IV. BATRACHOTOXIN

Chapter 4

@PTWP | Tuesday, January 31, 2017 | 7:43 PM.

AS THE night came, we immediately changed our clothes in something that is way better and formal. I asked for a red smock dress and Shantelle gave it to me gladly.

We were on the day to the said venue—PTWP or Purple Thomas Wedding Party. The plan was, to meet those three people. Old man said that I should be the one who represent him, in some other term, I’ll be his shadow and pretend that he couldn’t come yet he sent one person who’ll be his representative. And that’s me; one of our tactic to obtain my mission—to meet them.

My gaze went down to the radio.

JUST IN: Batrachotoxin, one of the most powerful neurotoxins in the world and an extremely poisonous alkaloid found on the skin of tiny poison dart frogs killed two dozen of people in South America. Since no antidote is known and death comes rapidly, no one survived the said butchery.

Just in? Killing people nowadays has really no time and date. Napailing ako. I closed the radio and rested my head at the head rest. I’m kind of sleepy.

“People people people,” I heard Tyron mumbled while shaking his head. He will accompany me to the venue so he was the one who drove the car.

“Witch, wake up.” I opened my eyes. Inaalog ako ni Tyron para magising. I roamed my gaze outside and maybe, this is the venue.

Or so it seems.

I shook my head and fixed myself. “Correction.” Saad ko bago humarap sa kaniya. He frowned at me kaya hindi ko na natuloy. “Oh shut up. I’m immune to that. Correction, a gorgeous, sexy and hot witch. Polish your references.” He mimicked me. We both chuckled.

“Better fix your ass up and attend the venue. Don’t add cold air to the cold night,” I flicked his forehead. “Asshole. I am 2 minutes and 13 seconds older than you,” he just rolled his eyes at me before opening the car door.

“Go. I’m going to take a nap.” He winked at me and mouthed good luck. I closed the door and then let out a breath. There is this sensation that tickles me.

I shrugged my shoulder before showing my invitation card to the guard. Elegant, huh. He smiled at me, he opened the door while gesturing his hand. I nodded at him then entered the venue. A cold dim room welcomed me. There’s a lot of people in different ways. Maybe, the party had started and I was late.

I wandered my stare and it stopped to the two person who are clinging at each other. They were in their white outfit, the boy’s hand was encircled at the girl’s waist. I squinted my eyes to see clearly if they were the new-wedded.

Perfect. I mentally smiled. Exactly those two that the picture shown by old man.

Someone... no, the presence was not for one person only. One of those people opposed my shoulder.

“OHEMJI. OHEMJI! Erp, I am genuinely sorry. I was too excited that I didn’t sawn you. I am sorry,” she apologized then bowed. They were in front of me and I was right, not just one, but three. I ignored the the way she calls me erp.

“It’s alright. Just be careful next time,” I smiled a little to make it look sincere. And I was really sincere saying that, it wasn’t just obvious. The apology that the girl told me was sincere too. She really was excited. “Thank you for understanding! We’ll keep going. Enjoy!” I didn’t reply. I didn’t see the two people face but I could conclude that they are male. Those two had a broad shoulders unlike in the girl I talked to.

I searched for a vacant table and I found one near at the couple. The event has this round tables at the back, space in the middle and long tables at the side. The light was purple and in the middle, there is this long light that I can assume a colorless light or in short, a white. The normal bulb. I don’t know about those so I just sat.

I get one wine at the waiter who went at my way. I also sighted the new couple walking towards my table. Furthermore, I prepared myself mentally.

“Hello there! May I know who are you? You’re not familiar to me. I am Purple,” Purple offered a handshake so I accepted it. I prefer not to look rude so I smiled. She was smiling to me, she was indeed delighted, a genuine one.

“I am Lacey. Niece of uncle Pael. He asked me if I was free and to attend this event to at least show how happy he was to the both of you. He was busy so he can’t attend,” I explained so they nodded. Calling him uncle makes me want to vomit.

“This is Thomas, my husband,” she introduce her husband. Thomas smiled and waved his hand to me so I did the same.

“Nice to meet the both of you,” I said, making them smiled from ear to ear. “So are we. Anyway, can I ask?” Purple went on so I hummed for an answer.

“No offense ha... as far as I know, uncle Pael haven’t had any niece or nephew...?” the last three words was said shyly. Shoot. Dipshit, Lacey. So lame!

“Oh, right. I am his friend daughter. I’m living with him since my dad died,” I responded. Living with him? That words makes me sick. That’s so impossible. What he did was unforgivable.

“I see... anyway, I saw you walking alone so if you mind, we can accompany you. At least a gratitude for attending this, for uncle and of course, to you,” she offered. “Hon, you take care of the newly arrived guests first, huh? I’ll just go with Lacey,” her husband nodded and smiled at her. He then leaned to kiss his wife’s forehead.

“Sure. It’s a pleasure.” I sipped my wine then wiped my lips. She smiled and gestured her hands. We started walking while talking. His husband took the different way so I guess, he will go to their other guests.

“That’s my friends.” She pointed her index finger to a group of people. They were 4 people in the group, two boys and two girls. The one looks like a couple. “Let’s go. I will introduce you to them,”

“This is Lucy and Lucky. They are twins. And these two-lovely couple, Nathalie and Jonathan.” She pinpoint while pointing whose name were mentioned. “I’m glad to meet the four of you. The name’s Lacey,” I introduced myself. They all smiled at me and so I.

“Excuse me,” I excused. “Take your time!” Purple replied so I smiled at her. The four nodded at me and smiled a little.

I left not because I felt awkward or what. I left because I need to pee. I am going to the restroom. I pushed the restroom door and entered one of the cubicles. I was about to open the door to wash my hand when a cubicle door opened and I heard voices. Seems like they are gossiping.

“Girl, do you know that Nathalie’s boyfriend likes to catch frogs? What’s more, they say he have a poisonous frog? The one who poison using their skin. Goodness! Terrible,” I heard a female voice say as the water poured. “You’re such a gossiper, come on. Let it be.” Then it became silent.

Nathalie? I only know one Nathalie here in this event. And exactly na may nobyo rin. Are those two girls talking about Jonathan? I shrugged my shoulders. I went out of the cubicle and luckily, I saw one of the twins, Lucy. There are two girls beside her too.

“Hello...” she said to me. I waved my hand to her as an answer. I saw how she took a handkerchief on her bag and used it to wipe her hands. She must have noticed that I was looking at what she was doing so she spoke. “I hate tissues because they just hang on my hands, especially when they are wet. It’s irritating because there are still small parts left," she explained.

“Uh...” I said. I really want to ask her something. “Spill,” he promised me with a laugh. “Hmm... I didn’t see you on that bag a while ago...”

“This?” She chuckled before lifting the bag ang pointing it through her index finger. “I left this bag at Nathalie and Jonathan’s house yesterday. They are live-in partners, by the way. We were there in their house and I, Purple, Thomas went home when it’s night, my twin was left there with Nathalie and Jonathan because he was already asleep. I told Nathalie to bring it tomorrow since my things are here, even my handkerchief and I haven’t used it yet so yeah. I just arrived and Nath spilled what he was drinking on me, Lucky pushed her and my upper clothe is wet so I asked her to hand me my bag that I almost forgot.” She even scratched her head. I nodded multiple times.

“I’ll go first,” she said softly so I nodded. I smell something weird but I just let it go. I washed my hand before taking a tissue. I stayed there for a few minutes. I am fixing my hair and my dress.

I was just at the door of the bathroom, I heard a scream. I quickly ran and saw Lucy, lying on the cold floor.

What the fuck? I was just walking to her a while ago. I sighed. I therefore deduced that I would be one of the suspects.

“No one will come near! Call the police. Stay right where you are and don’t panic. No one will come out, Red, make sure that no one can come out,” I heard a male voice so my brow furrowed. I came closer and saw the girl who bumped me with that voice that said to call the police.

“I must say... this is a murder and the suspect was still here, disguising as an innocent kitten. So I need your cooperation,” he continued. He approached the corpse. The light now was white already so he could easily see the corpse. I also examined Lucy’s body.

Seems like... she was paralyzed. Or so it seems.

I looked up when I heard something. “She stiffened and touched her face then boom, she fell. I checked her pulse and because of the shock that she was not breathing, I shouted,” the one with the curtain haircut or the one who shouted to call the police is interrogating a girl. Based on her statement, she was the one who shouted.

And that answered my question. She really was paralyzed. That man approached the girl I bumped into and the girl handed him a glove. He ordered to close the door and get gloves. “I already locked the door. Whoever tries to escape, we will hear,” he said and the boy with the curtain haircut too—who interrogated the girl who saw Lucy’s body first nodded.

“Who were the people she talked to when she was still breathing?” he asked. The people in the room molded into silence.

“Aside from us... Lucky, her twin, Nathalie, Jonathan, me and Thomas, they are none. We were all together but she went to the bathroom and... and that happened.” Purple answered then burst into tears. Thomas, being the prince, stroked its back.

“And who are the people he met?” he ceaselessly inquired. The two women with us raised their hands. “What are you both doing in the restroom?”

“Because this friend of mine asked me to go to bathroom so I went with her. We don’t know him but what... there is another person who was also cr...” I grinned. I can’t really escape.

People’s attention turned to me while I stood like nothing was suspecting me. The man repeated his question to me, I thought to myself, is it necessary to ask that? I shook my head mentally.

“Well, I was washing my hands,” I responded. He drank his coffee before questioning me again. Where in hell did he get the coffee though? “Is that all?”

“Do you want me to elaborate what I did at the restroom?” I retorted. I grinned upon seeing him smirk. Naughty, huh?

“Wait! Wait!” Purple butted in. “Are you saying that those three girls are one of the suspects?”

“Yes,” he casually replied. “What?! They didn't know the victim!” Purple defended us.

“That’s not acceptable,” he said. Before Purple could answer, I went ahead at her first. “They don’t have the motive, is that acceptable?”

He looked at me. We are staring at each other soul. He broke the stare when his companions spoke.

“Based on her things, she was killed by a highly toxic poison named BTX,” began a man. Well, his hands are in his pocket. On the way he presents himself tells me that, I am not interested yet still doing it. Or so it seems. Yet, so dazzling hot with his black curtain haircut, arched eyebrows, upturned eyes, pointed nose and thin lips. Oh, he’s pretty and clean.

“And what’s strange was... the poison was in her handkerchief,” I frowned at what the woman said. He slowed it down, me—because I was close to them as well as his two companions only heard. But how the heck did she know that? She could be a corpse too if she inhaled it!

A knock meddled. I raise my hand to say that I will open.

BTX. Batrachotoxin... as stated in the radio, one of the most powerful neurotoxins in the world and an extremely poisonous alkaloid found on the skin of tiny poison dart frogs. I’m sure it was the poison that killed Lucy.

If I am right, Jonathan, Nathalie’s boyfriend, if he was the one who is those two girls are talking about, loves to collect frogs, he is my primary suspect. The thing is, something’s off. When I talked to Lucy, she said that Nathalie had her bag, even the handkerchief where the poison is, if that’s the case, Nathalie has time to put the poison in Lucy’s handkerchief. The question was, where in hell did Nathalie get the poison? Since they are live-in partners, did Nathalie take the frog or Jonathan gave it to her partner willingly? If so, why does... Jonathan is somehow bothered?

I opened the door as soon as I got close. I ignored the police because I was still thinking about the crime. Besides, they will examine the corpse, autopsy and shits.

How about his twin? To Lucky, I don’t see the connection, honestly. And it seems that heaven heard me.

“It’s a bad shot, can you blame Lucky, who is an architecture student, for those poisons?” I heard a woman whisper. Her voice sounds familiar...

I approached them because they seemed to know a lot. “Hi, can you tell me more about them?”

They both nodded to them. Seems like they are the one I heard talking in the bathroom earlier.

“Here’s how it is. We are schoolmates, me, this friend of mine, Nathalie, Jonathan, the twins and your newlyweds and those six are the talk of the town. First, there are only five of them and Purple is not there yet, they only became friends because Lucy is a friend of Purple...” she began. That’s not helpful though. “Fast forward, Lucy and Lucky, those twins don’t get along, they always fight so it's strange that they are in the same group. They can’t even stand with each other. There was a time... Lucky almost killed Lucy because of him choking her. Nathalie and Jonathan, they are angry with Lucy because that girl is seducing Nathalie’s boyfriend. Rumor has it that Lucy seduced Jonathan, eh.”

I nodded and mouthed thank you. I was in my deep thoughts... I was interrupted when I heard voices yelling at each other.

“You, Lucky, aren’t you angry with him? Your parents always pay attention to him and you’re always left behind?!” Nathalie shouted. I know that it was her first.

“Why, Nathalie? Yes, I will admit that I hate OUR PARENTS because she is always the only one BUT I DON’T HATE HER! If I wanted her to disappear, I should have evicted her without many eyes! Are you stupid?” my forehead creased when I heard that from Lucky. He emphasized some words. That’s a big slap for Nathalie.

“Don’t yell at her!” the knight and shining armor, Jonathan. “Jonathan? Don’t be innocent! Nathalie and you two! You’re mad at him because she’s seducing your boyfriend, aren’t you, Nathalie? You’re mad at her, you two, because she’s ruining your relationship?!” the victim’s twin scolded.

“Yes! I hate her but where can I get that poison?!” the little girl and I frowned.

“To Jonathan! He has frogs and maybe the Batrachotoxin that poisoned Lucy was one of them, right?!”

“You also! You know that and you always go to Jonathan for ideas! You also like frogs!”

And that’s it! I have a suspect already. Now, it’s confirmation time.

I approached them. The police are also there and one of them is talking to the man who led this crime.

“Sororicide...” I whispered, enough for them to hear it. We were seven inches far away from each other and there was a raging silence so in my conclusion, they heard me.

And I was right.

I grinned mentally.

They turned their heads towards me. We were staring at each other, oh, scratch that. They were intensely staring at me. In my view, they were asking—based on the stares these three people gave me was, what in hell are you doing?

I didn’t mind them because it's showtime!

I need to ask first. I need to confirm this. “Among the five of you, who knows her whereabouts like habits?” I fired at Purple, Thomas, Nathalie, Jonathan and Lucky so they looked at me. The two couples shook their heads, one didn’t answer. I giggled. I confirmed it already, now it’s time for the culprit’s reaction.

“How is it... losing one of your frogs, Jonathan?” my introduction. The latter looked surprised. “What? I didn’t kill her!” Jonathan yelled anxiously.

“Calm down. I didn’t say anything that you killed her,” I continued. “How was the hiding of Lucy’s... bag, Nathalie?” I asked Nathalie whose annoyed now. I am having fun seeing the culprit’s reaction!

“What the heck are you talking about?!” Nathalie yelled at me so I grinned. “Are you blissful seeing the frogs... Lucky?” I turned my gaze to Lucky.

"I didn’t kill her!" he said so I laughed. "I didn’t say you killed her. Calm down," I laugh at them and get serious.

“Are you happy...” I stopped at Nathalie. “That you killed her, Jonathan?” I declared. I heard the gasped of others.

“What?! You’re going insane!” he shouted at me so I pointed at myself, mimicking him. “I was just joking. I’m not done yet...”

“Are you happy that your rival is gone...” I approached Nathalie. “Lucky?” I called the suspect’s name. Nathalie violently released my grip on her shoulder so I laughed.

I was just joking about those two names! I need to catch the real culprit’s reaction so I can confirm it more.

“What are you saying? I thought it was Jonathan who put the poison in Lucy’s handkerchief?!” I smiled widely upon hearing what he said.

“Caught in the act...” I heard the girl—the one who bumped me. And this is what I meant about confirmation—slipping the evidences by using their words against them. I honestly need to use their words against them as an evidence. And I am somewhat sorry for using someone.

“What’s your evidence?!” the suspect continued without letting me speak. I frowned. “You just spill the evidence a while ago, boy,” replied the man who interviewed the woman earlier. He then drank his coffee.

“For you to get enlightened. Here it is. You loved to come to Jonathan’s house because you want to frame him up because others know that he likes frogs so you used that frog. You intended to sleep at their house because you just found the right time to kill your sister. You can’t even go near her so you used her habit—you know her very well—putting a handkerchief in her bag and using it to wipe her hands when she took restrooms so that’s how you planned to kill your sister because you know that you will not be the primary suspect which is Jonathan or Nathalie because it is their house and Jonathan has a collection of frogs. So where’s the evidence? You spilled two evidences and for the last one, we can come to Nathalie and Jonathan’s house to see the poison you used and your fingerprint. I used Jonathan’s name and Nathalie’s because I wanted to see your reaction and when I saw you sighing, a sign of relief, I knew it, I was right. Besides, you’ve done that—trying to kill Lucy once so why bother doing it twice? Your motive? Can I ask you? What’s your motive?" I enlightened them, not only him because many were listening.

“How can I do that if the poison is on its skin? If I did that, how could I do what I intended?!” my smile widened as he slipped again. He’s nervous, based on his knees that are wobbly like jelly and his sweaty palms, he really is nervous. Whatever comes out of his mouth—is an evidence.

“Tou really want me to elaborate and expose your crime, do you?” I asked him while sighing. “The frog is roasted alive over a fire until it tears up in pain. Bubbles of poison form as the frog’s skin begins to boil. The toxin can be caught in a container just like what you did. I will ask you, what did you do so you didn’t get poisoned?”

“Yes! Yes!” I didn’t hear him give up because I went to the bathroom. I’m going to wash my hand and fixed my ass up. I was too haggard.

When I got out, everything was fine. Purple immediately came to me.

“Thank you so much, Lacey!” she thanked teary eyes me so I just nodded. “Yeah. Kindly send my apologies to Nathalie and Jonathan. I’m going home. Uncle called and he told me to go home,” she just smiled weakly at me.

“Noted. Send my gratitude to uncle Pael. God bless you, Lacey!” I smiled at her then waved my hand. I turned my back and unfortunately, those three people in the crime scene showed their butts to me.

I handed them my calling card because they were just looking at me. Like what I did to Purple, I turned my back to them. I know that I am very gorgeous so they don’t need to stare at me like that.

At least, first step to obtain my task, check.

**