"Good morning, Mrs. Santiago." She greeted her when a woman in her 40s opened the door, "If you remember me."
"Li? What are you doing here?" Kelly's mother asked in surprise.
"Sorry, we weren't able to go on Kelly's burial, by the way, Mrs. Santiago." She apologized, sincerely, "We don't want to ruin the moment."
"It's alright, Li. There's nothing we can do, though. I just can't believe it had to happened that way."
"Kelly doesn't deserve it. That man is paying his sin now, Ma'am."
"I'm sure Kelly is in good place now."
"She's a great friend. And we miss her now."
"Come on in, first Li."
"Can I see Kelly's room? If you don't mind, Mrs. Santiago."
"No, I don't mind. Of course you can." She answered immediately. "Thank you for your investigation of my daughter's case, even though it was painful but you gave me justice, Li." She's walking her to Kelly's room.
Their house is just a bungalow, simple but very clean and expensive materials were used for construction. The victim's mother is minimalist. Its passion can be seen in figurines or vases.
"We're glad to help people, Mrs. Santiago." She smiled at the bereaved woman to change the atmosphere.
Mrs. Santiago hides all the pain but Li can see it through her eyes as she speaks about her daughter. She can see that Kelly's mother has been crying for days because of the dark circles are visible under her eyes.
"I read about you in the newspaper. I hope you can help a lot more."
Li nodded as they stopped in front of the closed white door with lots of writing --- pharases, words and fangirling.
"But aren't you afraid?"
"We have nothing to fear." Though, about earlier --- that 'Mr.S' thing is an example, "Though, it's impossible to avoid the thing that will lead you to disaster, we have to face it because that's really how life is."
"You're really smart, Li. Kelly told me about your friends. You help a lot in school, she's right you're the smartest among the six of you when it comes to the word about life, flowery knowledge."
Li smiled, "No, I just got that from my friend. Greg, he's the school president."
"Where are they, anyway?"
"Just at home."
"Why are you the only one came here?"
"They're lazy, Mrs. Santiago."
Mrs. Santiago giggled at what Li said, "Oh, I'll miss you here, I'll just prepare a snack. Take your time, Li. The police also came here but I refused because they don't have a warrant."
"Why did you let me?"
"Because I trust you. I read Kelly's letter that I should give permission to allow you six. I think she really knows you."
"She said that?"
Mrs. Santiago nodded and bid to leave that she would just prepare a snack. Li walked around Kelly's entire room. The room was very clean and the equipment was well arranged, including the bed. Kelly's collections of barbie dolls are lined up in a glass cabinet. She couldn't believe someone like Kelly was disappeared forever into the world. She's a very nice person, though she's a b*tchy type but she has a good heart. She remembers that she and her friends used to sleep over here to solve their neighbor's problem about her missing book which is very important because it is a limited edition. They talked about their classmates' weirdos, nerdies, dorks and jerks, they were having fun with them.
"You're savage. You left us." She smiled, bitterly, "We still have a lot to do. You've even made a bucket list."
She restrained herself from weeping over the memories they had shared. They weren't that close but they were once friends with the same thought and similarities. Yes, Kelly used to love mysteries but more on adventures. She approached the photos Kelly was taking that were glued to her pin board. There's a picture of their door, Kelly in the middle. And some of her friends, a picture at the bar (partying), places Kelly has been to.
"Hi, Li."
She was stunned by the voice that was heard. Kelly's. She looked for where it came from.
Now I'm hearing your voice.
Her eyes rolled when she saw her sitting on the bed, "K-Kelly?" She stumbled on the table.
"Yeah, I'm back, b*tch!" Kelly's mean voice echoed in the room. She is wearing the same clothes when she died, their school uniform.
"B-But ---" She couldn't believe what she saw.
She wondered to herself why she wasn't even scared.
"Yeah, I came back from heaven."
Li let out a weak laugh at what was happening to her, "Now, I'm hallucinating things."
It stood up and approached her, holding her on both shoulders, "No, you're not hallucinating. I'm really back here for you."
Li was now shaking out of shock. She can feel cold in her shoulders.
"It looks like the shrink's right, we're crazy."
"You really don't want to believe me? Well, it's a long story."
"Ok. Ok. Then, you must have power?"
"No!" Annoyed, she refused, "From now on, I will be with you."
Li grabbed a nearby chair and sat down. She massaged her nose bridge and thought of calling Andy.
[Yeah?] That's the other line.
"Andy, I'm crazy."
[Huh?]
"I can see and talk to Kelly. I'm imagining things, so I feel like I want to admit to the psychologist that I'm crazy because of what we're doing, my mind is stressed by what I'm seeing-- -"
Andy didn't let Li finish what she going to say next, [Wait? What? Can you talk and see Kelly too? Oh my gosh, this can't be. She was also here earlier, we talked. She said, she came back here that leads her to us. Has she already appeared to you?]
"I told you so." Kelly sighed while filing her fingernails. She was now sitting on her desk.
"What the hell is happening to us?"
[Well, when we tell this to the psychologist, we're even more guilty that we're crazy. But she needs our help and we need her too.]
She was interrupted by the sound of the door opened and Kelly's mother came inside carrying a tray with only a glass of juice and cookies. She stood up to help with the carrying.
"Oh thank you, Mrs. Santiago."
"Ophelia, Li. You can call me Ophelia. I will not be Mrs. Santiago anymore."
"Ophelia."
She remembers Kelly's story that her father had left her and her mother had signed divorce paper. The paperwork of their separation is nearing completion. Kelly's father did not even attended at his daughter's burial. Instead her stepdad was at the burial.
"I know you remember my sweet girl's memories of you."
'Hi, mommy!'
"I'm sure Kelly is happy to see you okay, Ophelia wherever she is now." While looking at Kelly, her eyes focused on who's looking at her mother.
'Yeah. But I miss you, Mommy. If I could show myself to you, I would have done it a long time ago."
"I'll miss you again, your laughs, giggles and sleepovers." She reminisced the past. She stood up and finished their exchanging conversation, "Well, Li I still have work to do. I'll be at the library, take your time. Just lock the door when you leave. Thank you. It has been a great day to see you. Send my regards to others."
"Thank you too, Ophelia."
"Pleasure is mine."
Li just nodded and took a bite on the cookie. She took a deep breath as Kelly's bedroom door closed and she faced her old friend again.
"So, are you a real ghost?"
"Not ghost, it's a temporary body. I can touch you and I can touch things but they won't move."
"Eh?"
She waved the nail file, "Like this. Open my drawer and you'll see."
She followed Kelly and he saw the file was just there but the fact that Kelly was holding it.
"So, what do you mean 'if possible'?"
"Every night, I go into Mommy's room to see if she's doing well. But then, she's like been waiting for me. So one night I showed up to her and make it was her dream but she said she can touch me. She always cried every night and then my Aunt her sister thought she was hallucinating or just because she was so hurt and excited about me she said I was still alive and she could touch me."
"Have you been here long?"
Kelly nodded, "The day of my death, I saw a portal and it led me to your Investigation House and since then I have been following you and watching the investigations you are doing. I don't know but there is something that you need to help me. "
Li nodded, indicating that she understood Kelly's words, "What do you mean we need to help you?"
"I have an unfinished business left in this world. Before I join the Lord I want to finish what I started first and you are the first thing I thought. So maybe you are the only ones who can help me, the portal itself showed me the way. What else could be the reason that it opened to your Investigation House that I've never been before?"
"Is this about Kevin Jackies ?"
Kelly moved her head up and down, "I guess you know he's missing and I was his last call that's what the police are after. And Mom doesn't know about this."
"And what do you want us to do about him ?"
"That's my problem. I don't remember anything that much. Maybe because of the impact when I fell or I'm not in my physical body anymore so I don't have much of memories. You're the only memories stayed imprinted or maybe. . .I-I don't know." She squealed out of irritation as to why her memories were so selective.
Li scratched his head, "Can I see your diaries?"
"Yeah. I guess so. Do I have diaries?"
"You used to write when we spent the night here."
"Oh?"
She opened Kelly's drawers one by one to find the diaries.
"Why do you need my diaries?"
"Maybe we can get information about Kevin Jackies or anything that will lead us to the investigation we've been undergoing."
"And what does it have to do with my diaries?"
"You said before that you went to the police archive because you just want to rob an unsolved cases to solve with our help but then you got files about the Amaphe Organization with our parents' cases and the novel that was stolen by some criminal who's a member of the AO I'm just curious that you wrote in the diary everything you discovered before you burned the files and without the police knowing and make it to the point that another unknown member took those files." She told the story.
Kelly stared at Li for a moment, amazed, "Did I tell you all that?"
"Yes. You love adventures so you were able to steal a very dangerous job since you want us to help with the help of Allan where his father works." He continued while still looking for the diaries.
"I think that place." She pointed.
Li followed. The direction to the third drawer. When she opened it, a bunch of pink glittered diaries shimmered.
"Because I saw something's shining there. I think, my power is to see clues?" Kelly thought with a questioning face.
"This is exactly what we need, Kelly."
Kelly hovered over the lined diary frowning her eyebrows. Each diary has written dates, from its day 1 to last day for the last page.
"Well, thanks to my power. I guess. Ugh !!"
"Wow, Kelly you really wrote this much? Like everyday?"
"I guess?" She whispered with amazement in her eyes, "Daebak."
*knock knock*
It opened and Kelly's mother entered wearing her wry smile while holding an antique box.
She handed it to Li, "I think, this belongs to you, Six."
"W-What is this?" Li accepted the trunk.
"Kelly's been keeping this when she first met you, Six. She treasured your cases together with her within 6 months."
She opened the trunk and inside is an envelop. She thought the six of them would be better off reading it together.
"This is all we need, Ophelia. Maybe it's better not to let the police know that we have Kelly's diaries. We're sure this is also what they're looking for."
"Huh? Why Kelly's diaries?"
"It's about us. I'm counting on you for the sake of your daughter's death and for your life please stay away from the police as possible as you can."
"I believe in you more because that's what my daughter said I would only believe in you."
"If you can. First, live at your relative's house in a distant place."
"Thanks for your help, Li." The woman hugged him.
"I'm leaving now. I hope you keep my visit here a secret." She bid her goodbye to the old lady before someone can see her visited.
Carrying Kelly's endless diaries, Li was still able to carry them. She looked for Kelly who suddenly disappeared without even saying goodbye. When she got into the car she read Aris' text that they were involved in a murder case. She texted the others to report about what she got.
"Li has already found a clue about the operations we've been doing. She said she has something important to say when she arrives before we go home. She'll just pick up Jim and Aris to investigate the case in which they are involved. Have they solved it already?" Greg's story after story.
"It's easy for them." Andy replied, "This case is getting complicated." She commented referring to the case they are concerned about: Amaphe Organization.
"Yeah, but we've already started so we need to finish it." Ken leaned back in her chair and stretched herself, "Speaking of them, the one about Kelly? Are you sure we're not dreaming? Or hallucinating?"
"It's hard to believe, maybe what she's saying is true. She's a ghost after all. Many people in our world can see ghosts." Andy replied.
"How funny. We've reached the point where souls are approaching us for help." Greg let out a weak laugh.
"Right you are, b*tches!"
"WAAAAAHHH !!" They screamed and were stunned by Kelly's sudden appearance.
"Tssss." The ghost sat in the vacant seat, "Are you afraid of me?"
"W-What are you doing here?" Ken stuttered crossing her fingers protecting herself.
"We thought you were with Li?" Andy asked.
"Earlier. Can't I visit you again? I can't show Aris and Jim, they're currently investigating." She said crossing her arms on her chest. She thrown her bored face at her friends.
"Kelly, have mercy on us and don't drive us crazy." Greg's pleading command, "We don't want to go to a mental hospital. Our next session with psychologists is due this saturday. They want to know our progress." Greg added.
"Speaking of, their suspicions of us will increase because we are involved in another case." Ken reminded, staring blankly. Spaced out.
They breathed out a deep sigh in unison. Both were stunned on their computer desks, papers scattered, evidence hanging on the pin board, faces of the criminal on the other board and all sorts of other messes they had made just to finish the transaction they had already started.
"Haaaiii, I'm so hungry. Andy.." Ken waited for the girl to turn to her, "... Is there any food left in the refrigerator at all?"
"Just a sandwich."
"I'll eat it. At least I have something to eat." She got up and left their secret office, Kelly followed.
Andy and Greg looked at Andy's ringing cellphone at the same time. She took it thinking to be Aris or either Jim to inform them about the case.
"Ugh. It's Uehence."
"Uieee. Have you made progress with your 'bestfriend'?" Greg gestured the quotation mark.
"Eow, Greg. He just reminding me of the assignment if I've already answered it."
"Yeah, right? We have an assignment." Greg stood up and searched for her notebook.
Uehence became Andy's friend when they partnered in an activity on their subject. Andy is smart and known for being a tennis player and coincidentally Uehence is also a tennis player. He did not know about what they were doing because he does not like to read newspaper and did not want to talk about it at school.
"I remember, I have something to do at school. I'm working on some paper works that will be submitted this Monday." Greg nodded and hurried out to look for her documents. Following in her father's footsteps, she is also a writer who uses a pseudonym. She's a journalist. School publishing officer.
"So, this is for today's tasks. We will still write in our journal, our deadline is near."
Ken sat on the sofa carrying the sandwich and turned on the television. The show's on timing.
".. .the perpetrator of the hijacking alias Juan was caught the other day in a warehouse along with five men who were also caught hiding drugs worth four million. One of them is the recognized serial killer 15 years ago. The recognized serial killer Paul Masalas jumped into the sea and until now the body has not been found, it is believed to be still alive and fled to hide with the help of a group he did not yet know.
Meanwhile. . .at a convenient store there was a murder case which was allegedly solved by two of our recognized young detectives along with Detective Gomez, the new team leader of the homicidal team. No one wants to delineate a statement about the two. Why is it only the two of them? Where are the others?"
"See? You're famous, girls." Kelly commented sitting next to Ken.
"What's going on in the world, why do they let a criminal escape?" Ken murmured and was disgusted.
"You know that this country lacks the budget for the safety of the people."
She switched the channel because she was already swayed by the news and just delivered over and over again and there was no end to the bad news that they always heard every day. She watched Aris' movie aired on a channel. Aris is an actress named Iris Lu, commercial queen (in demand). Ken is an employee of an online job writer on World History. Andy is an in demand tennis trainer with children, privately. Jim is a part-time waitress at a café and a photographer and Li is a P.I. because she is faster to gather information for her brother is a Lawyer who helps her find the people their client is looking for.
Li took one Kelly's diary while waiting for Jim and Aris to finish their involvement in a murder case. Reporters are starting to assail questions, persistently regarding the case. The store was put to close temporarily while inbestigation inside is still going on.
"August 2, 2012
Dear Diary,
Today, Mr. Dinky took me to a romantic place where no one can see us. He doesn't want to be seen specially with my fellow students. It was a beautiful day, a scenic view catches my attention. We had a long drive and had a memorable picnic. I feel like I am safe in his arms in every moment he holds me and tell me stories.
August 5, 2012
Dear Diary,
Mr. Dinky has changed. He became aggressive and I can see monster in his eyes. He wanted more. He accidentally hurt me. I can't tell anyone. I have no one to tell what I've been through. I thought he's the only man who I can talk without worries. I thought he's my confidante. But all of that has to be paid. He's becoming dominant and thought that I would be his submissive. I can't do this anymore. I can't---"
The sentence was not finished, the page was dried by a tears. Li assumed that Kelly was crying while writing this page. She scanned another page looking for any clues and stopped at the word about Kevin Jackies. She read, silently and was shocked by the revelation. She unknowingly covered her mouth to give herself a time to gather her thougts. She closed it with heavy sigh and dialed on her phone.