Chapter 27: WE ALL HAVE OUR OWN CROSS TO BARE
"And do we have any development in this case?? Or any progress??"
"Well, so far we had at least identified two of the bodies. Positive IDs at that since a sample was found on the crime scene and it matches the fiber found on the victims. Separate occasions of course. One is a kid named Marco Polo while the other one is named Inigo Saavedra. The parent even recognized the shirt later on."
Sadness clouded both Santina's and Mikael's features when they recalled the conversation that they had with the bereaved family of Marco or so as whom they used to call as Victim No. 3.
It was way back at the time when they were still at the initial stage of their investigation and the case was still new to them as well.
The simple yet sad truth of their answers was still fresh at their memory and they told Anton exactly about it.
Trying to retrace the conversation that they had before with the parents of one of the victims, the duo tried their best to retell it; giving Anton a chance to feel as though he was also present at that time.
(FLASHBACK)
"When did you last see, Marco?"
Mikael chose to ask the father that time because the mother had been busy crying her eyes out when she learned about the bitter end of her son.
But in between her pants and sorrowful weep, the mother still managed to interject when she heard the other party's question
"We call him Mac-mac."
She said while wiping her tears away.
"Oh, I see. So it's Mac-mac. So may I know when did you last see your son?"
"It was Saturday morning, Brother Kel."
The father answered on point.
"He was in a hurry to go to the dumpsite. He said he would be meeting some friends there..."
The father continued but then his voice soon cracked as well and a manly tear fell from his right eye."
"If only we knew that this would happen to him, we would not have let him go that day."
The father replied to Mikael, all the while trying his best to fight back his tears from falling.
"Of course, no one wanted any of this to happen to him. By the way, those friends that he mentioned. Do you happen to know any one of them?"
Mikael probed further but the only response that he got from the two was a shake of their heads, making it obvious that the answer was a 'No'
"How about enemies???"
Santina waded into the conversation as she was also present during that time and again it was the father who answered their question.
"None. He was a good kid. In fact, he was actually our breadwinner. We depended on him. Sometimes, he brings food from the dumpsite."
"From the dumpsite???"
Santina asked back with a slight raised of her eyebrow but the other party only gave her a simpered smile
"We find food there. Not all of it is spoiled. There were fruits, vegetables, and sometimes even meat. For us, it was still food. For people like us living in the slum, food is still food regardless of where we got them."
"So the bottom line is the victim used to work in the dump as a scavenger. A breadwinner of a family of thirteen"
Mikael gave Anton a summary of the old conversation as he and Santina ended their flashback.
"At thirteen, I was in school. I was lonely and a misfit, but at least I was in school."
Anton muttered to himself as he thought about how lucky and blessed he was compared to the child when he was at their age.
"Well, I must say, we all have our own cross to bear."
Santina interjected as she already knew what was running at Anton's mind at that time. In fact, she also happened to have the same recollection before when she heard the story the first time.
"Did you get any leads from the parents???"
Anton asked another question after a short while.
"None. Other than their assumption that the child may have gone to the orphanage the same day that he went missing."
"Which orphanage???"
"The same orphanage where you worked at the moment. They said it was because there is free food there every Saturdays"
"Well, we indeed do have that."
Anton nodded his head and replied with an affirmative attitude
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