Empire Streets Chapter IV: A Working Detective

 Darwin stared down a glass of cold piss-colored beer like it was suspect during one of his interrogations. He took the glass with one hand and held it near his face. His brows furrowed as he observed the bead-like sweat running down the transparent glass. Darwin placed the tip on his lips and felt the cool and bitter liquid run down his throat. It was his refreshingly third glass.

A lot has happened today. He contemplated as he drank. It had become part of his routine. After a hard day's work, he'd have a cold one inside a place called “Spitfire”. It was a bar just below his bachelor apartment located at the busy areas of Makati. Their beer was cold enough, cheap enough for an honest cop's payload. Although Spitfire wasn't known for its beer. The bar was just a front for a strip club. The detective didn't care. It only meant the bartender had more time to serve him one of his vices.

His mind worked in strange ways. As he killed his brain cells with alcohol, the clearer he thought. As if the unnecessary information from his daily grind evaporates until only what made sense was clear.

A quick recap. His mind began to work its wonders as he finishes his glass. A body was found this afternoon at Pasig river. The poor fucker got his feet cemented and there was no way to escape. Then we found two bullet-holes on the vic's heart, suggesting he was killed before he was dumped down the river. Autopsy would make sense of that tomorrow but I heard the vic died hours before his insides began to drown with murky water. More and more possible he was shot first and was just dumped down the river.

The interesting part began when I found who the vic was. Darwin remembered the newspaper. The headline was 'CRIME BOSS, ALFONSE SANTINO SICK?' and the photo... At the middle was Alfonse Santino, an old man with thinning white hair and wrinkly face that showed wisdom and wear. He wore an Americana that made him look sharp. He was escorted by two people as he entered the car. On the left was his son, Vincent Santino. A man in his twenties, curly brown hair and an attitude fit for a prince. On his right was the victim, Doctor Aldrich Cooper, an American physician/chemo-therapist employed by the Santino family. He was a tall white man with short blond hair and thick-rimmed glasses. The picture was captured by an unknown photographer and it looked like the trio were about to leave Makati Medical Center. The question on Darwin's mind now was 'Why Kill your own doctor?'

Suddenly, a man pulled the seat beside him and sat down. He ordered the same thing Darwin was drinking.

Without even looking, Darwin took a swig and spoke. “If people knew you were here, sir, I might not be able to cover for you.”

The stranger was none other than chief Gonzales. Now out of his blue uniform, he sported a white shirt and brown coat. It was wet, Darwin assumed it already began to rain outside. The techno music inside had drowned the outside world.

“I need a drink and I heard this place had some cheap but exquisite beer,” Gonzales replied. “Besides, it's my time off.”

“Is that all you've heard? The beer, I mean?” Darwin couldn't help but chuckle.

“Like I said, I'm on my time off. I don't know or care about the things they do inside the V.I.P. Room. All I want is a nice cold glass of beer.” Gonzales laughed.

“Is that right...”

“Right. But that's not the only reason why I'm here. I've got something I need to tell you.”

“What might that be?”

“I've talked to the forensics department about the body of Aldrich Cooper. I still have to deal with the embassy but they promised to keep this under control as long as our department keeps our mouth shut. This is a high profile murder, detective, if this blows out and we can't handle it, the Manila Police Department will take the heat from all sides.”

Motherfuckin' Santinos. Darwin thought, finally realizing some portion of the truth. They dumped the body there on purpose. Hell, I think even the kid witness who saw the body was planted. They wanted the body to be found by us, figure out who it was like some twister riddle for us to only realize that we just set our own fuckin' bomb. A bomb to destroy public relations. They gave us our problem, they knew we would stay quiet. Damn it!

“What're you thinkin' about, detective?” the chief pried.

“Nothing, sir. Just remembered I forgot to turn the lights off upstairs.” Darwin lied and shrugged him off. “Anyway, like you, I'm off duty. It's ten o'clock in the evening. Couldn't you have waited 'till seven tomorrow?”

“Boy, I've known you for twelve years. I know for a fact that you never stop to work!” the bartender slid a glass of cold beer on the table towards the chief. Gonzales took a swig, paid what the bartender was due and exhaled with satisfaction. “Inside that mind of yours, you're always working, solving, calculating possibilities. That's why you're our best! Besides, I want to know how are your other case doing? This is the second body found in the river just this week.”

“And the fifth time this month...” continued Darwin.

“Right. The world is turning into a cruel place to live in. It sucks that we could do nothing.”

“To be honest, chief, the world had been a cruel place from the start,” said Darwin. The mood had become melancholy now, the blaring club music and the people gyrating on-stage was seemingly blocked out by two. They had their own little space where they talk, with the help of indifference and alcohol.

“I know, but you know what I mean, kid.” Chief Gonzales sighed. “So... any leads?”

Darwin took another big gulp and started talking. He became a machine that spurted out evidence on his mouth. He didn't even look at the chief, he just stared at his soon-to-be empty glass. “Five victims, one month. Everyone had a different cause of death but all of 'em dumped at the same river. Different sites but same river. The first two were lowlifes, but lowlifes with connection; both were Santino soldiers. The first one was found during October third, vic's name was Gary Santos, a soldier; shot on the head. Second one was on the twenty-fifth. A known loan shark called “Ahas” that terrorized east Pasay. Drowned in his own blood when someone slit his throat. Third was an aspiring reporter called Jenny Cabrera. Her body was found chopped up and stuffed inside a sack of rice. The fourth was another soldier, a very infamous one at that. Coco Flores, a drug-dealer who sold to high-school students. Found dead this Monday. Then Aldrich Cooper earlier this day.”

“What does that tell you, detective?”

“I'm beginning to suspect that not all are tied down together. First, I assumed it was just another serial killer on a bloody frenzy. No motive, no pattern, it didn't make any sense. But if you remove the reporter and Aldrich from the equation, these murders would look like something else.”

“What?”

Darwin took a swig and sighed. He gave a grim look that worried the chief. “Executions, sir.”

That's when the Chief realized. The first vic, shot in the head, second one got his throat cut and the drug-dealer...

“What happened to the drug dealer again?” asked Gonzales, a bit embarrassed.

“Oh, right,” Darwin thought for a second. “Asphyxiation. Most likely garotte because of the marks on his neck.”

“What does this mean, detective? The other two victims were just coincidences?”

“Let me ask you this, chief. If we rule out the serial killer angle, who'd you next suspect?”

“Probably the Santinos.”

“And why would they kill their own?”

The chief didn't answer.

“Sir, these were no ordinary lowlifes. They're the lowest of the low. One raped his own mother, the other was a pedophile, the next sold drugs to kids. They were abominations. But they were good at what they do. So there was no reason why their employer would cut them off, they were making more than end's meet.”

“So who's the killer, Darwin?”

“I don't know yet. But who ever he or she or they are, they're playing vigilante.”

“Jesus Christ,” the chief sighed. “And I thought dealing with the Santinos was bad enough.”

“Then you'll love what I just heard.”

Chief Gonzales flashed the detective a look that said 'I'm not gonna like this, am I?'

“I've heard Matthew Santino was back in town.”

The chief's eyes widened. Shocked and a bit fearful. The memory of the old days flashed, a young man stood atop the countless dead bodies of the Gutierrez family. A crime empire exterminated was exterminated because of him. Could it be a sign of bloody days to come?

“They're just rumors, anyway. No need for you to shit yourself, sir,” Darwin laughed a hearty laugh and sighed. “Sir, I'm going to take a day off on Monday. It's Sophia's birthday. I just want to be there for my little girl.”

“Oh,” said the chief. The mood takes an unexpected turn.”How old will she be?”

“Five She'll start school in a few months. Her mother would've been so proud of her angel...”

“She's already up there, Darwin,” Gonzales gestured to the heaves above as he tapped his shoulder. “Her step-parents okay with that?”

“Already asked permission. As long as I'd bring her home before bed time.”

The chief felt a painful memory resurface. The tragic story that was Detective Darwin Rodriguez's past. Five years ago, Darwin was happily married, her wife was expecting and he was starting out in his career as a detective working for the department. Then the Mob war erupted, destroying his little piece of paradise. Two months after her daughter was born, Her wife, Sarah, was shot by a stray bullet. She didn't survive. All that was left now was their daughter, Sophia. After two years of raising her, he couldn't do it anymore, physically and financially. Darwin was a broken man. He loved her daughter to death but couldn't support her anymore. He had to give her away to the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Lucky for him, a rich couple adopted his daughter. He never lost contact. Sure, the kid asked why she had more than a set of parents, but it didn't matter. As long as he saw her angel-like smile even once a week, he knew he had a reason to live.

“Oh jeez, look at the time!” exclaimed the chief. It was already twelve-thirty. “I'll see you tomorrow, detective.”

Darwin just waved to the chief who was in a hurry to leave. But as soon as he stood up, Gonzales turned around. “By the way, The Santino family will have a charity ball tomorrow at five PM. I want you to be there.” And he dashed of.

“What?!”

TO BE CONTINUED