The Phantom Detective ✓

[TCP] Chapter 02: The Last Meeting

WENDY

"HULIHIN NIYO siya! Impostor 'yan!" sigaw ni Ginny Cagas habang nakaturo kay Zen and the latter caught everyone's attention. At first, they were stunned and couldn't react but when the Inspector shouted 'the phantom detective!', they all moved to grab Zen.

Sa sobrang bilis ng nangyari, I just found myself covering my nose and mouth.

Zen threw a smoke bomb!

I heard everyone's coughs including my own. Some were confused and kept murmuring things I don't understand. Pero nag-focus lang ako sa paghahanap ng lugar na walang usok. Damn, where's the exit?

"Nasaan na siya?!"

"Hanapin niyo siya! Dalian niyo!"

"Meet me in the parking lot," I heard Zen whispered to me. I couldn't see him clearly because of the mist. Nang kapain ko ang pinanggalingan ng kanyang boses, wala na siya roon.

I continued coughing as the mist sluggishly fades away. My sight began being clear again and my eyes met everyone still dealing with the smokes around them.

Nang tuluyan nang mawala ang usok, few minutes after officer Ginny's arrival, nagulat kami nang makitang nakaupo ang suspect at matiwasay na natutulog habal nakasandal sa glass wall. There was a single phantom card on her lap.

I didn't know who made her unconscious — could be Zen or his assistant. But that was a clever move. Pwede rin kasing gamitin ng suspect ang smoke bomb na binato ni Zen para makatakas siya.

Most of the constable were vexed, especially officer Ginny Cagas who kept cussing and ranting about how the phantom detective impersonate her identity. When all was settled down, I came to parking lot to meet Zen just like what he told me so.

There's nobody around except for distinct cars around — and that one familiar car. It's Sophie's!

I ran towards their direction, bearing something heavy on my chest, filled with nervousness and fear.

The case is over — and now we're back to our main agenda. A very grievous situation where I think my sanity would betray me.

Bumukas ang pinto sa backseat and I saw Zen waiting for me. He had taken off the disguise to avoid being suspicious to Sophie's eyes. When I hop in, Sophie was sitting on the passenger seat. She asked the chauffeur to leave hence we could talk privately.

"Kenton was resting on his bed today," panimula ni Sophie sa usapan sa sobrang lungkot ng boses. "Sabi niya. . . we deserved a rest and think about it overnight."

"About what?" nag-aalala kong tanong.

"About what we should do."

"Sophie, you told me earlier that you were doing something—"

"Wala akong mahanap!" she shouted which almost flinched me. She pressed her eyes closed in visible frustration, massaging her right temple.

Zen was just silently observing us. Hindi ko alam kung may balak ba siyang magsalita o ano. His face was just like an innocent child listening to his mother, talking about businesses he didn't understand.

"What do you mean, wala kang mahanap?"

"There's no one . . . willing to help us."

Those words shattered my heart into pieces. Words that sink my whole system down to a dim abyss, waiting for someome to reach out a hand and pull me out. What was she talking about? No, no. There must be something we could do.

"M-May paraan pa. . . Losing hope won't help us." I tried attaining the appropriate optimism though my voice, I know, was shaky.

Sophie leaned her elbow on the door and covered her eyes with her palm. Her breaths were heavy and I saw the tears streaning down her cheeks.