The Second Victim (II)

02:23 P.M. 

Santos's Family Car, on the way to Manila National Police Station. 

July 20th, the year 2018. Friday. 

"Please take care of Xian, Mr. Jake. I need to practice my opera dance for tonight," Sammy said to him while crouching down. Mr. Jake nodded and motioned for Xian to climb carefully in his car. He sighed as Mr. Jake asked his mother where Xian will go. 

Xian heard his mother say Manila National Police Station. 

Mr. Jake turned the car around on the side of their terrace. Xian picked up his cell phone from the insides of his shorts with his left hand. He pressed the message again, lowered down the speaker so that Mr. Jake couldn't hear it, and put it right next to his ear. 

"Lieutenant Dela Rosa. The bracelet that's found on the crime scene of Margo Monteverde right at the top of the hood of her car. It's positive about Katrina Fajardo's fingerprints. The forensic team sent it over through the international forensics for the test. The scanners have been out for almost three weeks now." 

It's a muffled voice. Xian gripped his cell phone tightly as the voice ceased. He closed his eyes out of anger and panted right in his seat.

He didn't want to cause a scandal right at the station. But from what he heard, Marcus Dela Rosa can turn his eyes into a blind one. His best friend involved in a murder case would be the oppression. He can cover it up since he was the head of the detectives. Xian's temper rose once more. 

The voice recording ended. Xian pressed the play button again. He gritted his teeth as he looked outside of the family's car. He felt every word from that message stuck deep in his heart. Xian listened to it until they reached the station. 

Xian laid down the cell phone on his lap and averted his eyes from the window to their family driver. 

"We're here, sir Xian," Mr. Jake mumbled while glancing at his back for a second, and climbed out of the car. He opened the door right beside Xian and guided him out. Xian felt another screeching pain in his right leg, but he didn't squeal out. 

"Are you okay? Should I guide you upon entering the station, sir Xian?" Mr. Jake asked. The driver observed his body. Xian shook his head, balancing the wooden crutch on his armpits. He put his weight over it when it touched the ground. 

"It's okay, Mr. Jake. I can handle this. Besides, I need to walk outside of the house for some time," Xian beamed. He bore the pain further.

It has been a month since the accident, but his right leg was not improving its condition. It may be because of the time he neglected doing therapies for it because of his grief on Margo's death scene. 

"Are you sure you will be okay, sir Xian? You look pale now," Mr. Jake's worried tone emerged.

"It's okay, Mr. Jake. I'll be out in a minute or two. I just have to confirm something to a lieutenant. Wait for me here," Xian muttered as Mr. Jake nodded and sighed. Xian also did the same thing and stepped to his feet, one after another. 

He walked up to the three steps of the stairs. Xian breathed a sigh of relief as he reached the glass doors. 

He glanced at Mr. Jake as it climbed inside the family car again and rolled down the window. He nodded at him and walked inside the doors without pushing it. It has a scanner that signals the doors to open when someone is in front of it. 

He limped inside. He saw the running two police officers that zoomed out to the right hallway. Everyone was so busy entertaining him. 

He walked towards the information area. He was going to ask about Lieutenant Dela Rosa when an officer called out. 

"Sir Xian Santos?" the officer mumbled. Xian saw a glimpse of recognition in his eyes and furrowed his eyebrows. His uniform said that he's also an officer. He's the same height as Xian. 

"You are a famous painter, right? You are that Xian Santos. I really love your paintings!" the police officer cried out in ecstasy and reached out his hand. He cracked his mouth and couldn't reach out because of his limp. The officer apologized when he saw the wooden crutches at his sides. 

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... I was star-struck with your paintings.  You were so great, like Leonardo da Vinci!" the officer exclaimed. Xian felt the shame that was crossing his face.

The officers were mumbling in their surroundings, and he glimpsed at them. His name's tainted with another title now. Carmela brought it upon them. Nothing could eradicate it unless they show what they really were. To save himself from humiliation, he asked Lieutenant-General Dela Rosa to the officer.

"Then, can I ask you a favour?" Xian mumbled. The officer gladly nodded. 

"Could you show me the office of Lieutenant Dela Rosa?" Xian asked and smiled at the officer.

The officer tilted his head to one side and hesitated. "I'm not sure. He's not around by early in the morning. But I can walk you there, Mr. Santos." 

He motioned for Xian to follow him to the upper floor of the station. He walked carefully at least two feet behind the officer. When they reached the glass doors of the office, he peeked over there, holding his crutches. 

He saw Marcus's office was wide, unlike any other rooms over the side of the staircase. Xian chuckled, seeing his teammates working with pressure on their own computers. The office even has an unobstructed view of the capital of Manila and he waited for the officer to knock on the door. 

He stared at the officer as it knocked on the door. Marcus's teammates all stood up from their seats. The officer saluted them. He heard him asking where Lieutenant Dela Rosa was. 

Xian walked slowly towards the door, and one of his female mates looked behind the officer. She saw someone who was standing with his shoulders slinked. The woman pointed towards Xian. 

An officer turned to him and said that Lieutenant Dela Rosa was not around. Xian even glanced at another room inside the office. It's vacant. No one was there. He sighed, looking at the officer. 

He gave up with the message, but then, when he glanced over at the other way, he saw the lieutenant. Xian saw Marcus scanning over the papers, looking up. Marcus widened his eyes as he saw Xian, limping in front of his office. 

"Lieutenant Dela Rosa!" the officer cried out to him, saluting. Xian felt his fingers grip the handle of the crutch tightly. Marcus furrowed his eyebrows over him. 

He hid the papers that he was reading earlier and put it behind his back. He nodded towards the officer first before facing Xian again. 

"What are you doing here, Mr. Santos?" Marcus asked formally, making Xian chuckle. Marcus dismissed the officer and said a generous thank you. 

He closed the door of the office and smiled at his teammates. They scrambled again on their desks once again, ignoring their leader.

"What are you doing here, Xian?" Marcus narrowed his eyes after questioning him. 

"I have something to ask you, isn't it obvious?" Xian retorted back as Marcus was still holding the piece of evidence paper behind his back. It contained the fingerprint test. The one that's mailed to the station's address early this morning. It has been three to four weeks they have been in a hindrance to solve murder cases because of that. The machines were breaking even if they brought a new one. 

Marcus' assumption because of breakage of scanners may lead to the culprit in Margo's case. 

Xian brought out his cell phone in the front pockets of his shorts. He was shaking because of the unfathomable pain caused by standing too long. He swallowed as he pressed the recording message. 

Xian held out the cell phone, letting the other wooden crutch to fall on the floor with a loud thud. Marcus was so surprised by what he heard.