The Wrong Lead

The rain drove him inside the restaurant, just as he decided to give up the chase and go home. That fucking bastard is as slippery as an eel, Benito thought. He cast a furtive glance at the other patrons, and satisfied that they looked innocuous enough, found himself a seat with a view of both the entrance and the back door.


He has been chasing his latest lead through the streets of Quiapo, weaving from garbage-strewn alleys to fetid-smelling sidewalks. His pursuit was not made easier by the throngs of people still believing in miracles, congregating on Quiapo church every Friday. Miracles were for people who still believed, not people like him who have long given up. Maybe God finds people like him repulsive, that's why every prayer that he has ever uttered has not been answered.


His dark thoughts were interrupted by the waitress handing him the menu. “I'll just have a beer. No, on second thought, no beer, just your special Ramen, thanks.” He realized all the exercise he got from following the man made him famished. Two long years of searching, and this is the closest he got. He and Lorna are no longer even speaking to each other, unable to go beyond the pain of losing their only daughter. He doesn't even know where Lorna lived now. Truth to tell, their relationship has been breaking down ever since she found out just where he was getting the money to provide her the high life.


He was the best at what he did, but what he did was kill, and kill without leaving any clues. But all his skills at groundwork faded before the enormity of where to start looking for Didi and the why she was kidnapped.


The entrance of a man made him tense up but he was prevented from looking him over by the waitress delivering his order. He absentmindedly appreciated the steam from the soup as it was set down while he sneaked a peak at the newcomer. He felt slivers of ice slide down his spine when he saw it was the erstwhile vice-mayor, now Mayor Rudy Calimlim, a one-time client. Rudy slid down the opposite bench, and Benito could see his bodyguards waiting outside. “That could kill you,” he remarked, pointing at the bacon swimming in the soup. “Vice-Mayor! Este, Mayor, do you think this is a good idea?”


“I hear you're still looking for your kid. I have it on good authority that she is well, she's not being victimized by any crime ring, and whoever it is that has her, wants her to be happy.”


“She will be happy only with me, her father!”


“She was only two when you lost her, I don't think she will remember you anymore. If you know what's good for you, you will stop looking for her.”


“Or else, what?”


“Do you really want me to spell it out? I want you back in Laguna by tonight. I know you've amassed quite a nest egg, here's more, go find a new wife and build a nice life for yourself and move on.” He stood up and walked out without looking back. He left a thick brown envelope and if that was filled with new thousand peso bills, he guessed it would contain about 2.5 million pesos. 2.5 million pesos for his precious child. Fury filled him as he realized just where Lorna and his daughter was all this time.


He walked out of the restaurant and he knew he would go back to Laguna that night. What the Mayor forgot was that he was also a dangerous opponent and he has now given him additional ammunition. He turned left and was confronted with his second surprise of the night. Blood spattered the restaurant's window and quickly became pink as it mixed with the raindrops still sliding down toward the gutter.


“Why?,” he asked Lorna as she stood looking down dispassionately at him.



“I followed Rudy as I knew you would never leave us alone,” she quickly took the brown envelope he still clutched and quickly disappeared into the night.