Enigma

REVALAUN

I could feel the atmosphere becoming thick and heavy with tension. The look on everyone's faces were masked with fear and confusion as they watch Detective Davis drew closer to Gavin who in return stared back at her, bewildered.

Everyone else didn't dare say or do anything. We all froze in our spots and stared at the sight of her aiming a gun at Gavin, who slowly held his hands up in the air.

"Davis, may I know why you're doing this?" tanong ni Gavin, nililibot ang tingin sa paligid, at nahihiyang sinalubong ang mga mata namin.

"You're now a primary suspect for the murder of Rage Uy," she declared, and then nod her head at Gavin's car. "Scratches and dents. Car. Bus. I don't think I need to explain any further because I know you're sharp enough to realize what I mean."

Gavin's frowned. "All because of that?"

"Arrest him."

What happened after his arrest passed by in a blur.

I heard Detective Davis was summoned by Chief Marco. He didn't blink an eye when Detective Davis told him everything she knew. That's when I heard Chief Marco started questioning her competence in front of everyone and shamed her for arresting a man without any basis of evidence.

Napahilamos ako sa mukha.

Alam namin pareho na hindi ito ang unang beses na nagkamali siya ng galaw. The first time was with my sister, the second was with Schneider (although they found evidence afterwards, they still hadn't forgotten how she confront the Chief Prosecutor Benedict Schneider III), and now this, with her own partner and the son of the Chief of Police.

"You okay? Here's your milkshake."

"Yeah, never better," sabi niya, at kinuha ang milkshake sa kamay ko.

"Ano ba ang paliwanag ni Gavin?"

Umirap siya, halatang ayaw niya ng pag-usapan ang nangyari.

"May nakabangga raw sa sasakyan niya sa parkehan. Nakita niya na lang kinabukasan ang estado ng kotse niya. Siguro taong pumaparke sana sa tabi ng sasakyan niya pero natamaan ang kotse niya at umalis agad para takasan ang responsibilidad."

"Do you believe him?"

"Not one bit. That's why I'm here to talk about shit," sagot niya.

Tiningnan niya ako ng masama.

"Huwag mo ibuntong sa'kin ang galit mo," depensa ko sa sarili. "Sino ba kasi ang basta-basta umaaresto ng walang ebidensiya?"

Inirapan niya ako.

"Enjoy your milkshake, ma'am," tugon ko, mabilis na naglakad palayo bago pa siya may masabi. Baka isipin pa ni Mr. Claus may inaaway akong customer.

Sa diner kami ni Mr. Claus pagkatapos ng nangyari. Halos buong araw nandito si Detective Davis, iniiwasan si Gavin.

Malayo sa nakabusangot na mukha ni Detective Davis ang pagkatuwa ni Mr. Claus nang makitang may bago kaming customer. Iniisip niya siguro nanatili dito si Detective Davis dahil nasarapan sa mga pagkain ng diner, pero ang totoo naghanap lang siya ng lugar na makakalayo sa kritisismo ng iba.

I'm not saying that his food is bad, but no one these days pays attention to old-fashioned diners. So having a customer staying almost the whole day is a rarity for Mr. Claus.

Ikinatuwa niya pa nang makita ang mga bagong dating, si Taylor at si Tobi. Natawa ako sa nakitang nakabusangot na mukha ni Taylor habang tinutulak ang wheelchair ni Tobi.