Chapter 43: Phantom of the Opera (Part 2)

Dahil hindi pa kami nag-aalmusal ay umorder si Detective Tross ng pagkain mula sa isang fast food chain na naghahanda ng agahan. They went early in this opera house to observe the place bago pa man dumating ang ibang staff at cast ng opera. The orchestra whom they are working with ay hindi pa dumarating. Ayon sa kanila, they usually practice in other location at saka lamang dito sa opera house kapag malapit na ang performance.

Hindi nagtagal ay dumating na nga ang mga kasamahan ni Sir Lee. There were six of them. Dalawa ay bahagi ng crew ay ang apat naman ay main cast ng Les Misérables, a novel which they will perform as an opera. One of the crew was Ruel Garcia, assigned with the lights, curtains and other stuff. Ang isa naman ay si Trina Ignacio, the make-up artist of the group.

Ang cast naman na naroon ay sina Troy Monteclaro, the one who will portray Jean Valjean, the main protagonist. Ang isa naman ay si Rocco Fellon, ang gaganap bilang Inspector Javert. The one who will portray Fantine and older Cosette is Shania Ford. The last one was Ryan Chua who will portray Marius Pontmercy, Cosette's lover. Nagsimula na sila sa pag-eensayo at nanuod lamang kami sa kanila. Nang lingunin ko si Gray ay matamang pinagmamasdan nito ang galaw ng bawat isa.

Uh, don't tell me he can identify whoever the phantom criminal among them by merely looking at them?

Unang nagreklamo si Shania. "I'm so tired! Kahapon pa panay ang ensayo natin kasama ang orchestra! Sumasakit na nga ang lalamunan ko! Let's take a break Director Lee. And what's with the audience?" reklamo nito at masamang tiningnan kami as she referred to us as the audience.

"Don't mind them. They're on investigation," sagot ni Sir Lee sa kanya.

"Investigation? Like a police investigation?" Rocco asked.

"Police investigation," sagot ni Sir Lee.

"Even that young man and that girl?" Troy asked. Pinigilan ko ang sarili kong taasan ito ng kilay. He referred Gray as young man while he called me a girl?! Bakit hindi na lang sabihin na young woman? Napaka-nene pakinggan kapag tinawag kang girl kaysa kapag tawagin kang young woman. Meh! I'm turning 18 eleven days from now moron!

"Yeah. They're undercover," paliwanag ulit ni Sir Lee. "Just don't mind them. Okay, let's have a break. I'll call a snack house for food delivery."

Umalis na ang lahat sa stage. That's the time na nagsalita na si Gray. "Detective Tross, have you noticed something queer with the seven people with us?" tanong niya dito.

"Not really maliban sa magagaling silang kumanta," nakangiting sagot ng detective. Mukhang na-starstruct pa ito sa mga boses ng cast ng opera.

Gray made a face at him bago humarap sa akin. "How about you Amber?"

He's asking me? Wala ngang naisagot ang police detective, ako pa kaya?! "Queer? You mean aside from their bratty attitude?" I asked. Yeah, all the cast are stubborn and bratty. Ito pa ang nagagalit kay Sir Lee gayong ito ang director. Tumango si Gray sa akin at hinintay ang sagot ko. "Uh, well mula nang sinabi ni Sir Lee that we're part of the police investigation, parang nagulat sila at lahat ay naging maingat sa ginagawa at sinasabi nila," sagot ko.

"Yeah, that's true. Other than that?" tanong niya ulit and this time I shrugged my shoulders. Ano nga bang meron sa kanila?

"Didn't you notice that each of them have their mannerisms? Katulad na lamang ni Troy na gaganap bilang Jean Valjean, hindi niyo ba napansin na kapag wala itong ginagawa ay tina-tap niya ang sahig o dingding gamit ang kanyang daliri?" Gray asked at ininguso ang labi kay Troy na nakatayo sa harap ng elevated stage habang panay nga ang tap ng daliri nito sa sahig, as if he's doing it with a beat of a music.

"Another is Shania. She used to twirl her hair using her fingers," wika ni Gray. "Si Rocco naman ay palaging nakapamulsa ang kamay. Look at Ryan, he always touches his ears. Tingnan niyo rin ang staff, Ruel always touch his mustache, Trina the makeup artist, always bite her nails while Sir Lee used to fix his eyeglasses using his index finger."

When Detective Tross and I observed everyone, saka lamang namin napansin ang mga mannerisms nila na gaya ng sinabi ni Gray.

"Are those significant?" I asked him. Ano naman kung may mannerisms sila? Magpapatunay ba iyon na sila ang salarin?

"Who knows it's the only way we can identify the criminal," Gray said with a smile.

Nagpaalam kami kay Sir Lee na maglilibot muna kami sa kabuoan ng opera house. Tiningnan namin ang mga VIP seat at maging ang mga nasa veranda na upuan. Ayon kay Gray ay mahal daw ang veranda seats dahil maganda raw ang view mula doon.

Lumapit sa amin si Sir Lee at kinausap kami. "Pasensya na kayo, I have stubborn and spoiled casts. It's been 3 years when they were chosen as casts," kwento nito.

Three years? Tatlong taon na mula ng napili nila ang cast. Oh, so operas and other things are really prepared ahead of time. Even their rehearsals took a long time. Kaya nga bumibilib ako sa mga drama and theatre club sa mga skwelahan. They are able to pull a performance even with a limited time.

"3 years? That's quite long," komento ni Detective Tross.

"Yeah, minsan nga ay umaabot ng anim na taon. Some of them are not part of the original cast," Sir Lee said at napabaling ang atensyon naming lahat sa kanya. They are not the original cast? Ibig sabihin ay may nauna pa sa kanila and they are just substitute? But where are the originals?

"Why are they substituted?" tanong ni Gray

"Two of them met an accident along the way during the contract signing three years ago."

"Anong aksidente?" tanong ni Detective Tross.

"Car accident. All the casts are having a drink after they signed the contract but on their way home, the couple Louie and Myla met the accident. Nawalan ng preno ang kotse nila, not to mention that they're both tipsy kaya nahulog sila sa bangin," wika ni Sir Lee.

Nahulog naman sa malalim na pag-iisip si Gray. Well me? My mind doesn't function well. Giniginaw ako! Malakas ang aircon sa loob ng opera house at malakas pa rin ang ulan sa labas. Kumukulog at kumikidlat pa.

"Sino ang mga substitutes?" tanong ko kay Sir Lee. Isa-isa naman nitong tiningnan ang mga naroon.

"The one who will play as Jean Valjean and Cosette. Troy and Shania are both substitutes," wika ni Sir Lee.

Nang tingnan namin ang cast na nasa stage ay mukhang nagkakagulo ang mga ito kaya napatakbo kami papunta roon.

"Ano'ng nangyari?"

"The phantom! Nagpaparamdam na naman!" Shania exclaimed. I want to laugh on how they call the one who's been scaring them. Phantom of the Opera, eh? I can't blame them. They are opera actors and actresses at baka nga na-perform na nila ang kwentong iyon sa opera. It's a novel by Gaston Leroux. It's actually a good French novel about the phantom of the opera who fell in love with the opera actress Christine. But as of this case, we both believe that there is no Erik here who was a phantom like in the novel. What we believe is that merong nananakot and he's no phantom but rather a criminal.

"Bakit, ano ba ang nangyari?" Detective Tross asked them.

We heard the chains and someone's cry!" sagot ni Ryan.

"You're all imagining. Baka nagugutom lang kayo, parating na ang in-order natin kaya wag kayong mag-alala," Sir Lee told them.

"Pero narinig namin!" wika ni Rocco.

"We'll handle it," sabi naman ni Detective Tross at bumaling ito kay Gray. I don't know what are they talking about basta't nang matapos silang mag-usap ay magkahiwalay na kinausap nila ang mga cast at crew na naroon. Dahil wala naman akong magawa ay naupo na lang ako doon at pinanuod sina Gray at Detective Tross sa ginagawa. I stared at Gray. Kapag may inaasikaso itong kaso ay napakaseryoso nito. He seemed so focus and it seems like he only wants to uncover the truth behind.

Hinubad ko ang sapatos ko at ipinatong ang paa ko sabay yakap sa mga tuhod ko. Gosh, hindi ba nila nararamdaman ang ginaw? Ako lang ba? Dumating na ang in-order nilang pagkain. It comes with coffee. Oh, how convenient. Kanina pa ako giniginaw. The foods there were doughnuts, munchkins and other finger foods. Napakarami niyon. Binuksan iyon lahat ni Sir Lee at inaya ang lahat na kumain.

Unang kumuha ng pagkain si Troy. He picked up a doughnut and immediately took a bite.

"AACCCCCKKKKHHHH!" he screamed at nataranta ang lahat. Napatakbo rin sina Gray at Detective Tross sa direksyon nila.

What the hell?! Did the food―

Bigla na lamang bumunghalit ng tawa si Troy at buong sinubo ang doughnut.

"Just kidding! Nakakatawa ang reaksyon ninyo!" he said laughing.

"You should not joke around like that at times like this Troy!" Ruel said to him ngunit patuloy lang ito sa pagtawa.

"Well it's just to worry our little police here," wika niya at tiningnan kami. Uh, ano ba ang problema niya sa amin? Nagsimula nang kumain ang ilan at hindi pinansin si Troy. How inconsiderate for him to pull such joke! Inaya ako ni Sir Lee na kumain ngunit tumanggi ako but I accepted the coffee.

Tiningnan ko si Trina as she picked up her munchkin. Nag-alangan pa ito kung ano ang pipiliin ngunit sa huli ay pinili nito ang isang chocolate munchkin. She took a bite and―

"AAAAAACCCKKKKK!" nagulat na lang kaming lahat nang bigla itong napasigaw at natumba sa sahig. Hindi ito pinansin ng iba dahil baka gumagaya lamang ito kay Troy ngunit iba ang pakiramdam ko.

"Pull it up Trina, hindi na bebenta ang joke na iyan," wika ni Rocco sa kanya at kumuha na rin ng pagkain.

"You should have think of another joke," sang-ayon naman ni Ryan.

Nag-aalalang tiningnan ko si Gray at tila naintindihan naman nito ang tinging iyon. He immediately ran towards Trina at inamoy ito. Nang akmang itatayo ito ni Ryan ay napasigaw si Gray.

"Don't touch her! She's poisoned!" Gray hissed at him at nagulat naman ang lahat.

"Detective," tawag ni Gray kay Detective Tross. Bumaling naman ang huli sa kanya. "Please call for additional police. Just tell them that there's a criminal who's brave enough to kill someone in front of a detective," wika ni Gray at muling pinagmasdan ang bangkay na nasa kanyang harapan.

"We always encounter cases like poisoning," komento ko.

"It's because it's one of the easiest way to kill someone. No force needed, just a strategy on how to let the victim take the poison," Gray answered. Yes, hindi nga iyon nangangailangan ng lakas. Napakadali pang umepekto niyon.

Matapos ang trenta minutos ay dumating naman ang dalawang pulis na tinawagan ni Detective Tross. One of it was Inspector Dean at hindi ko naman kilala ang isa. Nagsimula na silang magtanong-tanong at nag-imbestiga sa nangyari. Dahil giniginaw pa rin ako ay muli kong niyakap ang tuhod ko mula sa pagkakaupo. Abala ang mga pulis sa pag-iimbestiga at maging si Gray. I wanted to use the CR kaya tumayo muna ako but my shoes were nowhere to be found dahil napailalim pala iyon sa mga upuan. I stood up from my seat at lumuhod doon upang makuha ang sapatos ko but I found something.

What are these? Speakers and a switch-operated mini-player? Hindi iyon nakakalat doon sa halip ay nakadikit ang mga iyon sa ilalim ng upuan. Agad kong tinawag si Gray at ipinakita iyon. Maingat na sinipat niya ang mga iyon. He even used a handkerchief to avoid his fingerprints to be on those things.

"I think I know who set this up, all I need is the evidence. Thanks Amber!" he said and smiled at me.

Lumapit sa amin si Detective Tross at nababahala ang ekspresyon ng mukha nito.

"None of them are positive with the poison," laglag-balikat nitong wika. "Tell me Amber, did the phantom poison the makeup artist?"

I rolled my eyes at him. "There's no phantom here."

Humagikhik ito ng payak at ginulo ang buhok ko. "You don't have to roll your eyes, hey you look cold," bumaling ito kay Gray. "Mind stripping and give your shirt to Amber?"

Mas lalong gusto ko tuloy iikot ang eyeballs ko sa sinabi ng detective. Meh, nice idea Detective Tross, maybe watching a shirtless Gray burns me up. Oh, please stop being maharot Amber!

"Detective, the corpse has been brought to the morgue. As of the test that we did, none of them is positive with the poison, iisipin ko na talagang isang multo nga ang narito," wika ng isang pulis. I don't know if he's serious or not though.

"So how do we do this?" tanong ni Detective Tross habang tinitingnan ang mga cast at crew na kasalukuyan pa ring kinakausap ni Inspector Dean. I don't know what to do too kaya mas pinili ko na lang manahimik. I drank from my styro cup ngunit wala ng laman iyon. Binuksan ko iyon kahit alam kong wala ng laman. I don't know why I opened it, maybe out of boredom.

"That's it!" bulalas ni Gray habang nakatingin sa akin. What now? Ano namang idina-That's it-that's it niya?!

"What?"

Isang kakaibang ngiti ang sumilay mula sa labi niya. "Amber, are you familiar with the thirty-six stratagems?" tanong niya sa akin.

I haven't heard of those kaya umiling ako. "What are those?"

"Chapter one, winning stratagems. Cross the sea without the emperor's knowledge."

"So?"

"Hide your real goals by using a fake one, until the real goal is achieved. It's called open feint. Meaning, in front of everyone, you point west, when your goal is actually in the east," paliwanag ni Gray. Tiningnan niya si Detective Tross. "I know who the culprit is and I also know that he still has the evidence hidden. Let's use this stratagem Detective, let's fool them that we're leaving because everything is an accident and we have done our investigation," wika niya. The detective agreed on it at kinausap sina Inspector Dean.

After a while ay nagpaalam na kami sa kanilang lahat. Uh, seriously we're really doing such stratagem? Natagpuan ko na lamang ang mga sarili namin na nasa labas na ng opera house. Gray was discussing the plan samantalang nakikinig naman ang lahat sa kanya. Looks like at young age, the police can really rely on him. Matapos nilang mag-usap ay muli kaming pumasok sa loob ngunit hindi kami nagpakita sa kanila.

Gray snuck his way towards the dressing room nang hindi man lamang napapansin ng mga naroon. We saw how Rocco got a bottle from one of the secret compartment of the dressing room right behind a mirror. Agad niyang itinapon ang laman niyon sa sink at siya namang pagbukas nina Gray at Detective Tross.

"As expected, you are the killer," wika ni Gray.

Nagulat naman ito ng makita sina Gray. Dumating na rin ang iba pang cast and crew doon sa dressing room.

"Ano'ng ibig ninyong sabihin? Pinagbibintangan niyo ba ako?" galit nitong wika. Tiningnan nito ang mga kasamahan na tila nanghihingi ng tulong.

"We're not accusing you, we just caught you disposing a very strong evidence against you," Detective Tross said.

"Nakita ko lang ito rito!"

"Rocco, ikaw ang lumason kay Trina?" halos hindi makapaniwalang tanong ni Shania.

"What?! Of course not, pinagbibintangan lamang nila ako!" he scowled at us.

"You want me to spill everything mula sa pagkamatay ni Angela Dimagiba at Clyde Legaspi, sa pananakot dito sa opera house which made everyone think that there is really a phantom here hanggang sa paglason kay Trina?" Gray said and there goes his mischievous smile.

"Ikaw ang may gawa ng lahat ng iyon Rocco?" Ruel asked in disbelief.

"Go ahead young man! Let's hear what you are about to say," hamon ng galit na si Rocco.

Gray smirked at nakipagsukatan ng tingin. "First is that you caused the heart attack of Clyde by dressing as a grimreaper. Alam mong may sakit siya sa puso so it's easy for you to kill him without getting the blame. As of Angela's death, the police reported it as accident but it's not. You stabbed her with a shattered glass. The photographs showed the proof of murder. As of the creepy sounds that everyone heard, we found the speakers and player that you installed around. At first, I thought it was a mannerism of yours na ilagay ang kamay mo sa bulsa. But it's not really your mannerism to keep your hands on your pocket, you just did that for you to hold the switch," wika ni Gray. Lumapit siya kay Rocco at marahas na hinila ang kamay nito na nakapamulsa. Tumilapon ang isang maliit na bagay.

"How dare you! That doesn't prove anything!" Rocco shouted.

"Hindi nga ba? Hey detective, you're in possession of the of the speakers and players right? Let's do some demo," wika niya at pinulot ang switch. He pressed something at tumunog ang mga speakers na dala ni Detective Tross. There were crying sounds and dragging of chains.

"Those were the sounds that we heard from the phantom!" komento ni Sir Lee.

"Ikaw nga ang nananakot dito sa opera house!" wika naman ni Ryan.

"As of the recent death of Trina, you made use of her habit. She used to bite her nails and lick her fingers when eating. That's how you made her take the poison," pagpapatuloy ni Gray. "Only you know how you let her touch the poison but this bottle is enough evidence. Sorry to caught you off guard. You're too good in covering your crime."

Napayuko naman si Rocco habang isinisiwalat ni Gray ang lahat.

"Anong ginawa mo Rocco?!" galit na wika ni Troy. Halos hindi ito makapaniwala sa lahat.

"They all deserve to die! Pinatay nila sina Myla at Loui! Bakit Troy? You must be very happy when Louie died dahil nakuha mo ang lead role!" galit nitong wika. Bigla na lamang itong sinuntok ni Troy.

"Bakit ako matutuwa?! Louie is my bestfriend!" galit na wika nito at nang akmang susuntukin ulit nito si Rocco ay pinigilan na ito ni Shania.

"Alam niyo bang sinadya nilang siraan ang kotse nina Louie? I overheard some crew talked about it. It was Clyde and Angela who plotted everything at kinonsente naman iyon ni Trina," pagsisiwalat ni Rocco. "They even scared Myla with the said phantom here, alam nating lahat na matatakutin si Myla but they always play prank on her. They killed my sister! Well now they know how it felt like!" tila baliw nitong wika at tumawa.

"Kapatid mo si Myla?" tanong ni Ruel. Lahat sila ay nagulat sa sinabi ni Rocco. Maybe they don't know about it.

"Yes, I am her half-brother. Kahit na ayaw niya sa akin ay ipinaghiganti ko pa rin siya!"

"You must be crazy for doing so," wika ni Troy. "Kahit ano pa man ang rason mo, hindi mabuti ang paghihigante."

"I can't believe you really did it Rocco," hindi makapaniwalang wika ni Ryan. Agad na pinosasan ng mga pulis si Rocco at dinala sa kotse.

The case of the Opera House Phantom was now closed. The people would not fear the phantom criminal na kasama lang pala nila. The problem about it has been solved but Director Lee got another problem for the substitute of Rocco para sa nalalapit na opera performance. They thanked us and invited us to the performance night which we gladly accepted.

Matapos magpaalam ay sumakay na si Detective Tross sa kanyang kotse at nauna na ring hinatid nina Inspector Dean ang salarin. Nakatayo lamang kami ni Gray sa isang tabi. Umuulan pa rin ngunit hindi na iyon kasinglakas ng kanina and I'm still shivering. Hinihintay ko na may dumaan na kotse ng tinawag ako ni Gray.

"Hey, what are you standing there? Hali ka na," tawag niya sa akin.

"I'm waiting for a cab," I answered.

"Why?"

"Uuwi tayo. We can't just fly, duh."

"Who told you we're flying?" he asked at binuksan ang pinto ng isang bagong asul na kotse. It was a BMW 428i4 Series Convertible.

"Hop in," wika niya at binuksan ang pinto ng shotgun ride.

Lumapit ako doon at tiningnan ang kotse. "Kaninong kotse 'to?"

"Mine."

"Di nga!"

"It's really mine."

"Yabang."

"This is mine. It's a birthday gift from Mom," wika niya.

"Birthday mo ngayon?" I asked him at kumunot ang noo niya.

"Hindi."

"Then it's not a birthday gift!" I hissed at him.

I saw him pouted. "Sumakay ka na lang. Kanina ka pa nanginginig." Nang makasakay ako may inabot siya mula sa likuran ng kotse. He tossed it to me. It was a jacket.

"Thanks," wika ko sa kanya at inamoy iyon. Uh, bakit ang bango niyon?

"Hindi naman siguro iyan mabaho. Kanina ko pa ginamit iyan nang tawagan ako ni Mommy upang kunin ang kotse," wika niya ng mapansing inamoy ko iyon. "Kung ayaw mong isuot akin na lang," he tried getting back the jacket ngunit agad kong iniiwas iyon.

"Sinabi ko bang mabaho?" I asked him at dali-daling sinuot iyon bago pa niya maagaw iyon.

Matapos kong isuot iyon ay agad niyang binuhay ang makina. "We should be going habang umuulan pa. Wala pang checkpoint."

"You don't have a license?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko. Seriously, he's driving without a license?!

"I'm still underage," nakangiting wika nito. "Don't worry, magkakaroon din ako niyon."

"You could just fake one kaysa ganitong iiwas ka sa mga pulis," suhestiyon ko sa kanya. Yeah, what an illegal suggestion, eh?

"My mom's a lawyer. It's too ironic if his son would do something contrary to law," wika niya.

"Whatever. Hey, are you sure you know how to drive? Dahil kung katulad ka lang naman ni Cooler ay maglalakad na lang ako!" wika ko sa kanya.

Tumawa siya ng mahina. "I'm not like that guy. Don't worry, I'll be careful. Consider yourself lucky, you're the first one to ride this dude," wika niya at pinaharurot ang sasakyan.

And damn!

He's worse than Cooler!