Chapter 27
I WAS in a deep slumber because as usual, I did not slept for the entire night when I heard a shout. Basically, I will sleep and don’t mind that but that was before. The new Lacey was born with sensitive ears; one wrong move, I will immediately woke up and see it myself. See, I’m a certified gossiper too now.
I stretched my arms and frowned then afterwards, I look at my seatmate to see nothing. Ryo was not in his sit. I peeked on the back to see no sign of human being.
I faced palm before standing up yet a jacket fell kaya tinignan at pinulot ko iyon to see Red’s jacket. My forehead creased and stood straight before peeking in front—where Red is located to see no one, pati na rin iyong katabi niya.
Where the heck are they?
Sinuot ko ang jacket ng maayos before roaming my sight to the place. I saw few people; everyone’s gone or take a bathroom?
That’s weird. Where were they?
No chance, I walks towards a lady and cleared my throat. “Good morning. I just have a question. Where were the people in this flight? I can’t see them,” I inquired before wandering my sight again.
She smiled at me before answering. “In what I had heard, someone fainted? I’m not really sure though but if you’re finding your friends, they head this way.” She answered and point a direction. I bowed and thanked her before heading to the place where the lady mentioned.
And she was not joking, I saw half of the passengers encircling in the bathroom whilst perhaps is gossiping to the accident.
I excused myself and luckily, they let me pass by. And as expected, I saw the four.
“Passengers, please proceed to your sits and do not panic. We’ll fix this problem,” the flight attendant said after Ryo has spoken to her.
“Oh, Lace. You’re awake,” well, thanks for stating what’s so obvious, Aoi.
I smiled a bit to her. “I heard a shout and notices that you guys are missing so I went to find you four,”
Tumango-tango ito bago iniba ang tingin na sinundan ko. There, I saw a body, sitting on the cold floor.
“How about an emergency landing? Flight attendant, say it to the pilot!” one of the passengers shouted, making us to look at him.
“Sire,” then Ryo paused, clearing his throat. “An emergency landing is not required,” he continued.
“And what do you mean by that?” a lady meddled, making Ryo winced. I saw that, of course.
“He mean, there’s no point in landing the plane from its original course if a passenger is dead,” Red replied in the lady before gazing to me kaya napataas ang kilay ko. What’s with the glance? Tss!
“After all, how would that help?” he resumes, gaining either positive or negative feedbacks from the passengers.
“Oh, sire,” Tyron butted in loosening his necktie when the dude was about so speak again. Seriously with this man, he will just sit and wait for the airplane to land yet he wore a formal suit. Ugh, weirdo.
“Let’s us move the body to a seat with few other passengers nearby,” he lapsed yet before he can continue to speak, another voice interfere.
“What?! It should be in his seat?!” an old lady intrude which I found unrespectful. Can they wait my fellas to finish first?
“That’s correct. Putting the dead body back into his own seat in an upright position using the seatbelt to hold the body in place, correct, yet we will encounter a problem there, passengers. How about those people who does not want to see the body?” he asked and start walking to the dead body. He gained a silence to the passengers and that’s a cue for him to continue.
“Alright. Covering the body with a blanket? Right. But what’s more accurate is putting and covering the body in a row with empty seats, is that alright for everyone?” Tyron inquired and half of the gossipers passengers agreed and thumbs up.
Ryo then walks towards the flight attendant who seems tensed; not knowing what to do first and Red assist the people go back to their desires seats and let us handle the rest.
“Notify the cockpit so the pilot can aware the destination airport and prepare the proper authorities to meet the flight once the plane lands. The corpse and anyone traveling with the deceased should stay where they are while the other passengers who is not with the body will disembark. At that point, medical professionals and airport authorities take over. Please do announce that. Leave everything behind us,” I heard Ryo stated to the flight attendant after I pass by them.
Lumapit ako kay Aoi na may hawak na kumot, malapit kasi siya sa namatay. I sighed before kneeling and examining the body.
“This is clearly not a suicide. By looking at the red scratch on his neck, someone strangled him,” a voice made me lift my head while I traced the marks with a handkerchief on my fingertip. Of course, safety will always be above all else.
“I agree, Atienza. Based also on the scratches in his arm.” Ryo lift the deceased’s arm before showing us a scratches. It seems like inipit iyon.
“I already checked his luggages to found nothing that can be a close thing to the marks on his neck and arm. It was all a clothes and hygiene kits that can’t be point as the thing that killed him,” then he stop right in front of Aoi after saying those to us.
“Come with me. Let’s lure the possible suspects,” I mentally chuckled because of that. Those two really knows how to lure the suspects.
“Based on the scrape in his neck, the murder weapon is perhaps a thin, semi-circular weapon. I said semi-circular because towards the nape, there was no sign of the scrape,” Ryo ahead bago inabot ang braso nitong may mga kalmot.
“And this is what I do not understand. Based on his posture, he died due to lack of air when the murderer choked him so what’s with these scrabbles then?” he continued before letting go of the arm. Umupo ito dahil sa bakanteng upuan. Nandito kasi kami sa walang gaanong katao.
“Perhaps it’s a sign of struggles...” Red suggested and I agreed.
Someone cleared his throat kaya napatingin kami kay Tyron. He’s with Aoi with four people in their back.
“This is the deceased’s relatives. James, and friends Mariel and Clarence with his sister Claire. The victim’s name is Joseph,” Tyron introduced them. Red motioned them to sit down. Claire and Mariel’s eyes are red while sadness was visible to the fellas.
“Hmm. I see. We have few inquiries regarding Joseph,” panimula ni Red yet James harshly stood up.
“Who are you to meddle in our business?” he hotly said before piercing us through his gaze. As if we would be scared, man.
“Correction, our business since the murdered happened here in the plane. Besides, why are you so furious? Oh well, unless...” I paused and mirrored the same intensity of his gaze with my eyebrows furrowed, almost forming a v-line.
Umupo ito na sinundan ko ng tingin, I hissed secretly. Tss, acting like an arrogant man doesn’t suit him.
Then, I heard Tyron’s soft laughters beside me while shaking his head. “Now, let’s start. Joseph died, not because he is suicidal but someone murdered him. Around this time, or more accurate is... where were you before he died?” Ryo asked them and crossed his arms on his chest, trying to intimidate Joseph’s fellow.
