6: THE STRANGE TEXT

CAMERON's P.O.V

"Nakahire ka na ba ng bago mong P.I?" I looked up from the contract paper na binabasa ko when I heard that from Liam na papasok pa lamang sa office ko dito sa bahay.

I just looked at him with my furrowed brows.

How the hell did he even know that? Hindi ko naman yon sinabi sa kanya...

"Genius knows it all, Cam." Mayabang pang sagot nito as if reading my thoughts.

I just followed him with my eyes as he strode towards the nearby sofa then plopped down his ass there and sat like he had owned this place.

Shaking my head at that, I resumed reading the contract before me. Trust Liam to come at my place kahit hindi naman ito invited.

Yes, he's my friend but everytime he was around, 'di ko maiwasang mainis rito because of his tendency to annoy the hell out of me. Talking like every woman did.

"Hey! Sabi ko may bagong P.I kana ba???.."

I let out a sigh of frustration when I heard him asked that again. Obviously wanted to annoy me again.

Again, I just ignored him and continued reading. It was better to ignore himthan entertain him.

"Yuhoo! Are you even listening, Cam? Yuhooo!..."

This time, hindi ko na natiis ito and looked up at him with eyes ready to murder him. My annoyance worsened nang ngumiti-ngiti lang ito sa'kin.

This asshole!

"Cam, ano ka ba naman.. it's a fucking Sunday morning but you're here, still kissing that damn papers. Good God! Don't tell me nainlove kana sa mga papel na'yan? Oh geez! That won't be good..." sabi pa nito while trying to act like a nagging woman.

Yes, it's a fucking Sunday morning pero nagtatrabaho parin ako. Kung hindi lang matindi ang kacompete ko sa negosyo, edi sana natutulog lang ako ngayon but no, hindi pwede, hindi ko alam when ECC would attack me. Attack me behind with their dirty games.

And to shut him up, sinagot ko nalang ang first question nito. Baka sakali, he can somehow help me with my other problem.

Finding the right P.I na hindi ako tatraydorin like what my previous P.I did.

"I haven't hired a new P.I yet." I said with my firm voice. Liam just furrowed his brow nang marinig nya yun, confused.

"I thought may inirecommend sa'yo ang agency ni Michael kahapon? What happened to that?"

At the mention of that, my frustrations from yesterday came back as the clear image of a certain woman reminds me again.

That stubborn woman!

"That darn woman didn't accept to handle my case, Liam kaya naman kinailangan ko na namang maghanap ng iba ngayon." I answered with my annoyed voice, causing him to raised his brow with a bloody smirk on his face.

"woman??.... Another woman na naman ang nagpakulo ng dugo mo? Oh... this is a news!" The idiot teased while laughing.

He was obviously enjoying my situation. I just frowned at him, not liking him taunting me. I shouldn't have told him tungkol dun sa nangyari last Friday night. Where that same stubborn woman injuring my foot saka niya ko iniwanan.

Everytime that event would come to my mind, hindi ko talaga maiwasang kumulo ang dugo ko sa babaeng 'yon. Because of her, wala nakong magagamit against Alvaro. And here I thought she was going to blackmail Alvaro with it for his fortune but how wrong I was.

Isa pala itong P.I. A good one but a crazy one to even pretend as an escort girl just to close her case that fast.

Definitely crazy.

And here I thought na nakakita n'ako ng P.I ko, pero sya rin pala ang investigator na'yon? Of all P.Is, ito pa talaga 'yong pinakamagaling and that bloody woman had even dared to decline my offer to work for me! At kahit anong blackmail pa ang gawin ko rito, hindi parin talaga ito natinag.

Stubborn cold woman!

Everyone would've run to me just to get that job but that woman was nothing like that.

Tumatakbo palapit sayo because they're spies from your enemy, wanting to stab you at your back...

I mentally shook my head when my mind commented that.

Yes, of course. Sa tindi ba naman ng galit ng ECC sa'kin dahil nakuha ko na naman ang isa sa mga investor na gusto nitong makuha, I'm certain hindi papayag yon na 'di man lang makaganti sa'kin. That's why I need to find some loyal people to help me with my battle.

"What's with that look, Cam? 'di ka parin ba nakakamove-on sa babaeng yon? Have you finally realized how gorgeous that woman was that's why you're making that funny look on your face now?"

My thoughts were suddenly interrupted when I heard him teased that again while grinning up at me.

Can I murder him now? Beat him into pulp then buried him 10 feet below?

That would've been so good to do.

I just groaned at that and then ignored him again.

"I knew it! Nacu-curious kana sa babaeng 'yon ano? Well, maganda naman sya, sexy, matapang, and---"he paused and then looked at me with a smirk and a knowing look on his face. A mocking look to be precised.

"And matigas din ang ulo katulad mo, Cam! Bagay na bagay nga kayong dalawa!" And then with that, hechuckled. Causing me to pinch the bridge of my nose while groaning loudly, trying to stop myself from murdering him.

"SHUT.THE.FUCK.UP, Liam!!" I hissed at him while throwing a deadly glare at him.

He stopped chuckling while raising his hands up as his sign of surrender.

"Okay, calm down there, man. Bakit ba naman kasi mainit ang ulo mo ngayon huh? Hindi kana mabiro.." he commented with still amused face.

"I'm annoyed because that bloody woman who seduced Alvaro was the same woman Michael had recommended to me para maging P.I ko, Liam. Happy now??"

That made him shut him up with his eyes widened in surprise but after a few moment of just looking at me with shocked on his damn face, he suddenly burst into laughter. Causing me to get up from my chair with fists ready to punch him.

"Oh God! This is just so amazing!.....Is this what they call 'Destiny'? That woman? A bloody P.I? Oh no. No wonder why she had some badass on her!"he exclaimed in between his laughs, sounding so amused with it.

"Shut up, Liam!"

But he didn't stop his laugh. Talagang enjoy na enjoy ito sa situation ko.

"kaya naman pala iba ang aura nito eh. Hindi man lang natakot sa deadly glare mo!....Oh my God!...I want to die now! Oh please..." he dramatically continued habang nakatawa pa rin with his hand clutching his stomach.

Ah, so you want to die now? Wish granted.

With gritted teeth, I quickly walked to his way and then punched him straight on his nose, causing him to stop and staggered on his feet.

"Awwchh! What was that for?!" gulat na tanong nito while clutching his nose.

I just shrugged at him then headed back to my table, to my papers. I heard him groaned pero 'di ko na ito pinansin.

"Kung hindi lang kita kaibigan, talagang-"

"What?!" Hamon ko na rito to finish his sentence in a snap.

He didn't answered and just glared at me with a pout habang hawak-hawak parin ang ilong nito. Looking like a kid being punch by some bully right now.

He became silent for a while kaya ipinagpatuloy ko na ang trabaho ko. But after a few moment of his silence, nagsalita na naman ito.

"If I was her, I wouldn't accept your offer as well. Sino ba namang gago ang papayag if at our very first meeting, ininsulto mo na'ko." I heard him uttered with low voice while still pouting at my way.

"Well, she's an escort girl so she doesn't deserved a respect from anyo---" I stopped when Liam suddenly scoffed at that in disbelief.

"Everyone deserves that pero sadyang mainit lang talaga ang ulo mo sa kanya dahil nautakan ka niya. At saka take note Cam, she wasn't really an escort girl okay kundi matinik na P.I! Jesus! A bloody P.I! And now? Nang malaman mong siya ang P.I na maghahandle sana sa kaso mo, eh di sorry ka ngayon?? That must've hurt your pride. Too bad for you then." he said in his 'matter-of-factly' tone while shaking his head.

Making me glared at him for shoving that fact to my face.

"Kung bilib na bilib ka sa babaeng 'yon, wait 'til you get to meet that woman in person then. Tignan lang natin kung 'di mo ba babawiin lahat ng sinabi mong 'yon sa kanya." I asnwered as i flipped the contract to the next page.

"She may be a good P.I but she's the most irritating woman you will ever get to met, Liam. I tell you that." I added without even glancing at him.

It was true. Everytime na kausap ko ito, I really wanted to strangle her dahil sa inis. Lahat ng lumalabas sa bibig nito really annoyed me to death. Para bang wala itong kinakatakutan and she was quite strange to act like that.

'Because I am not living for this job, Mr. del Fuero. I'm only living for one reason, but not for that..'

'I'd like to see you try and fail again, Mr. del Fuero.. Keep trying..'

I groaned when I remembered her words from our last meeting.

Damn that woman to hell!

Well, akala nya siguro titigilan ko na siya. Just wait for my next move woman. Because I will make sure na papayag kana the next time I----

A clearing of throat suddenly interrupted me from my frustrated thoughts.

"What now, Liam?"irritated na tanong ko rito while looking at him on the sofa. Sitting like a dog with crossed arms.

"If you ever meet her again, please ask her number for me, Cam. I want to be her friend. We never know, baka siya na 'yong hinahanap mong----"

"Stop whatever you were about to say, Liam kung kaloko---"

"Hindi yan yong gusto kong sabihin Cam, so just relax. What I wanted to tell you ay baka siya na yong taong hinahanap mo. Someone that you could trust in everything as your trusted and efficient P.I. Someone that could help you."

I just furrowed my brows while listening to him, annalyzing his point. Well, magaling nga ang babaeng yon base sa records nito but is she even trustworthy? Dahil malay natin, nagsisimula na palang kumilos ang kabilang panig. And probably, maglalagay na naman ang mga ito ng espiya rito and she could be one of that spies.

"I still have to do some thorough investigation about her, Liam before I'd make a conclusion about pursuing her to work for me. Just to make sure." aniya ko na sa kanya and throw a knowing smirk at his way.

And to do that, I know someone na makakagawa nun. William Montero, a great hotellier and at the same time, a self proclaimed investigator. Reading my thoughts, it was his turn now to frown at me.

"I know that look....No,NO,No,no..hindi ako papayag. You can't make me-----"

"Do a closed investigation with that woman, Liam. Her name is Sam Javier, isa sa mga P.I sa agency ni Michael. You can start your investigation there." Putol ko na sa reklamo nito.

"No. I won't do it, Cam!" He said while groaning loudly, knowing that he can't say no to me. I was just looking at him, amused sa face expression nito when my phone rang beside me, causing me to ignore Liam and picked up that.

Kumunot agad ang noo ko when I saw what was that.

A text message from unknown number?

Curious to know kung ano ito, I quickly opened that message.

'You have to take a watch out in your office tonight. Someone's gonna sneak in your office. it's your choice if you would trust me. You don't need to know me.'

--concerned citizen

Mas lalo pang kumunot ang noo ko when I read that.

"I remember na busy pala ako sa hotel namin. So I have to leave now. Sige, Cam. Bye!" I heard Liam lied sabay tayo para umalis na. But before he could even leave, I quickly got up from my seat.

"Liam, stop!" Liam stop on his track when he heard me call him. He turned to look at me with a cold glare. Obviously annoyed. But never mind about his look, I have more important thing to ask him.

"Take a look at this strange message, Liam. It's from an unknown number." Sabi ko with my serious voice while showing my phone to him. Causing him to furrow his brows with curiosity. Agad naman itong lumapit sa'kin and snatched my phone from me and read that.

"What the hell!" he exclaimed after reading it and looked at me with confusions in his eyes. Mirroring my own look.

"The hell indeed." I agreed.

I read that text again.

Tonight? They'll gonna sneak in my office tonight? Pero dapat ba'kong maniwala sa text na'to?

"We have to trace this number Cam, to check if valid ba ang tip na'to."

I nodded at that, agreeing with his suggestion. Kung totoo man ang text na'to, then this could only means...

"I think nagsisimula na naman silang kumilos, Liam. Enriquez was too desperate now to get back on me." I stated.

Liam nodded, agreeing with me.

"I'll trace that number to verify that, Cam. I'll go now." then with that, he quickly walked to the door. I just followed him with my eyes and then looked at that text again.

Who could this possibly be? Is this an enemy or an ally?

Well, we will find that out after Liam done tracing up this number. Trying to set aside that text, I continued with my paper works kahit yong isip ko just lingered on that strange text.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In just an hour or so, Liam barged in my office with a frustrated look on his face. Clearly, hindi maganda ang news na dala nito. Nakatingin lang ako sa kanya as he slumped down his butt sa kabilang upuan.

"Not good. Burner phone ang ginamit ng sender."

I frowned at the mention of burner phone. Bloody wise sender!

"So, hindi kung sino lang ang sender na'to. We have to find another way to trace that sender.." Liam continued. I'm just listening to him and thinking for a way to find that sender.

But when an idea suddenly came to my mind, tumingin agad ako kay Liam. Causing Liam to look at me with questioning eyes.

"Tell your men to have a quick interview sa lahat ng taong may alam ng private number ko, Liam. Ask each one of them kung sino ang posibleng binigyan nila ng number ko."

Hearing that, Liam raised his brow.

"The hell, Cam! Ang hirap naman ng pinapagawa mo. Malay ko bang marami naman pala ang may numb----"

"Only a few, Liam. Private number ko'to. Just ask all of them except the investors." Explain ko na sa kanya, causing him to look relieve before he nodded.

"We'll do our best but..."

I looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

"Kung 'di pa rin natin malalaman kung sino ang sender na yon until tonight. It would do no harm if we'll take a watch in your office tonight."

I try to measure his point kung ano ang dapat gawin. Yes, mukhang hindi nga masama if we'll do that.

"We'll do that. Maglalagay ako ng camera sa office ko para malaman natin kung sino ang papasok and to verify if trusted ba ang sender na'to."

He nodded, agreeing with me. Then with that being said, he got up from his seat

"I'll go now. I'll be here at five pm later."

TI just nodded at him as I followed him with my gaze as he exited my office.

Tonight's gonna be an exciting night kung totoo man ang text na'to.

Letting out a breath, I got up from my seat para simulan na ang dapat kong gawin before tonight.

And whether it's valid or not, hahanapin at hahanapin ko parin ang sender na'yon.

It was either to thank that sender or to let that person suffer from my hands.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~