Fallacies

[ JACQUELINE ]

I am here at boss Stefano's residence, hiding behind a parked van meters away from his house.

What happened kind of made me feel like I am also being watched from afar. I feel paranoid that maybe, I am up next to be killed - that one wrong move that I do, a gun will shoot me in the head.

My long, white hair is covering my face looking at the incident every time the wind blows. A lot of media and police cars were gathered in front his house. Police lines were also taped and wrapped around some fence set on his gate. I was just looking from afar, with my naked eyes fixed on that scene.

To be honest, I don't really know who boss Stefano is. I delivered a drug to him once but that was quite a long time ago. I really have no idea who is he, or what he does for a living. I always feel like I shouldn't intervene with our customer's lives.

It was like I never am a gossiper of other's lives. But when Jason said he was one of our VIPs, I felt an urge to know him personally. But I didn't, really. My previous life before entering the world of this side of illegal drugs is a bit traumatizing that I actually don't have time to know somebody that's completely a stranger to me. I can't trust anyone in this job, not anyone in our customer VIP list. Not a single person, but Jason.

"Excuse me miss." A voice coming from my back made me shudder. I turned around and saw a man in a police uniform. A cop. "I am Jake Hoffman from the police department."

Oh boy.

I was just lurking, trying to get a scoop of what is happening, but in my surprise, an officer appeared from my back, with a police badge on his hand showed unto me straight to my face.

"Oh. Hi, sir. I am Jacqueline. Jacqueline Salazar. I was just leaving, actually." I tried to walk away but he stopped me as I was taking steps.

"No - wait. Why in a hurry? I was just going to ask if you know what happened here." He looked at me with a suspicious eye. Shit. I can't be awkward.

I made myself easy and took a sigh as he placed the badge in his pockets on the right. If I will go against him I might be put into anything related to this crime. I would ruin Jason's plans. Fuck.

"I am just gonna ask you some information that could help us identify the culprit." he continued.

"Actually sir, you don't have to. I am not a resident of this place, I live near the 7th Avenue."

He grabbed a note pad on his left pockets and a ball point pen. He clicked the tip of it and acted to write something. "Oh. So, you're near that restaurant.. The Parfait?" he asked.

"Uh.. yeah, I am. I -- I just went there, really." I lied. I was just trying to let them think that I am not near here, nor that I know Stefano. I cannot say my exact location. My drugs are there. I am being anxious.

"Just now?"

"Yeah, kind of. Hehe. Just had some fancy food to eat."

The police officer, Jack Hoffman as he introduced himself, wrote something on the note pad. This time, it was a longer scribble. Like a paragraph or something.

"Wait, sir. I am not affiliated to this crime.. You see, I was just-- I don't even know who this person is.. I am here just to.. have some glimpse of the news to gossip."

He had a crease on his forehead. I feel like he's doubting every word I'm saying.

"Well, Mrs. Salazar I just want to inform you that we found the crime weapon at The Parfait."

As he said those, my eyes grew larger. Oh boy, I cannot even think of something to say.. now I fucked everything up.

"You did?"

"Yes. It was a Chinese sword from.. Han Dynasty I guess.. still covered with blood and it matched the stab wound Mr. Gutierrez's had on his chest. We still have to do some forensic examinations for more details."

That moment, I was covered in shock. If Jason would know I actually have been a witness or anyone related to this, I could be the next one to die.

***

[ STEPHANIE ]

I went home from the hospital and I am still shocked by the news.

Dr. Gutierrez was dead and I feel like he deserves it. I know he deserves to die. He is a rapist and the dignities and reputation he took from the victims were enough to make his life pay the price. Though, I know this will not be easy for the staff and crew of the hospital. I know we will be interviewed one by one. This will get to Ms. Tyler and I know because of what she did at the hospital, she could be pressed as one of the suspects.

"Hey, Steph. Are you feeling alright?" My brother, Brandon, asked as I drag my body on the couch.

"Uh.. Yeah. Sure, yeah. Just.. Something happened." I took a deep breath. You know every time I think of the fact that he died makes me feel odd. Feels like, kind of.. pity.. Dr. Gutierrez is a great Ob-gyne after all.

Brandon walked towards me from the chair where he was sitting, and did an Indian sit in front of me. "What happened? Is it serious? You seem like thinking of something."

"Me? Yeah kind of. It's just -- you know, Dr. Gutierrez is dead. Haven't you seen the news?"

Brandon went from concerned to poker face. "He's dead? Oh, man that sounds terrible. I don't know. I was playing video games a while ago."

Brandon stood up as he knew the gist of what I was thinking. My brother only concerns things that involves me getting hurt. If he knows things doesn't concern me that much, he will not ask for more.

He drank a glass of water from the jug and stood there for some time. "Oh, wait. I forgot there was a package for you." he added.

I stood myself up from lying on the couch. My mind shifted from Dr. Gutierrez to the sudden topic -- a package, he said? But, who would send me one? Maybe it's from our parents.

"Me? A package?-- Is it from mom?"

Brandon walked to the refrigerator and took the parcel on top of it.

"Nope. I don't know to be honest. Someone just hit the doorbell and as I open it, I saw this. Here, catch."

He threw me the parcel and I caught it with both my hands. I tried to shake the parcel and it seemed like a paper or something related due to its weight. There wasn't also a thing written. I guess this didn't came from a delivery or the mail... This is obviously a customized parcel.

"It doesn't have anything written on it."

"Really? I didn't notice."

I immediately took a scissor from the sink and cut the parcel open.

"What is it, Steph?"

It was a bunch of photographs in a plastic. I broke it and.. God, what I saw made me think of something I have heard before. These are.. pictures of the other women doing the same position as that of Ms. Tyler.. I shuffled them and, they were on the same location. On a passenger seat of a car that I believe belongs to Dr. Gutierrez. This might be the pictures that John Bryan was talking about at the hospital room. I quivered, these are.. disgusting. But.. who sent this?

"Hey, what is it, Steph?"

I kind of shuddered.

"Nah-- Nothing. Just random stuff that I bought online."

"Yeah? May I see them?

"No. no, this is.. a girl thing. You know, make up and all that."

He paused for a bit then, slowly nodded.

"Alright then. Lame."

***

[ BECCA ]

"Who do you think did it?" Bryan asked.

I don't want to answer that, honestly. I have no idea. Four of us here including me, Gina and Stephanie -- are the people I know for sure that could have done this but.. it's not us. Neither of us did it. We are the only ones affiliated to Stefano, and are actually the ones who knew about this r a p e thing that he's up to. If there is someone else who actually killed Stefano, I don't have anyone in my mind.

"Who - who did it? Like.. who killed him?" I stammered upon clarifying.

"Yeah. I am just, who would kill my dad? It was fast, Becca. I don't have any idea who did this."

The look upon his face is a bit confusing; in a sense I cannot determine whether he is sad about it, or just want to know answers.

"To be honest, I also am in shock. I don't know who can kill him. You know, I could have done it.."

He's now staring at me like he's accusing me.

"Not that I did it, really. I mean.. I might be really angry at him but I didn't kill him.. I'm here with you. I-- I don't know who else would."

I don't know what he is thinking of but.. he's looking at me like he's thinking really deep of something. He paused, not talking for a second. "Bryan I know--"

I was interrupted as loud knocks were heard on the door. Actually, it was a loud banging that we heard. Both I and Bryan dragged our eyes at the door.

"Who's there?" I uttered.

"NYPD open up! We are looking for John Bryan Gutierrez." A voice answered from the other side of the knob. I looked at Bryan and I can see that he is full of questions on him. But then, he walked towards the door and opened it, revealing four cops -- all looking for him.

"I am John Bryan Gutierrez. Why are you looking for me?"

A policemen approached him and put handcuffs on his hands behind.

"You're under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. Anything can and will be against you against the court of law."

We both looked at each other, both feeling tensed.