Euclid Shellingford (Volume 2)

CHAPTER 35.3: The Coinciding Cases at Elite's Academy (Part 4)

"Would you mind some coffee?" alok ko sa kanila. "As you can see, I was just up from bed and I need some coffee to stimulate my sleepy brain cells, so if you wouldn't mind..."

"We'll take on that offer! Coffee with two creamer and sweetener on me! Black coffee na lang sa kanilang dalawa kasi boring sila!" agad na sabi ni Mr. Jerson Bayeta. Tama nga ang impression namin sa kanya, he's the happy-go-lucky type and the most cheerful of the three.

"Okay! Yaya Fe, kayo na po ang bahala ahh?" nilingon ko si yaya Fe na nakatayo lang malapit sa'min. Tumango naman ang matanda at saka umalis na.

"This meeting is a little bit surprising," panimula ko. "So, anong maipaglilingkod ko sa inyo?"

"I'm not sure if you already know about us but since you mentioned my name earlier, I guess that implies that you've already started your investigation," agad na sagot ni Mr. Ebron.

"Syempre, Euclid Shellingford yan eh!" nakatawa pang sabi ni Mr. Bayeta. Oh yes, we're both from College of Engineering. No wonder, he has heard about me.

"So you've heard about the VP's death last night?" I asked.

"Yes. We were shocked of course," I slightly reacted on Mr. Gaudencio's remark. "But what's more shocking was what happened to our apartment!"

"What do you mean?"

"We were actually on our way home when one of our classmates called and ayun nga, nasusunog daw yung apartment namin," paliwanag naman ni Mr. Bayeta.

"Nasunog yung apartment na tinutuluyan niyo? Teka, ang ibig niyong sabihin ay sa iisang apartment lang kayong tatlo tumutuloy?"

"Yes, at alam kong intentional ang nangyari kagabi!" madiin, at halatang may galit ang mga salitang binitiwan ni Mr. Ebron.

"What do you mean intentional?"

"They want to get rid of all our data!" Napatangu-tango naman ako sa naging sagot nito. So that's how the admin did their counterattack.

"I see you're not surprised," seryosong sabi ni Mr. Gaudencio.

"I'm sorry about that," I apologized.

"Ahh?" halos lahat kami'y napalingon kay Nico na siyang may dala ng tray na may mga tasa ng kape. "Ang aga mo naman silang pinapunta Euclid?"

"I did not summon them. They just found their way here," sabi ko sa kanya at saka kinuha ang isa sa mga tasa.

"So may umamin na ba sa kanila kung sinong pumatay kay VP?" halos masamid ako sa biglang tanong ni Nico.

"You're suspecting us?" malakas na tanong ni Mr. Bayeta.

"Why, yes," si Razor ang sumagot sa tanong nito. "We've investigated the e-mails the VP had before he died and you guys are involved."

Natahimik naman ang tatlo.

"Dr. Madrigal died at around 11PM last night when he fell from his condo unit on the 20th floor. Now, pwede ba naming malaman kung nasaan at anong ginagawa niyo nang mangyari ang krimen?" panimula ko.

"I was typing some articles at around 10PM last night kaya lang ay nagutom ako so I decided to come out. Dinala ko na lang yung laptop ko and stayed at the nearest 7/11 until 2AM. Nakita ko pa nga kayong bumili ng coffee doon sa katapat na coffee shop at past 12 eh," sagot ni Mr. Ebron. So he was referring to the 7/11 near our village. From there, aabutin ng mahigit 15 to 20 minutes para makapunta sa condo unit ng biktima kung sasakay ng kotse.

"You stayed at 7/11 for 4 hours?" gulat na gulat na tanong ni Nico dito.

"Yes, hindi ko namalayan ang oras eh. After that, bumalik na ko sa apartment namin at doon ko nalaman na nasusunog na pala ito at kasalukuyang inaapula na ng mga bumbero ang apoy. Agad kong tinawagan yung dalawa at maya-maya, dumating na din sila pareho."