep. Ten to fifteen minutes ang travel time."

Hindi pala gano'n kalayo. Kahit sa loob ng isang oras, maisasagawa na niya ang krimen.

"Bruce, there's one thing you can do to prove your innocence," sabi ng kasama ko. "Let us inspect the contents of your bag, pouch and wallet."

"'Yon lang pala eh!" Walang reklamong inalis ng suspek ang kaniyang suot na bag at iniabot ito kay Loki. "Kung iniisip n'yong itinago ko diyan ang murder weapon o kung ano pa man, feel free to check every item. Mas maganda siguro kung doon sa may ilaw n'yo tingnan para hindi kayo mahirapan."

"I know that you are not idiot to keep a weapon here," sagot ni Loki bago siya naglakad patungo sa guardhouse. Sumunod ako sa kaniya maging ang suspek.

Isa-isang inilapag sa mesa ang mga gamit ng suspek. Merong notebook, ballpoint pen, phone charger, power bank, headset at jacket. Sunod na tiningnan ang kaniyang wallet na naglalaman ng ilang piraso ng bagong peso bills, isang ATM card, ilang ID cards at mga resibo mula sa fastfood chains at bars.

"What are we looking for?" I whispered to my companion. He didn't seem to have a triumphant smile across his lips. That means we don't have anything yet. "Huwag mong sabihing hinahanap mo ang murder weapon dito?"

"Nah. He would have left it inside the apartment or thrown it somewhere out of reach," paliwanag ni Loki. Maingat niyang hinahawakan ang bawat item gamit ang panyo, iniiwasang maiwan doon ang fingerprints niya.

"If not the murder weapon, kailangan natin ng proof na pumunta si Bruno bandang hapon dito para patayin ang partner niya. Ano kayang pwedeng—"

Sabay kaming napatingin ni Loki sa iisang item na nasa mesa. We looked at each other as a realization dawned on us.

"Is it possible that..." My voice trailed off as he gave me a nod. We must be thinking the same thing.

"We can't be sure if that thing are on it," sagot niya. "But we can use it to force a confession out of him."

"Hoy, ano na, mga bata?" nakaaasar na tanong ni Bruno. "Baka nagtatanim na kayo ng ebidensya diyan para madiin ako? Baka hindi talaga kayo mga detective. Baka member kayo ng tanim ebidensya gang."

"As it happens, we found a proof that links you to the case," Loki boasted. "You can lie all you want. But the evidence will never lie."

Sinenyasan ako ni Loki upang tawagin ang fire marshall at si Tita Martha na karga-karga pa rin si Theodore. Kinarga ko na sa aking mga bisig si Freya nang lumapit siya sa akin.

"Anong ebidensya kaya ang ipapakita n'yo sa akin?" tanong ni Bruno. "I hope na hindi fabricated 'yan kundi kakasuhan ko kayo."

"No need to fabricate any evidence against you," sagot ni Loki. "You had it with you all along."

Huminga nang malalim ang suspek at saka ipiangkrus ang mga braso niya. Hindi pa rin nawawala ang aura ng pagiging mayabang niya. Confident talaga siya na wala kaming makikitang butas, ah?

"Give me your best shot, detective duo!"

Lumingon sa akin si Loki at tinanguan ako. He wants me to begin the midnight deduction show.

"Bago namin sabihin sa 'yo kung ano ang ebidensyang hawak namin, can you confirm kung anong oras mo huling nakitang buhay si Priscilla?"

"Ulit-ulit na lang ang tanong n'yo, ah."

"Pakisagutan na lang para malinawan tayo," sabi ng fire marshall. "Kailangan nating kumpirmahin ang ilang detalye."

Wala tuloy nagawa si Bruno kundi sumagot. "Alas-nuwebe ng umaga bago ako pumasok sa trabaho. Nakita pa akong umalis ng landlady mula sa unit namin. Happy?"

"At 'yon ang huling beses na nakita mong buhay si Priscilla sa apartment unit?" sunod kong tanong. "Hindi ka na talaga bumalik sa apartment noong hapon?"

"Oo, masakit mang sabihin pero 'yon ang kahuli-hulihang pagkakataon na nagkasama kaming dalawa. Nasa trabaho ako hanggang six o'clock ng gabi kaya paano ako makakauwi ng hapon?"

Loki couldn't stop himself from grinning. We had the suspect lured into our trap.

"Do you mind if we borrow your peso bills?" my colleague asked. "We would like to send them to the lab for fingerprint analysis."

"Fi-fingerprint?!"

"My dear landlady, what was the reason behind the little domestic that Bruce and Pristina had recently?"

"Ang kwento sa akin ni Priscilla noon, dahil sa pera kaya nag-away sila," sagot ni Tita Martha, ignoring the wrong names that Loki mentioned. "Ang tsismis kasi noon, laging naghihingi ng pera si Bruno para sa bisyo niya."

Natawa na lamang si Bruno at napapalakpak sa noo. "Sa tingin n'yo ba papatayin ko ang live-in partner ko dahil sa pera lang?"

"I remember someone telling me that money can change an innocent sheep into a hungry wolf," Loki made a fan out of ten one-hundred peso bills. "Here's what we think happened. Pristina withdrew some money from the bank after lunch time and paid the rent to the landlady at around one o'clock. Her fingerprints would be all over the money because she touched every single bill."

"Then at four o'clock, you disguised as a courier man to enter the apartment and went to your own unit," I continued on Loki's cue. "Doon mo pinatay si Priscilla, kinuha ang mga pera niya at isinet-up ang pagsiklab ng apoy sa unit n'yo."

"If Pristina's fingerprints are on these pieces of paper, it shall serve as proof that you returned to the apartment while in disguise."

Napailing muna si Bruno bago depensahan ang sarili. Wala talaga siyang balak umamin sa kaniyang krimen. "Nag-withdraw ako ng pera kahapon at ipinahawak ko muna kay Priscilla bago ko kinuha kaninang umaga. Talagang makikita n'yo ang fingerprints niya diyan! Kaunting common sense lang ang kailangan, brad!"

"Tell us where you withdrew this money," hamon sa kaniya ni Loki. "Assuming that you are telling the truth—but you are not—hindi ka mahihirapang ituro sa amin kung saang ATM ka nagkaroon ng transaction."

"We can ask the bank to review the footage of the cameras installed in their machines," dagdag ko. "Kung makikita ka sa footage na nag-withdraw kahapon, that will support your explanation on why Priscilla's prints are on the bills and that will weaken our argument."

"But if you are lying about the money withdrawal and the peso bills in your wallet are from your now dead live-in partner, how did you manage to get them?" Loki delivered the finishing blow.

This is a game over for you, Bruno. A checkmate.

"Pristina's body was burned to crisp—thanks to you—so we can't retrieve a single fingerprint," Loki said. "Fortunately, the landlady might still have the peso bills given by the victim to pay the rent. We can match the fingerprints from them."

Tumango si Tita Martha. "Mabuti na lang at hindi nadamay sa sunog ang kuwarto ko. Inilagay ko lang sa pouch ko ang ipinambayad nila ng upa."

The arrogance on Bruno's face completely faded as despair began to sink in. Nawala na rin ang nakakaasar niyang ngisi at ang kaniyang pagtatapang-tapangan.

"Mukhang kailangan kong tawagan ang major crimes division," sabi ng fire marshall bago niya in-excuse ang sarili upang tumawag.

"I told you, didn't I?" Loki said as he looked down on Bruno. "That there's no such thing as perfect crime. That along the way, the criminal will make a mistake. And it is our job as detectives to find that mistake."

"Unfortunately for you, Bruno, we found yours," I added.

"Tch!" Biglang kumaripas ng takbo si Bruno palabas ng apartment compound. Tumalon mula sa aking bisig si Freya at pilit na hinabol ang suspek. Si Loki naman, nakatayo lamang doon at pinanood ang pusa namin. He should be chasing the culprit before he could escape!

Malas na lamang ni Bruno dahil may biglang pumigil sa kaniyang pagtakas. It wasn't Freya. It wasn't Loki or me. It wasn't the firemen or the bystanders.

It was Theodore. Dinagaan niya sa likuran si Bruno kaya nadapa siya sa sementadong lupa. Akala ko noong una, nagkaroon ng buhay ang teddy bear at sinugod ang suspek. Then I saw Tita Martha who looked like she threw the best pitch of her life in a baseball game.

Ngunit hindi pa nakuntento ang tita ko. Nilapitan niya si Bruno at saka piangsasabunot.

"WALANG HIYA KANG BATA KA! PAGKATAPOS KITANG BIGYAN NG DISCOUNT SA RENTA AT PABAYAANG LAGING LATE ANG BAYAD N'YO, GANITO ANG GAGAWIN MO SA APARTMENT KO, HA?! TAPOS NAGAWA MO PANG PATAYIN ANG PARTNER MO SA MISMONG BUILDING KO? ANAK KA NG—"

Mabilis kong inawat ang aking tita bago niya pa makalbo si Bruno. Gigil na gigil na talaga siya, malamang kanina pa siya nagtitimping hambalusin ng teddy bear ang sumunog sa apartment.

'Di kinalauna'y dumating ang mga pulis upang dalhin sa kanilang istasyon si Bruno. Mas mabuting doon na siya bago pa niya matikman ang bagsik ni Tita Martha.

~*~

Loki, Tita Martha and I were asked to go to the police station. Mag-a-alas kuwatro na yata ng madaling-araw nang makauwi na kami sa apartment. Ang mga nasunugan na tenant, nagpalipas muna ng gabi sa mga malalapit na hotel habang ang ibang hindi masyadong apektado ay business as usual.

Umabot pa rin ang amoy ng sunog sa aming apartment unit. Binuksan namin ang mga electric fan at exhaust fan upang matanggal ang masamang amoy.

Still in his pajamas, Loki went near the spider's web of conspiracy and looked at the pinned photos. Baka nahihirapan siyang makatulog dahil sa intellectual stimulation na dala ng murder-arson case kanina.

"You have something in mind?" I asked as I placed Theodore on our couch. Freya seemed to have grown fond of the teddy bear kaya tumabi siya doon.

"The fire was initially thought to be by accident," Loki spoke in a much gentler tone. Pagod na rin siguro siya sa nangyari ngayong madaling araw. "It later turned out to be an arson to cover up a murder."

"And?" I stood by my room's doorway.

"Nothing. Just don't mind me." Loki shook his head as he headed back to his room. "We need to rest! We will visit Jamie later today. Good night, Lorelei."

"Good night, Loki."

We both closed our room doors and went to bed.

What was he thinking earlier?

q.e.d.