Hope of the Dying World

CHAPTER 44 - THE TRUCK

When Ferran and Sanchez's duty hours ended, they immediately went to their houses to change clothes. Ferran was still tying his shoelace when he heard the horn of Sanchez's car outside.

He quickly moved and locked his door then entered Sanchez's car. "Let's go," Sanchez said when they both settled.

Within an hour, they reached San Carlos and went straight to the oil company. Sanchez lowered the car window to talk to the guard of the Gomez Oil Company.

"Yes, sir? How may I help you?" The guard asked.

"We are police officers from San Lorenzo." Sanchez showed his police I.D. "And we came to talk to your manager."

"Wait for a moment. I'll just make a call to inform our manager if you're allowed to have a meeting with him." The guard entered the guardhouse and called their manager using the telephone.

After a little while, the guard opened the large gate for them. Sanchez beeped before finally entering the Oil Company.

They looked around and saw ten large tanker trucks parked in a wide field. When they reached the office, one of them knocked on the door.

"Come in." A voice from inside. They entered and saw a fat man, who had almost bald hair, a pair of eyeglasses, and a mustache. He was sitting on a swivel chair and reading some documents.

"Have a seat." The manager put down the paper he was holding and wrapped his hands under his chin. "How may I help you, officers?"

"We are here to ask you some things." Ferran looked at Sanchez.

"Alright. Go on."

"Is there a schedule of oil delivery this coming Thursday?" Sanchez asked.

"And why are you asking that?"

"We..." Ferran thought of an excuse. "We wanted to know 'coz maybe, it will pass along San Lorenzo. Our town is still in lockdown due to the epidemic crisis."

"Let me see." The manager checked their memo. "We have to deliver in San Mateo."

San Mateo is a town next to San Lorenzo, the tanker truck will definitely pass through San Lorenzo. Their hunch was right. The date was changed and the intervals were also correct.

"San Lorenzo will not allow any vehicle from other towns to enter on Thursday. Kindly cancel the delivery for that day," Sanchez explained.

"Is that so? But we didn't receive a memo from your local government that---"

"That's why we're here to inform you," Ferran said.

"Well, we can't just suspend the delivery 'coz it's business. Don't worry, I will call San Lorenzo's local government to ask for permission." The manager stated his final words.

"But---" Ferran would have appealed to the manager but Sanchez stopped him.

"Well then, thank you for your time. We'll be going." Sanchez stood and held out his hand to the manager to shake hands but the manager didn't accept it.

"You're from San Lorenzo. I might get infected with the disease spreading in your town." The manager said so, Sanchez put down his hand and just smirked at the manager even though he's wearing a face mask.

'Tss. Judgemental. It's a good thing he didn't accept.' Sanchez said in his mind.

"Plan B." Ferran said while they were on their way to Sanchez's car. "We need to talk to the tanker truck's driver."

"What is his name again?"

"Manuel Salas."

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They searched for the tanker truck which would have caused the accident and when Ferran recognized it, they immediately approached the man who's about to enter the truck. The man looked like in his 50's.