MHOREIN
Tahimik ang funeral home. Sa harap namin ay nakaayos ang puting lalagyan kung saan nakalagay ang abo ni Inspector Arcilla. Sa likod nito ang bandila, Pinapaligiran ng iba't ibang klase ng bulaklak. Nasa bandang gilid ang malaking litrato ng bayaning namatay sa serbisyo, Si Inspector Arcilla.
Nakapaligid sa amin ang kalahati ng agency at police department. Ang iba ay bukas pa dadalaw, O nakadalaw na. Nandito rin ang ibang kaibigan at pamilya ni Inspector.
Including me, Chain and Aiden. Knowing Aiden for a while, I have never seen him so devastated. With dark circles under his puffy eyes, messy hair and a rough scruff. He's been assisting Inspector Arcilla's family with the wake and other arrangements.
Hindi ko naman siya masisisi na ganito na lang ang pagaabala at pagaasikaso niya.
Aiden had known Inspector Arcilla even before we worked together. He used to mention how the Inspector treated him like a son when he was just a trainee and before he was assigned to work with us. Aiden developed a fatherly bond with him. Dahil narin siguro sa pagkamatay ng ama ni Aiden bata pa lamang ito.
"Gusto niyo ba ng maiinom o pagkain?" Jane, The inspector's wife offered chips and soda. We smiled and shook our heads.
Tears started to form on my eyes while looking at what was once someone we knew and loved. After seeing many deaths, I have never thought of it like this. I personally never lost anyone close to me. But now seeing how important our jobs are and how we can give justice to those who died in the arms of the living. I need to continue doing this. For the sake of Inspector Arcilla.
Life really is unfair. Just like the past cases we've had. From the richest of the rich, to the poorest of the poor or to the commoners.
Robert Alton Harris was right, You can be a king or a street sweeper, But everybody dances with the grim reaper.
The peace and silence of the funeral home was disturbed by a woman screaming and crying from what seems like rooms away.
My first instict was to stand up and run outside, Towards three rooms away where another wake was being hosted.
I looked at the photo outside the door. A teen boy who was fairly attractive and wore a bright smile. I heard Chain and Aiden behind me.
"Everybody calm down! We're professionals! What's with the commotion?!" Chain loudly said. Nakaakit naman ng atensyon ang komosyon.
"Diyos ko po! Maawa kayo, Diyos ko!" We heard a woman say as she pointed on a casket.
Nagkasalubong ang kilay ko nang mapansing nasa sahig ito at... Walang laman.
I felt someone hold onto my shoulder. I looked at Aiden who had a very confused yet scared expression. To be honest it's the first time I saw his face have a reaction since the Inspetor died.
"Huminga ho muna kayo nang malalim, Anong nangyari dito?" A man beside him looked at me when I asked.
"Sino kayo?" Tanong niya.
"Detective Mhorein Layla Agustin. Mga kasamahan ko sila. Detective Chain Yuan Castranuevo at si officer Aiden Jake Ignatio." Ipinakita ko ang I.D. ko para narin magtiwala sila sa amin.
"Iniwan namin ng mga kapatid ko ang asawa ko dito para bumili ng pagkain at iba pang kailangan dito. Pagbalik namin nakatulog na ang asawa ko at wala na sa kabaong ang anak namin." The father explained.
I looked at Chain and Aiden. Chain stared at the casket.
"You left her alone?" Chain asked. They both nodded.
"Well, Mhorein?" Chain was waiting for me to confirm that we're doing this. Though Im so drained, I felt the need and interest to do this.
"Aalamin namin kung ano ang nangyari sa anak niyo." I assured the middle aged couple. The wife was crying in her husband's chest.
"Aiden, Everyone other than family of the dead can be escorted away from the scene." Aiden just nodded and followed. I faced the couple again.
"Pwede ho bang malaman ang pangalan ninyo?"
"Maria Dela Fuena at Aries Dela Fuena." The woman said. We all looked out side confused when a group of people ran and screamed.
Chain and I didnt waste time and ran after them.
"Wait! We're detectives! Stop!" The group of teens stopped and ran back to us, Panting.
"Oh my god! Nakakita kami ng multo! Mayroong multo!" One of them screamed in panic.
"Calm down, Calm down. Tell us what happened." Chain told them. After seconds of heavy panting and oh my god's, They calmed down enough to talk to ys properly.
"That... That guy we saw, he's wearing black pants and a polo shirt,"
"Tapos iyong makeup niya! Parang galing siya sa kabaong!" One of them explained. Chain and I looked at each other. Both of us had a clue of what was happening. Aiden just hid behind us.
"Saan niyo siya nakita?" They pointed the exit. We looked at it and no one was there.
"Mhorein... There's no one there..." Aiden whispered behind me.
"I know." We went back to the couple and told them about what happened.
"Tingin niyo ba siya iyon? Pero sabi ng doktor patay na ang anak namin." Sabi ni Mr. Dela Fuena
Chain whispered in my ear.
"There's holes under the casket." Tinignan ko ito. Meron nga.
"Napansin niyo na ba ito?" Mrs. Dela Fuena shook her head.
"Well. This must've been planned. Your son could have been a victim of attempted murder. We'll try and figure what happened." I told them.
"Ano ho ang sinabi sa inyong cause of death?" Chain asked.
"Inatake raw sa puso ang anak namin, Sabi ng doktor."
"Pwede ho ba naming mahingi ang pangalan ng doktor at hospital nito?"
"Hindi namin alam," Nagkatingin kaming tatlo.
"Wala kami dito nang mamatay siya. Pareho kaming nasa probinsya. Nagpaalam ang anak namin na mageensayo para sa teyatro kasama ang mga kaibigan niya."
"Saka nalamang sinabi sa amin nung namatay na siya, Hindi namin naabutan sa hospital ang anak namin."
That's odd. His friends didnt inform them about the incident the moment it happened. Or when he was at the hospital.
"I have a feeling these friends are involved."
YOU ARE READING
Encoded
Mystery / Thriller(#5 - MysteryThriller) City Detectives Series 1: Encoded Bizzare crimes have been taking place in Leounet city. More than detectives Mhorein Layla Agustin and Chain Yuan Castranuevo are used to. A series of encoded letters were left on the crime sce...
