MISSION & SECOND LOVE

CHAPTER 4 – Someone Weeps in the Dark

I

Rodelio was so surprised when their Hotel HR Manager informed him that he will be transferred to another location. She said that it was the Hotel Management’s decision. He can do nothing but to obey. He needs this job more than anything else now.

Rodelio has been transferred to the newly built hotel of the Company which is situated not within Metro Manila but in a nearby province. Thus, he needs to relocate. Thinking about what happened in his life these past days, Rodelio thought that his assignment outside of Metro Manila might be better. Aside from losing his family, he was also affected and is mourning until now for the death of Julia. Although he cannot say that he loved the woman as at the onset, what he felt for her was pure lust and a way of recreation; still, she considered the woman as a friend who understood him. He is missing Julia actually. To top it all, he felt so alone without Cresilda and their son, to whom he will be coming home at the end of every tedious day.

Second time for Cresilda to come to that old and cheap hotel to meet with William. As agreed upon, William will go first, book a room and then Cresilda will follow.

According to the message of William to her messenger, he was booked by the receptionist at the third floor, room 312.  So Cresilda used the elevator and she pressed floor number 3 inside the elevator.

As Criselda was walking at the alley of the hotel’s third floor, she passed by the men’s comfort room. There she heard a man’s cry. When she came a little closer, she noticed that all lights in the whole comfort room has been turned off and only that controlled weeping of a man in the dark can be heard. She hastened her walk to the extent of almost running until she reached the room booked by William. William is already sitting on the bed, playing something on his phone.

“William, walking going here, I heard someone crying inside the men’s comfort room,” she whispered to William.

William suddenly stopped what he is doing and became interested in her story.

Cresilda continued. “I was curious however because the whole area was so dark. The lights inside and outside of the comfort room have been turned off.”

William with a furrowed forehead tried to contemplate. “Maybe we can secretly ask some of the staff. But we need to be careful. We might be asking the culprit himself.”

“Yeah, you are right.” Cresilda nodded.

Based on some stories of two-night shift female staff; they believed that there is a ghost on the third floor, who from time to time would let them hear weeps; most probably asking for help. They further told them that they found out that five years ago; a client occupying one of the rooms on the third floor has been found hanged to death. They believed that he committed suicide out of frustration when her girlfriend left him for another man.

II

All the things they learned from the hotel staff have been well noted by Cresilda and William. They have their journal, where they are putting all their reports. Although they do not know yet the connection of that person or ghost weeping at the male’s comfort room of that old hotel; they still put it in their ledger. They do not have leads yet.

Based on the report prior to the killing of Julia Andayanin, she took a taxi in front of the hotel. Unfortunately, the hotel has no CCTV to check this information. Should the hotel has a CCTV, they should have able to get the plate number of the taxi and the driver can be considered as one of the suspects.

Cresilda went home that day confused. They do not have concrete leads yet. Who is this serial killer? Could he be one of the hotel staff? Could he be the driver? Or any of the customers also of the hotel?

The next day, while at the Police Precinct of Binangonan, Rizal; William, and Cresilda are discussing something.

“It is imperative for us to get details about that taxi where Julia rode that night,” William stated.

Cresilda nodded. “Maybe we can check nearby the hotel if there are CCTVs from other establishments, which views could still reach the front door of that old and cheap hotel.”

So they checked on the nearby establishments from that old and cheap hotel. There is this coffee shop, which is located fronting the old hotel in a diagonal direction at least two buildings away from the front building of the hotel. However, the CCTVs footage is already blurry because of the distance. So they were not able to get the car’s plate number even if they tried to zoom it in. 

“Wait!” Cresilda holds the hand of William when he is trying to zoom in the view of the footage on the time that Julia hopped-in in the taxi.

“Why?” asked William.

“Look, William, we cannot see that car’s plate number but the name of the taxi Company is somewhat visible,” Cresilda exclaimed almost excited.

William tries to focus the zooming on the part where the name of the taxi company is written. They both smiled when they got the name of the taxi company.

“New lead for us partner.” William smiled at Cresilda.

“Yes, we need to inform Senior Inspector Albas about this,” Cresilda stated with a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

Upon learning the newfound information of William and Cresilda, Police Senior Inspector Albas, assigned one of his men to go to the office of the said taxi Company.

The next day, Cresilda received a call from William. He knows the report already of the two inspectors who visited the Taxi Company.

“Cresilda, the Manager of the taxi company informed our inspectors that one of their drivers on the day of the death of Julia Andayanin, reported to him hysterically that while being parked nearby that old and cheap hotel, someone with a mask on his eyes get inside his taxi and put a handkerchief on his face that made him fall asleep. He woke up at the side of the street. He had a blotter made at the nearest police station of the hotel, which our comrades are checking now. Until now they cannot find their taxi.” William’s lengthy information to Cresilda.

Cresilda felt dismayed when she heard the news from William. They will be for another hunt again. Who was that man who took the taxi from the driver?