Chapter 13- CLUE

KASALUKUYANG hindi makatingin sa mga mata ng kaniyang tiyuhin si Leopold. Pakiramdam niya ay batid na niya ang maaaring sabihin nito sa kaniya.

Simula kasi noong mag bitiw siya sa serbisyo anim na taon na rin ang nakararaan ay madalang na lamang silang magkita nito.

Iniiwasan kasi niya na magpakita rito sapagkat palagi lamang siya nitong pinipilit na bumalik mula sa serbisyo.

“Ilang taon tayong hindi nag kita pagkatapos ay malalaman ko lang na nakakulong ka rito, Leo?”

Hindi kaagad na nakasagot ang binata. Napasimangot naman ang nakatatandang Rodriguez dahil dito. “What now? Are you practicing your

rights of silence?”

“I-its not what you think, sir. I didn’t harm anyone let alone kill them. This is all a misunderstanding,” paliwanag niya sa tiyuhin.

“I know. I’m not here to blame you but to bail you out.”

“You don’t have to do that, sir.”

“I’m your uncle. That’s what family do.”

Smug naman na ngumiti lang si Raymund na tila ba proud na proud ito sa ginawang paghingi ng saklolo sa tiyuhin.

Sinenyasan naman ni Leopold ang lalaki na mananagot ito sa kaniya sa sandaling maalis ang rehas nnamamagitan sa kanila na agad namang nagpawala sa mga ngiti ng binata.

Matapos sermunan ang pamangkin ay agad na tinungo ni General Rodriguez ang hepe ng istasyon kasama ang sekretarya nito upang makipag negosasyon.

Ilang minuto lang ang lumipas ay may isang pulis na rin ang nagbukas ng selda at pinalabas si Leopold. Nakangiting tumango lang sa kaniya ang matandang nakausap niya.

“Mauuna na po ako, maraming salamat po sa inyo,” paalam ng binata sa matanda.

“Mag-iingat ka sa labas, Leopold. Hindi patas ang mundo.”

Na-appreciate naman ng binata angnaging payo nito. Hindi lahat ay magagawang magpayo sa mga bagong kilala pa lamang nila.

Marahil katilad nang nadarama niyang gaan ng pakiramdam dito ay ganoon din ang nadarama nito.

“Huwag po kayong mag-alala gagawin ko ang lahat upang matulungan kayong malinis ang pangalan ninyo,” pangako pa ni Leopold sa matanda na tanging ngiti lamang ang kayang ipagkaloob sa kaniyang kabutihang loob ng mga sandaling iyon.

General Rodriguez successfully bailed his nephew out. He coordinated with the chief of police to resolve the matter quietly and to avoid future damages to the institution’s reputation.

He promised them that he would personally lock him in prison after finding out the truth.

“Let’s go,” utos ni General Rodriguez sa dalawang pamangkin.

“To where?” Leopold asked.

“To my office. I need to discuss something with you.”

Raymund felt that he was not needed that moment so he decided to leave the two gentlemen alone after bidding his goodbye to them.

General Rodriguez thank Raymund for informing him about Leopold’s situation and promised to take him out to lunch the next day.

While on the other hand, Leopold was reluctant to go to his uncle’s office since being there reminds him of his past.

But he knew that his uncle would be hurt if he won’t come. Besides, it is him who helped him this time. He owed him a lot.T he two of them went inside the General’s car when it arrived.

After almost half an hour they arrived at his uncle’s office. General Rodriguez took out a bottle of rum and offered his nephew a glass.

“Don’t tell me that you invited me here just to recruit me again?” Leopold asked.

General Rodriguez smirked and shook his head. “I wish I could.”

“So?”

“I want you to personally investigate and find out who was the real culprit behind Almeda’s murder.”

Leopold was stunned to hear this. He was not expecting that his uncle would let him investigate rather than giving this mission to his men.

The man honestly think that the old man just wanted to chat with him after being away for too long, but he was mistaken.

“Why would you go this far, Tito?” 

“I thought I already told you earlier. You’re a part of my family so I won’t let your ass rot in that jail,” General Rodriguez answered. “And I was the one who sent you out on that mission so it is my fault that your comrades died. You suffered a lot from that mistake, son. I am truly sorry.”

Leopold strangely felt happy on how his uncle cared for him. Even though he cut off his ties from his uncle nearly seven years ago.

Tinungga niya ang alak na inabot sa kaniya nito at tinalikuran na ang matanda. Pero bago pa siya makalabas sa pinto ay muli siyang pumihit paharap dito.

“Thanks, Tito. I would never let you down. I will not tarnish your reputation.”

Ngumiti sa kaniya ang heneral. “I know.”

Matapos nito ay tuluyan na siyang lumabas mula sa opisina nito at nagmadali pauwi kay Lia.

Nang makarating siya sa kanilang tahanan ay nadatnan niyang tulog ang bata sa silid nito habang si Harmony naman ang natutulog sa sofa.

Harmony woke up after he felt Leopold’s movements. His eyes widened after realizing that it was just Leopold.

“Bossing!” Harmony wailed. “Mabuti naman nakalabas ka na?”

“Yeah. How’s the restaurant?” Leopold inquired.

“Everything’s good. Kuya Raymund stayed there while you were in prison,” Harmony replied. “Should I wake Lia?”

“Huwag na. Let her sleep. How was she?”

“Okay lang siya. Sinabi ko lang na nasa business meeting ka para hindi ka niya masyadong hanapin.”

“Thank you, Harm. I owe you big time.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Hindi na rin hinayaan pa ni Leopold na umuwi si Harmony at doon na lamang sa kaniyang silid ito pinagpahinga. Hindi naman na ito kumontra pa dala na rin ng pagod.

Leopold went to Lia’s room and watched her sleeping. His lips curved in relief knowing that she was not affected by his father’s situation. He kissed her forehead and went to bed.

KINABUKASAN ay inihatid niya ang bata sa paaralan. Matapos nito ay agad siyang naghanap ng mga clues upang matunton kung sino ang tunay na pumatay kay Crisostomo Almeda.

Bumalik siya sa crime scene. Naroon pa ang police line pati na rin ang lines to preserve the body’s position. Nananatili pa rin sa lupa ang mga natuyong dugo ng biktima.

Leopold started to look around.

Searching for other evidences that might help him to locate the real culprit. He searched down the alley trying to look for any CCTV cameras but to no avail.

He went back to the crime scene to check if there’s any car that had dashcams installed but there are many cars during the night of incident.

He immediately closed his eyes and tried to remember the night when he saw someone attacking Almeda.

Leopold immediately opened his eyes to look for a certain car. Nakita niya ang isang pamilyar na white SUV na naka-park sa isang gilid.

Base sa itsura ng sasakyan ay mukhang hindi pa ito umaalis sa posisyon nito mula nang huli niya itong makita dahil sa makapal na alikabok sa windshield nito.

Mabilis niyang inalis ang alikabok sa parteng itaas ng windshield para makita kung mayroong naka-install na dashcam doon.

Napangiti siya nang makita ang pag blink ng red dot doon. Ibig sabihin lamang nito ay gumagana ang dashcam at maaaring na-record nito ang naganap na krimen.

Tinungo niya ang likuran ng sasakyan at tinandaan ang plate number nito. XYX 2523

Mabilis niyang dinial ang numero ng kaibigan niyang nagtatrabaho sa land transportation office. Inalam niya kung sino ang nagmamay-ari sa puting sasakyan.

Hindi naman nag dalawang isip na tumulong sa kaniya ang kaibigan at ibinigay pa sa kaniya pati ang contact number ng may-ari ng SUV. 

Pumayag naman ito na makipagkita sa kaniya kinabukasan sapagkat ilang bloke lamang ang layo nang tahanan nito mula sa pinagpaparadahan nito ng sasakyan.

Kasalukuyang nirereview ni Leopold ang video na kuha mula sa dashcam kasama ang isa sa mga tauhan ni General Rodriguez na bihasa sa paggamit ng kompyuter.

“Sa palagay ko ay sapat na ang ebidensiyang ito para mapawalang-sala kayo Sir,” saad ng tauhan ni General Rodriguez. “Maaari na nating i-submit ito—”

“No. I need to catch the murderer,” tugon naman ni Leopold.

Muli nilang pinanood ang video. Naningkit ang mga mata ng binata nang may mapansin na maliit na detalye sa suot na hoodie ng killer.

Nakasulat doon ang pangalan ng kumpanya na itinatag ng pamilya Almeda.

Ang Almeda Electric Company. Nakapaloob pa ang mga letrang ito sa kidlat na logo ng kumpanya.