"EVERY single one of these 'guests' are criminals."
The line instantly felt like a stab wound to the chest.
'He can't be serious...can he?' Brown eyes suddenly swept over the mass of bodies occupying the grand ballroom. Dahil sa isiniwalat ni Nico, unti-unting nagbago ang imahe ng mga magagarbong damit at kumikinang na mga alahas. To Nova, these luxuries and unsuspecting faces are now bathed in a different light, morphing into sheer ruthlessness and blood stain.
Criminals.
No, Nico would never even dare joke about something as grave as this.
'If that airheaded emo even knows how to joke at all.'
Sa kanyang tabi, napansin niyang natahimik si Clyde. Ang nakapagtataka, walang bahid ng anumang pagkagulat o pagkabahala ang ekspresyon ng athropologist. It was a subtle shift in expression that didn't go unnoticed by his "date" for tonight.
"You knew?"
Clyde sighed and finished his first glass of champagne before answering.
"The person I told you about earlier..."
The pink haired female frowned and sarcastically replied, "You just told me he was trouble! Hindi mo naman sinabing kriminal pala siya. Don't you think that tiny detail is important?"
Bago pa man tuluyang ma-interrogate ni Nova ang kanyang katabi, Minnesota pointed out, "Kung puro kriminal ang mga bisita sa event na ito, hindi ba't nakakapagtakang ginawa pa nilang guests of honor ang dalawang detectives? I'm having a bad feeling about this." Muling itinupi ni Min ang papel at ibinalik ito sa detective.
"I suspect that's the whole point," Nico simply said. His eyes still inconspicuously roaming the room, as if he was engraving every single detail to memory. Ang mga kriminal na mismo ang umiiwas ng kanilang mga tingin sa kanya. In fact, compared to earlier, some of the guests seem like they've completely lost interest in them. Meanwhile, a few still threw them intrigued and disgusted glances. "To whoever invited us to this ball, we're just where he or she wants us to be."
Naalala na naman ni Nova ang sinabi ng head butler kanina noong unang pagtapak nila sa mansyon.
"Ang sabi ni Bernie si Madame Hartwick ang nag-imbita sa'tin."
"And you believed that? The dead can't speak, Nova. Not when they're a bag of bones back in Eastwood. Fortunately..." Maya-maya pa, inilabas na ni Nico ang maliit na ziplock bag na naglalaman ng kapirasong buto.
"...I kept this as a souvenir."
"What the? Ugh. We're not even sure of that," she countered. "Hindi pa nave-verify kung sa kanya nga ang mga butong 'yon! Hintayin lang natin ang results ng ECU."
"Time is a luxury, especially for crime."
"Nico, she's been dead for over a decade! Mahihirapan tayong i-identify ang biktima."
"Well, we have no choice, Nova," the greatest detective in Eastwood said as he studied the remains of someone long forgotten, turning the ziplock bag in his hand. "Dahil ang taong pumatay sa kanya ang nananatakot ngayon sa Eastwood."
Anong...?
Three claps.
Naglaho ang musika.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!"
Natigil ang kanilang usapan nang pumalakpak at nagsalita si Bernie sa sentro ng ballroom. Just like the other servants of the mansion, the head butler was clad in fine gold and satin. Pero agaw-eksena ang nakasukbit na itim na rosas sa kanyang breast pocket.
Indeed, there seems to be at theme.
"Thank you all for joining us this evening as we celebrate Insula Diaboli's Ball. Unfortunately, Madame Hartwick cannot join us because of her health conditions, but she sends her regards and wishes everyone an eventful evening!"
Nakabibinging palakpakan ang kasunod nito. Maging ang mga kriminal ay tila naengganyo sa mga pangyayari.
The musicians started playing a new song.
Clyde offered his hand.
Nico took Min.
The dance started.
Two detectives dancing among a sea of criminals.
'This is to be a long night,' Nova thought.
---
YOU ARE READING
04 | Bones Of Terror
Mystery / Thriller"Nico, she's been dead for over a decade! Mahihirapan tayong i-identify ang biktima." "Well, we have no choice, Nova," the greatest detective in Eastwood said as he studied the remains of someone long forgotten. "Dahil ang taong pumatay sa kanya ang...
