Aris and Jim talk through their eyes. They seem to understand what they are thinking.
"So, what's up?" Detective Gomez asked impatiently.
The girls asked for four minutes to talk about the case.
"Hara, what color is this?" Aris asked holding the green cloth.
"Gray."
Jim silenced everyone as the noise grew louder.
"Hara, it's green." Corrected by her female companion.
"And you, Miss Pascual." Aris turned at the saleslady who said she noticed a woman rushing in.
"Green."
"What's the relevance of this case?"
"Don't you get it, Detective?" Aris showed a taunted smile to the Detective.
"Therefore, the kid is color blind. Do you know this?" Jim asked the girl's companion.
"Huh?"
"Hara is sick. She can't differentiate colors because she has a monochramacy also known as achromatopsia. Their world consists of different shades of gray. They can only see black and white."
The woman's face suddenly changed when Jim explained about the child's condition, "We just checked up on her to a doctor today and you're right. We just found out that this is how Hara's condition is."
"How did you know, Locsin? Evangelista?" Detective Gomez asked, dumbfoundedly.
"Because, normally kids like to wander everywhere because of the beautiful colors. Their eyes are attracted to the color of a toy but when she saw the scene she didn't react or comment about the blood she saw. She just says she bumped into the victim but said she wore a face mask. So, in other words, she didn't know the face of the person she bumped into. That's when I found out that the child's color blindness was very rare when the saleslady said that. " She gestured her head, "The one she saw running and the victim are wearing different now."
"And then, we come up that maybe the jackets were switched." Aris ended the exolanation.
"But how?"
"The murderer." He turned to the culprit, "Gina Revelo."
The accused in the crime stood up immediately due to the unexpected revelation of the two. Her face turned crimson out of anger.
"Just wait guys." The Detective stopped them, "Before you judge who killed, can you explain why this was a murder case?"
"Detective Gomez, until now you still don't understand what these two are saying?" Chace asked in surprise, "What's the use of you being a detective if you don't know anything like this ---"
Chace was stunned by Aris raising a stop-hand gesture, she confidently leaned on the Detective, "Let me repeat the WHOOOOLE crime scene. Top to bottom. Okay, Detective Gomez?" She approached the victim who was still lying in the closed toilet bowl, "As the principle in criminology, the key is differences from ordinary. When a case rises, something must be different from usual, pay attention to the details. Finding the difference is the first step. It doesn't matter if it's something anyone would do, or how small it might be, strangeness is the biggest clue. Nothing is more bizarre than those changes in little changes. "
Jim showed the angle of the victim holding the scissors, "Look carefully, Detective. Scissors were closed. How do you injure a hand or anything with scissors?"
"They're right, sir." His fellow policeman alluded him to give a sharp look on the details.
"So?"
"So, isn't it strange that it's closed?" Aris answered immediately.
"What if she shut it down, before she fainted?
"Well, let's proceed. If that's what you're confused of, then I'll explain it to you, Detective. How can you explain why there's no trace of blood on his finger where she touched the scissors?"
The Detective could not answer immediately and his companions reexamined what Aris was saying. He withdrew the victim's hand from the hold of a team member and he looked closely.
"It means someone committed for her suicide." Jim grinned, annoyingly, "Next strange thing is her ring in her ringman finger and was gone. If the suspect's motive is gold or diamond why didn't she just included the white-gold jewelry?"
"Tell me how Gina killed Linda?" Detective Gomez surrenders.
Jim let out a strong breathe, "Gina called Linda into the comfort room without anyone noticing it. Gina came in first. Maybe what she did inside was to took the mercury from the thermometer which is toxic using the dropper. She went out again and waited for the victim outside." She explained, irritatingly.
"When the victim entered the CR, she immediately followed her inside. During their friendship, the victim would not be surprised if they were together in a bathroom." Aris added, "After she gave the victim sleeping pills, she then committed the crime of lacerating the wrist with just one line, because she was sure that it would lose its breath once the mercury flow inside the blood vessel."
"And she switched their same style jacket but different colors." He turned to Gina, "You did it because Linda left a trace of blood on your jacket and to say that she also committed suicide but what you don't know someone saw her running that she was surprised the jacket was different."
"But where's the jacket now?"
"Miss Evangelista, this is what you are looking for." One of the homicide team member showed up the jacket from the trash bag he was holding, "Confirm this jacket."
"D-do you have any evidence that I killed her? Didn't I tell you my alibi? You even saw me outside smoking." The accused dedended herself. Her voice's shaking. Neither fear nor anger but guilt. Guilty of the crime she committed, thought she could escape it.
"If it's just evidence? Please take the jacket from the trash bag and inspect what's in the pocket if it's come out that there's a paper airplane, that should be the strong evidence that can prove that you did kill the victim. Because she's in a hurry and she bumped into a child playing paper airplane she accidentally picked up the paper that she thought was money. And what we saw in the pocket of the jacket she was wearing now was a receipt of the equipment you bought at the pharmacy. It indicates that you switched the jacket."
"But the victim was wearing a face mask when she met the child?" The detective's question was still confused.
"The ring." Jim turned to the girl and shrugged.
"The woman I bumped into has a ring and she has a mole in the middle of her nose bridge." Hara told the Detective what she saw.
They searched the suspect's bag to find the ring and the sleeping pills she put in the coke in the victim's can. The result also appeared on the fingerprints seen on the glass of the thermometer and matched the said suspect.
"But what is your real motive, Miss Revelo? She's your friend." Detective Gomez asked.
She just bowed down her head, fists clenched. A few minutes passed of staying quiet, Detective Gomez asked again.
"I only did that because they were getting married to my husband. I just found out that they were getting married. And the ring she was wearing was from me that I gave to my husband on our anniversary. And I was angry with what she said. "We're getting married to the person I love. He gave it to me just yesterday. It's nice, isn't it?" She didn't know that I already knew about them. I pretended to ask her who the man she loved was. Her only answer was "You will soon know when we are in church. I hope his wife signs the legal separation to be together so that we can live without any hindrance." I know she's telling me that, purposely but I trued to hide not to be obvious that I knew. Goddamit! They're even worse than animals than they did to me. So I have no choice but to kill Linda, I won't let them be happy while I'm suffering and hurt." Her voice suddenly become vengeful. Her veins in the neck can be seen as she speaks.
He turned to the two, "How did you know it was me? Just recently?"
"At the beginning, when you said that the killer should be found, we didn't say it was a murder case or suicidal." Jim replied.
"I really admire you." Shaking her head, she said, "But I don't regret what I did. It would be better for me to be imprisoned than for them to be happy."
She voluntarily joined the police after admitting everything. Jim and Aris even told stories to prove the truth of what they said about how the crime scene took place. After they bought the items listed, they said goodbye to go home and did not comment to the reporters who had been waiting outside earlier, they did not want to give a statement right now. It was all coincidence so they kept quiet first. They had just come out when Li met them in her own car.
"Let's go girls."
"Chace, Jim you take care of our car. I'll just go with Li." Aris winked at them.
"Wait!" Jim was too late when Li pulled the car over. She turned to Chace, "You can go home now. I can do it by myself." She shooed the young man away, "I'm going somewhere else."
Before Chace could answer Jim had already driven her car. She has a job at a coffee shop, part-time. She's the cashier as well as the waitress.
"KEN, GREG!" Aris greeted the two outside their classroom.
"You're so early, Aris?" Ken asked in surprise.
"Yeah, I'm jogging early for my body's fitness." Her artistic response gesturing her slim body, "You know I need maintainance."
"Whatever. Just yesterday you resolved now it's still trending to this day. The news just keeps repeating."
"I've got news, girls." A sudden appearance of Jim that makes them jump.
"When did you arrive, Jim?" Ken asked.
"Just now!"
"Eh?" The three reacted at once.
"Why didn't we find you—"
Jim didn't let Aris finished, "Well, enough of me. You need to know about the news I'm going to tell."
"What?" Asked Kelly.
Jim leaned closer to them, "It's about you, Kelly. About your death."
"What do you mean ?" Andy asked confused, "You mean she wasn't killed?" She got there unnoticed.
"No. There's something more interesting than that. She was killed, yeah by our teacher but there's something behind her death."
"What do you mean 'something behind her death', Jim?" Kelly asked again, she's curious as ever.
"That's why you're here because there's a mystery behind your death. Kelly, do you really remember nothing but us and what we are?"
The ghost girl just shrugged.
"If that's true, then we still need to investigate Sir Michael again?" Aris asked.
"Yes, and I'm guessing that red shoes were something related to her demise. Her fingerprints are there."
Ken interjected, "But a model owns that shoe? How did Kelly's fingerprints get there?"
They were silent as their new teacher approached. She's hot and smart-looking wearing her eyesglasses that perfectly fit her small pale face. The boys went out to their respective classrooms following the teacher. Mr. Reyes, a History teacher, stopped by the new teacher. He is a skinny and a bit old but he is not married yet and he is very strict with everyone.
"Hi, Mr. Reyes." Greeted the new teacher on the old man who almost fainted by her beauty and charms.
"Kiara."
"Kiara?" Li whispered to herself as if she knew the name.
"You know her, Li?" Jim asked in a whispered manner.
"Her name sounds familiar."
"WHAT ELSE ARE YOU LOOKING AT? !! EVERYONE GO INSIDE!!" Mr. Reyes yelled and everyone immediately complied, he turned to the new teacher and changed his expression, "Enjoy your stay here, Miss Kiara."
The young teacher smiled and then walked to the faculty office again.
"It's like I heard her name somewhere, I just can't remember where."
"Eyyy, maybe they just have the same name." Aris reacted, "Millions of people are named Kiara."
"Yes, but she has this kind of aura that I feel like I know that person but—"
"It's just stress, Li." She tapped her friend on the shoulder, "Let's go inside so that the old bald won't scold us." Ken reminded, laughing.
She and her friends sat down in their respective chairs. After they sat down, Jim immediately opened the envelope containing information about Kelly's murder case.
"Where did you get these papers?" Li asked in surprise next to her. "These are Kelly's murder case." As she reads the papers.
"Me?" Kelly immediately approached the papers.
"Yes, I dug deeper last two nights ago about your case when I read about your connection with Jackies. I'm interested in the novel he wrote about A that he titled 'Behind the Flames'." Jim's simple answer without looking at her listeners.
"What about it other than about A?" Li whispered.
"I haven't read it yet. His book can't be bought because it doesn't have a copy but he has another novel that I found tha has a connection to A."
"So, how can we read that if—"
"NBI. They're keeping it. So, we have to steal it."
"Oh no, no, no, no, Jim." She refused and backed away from her friend, "No way I'm going to do that."
"Yes way. It's our only choice. One way or another. Take it or leave it."
"Hey! Hey, what are you talking about?" Aris interfered.
"What do you mean 'no way chuchu', Lindana?" Greg's irritated, she frowned her eyebrows.
"It's too dangerous, Jim."
"We already have a record. We have to take risks because if not what else would we be investigating about A if our only basis is on the death of our parents. You know there is a connection."
"What's your topic? What about our parents? Huh?" Andy asked one question after another.
"Their conversation was interrupted by the greeting of their teacher, "Good morning class, I'm yoiur new science teacher, I replaced Prof.Michael Sandoval. I'm Kiara Melisse Enderez, you can call me Teacher Kiara. "
"Teacher Kiara." Everyone greeted in unison except Li who was just looking at the teacher as if she had dirt on her face.
"Or maybe the documents that were stolen according to Teacher Magiee Jackies' book is one of them." Jim continued in a low voice enough for Li to hear.
"Sorry for your loss, class. To think that Kelly is one of your friends. Let's all move on to life." She flipped pages of the book lying in the table, "Where did you stop?"
"Circular system, Teacher Kiara." Answer by one of those in the very first row.
Everyone was quietly listening to the new teacher but the friends were still thinking deeply. Both were bothered by their minds.
The bell rang and finished the topic of chapter 18. They are now in their last sem and the friendly detectives are about to graduate.
"So, tomorrow?" Andy cracked before they split classroom for their next subject.
"Just stick to our plan. Our story in the journal must be consistent or connected." Li inferred.
They were distracted by the new teacher's voice as she spoke to the fellow teacher.
"She has something." Mumured Li, "Let's have a snack first. I'm starving."
"I agree." Andy started to walk.
"I think I need to go to the library." Excused Jim, "I'm looking for a book."
"I'm going somewhere too." Aris.
"Let's go to the canteen, Li." Greg invited, "I didn't have breakfast."
"I'm hungry too." Kelly.
"The ghost can get hungry too?" Greg asked with a laugh.
They parted ways as they waited for the next class.
"JEAN." Jim greeted when she reached the librarian desk, "Can you show me where the Novel Section is located?
"Of course, Jim." She approached the companion, "Please do me a favor, can you take care of this for me, I'll be back." She stepped out from the desk, "Follow me."
In the large area, their school library has four floors and it is a separated building. Jim's soul is restless when there are things that bother her especially when it comes to the case they are investigating. They are on the third floor where there aren't many people because usually only bookworm people go to this section.
"Mystery, thriller, suspense are what I'm looking for."
She just followed Jean until they reached the somewhat hidden shelves and there was a list of what kind of novels were there.
"Thank you, Jean."
"Anything. I didn't know you were fond of this genre." She commented, smiling.
Jim just shrugged and then said goodbye to their schoolmate. She had already begun the search for George Simeon, from the first on the shelf to the last.
"So, who is your favorite author?" Jim searched for the owner of the voice. It came out from the other shelf holding a book, "What are you doing here, Miss Evangelista?"
"T-Teacher Kiara?" She looked at the book she was holding, "I'll just borrow the literature, you know, Teacher Kiara to get rid of the boredom." She grinned and eyes again on the book.
The teacher presented Jim with the cover of the book entitled 'Lone Star', "George Simeon, he's a great author. Especially in the love story." The woman grinned, "And mystery."
"L-Love story?"
"You know him?" She asked and Jim nodded, "Well, yes I like his love stories."
"Actually, Teacher Kiara I'm looking for Erica Spindler."
"Exactly on the other shelf." At the same time, she pointed to the other front, "All right, I'm leaving. Don't tell everyone you saw me here." She bowed to Jim and whispered, "They'll be surprised I love to read."
"Okay ?" She hesitatedly answered.
It went on, "Ciao! I recommend Ahn Lee's 'Solicity', it's interesting."
She followed the teacher's receding bulk and made sure that it disappeared from her sight then she would go look for what she just said. She felt that there was something strange about this teacher. When the teacher was out of her sight, she immediately flew to the other shelf and looked for the book they needed.
"George Simeon.. .George Siiiiim — come on!"
There are two books. But the novel she was looking for was not there. Only love stories are displayed. George Simeon's novel doesn't seem to sell much to mystery lovers like them. She turned back to a set of hard-bound-covered books where 'Solicity' was written in a bold font. She took it shoulder to shoulder as well as the two George Simeon's book.
Meanwhile. . .
"So, Greg what's the plan about the red shoes?" Li asked after consuming a bottle of water.
"Still mysterious."
"It's been almost a week, we still don't have a lead on who and where the red shoes really came from."
"Maybe 'S' stands for syndicate, syndicator? Or something from that word." Ken said shrugging her shoulders.
"Why is it that every time we get close to the answer, the evidence seems to get farther away from us?" Greg growled in frustration.
Andy smirked, "It's like the light is being pulled away from us." She frowned at what she read, "Guys! Look!"
The girls looked and read the whole page.
"The Royal Beach. So?" Li's eyebrows rose.
Andy groaned, "Ugh, Li. We also need to unwind. This beach is a stress reliever and has free mind-therapy. We need some inner peace away from these.. .You know."
"For sure, Jim will like it." Head shaking, Ken said.
"What ?"
"Jim!" Simultaneously the four reacted of Jim's sudden appearance.
"What would I like, Ken?"
"Vacay."
"Really?" She collapsed on the chair and arranged the books she was carrying.
"What're those, Evangelista?" Greg's gaze hovered over the books
"Research for George Simeon."
"WHAT ?!" Andy overreacted.
"Yep." She leaned closer and so as the girls, "Do you know what's more surprising? That Teacher Kiara was there and she read one of George Simeon's novels, a love story-mystery. I have a hunch she's hiding something and this—" She tapped the hard-bound purple book, "She suggested me to read this, 'Solicity'."
"And have you read the synopsis?" Greg asked.
"Not yet."
"Maybe she just likes that story and she just wants to share it with you since you love to read mysteries."
"I'm not supposed to say this about her."
"Anyways," Andy interrupted the others, "I'm going to book this beach."
"The problem—" Greg protested, "If the judge will let us take a vacation on our own."
Andy showed her evilish smile, "Don't underestimate my ability."
"Wow ?" Ken reacted, "Where did Aris go?" She asked her friends, "We talked about shopping."
"Shopping? For what?" Asked Jim.
"Just—"
Li groaned out of irritation, "Oh sh*t! Our files were hacked!"
"WHAT ?!"
"What do you mean 'were hacked'?" Greg's eyes widened.
Li kept on typing on her laptop, "I can't revive it, I can't even open it. Someone's entering our private investigations." She addressed the four, "Guys, no one can copy our files. If so, we're doom."
"Give it to me!" Jim grabbed the laptop and started typing some sort of codes that her friends couldn't figure out, "There's a possibility I can't open it but in any other way, I can only prevent it from being opened by whoever hacked it. . "
"How come you know about things like this? The codes?"
"Someone just taught me." She answered Andy's question.
"Who? Maybe he can help us recover the files." Li immediately frowned, "Wait, don't tell me you're referring to the well-known 'campus hacker king', Jim?"
Jim nodded, "Ahuh! Right you are, Lindana!"
"Ohoho!" Ken laughed as Li's facial expression changed, "Looks like this could be a good and hot issue."
"Burn and Lindana sitting on the tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Greg and Andy joked that Li's face was even more frowning.
"Eow!" Li's reaction was shivering.
"It's been a long time since a geek confessed to Queen Ramona oops Ramos and was rejected. Poor Burn, his heart broke." Ken laughed so loudly that those in the cafeteria turned around.
"Shut up. Whatever!" She whispered to her friends, "But NO! I won't go near him."
"Why are you ashamed of him? Because the geek you broke his heart is now one of the heartthrobs?" Mimicked Jim.
"Shadap!" Li once threw a tissue at Jim.
They were just stunned when the bell rang to signal their next class: Club Time. When they left the canteen, they took their own path.
Andy was about to enter the Tennis field court when her friend Uehence called her. He looked fresh wearing a tennis uniform and smiling in her direction.
"Ooh, timing." He said happily as he approached, "I've been looking for you for a while. Where were you?"
"In the canteen, with my friends." She answered, lifelessly to her friend as they walked over to the bench of their court.
"Why haven't you changed yet?"
She sat down on the bench first before replying, "I'll pass for now."
"Huh? Why? Are you sick? Are you feeling bad?" This series of questions worried him as he rubbed her forehead and neck.
He shook Uehence's hand, "No. I'm fine."
"So, why? You're not like that."
"I just don't feel it."
"Why?"
"Just. ." She can't find the next words to say.
"What?"
"Will you just stop asking?"
"I'm just worried about my friend. Is that bad?" He said.
Andy answered the cellphone that had been ringing, "Hello?.. .This is she.. .WHAT ?!"
TOGETHER Li and Jim went to Computer Engineering's Office to ask for help to revive the hacked files. They were told only Burn de la Versa could help them. They went to its said room. They are desperate to revive the documents before it's too late.
"Jim, can you just do it by yourself?"
"Lindana. Come on! He won't bite you!"
Jim knocked on the door. No response. She knocked again, four times but still no one answered. Li waited, impatiently so intensified and she knocked and forced to turn the locked doorknob when it suddenly opened that it made her out of balance; she froze in panic and fell on something very hard but with softness. Her eyes widened when she realized her body landed on Burn's half naked body. He's only wearing boxers.
"Oh, perfect landing." Jim teased, clapping her hands as she was excited.
"AAAAH!" Li immediately stood up and shook herself as if disgusted.
Burn stood up, "You're the one who hugged me, you're the one who stared. Tss."
"Ugh why did you open the door right away ?!"
"Woaah! So, it's my fault now? This man is sleeping soundly, you're waking him up. I wish I could have reached the peak of happiness—"
"You're so dirty!" She cut him off, "Is it my fault you're sleeping !?"
"Should I just sit in the room waiting for the crow to turn white?"
"Can't you answer before opening the door?"
"As if I know you're hugging the door. I'm half asleep so I don't know if—"
"Hep hep. Sssh!" Jim intervened between the two, "That's enough, maybe later you'll kiss—"
"Eow !! Yuck!" Both at once.
"Kiss a punch with each other duh."
"What are you doing here. Are you here to confess and take back what you said?" He winked at her and smiled teasingly showing his deep, mesmerizing dimple.
"What a jerk." Jim turned to what Li had said and it stopped her.
"Li, let me do the talk." She stared at Burn, "We're here to ask for your help." She showed her laptop to Burn, "Our files were hacked by some unknown hacker. We can't open it but I was able to prevent that hacker from opening it either. We want you to revive it without losing a single file. Okay?"
He crossed his arms on his chest raising a brow, "And why would I do that for you?"
"Because you're the only one we know who's good at it. Please?" Begged Jim, "These files are important. Our lives depend on them."
"What can I get?"
"Wh-wha. .are you asking in exchange?" Murmured Li,angrily.
"No payment, no service." Burn was about to close the door when Li stopped him, "What?"
"I-I-I'll give you my number." She offered since this is what Burn had been asking her for a long time.
Burn burst into a laugh, "What do you think of me? The former Burn? I'm not that boy anymore, Li."
Embarrassingly, Li nodded, "I'm sorry." She looked at Burn again, "But please? Just this time, help us. The files are worth more than our lives."
For a few minutes the young man stared at Li as if thinking deeply. He knows their works.
"Okay. On one condition... Include me in your investigation. I have documents I want to know."
"That's not a good idea, Burn." Li said coldly.
"Well, I still have secret files from the police and NBI and FBI, NIS what else?" He shrugged and closed the door again as Jim pulled him by the hand.
"Deal."
"Jim?"
"Trust me, Li."
"No, you two — six should trust me."
"And what can you guarantee that we have to trust you?" Li asked defiantly.
"I'm the only source you can have. I can help you steal every documents you need even in foreign investigations."
"Okay." Agreed Jim.
"Hello?" Li answered the caller and so did Jim.
"WHAAT !?" Together with friends.
"Burn, we need you right now." Jim orders after the convo on the other line.
THE six met at the said place of their unknown caller and were surprised to talk about the commotion happening to them today. At the scene where the court is investigating them and they notice there are no people. And on the doorstep there lies the other pair of the red shoes. Many questions pop up on their minds that no one has figured out yet what's going on.
"What does this mean ?" Burn was about to pick up the shoe when Ken stopped him.
"And why are you here?" She asked Burn in surprise.
"We need him." Jim replied, "I'll explain later."
A loud explosion inside the court made them jumped. They opened the courtroom door and they realized the commotion was coming from inside the jury's office based on the smoke coming out of it.
"Call the police, Aris and Andy. Ken, you and Burn will be the lookout. We'll go inside. Jim, the camera?" Greg commanded everyone.
"I can only use a cellphone."
"That's okay. Let's go!"
The three walked slowly toward the jury's office, carefully and quietly turning the door. They were both out of breath when the crime scene unfolded; a pile of burning papers are scattered all over the office, some are already ashes. Based on the gown he was wearing, they were sure Judge Pacto was the victim, the burning body on the floor was still smoking holding a hard object. Greg took it with her hands already covered with gloves.
"It's strange." Greg sighed after a few minutes of examination.
"We know right." Both at once.
"This is—"
"ARSON." They said in unison and looked at the spy camera.
BALLPOINT PEN.