Trace of Innocence

Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

HER PORCELAIN skin was ashen, almost anemic. She had hair so black against skin so white and it made a contrast that only served to make the woman look all the more ghostly, all the more haunting. She could have graced all any magazine cover but she was better than those two-dimensional photoshopped models.

One thing was sure, nakita ko na ang mukhang anemic na pagmumukha ng babaeng ito kanina. The mole near her lips didn’t go unnoticeable.

"Felicity?" I breathed out.

I sensed Lew's gaze on me. He's probably wondering why I knew this woman in front of us. Well, I didn't exactly know her. Stalking her on Facebook wouldn't give all the things about her, so technically, she's still a stranger to me.

Gulat na gulat ang reaksyon niya nang mapansin niya kami lalo na nang tinawag ko siya sa kanyang ngalan. Kapansin-pansin ang panginginig ng kanyang kamay. Paano ba naman kasi, nakatutok pa rin ang baril ni Lew sa kanya.

"What are you doing here?" Lew finally asked the million dollar question I've been itching to asked since I saw her there.

She stood like a statue there, near the sink. Maybe, she couldn't recover from the shock of seeing us here. Her eyes blinked several times as if ascertaining whether we really were not just a pigment of imagination.

"He asked a question, why don't you answer?" I hinted as I watched her fidget in the corner.

Her gaze turned to me. Frightened. Confused. Those were the emotions dancing in her perfectly made up face. Her mouth opened and about to say something but closed immediately when she glanced at Lew who was still pointing a gun towards her.

"Lew, ibaba mo muna ang baril," bulong ko sa kanya. Tinignan niya muna ako bago dahan-dahang ibinaba ang baril ngunit hawak niya pa rin.

"I think you'd be more comfortable now in answering our questions, Miss. You must know that this is a restricted area since it is believed to be a crime scene and with you staying here could contaminate some incriminating evidences," paliwanag ni Lew. Hindi na niya kailangang banggitin ang huli dahil sabi niya'y nasuri na ng kanyang tauhan ang crime scene ngunit maaaring sinabi niya ito upang takutin si Alviar.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Alviar habang dahan-dahan na itinaas ang mga kamay. "I... I mean no h-harm, sir. I j-just wanted to visit the place where my boyfriend spent the last hour of his life. I... I didn't know this is a crime scene--”

"Did you just say 'boyfriend'?" my mind focused on that certain word. Now, it's my turn to look confuse. What the hell was she saying? She wasn't pertaining to Caleb, was she?

"Y-Yes, my boyfriend."

I looked at her with incredulity. Impossible. Bakit siya nandito kung si Selyn ang kaaway niya? I'm so confuse. I glanced at Lew and his face was void of emotion. He just stared at Felicity with calculating gaze.

"Like what I have said, I am merely here to visit the place. I wanted to fill my mind with great memories I had with my boyfriend here and not the gruesome happenings," she continued explaining.

"May I know who this boyfriend was?" Lew asked.

"It was Caleb," her voice broke at the mention of his name while I stood there frozen as my mind failed to process what she just said.

"Caleb Tavera died here, you're aware of that--"

"She's lying!" I finally found my voice and didn't let Lew finished his question.

The woman shook her head. Her teary eyes stared at me. "I am telling the truth. If you are thinking that I killed him then you're wrong, ma'am. And besides, Caleb died of suicide."