The Sleuth Project ✓

Chapter 16: Meow-some Clues

/16/
Meow-some Clues

---

"OKAY, OKAY. Ito mas maganda." Jarrell grinned mischievously, rubbing his hands together. "The six-y detectives, hot on your trail!"

"Seriously Jarrell, you need to let it go." Quinn muttered before slapping the back of Jarrell's head.

Right now, the six were currently gathered around the living room, pondering over their next decision now that the culprit seems to be aware of their existence in relation to the case. Kailangan na nilang umaksyon at unahan na ma-expose ang mastermind — before the thief could expose Ann and Rein's secret partnership. 

"Gets niyo ba?? 'Di niyo ata gets eh!" Jarrell whined, still insisting on using the team name that he had thought of a few seconds ago. Dahil dito ay hindi mapigilan ni Sera na umirap.

"Gets namin, okay? Korni ka lang!" She retorted. "Now shut up so we can think! Having a team name is the least of our priorities right now."

"Tsk. Who made her boss?" Iritadong tanong ni Jarrell kay Rein at Ann na napangisi.

"Tama si Sera." Queenie butted in, nervously glancing at the wall clock. "What we need now is to plan our next move on finding who the culprit is. Pag hindi pa tayo umaksyon ngayon, mas mapapahamak lang tayo. Besides, us being here is risky. Girls aren't allowed in the boys' dormitory."

"So? Papaano?" Yamot na tanong ni Jarrell. "Ni wala pa nga tayong lead."

At his question, Ann stood up from the couch where she was tending Rein's bruises and wounds a few moments ago. Lahat sila ay napatingin sa dalaga.

"Actually, we kinda have." Ann remarked, hands on her hips before looking around to survey the boys' messed-up room. "What better lead do we have than to investigate the crime scene? I'm sure the vandal would have left even the smallest of clues."

Napatango naman si Rein at tumayo na rin mula sa sofa. "Let's split up. Us boys will investigate our respective rooms, Ann you start with the dining room, Sera in the kitchen, and Queenie here in the living room."

Napatango naman yung apat at agad na pumunta sa kanilang mga assigned na lugar hanggang sa naiwan si Jarrell kasama ni Queenie sa sala. He scratched his head in confusion. "What are we looking for again?"

"Anything that can help us figure out the vandal's identity." Queenie replied with a chuckle, patting his shoulder.

Napakibit-balikat nalang ito bago pumunta sa kaniyang kwarto, habang pinuntahan naman ni Queenie ang mga letrang nakasulat sa dingding. The young girl frowned as she studied it closer, noting the way the letters were written. 

She then reached out into the pocket of her skirt to get another piece of an unused cotton bud. Queenie was going to use it to obtain a sample from the ink used to write the threat on the boys' wall. Balak kasi ng dalaga na i-test rin ang pigment pagkabalik nilang mga babae sa kanilang kwarto, as she wanted to know whether the stains on their girls' dormitory room, and the stains here in the boys' dormitory room, would match. 

As soon as she had dabbed enough of the ink, she then went to the kitchen where Sera was poking through the boys' cupboards, grabbing a ziplock bag from one of the drawers. Ipinasok ng dalaga ang cotton bud sa ziplock for safekeeping.

By the time she had returned back to the living room, she momentarily stopped to read the threat from afar with a frown.

Ann on the other hand, had the phone of her flashlight turned on as she scoured the area of the boys' dining room. From what she can deduce, it seemed that the boys hadn't recently eaten in the room. "Mas amoy pagkain ba yung sala kaysa dito." She mumbled, standing up straight.