"Kill Me, Attorney." (Law Series #3)

PART THIRTY-THREE: THE WILD BEAR

The sound coming from the police's sirens resonated in the whole place.

Policemen were everywhere, making sure that people who were  gossiping and trying to take a glimpse of the crime won't disturb the investigation being held by the forensics.

With a heavy heart and swollen eyes, I looked once again at the crime scene.

By there, I saw a man on top of a car. His bloods were scattered everywhere and he died with his eyes still wide opened.

Muli akong pumikit nang mariin at umiyak.

"Pa..." bulong ko at nagsimula muling humagulgol.

Ramdam ko ang biglaang pagyakap sa 'kin ng isang babae. Pagtingin ko ay si Avery iyon. Hindi ito kumikibo at may luha rin sa mga mata.

Few minutes back, the moment my dad threw himself off after revealing everything to me, I ran immediately outside to help him out—but I was late. He died the moment his head hit the top of the car.

Of course, hindi ako naniwala. I begged everyone to bring him to the hospital but even Traise Stevens confirmed his time of death.

Nagmaka-awa ako. Lumuhod. Hindi ko kayang tanggapin. Ilang beses ko silang kinumbinsi. Ilang beses akong humagulgol at halos magwala dahil hindi ko kayang maniwala. Hanggang sa nanghina nalang ako at hindi na makapagsalita. Hindi ko na malaman ang gagawin.

"Please don't tell me he's dead..." sabi ko kay Avery at pumikit nang mariin. "Hindi patay si papa..."

Hindi sumagot si Avery at umiwas lang ng tingin at doon ko napansing tumulo na rin ang luha niya.

"Avery..." sabi ko at humagulhol. Muli akong pinagtinginan ng mga tao. "Dalhin niyo sa ospital si papa..."

"I understand your pain, Neska," sagot ni Traise na pinanunuod kami. "But I need to be honest. There's... nothing that we can do. Your dad was scared to face the consequences of his crimes so he put the justice on his hand."

Pumikit ako nang mariin at hindi malaman ang sasabihin.

Turned out, si papa pala ang pumapatay sa mga kababaihan.

Ang tatay ko na pinalaki akong huwag mang-aapi at mang-aabuso ng tao.

Ang tatay ko na suportado ako kahit hindi ako ganoon ka-husay sa eskwela.

Ang tatay ko na kahit nagugutom ay ibibigay sa akin ang pagkain niya dahil ayaw niya 'kong pumapasok sa eskwela nang walang laman ang tiyan.

Ang tatay ko na hindi nagparamdam sa 'kin na kailangan ko ng ina...

Kahit na sinisinok na sa pag-iyak ay tiningnan ko sila.

"S-Siya ba talaga?" tanong ko at muling nangilid ang luha sa mga mata. "S-Si papa ba talaga?"

Tumango si Tyler at hagulgol nalang ang naging tugon ko.

"He did it because of me..." I said and my voice cracked. "Pinapatay nila ang mga babaeng—"

"We know," putol ni Courtney nang mapansin niyang nanginginig na ako at hindi ko na ma-kontrol ang pag-iyak. "It's on the confession tape of Casper's dad before he died in MRT. We know the motive, hindi lang namin alam kung sinong babae ang tinutukoy nila."

"And it's you," putol ni Traise. "All along..."

I bit my lower lip and closed my eyes hardly.

"Paano niyo nalaman na si papa pala?"

Nagkatinginan silang apat at hindi malaman ang sasabihin.

"Gising na si Aubrielle," sagot ni Avery. "She told Casper and Andrius to save you. The two of them called us and informed us...that it was your dad who poisoned Aubrielle and... and..."