Macabre music swayed the bodies of criminals and detectives on the dancefloor.
Bumigat ang pakiramdam ni Nova habang patuloy na sumusunod sa kakaibang musikang pinapatugtog sa mansyon. 'Bakit ba kinukutuban ako nang masama?' Isip-isip niya, at panandaliang sinulyapan si Clyde na halatang naramdaman din ang pagbabago ng atmospera.
"We should be careful," Clyde whispered, eyeing the other dancers. "Hindi rin ako naniniwalang isang charity event lang ang lahat ng ito. It just seems too elaborate and extravagant, even for human taste."
"Agreed," Nova replied. "I'm sorry you guys tagged along. Hindi na dapat kayo sinama ni Nico."
Mahinang natawa ang forensic athropologist, mirth flashed behind his eyeglasses.
"It's too late to regret any decisions now, Miss Carlos. Lalo't hindi naman kami makakalangoy ni Min pabalik ng Eastwood. We got ourselves into this, we'll see this through."
Nova nodded, still worried.
The warm light coming from the chandelier flickered to the tune, flashed of gold and champagne colored gowns blurred her vision. It was as if they were dancing in an abandoned ghost ballroom to the instrumental of an invisible orchestra.
'A ballroom full of criminals with two detectives as guests of honor. Not to mention, the island mansion is located in the middle of nowhere.'
Gustong matawa ni Nova. Ano ba itong pinasok nila? Habang tumatagal lalo siyang naghihinala na isang patibong lang ang lahat ng ito.
"Change partners," Clyde murmured before Nova could even react. She was twirled, almost losing balance before another hand steadied hers.
'Oh, great.'
Tumalim ang mga mata ni Nova nang makita ang nakakaasar na ngiti ni Nico. God, she hates those dimples so much! Sa huli, wala na siyang nagawa kung hindi ipagsawalang-bahala ang sitwasyon at ang pagbilis ng pintig ng kanyang puso.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you? Being trapped here in a room full of criminals?" She taunted.
Nico grinned and pulled her closer, his mouth just inches above her ear. "Nothing excites me more than a good mystery novel... that I assume we'll both be protagonists to one in a while, Nova."
"A-Anong ibig mong sabihin?" Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Nova sa sinabi nito. Ano na namang kababalaghan ang pinaplano ni Nico? May hindi ba na naman ito sinasabi sa kanya?
Maya-maya pa, gamit ang kamay na hindi nakahawak sa baywang ni Nova, Nico pressed a hidden earpiece she just realized he wore. In a barely audible voice, Nico asked...
"Dan, found anything interesting in those newspapers yet?"
Realization hit her.
The devil.
Nico kept eye contact with her while talking to his colleague, in the middle of them dancing!
"A print error? I don't think so... ah, in the middle of the ballroom, huh? Got it."
Nang matapos ang pag-uusap nila, sinamaan ng tingin ni Nova ang kanyang partner. She gripped his shoulder, making him wince in pain.
"Nakahanap kayo ng paraan para magkaroon ng komunikasyon sa Eastwood? Why didn't you mention it earlier?!" Nova made a mental note to push this jerk off the cruise ship if they ever escape this place. Better yet, dapat yata iwan na niya ang baliw na 'to sa Insula Diaboli, tutal mala-demonyo naman ang ugali!
*
Eastwood
6:15 p.m.
"Dan, found anything interesting in those newspapers yet?"
Inayos ni Dan ang kanyang makapal na salamin at tiningnan ulit ang samu't saring dyaryo na nakalatag sa sala. Kaninang hapon lang, habang nag-aayos na siyang umuwi, nagulat ang detective nang lapitan siya ni Film‐--ang pinakabatang tech geek nila sa DEATH---at ibinigay ang isang earpiece. When Dan asked about it, the teen just shrugged and explained, "Binilin niyang ibigay sa'yo bago magsimula ang event, whatever that means," at naglakad pabalik sa third floor ng gusali ng DEATH.
Now he knew why Yuki suddenly made him read every news article in every newspaper in Eastwood.
O baka naman naalala kasi ni Yuki ang mga kwento ni Dan dati tungkol sa "powers" niyang basahin ang 100+ manga volumes ng Detective Conan in record time? People often find his speed reading useless, but Dan is glad that it came in handy!
'Now, back to the case!'
Agad niyang pinulot ang isang tabloid at binasa ulit ang parte na "out of place" sa artikulo.
"Aha! So, there's this article on inflation yada-yada... then there's this weird part in the article. Teka, basahin ko... 'On the 24th of May, the victim will drop dead in the middle of the ballroom', geez! How cliché. Kulang-kulang pa sa details! Hindi kaya isa itong print error, Yuki?"
Only then did Dan notice the weird music playing in the background as he awaited his senior's response.
"A print error? I don't think so... ah, in the middle of the ballroom, huh? Got it."
Bago pa man makapagtanong si Dan, agad na namatay ang linya at nawala ang ilaw sa earpiece. He pouted and fixed his eyeglasses again. Tinitigan niya ang kumpol ng mga dyaryong ilang araw na niyang binabasa as per Yuki's instruction. Pero hanggang ngayon ay hindi niya maunawaan ang koneksyon nito sa kaso nila.
*
"Nico, I swear, if you don't tell me what's happening right now, I'm gonna punch that smirk off your face!"
"Happening right now? We're dancing," he plainly stated as if it were obvious enough. Sa inis ni Nova sa kanya, muntikan pa nitong tinapakan ang kanyang paa. 'Typical Nova,' he thought before spinning her around.
"Anong balita ni Dan? At bakit siya nagbabasa ng dyaryo? Nangyari na ang mga krimen na 'yon."
"On the contrary," Nico gently stirred them away from the center of the ballroom, watching a man from the corner of his eye. Lihim na napangiti ang detective. "Mangyayari pa lang ang krimeng nabasa ni Dan. Why else would they invite two detectives as their guests of honor?"
Noong mga sandaling iyon, biglang tumigil ang musika kasabay ng pagbagsak ng lalaking kanina pa inoobserbahan ni Nico. The man clad in a white suit struggled and choked on some unknown substance, eyes rolling to the back of his head. A moment later, he stopped moving. A lady screamed when she saw the scene, champagne glasses broke, and the clutter of bodies evacuated the dancefloor.
Nova watched in horror, understanding what Nico meant a while ago.
Meanwhile, her partner crouched down and looked for a pulse.
As expected, the man was dead.
"Why else would they invite two detectives as their guests of honor? They invited us here to take part in the Bone Curator's little murder mystery game, Nova."
---
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...
