6. Hunt the Killer

Chester followed Lucena with his gaze while the girl walked to the counter to get her order, he just kept his eyes on her back all of a suddenly he was disrupted when his phone rang, he grabs it out of his pocket and looked at the caller ID, it was Nathan, he rolled his eyes and pick it up. “Where are you?” Nathan asks and it seems like he is driving, “I’m in one of the best coffee shops in town, why?” Chester replied crossing his right arms across his chest and look at the glass window, his eyes widened when he suddenly saw Nathan parking his car outside the coffee shop, Chester then immediately looked at Lucena’s way and she was going back to the table, he look back at Nathan and he just got out of the car holding some folders and was walking inside, while he was walking he saw Chester at the window with a shock face and Nathan just give off a confuse look, his attention was then brought to Lucena who just sat down at the table so Nathan immediately walked inside.

“Lucena?” that was the first words Nathan said as he arrived inside the shop and walk directly to their table, Lucena was just sipping her coffee when she heard him, she looks at him confused and so did Chester when he realized they were both familiar with each other, “Mr. Alonzo?” Lucena replied and smiled at the detective, “You two know each other?” Chester said and they both look at him and nod at the same time “Do you know her?” Nathan ask as he grabs an extra chair and sat down in between the two, “we actually just met here, Atty. Rovena approached me, do you two know each other?” Lucena replied and asked the detective as he was settling down, Chester just smiled showing formality but, in his mind, he was shock because the girl is showing a softer impression when she is talking with Nathan, “Atty. Rovena here is a distant cousin of mine” Nathan said smiling at Lucena and Chester lightly hit him on his arms “We’re actually first cousins Ms. Salvey.” Chester said and Nathan hit him back and she just chuckled with their silliness.

“But anyway, what brings you here detective?” Lucena ask looking at the guy while sipping her coffee “Well I was just looking for this guy, we have some businesses to finish actually.” Nathan responded to her question and she just nod, Chester’s phone was consistently beeping he was getting nonstop texts messages and he wants to ignore it but both Nathan and Lucena keep looking at him already because of all the noises, he grabs his phone that was just sitting at the table and check his notifications, while he was doing so, he frowned.

“What is it?” Nathan asks and Lucena was just sitting there sipping her coffee watching the guys who were frowning with what’s going on, “It’s Oliver, he’s on his way to town.” Chester responded to Nathan not looking because he was focused on replying to the texts he received, “Is he another cousin?” Lucena curiously ask and both cousins look at her at the same time, “Nope, he’s one of our old friends, an investigator from another town.” Chester replied to her and got back into texting. “Nicholas might have called him, I heard he also works as a bounty hunter now.” Nathan said looking at Chester, and he just gaze at him as a respond but this statement of Nathan shook Lucena.

“A bounty hunter? Does the town need one?” she said to Nathan and he does not know how to respond to that at all, as said in their earlier conversation they are keeping all the murder investigation in silence to all townies, but before he can respond Lucena’s phone rang and she excused herself.

“I do apologize boys but my principal is in need of me, so I must go.” Lucena came back to the table immediately, it was the school principal that called her Arthur Perklin, he was asking her to do some errands because he will be busy for the rest of the day, “I can drive you back at your school, if that’s okay.” Nathan said as he already knew that Nicholas would be there doing a quick interview, since the school principal is one of their main suspects right now with all of the two murders in town, “It’s okay, I drove on my way here anyways.” Lucena awkwardly replied to Nathan, she grabs her bag, waved goodbye at the boys and rush out.

On Lucena’s way out she bumps into someone at the door they lightly smile at each other and said sorry, as the guy entered the coffee shop, he was obviously looking around probably looking for someone, “Oliver!” Chester shouted at the man which made him look at their way, he smiled at him and walk towards the table, he individually shakes their hands and hug them before sitting down to where Lucena was sited before.

“It’s been a long time Chester, how have you been?” Oliver asks smiling at his friend “doing good man, what brings you back here?” Chester asks back as he lean at the table, “did Nicholas contact you?” Nathan cut in the middle of the conversation, Oliver smiled his confusion while looking at Nathan, “What? No, I’m bounty hunting someone.” Oliver replied which shook the cousin’s, bounty hunting in Limasawa? Better yet in El Felisidad he might have gotten the wrong info or he might be after Arthur Perklin as well. This was all in Nathan’s mind.

Oliver Lim, Chester Hans Rovena and Nathan Gem Alonzo are all friends, they came all the way back to elementary, their families are one of the great foundations of the town to why they have bonded, all throughout high school they have shared fair fun and trouble and stayed friends even after Henry Martinez joined their friendship when they were freshmen’s, and each and every one of them have followed to their parents’ legacy in this town, the Alonzo’s have always been public servant’s working in the police department for longer than anyone could remember, their father is the Country’s general at the moment serving directly to the President. The Lim’s have always been bounty hunters, but Oliver is the black sheep of their family that’s why he tried to be different, he idolizes Nathan’s life since elementary that’s why he wanted to be a detective so bad but he does not work well with other’s so he became an independent investigator and started bounty hunting as well. The Rovena’s has been lawyers even before this town was name El Felisidad, Chester’s parents have been the district attorney of this town for years and when Chester graduated, they moved to become another town’s district attorney because they want Chester to rule in El Felisidad which is in working progress. The Martinez also built the first hospital in this town and as soon as Henry pursued the medical course and graduated, they have retired and left the Hospital under his care.

All of them are the only sons of their family except for Nathan off course, but Nathan did not grow up knowing Nicholas and for the longest time he thought he was the only son of the Alonzo’s.

Lucena arrived at the school’s parking lot as fast as she can, the principal gave her all the errands that she needs to do for him, she accepted it off course she have no choice but something tells her that the situation is a bit odd that something is wrong, she knows the principal too well they have worked together for 2 years now and he never gives or ask someone specially not Lucena to do errands for him, that is why instead of attending a meeting for one of the foundation the school supports she rushes to the school to see what’s going on with Perklin. As she got out of her car, she notices somebody else’s car and that made her frowned, she is a very observant person to why she can tell that this is not anyone that goes to this school also the fact that she has seen this car before, it is a black Lexus LFA Nürburgring edition car.

When she realizes to whom it belonged, she breath heavily and rush to the principal’s office and went inside without knocking, and there she saw Arthur Perklin and Nicholas Alonzo standing at the table opposite from each other, both men look at her way, Arthur was shock but he expected this kind of behavior from Lucena so he just lightly smiled and Nathan was emotionless as always, “What is this?” Lucena ask walking infront of Nicholas, they were just looking at each other eye to eye. “It’s an interrogation Ms. Salvey and Mr. Perklin already agreed.” Nicholas answered still looking straight into her eyes with no emotions at all, Lucena on the other hand frowned and cut the eye contact by facing Arthur.

“Invoke your rights, you have a lot of things to do than this.” Lucena said to Arthur who was just calmly looking at the two of them, “It’s okay Ms. Salvey I don’t have to, I’m innocent as a baby.” Arthur said jokingly letting out an assuring smile, and the lady just look at him and back at Nicholas, “First my student and now the school principal? Gosh there could be real criminals out there you know.” She said while piercing her gaze into Nicholas and the guy just did the same.

“Ms. Salvey.” The principal shortly said cutting of the staring contest between the two she looks at Arthur and gave him a look that she understands his choice so she walked out of the scene, Nicholas excused himself to the principal and followed the lady. “Do you hate that these people you know are named as persons of interest in our investigation, or do you hate the fact that I’m leading this investigation?” Nicholas said loud enough for Lucena to hear because she was walking so fast when they got out of the office, the girl looks at him and got irritated when she saw him smirking, “you know what, I just realize maybe it’s because of you.” She said as she slowly walked back to where the detective was standing which is outside the door of the principal’s office.

“Oh, well you don’t have a choice missy I’m the best this town ever had.” Nicholas said as he crosses his arms showing his massive biceps, and leaned to the wall, “really? Because it seems to me that you have a serial killer on the loose and I bet you don’t have any progress on your cases at all.” Lucena said smiling all flirty and still walking slowly towards the detective, she got so near that he properly positioned himself and started backing off, “So best might not be so appropriate for you.” She said leaning towards the detective’s face saying those words, Nicholas was shock and was taken aback to what she just did, she looks at his eyes and lips for a moment and realize what she has done and so she immediately walks away from the detective, Nicholas on the other hand was still trying to process what just happened, he was taken over by a woman, when he got back to his sense he walks back in to the principal’s office.

“I do apologize for Ms. Salvey, she often finds her ways to get involved.” The principal whose sitting at his table, chin on the back of his palm said when Nicholas entered the room, the detective looks at him and smiled for a quick second and just sat down in front of the principal, “You two seem to have a connection,” the principal added and Nicholas just frowned at the idea, “Let’s just start.” That was the only reply Nicholas can give, “I know what you came here for detective, to make it easy for you, I didn’t kill Henry Martinez.” Arthur said not letting Nicholas ask his first question, his statement is not uncommon for Nicholas this is what suspects or any people being accused for something always says.

“Mr. Perklin the last time Henry Martinez was seen alive was at his hospital arguing with you, that is not a very good picture to paint.” Nicholas said and he showed some pictures taken from the hospital’s surveillance camera, it has a time stamp on it and it was dated the day Henry went missing, “Martha told you this? Have you questioned her already? She is after all one of his many mistresses the possibilities are endless” Arthur said and grab the photos looking at it thoroughly and still calm. “I have talk to her and to the wife, Mrs. Martinez knew that a mistress exists, and both their alibi checked out.” Nicholas explained, Arthur puts the picture down and leaned back to his chair allowing a minute of silence before he starts talking, “Well I honestly can’t deny, he did ask me to come to the hospital that day, I texted him about Eliana’s house situation, and threatened to exile him as one of the school’s donator and report his actions to the authorities, he wanted to make a deal to keep me shush and I did accept it, so it would be too naïve of me if I kill someone who I just did business with.” Arthur said looking directly into Nicholas’s eyes and this brings the detective uncomforting feeling, he is quiet convince that Arthur did kill Martinez but how can he look at him like that. “Vincent Hanley.” Nicholas said out of the blue and this changes the principal’s facial expression and this gives Nicholas something, a suspicious feeling.

“What about him?” Arthur said calmly and Nicholas was feeling a bit proud in seeing the shifting of the principal’s emotions, “He was about to cut you off, did you also make a deal with him.” Nicholas asks with a little glimpse of smile in his eyes and the principal noticed that and he just smiled.

“Do you have any proof? You know detective the case you’re trying build against me can easily go down, you don’t have any credible proof placing me to any of these murders, better yet you don’t even have the crime scene all you have is Limasawa street.” Arthur said smiling grimly and the smile in Nicholas’s eyes immediately fade it turned into disappointment but one thing got him curios though, Arthur mentioned Limasawa, but he knew Arthur was right all he just has are circumstantial evidences and these aren’t good enough to build any case which brings him back to zero, Arthur speculated this all along that’s why he was confident that he does not need a lawyer by his side.

After a moment of silence, Nicholas looks at Arthur and smiled, “I guess that concludes my interrogation for today.” He said as he stands up and so did the principal, “I’m worried to what is happening in this town detective and I do hope you find the killer sooner.” Arthur said showing a worried expression, he extended his arms and Nicholas shook his hands, “Let me walk you to the gate.” Arthur openly offered, “I can find my way out, Thank you.” Nicholas said and lightly smile for the last time and walk out of the office.