Meeting Room A. April 19, 20XX.Thursday. After school.

“It’s rolling, brother… which by the way, for everyone’s information, is legal, too.”

“Make sure that I and the students and their parents are in the frame.” he questions the two students again. “Are these what Fedina allegedly stole from you? ... Verbal please.”

“Yes,” they both answer.

“Not allegedly. She stole it.” Ella, the more daring than two, answers confidently.

“I see. I’m going to ask again, is this the very money that was stolen from you by Fedina?”

“Yes.”

“You are not confused or anything?”

“…No.”

“What are you doing?” Dr. Cortes interjects.

“Asking them questions that somehow weren’t done by the school admin.” He answers without looking at the Ph.D. holder. “This wallet was the wallet that was stolen by Fedina?”

“Yes.”

He nods, a faint smile evident in his face. He reaches for his gym bag that is on the ground the whole time and slams it on the table. “Now, is everyone in agreement that these things were the ones that Fedina Pshmelba stole? … Verbal answer please, and one by one if you may.”

Everyone reluctantly says yes. He asks again until their voices become clear and full of confidence.

He looks at the students again, “Let me be just clear for the last time. These money amounting to three-thousand pesos, two-thousand pesos from Ms. Ella Parvejo and one-thousand pesos from Ms. Dana Cortes along with Ms. Cortes’ pink wallet were stolen by Ms. Fedina Pshmelba today, on Thursday, April 19, 20XX, at Beaufort Academy. Is that correct? … And Ms. Parvejo and Ms. Cortes are a hundred-percent sure that these things are the very exact things that Ms. Pshmelba stole. Not any other bill, not any other wallet.”

“Yes.”

He opens the mysterious bag and brings out an unopened box of disposable gloves and zip lock bags. He also takes out a sealed packet of ballpen and a newly bought bundle of sticker paper before dropping his bag back on the ground.

“What are you doing?”

“Gathering evidence, Doctor. Please, examine these and tell me if any of these are opened or tampered with…. All of you, please do examine it.”

They all look at each other before reaching out for one and meticulously examining it. “All done? Are there any proof of tampering? … None, then, let’s proceed.”

“Stop. I don’t know what you’re doing but what you’re doing is illegal.”

“How do you know it is illegal without even knowing what I’m doing. I’m investigating the case myself because I don’t feel that the school administration has done their job well. And according to the school book, I am allowed to do so with the supervision of any three members of the school staff and at least one guardian of the party involved. I have met the criteria so, why? Is there anything that I might discover if I continue that’s why you’re agitated? Unless, you have something to hide…”

The students’ eyes shake and they start to tremble.

“Do you have something to hide?” He directly asks them but none answers. “I am recording this to show transparency. I am doing this with guardians and teachers present. One can conduct an investigation as long as the meeting is on-going. I’m conducting an investigation; it just so happens that I am doing it here instead of outside. It’s in your school book, please do read it sometimes instead of licking others’ boots.” This time, he looks at the Dean.

“But if you don’t want to, I would be glad to pass this on the school’s boards. Of course, with the supervision of the Department of Education already.” He goes back to addressing the two students. “I don’t see why not? I think it’s much better. The School Board and the DoE will conduct their own investigations without any side’s tampering and influences. We could do that. How about you girls? Would you prefer that? Are all sides confident enough that their claims are correct and what… unbiased? … Girls?” He continues.

“Mommy…” Ella shakingly holds onto her mother’s coat. The older Parvejo notices the change in her daughter’s demeanor when the DoE is brought up. It is the same with the Cortes couple. The guardians of the two students quickly realize what their daughters have done.

“There’s no need to escalate things. Let’s just promise that nothing such as this will happen anymore and that we keep track of all our belongings so that nothing goes misplaced.” Mrs. Cortes says, changing their original claim that the things were stolen.

Dean Franco recognizes what the other party is trying to do so he jumps in immediately, “That’s good. Let us all.”

“Are they the only party here, Dean? It’s seems that they’re the only people you can hear.” The voice of Fedina’s brother gets bossier as time passes.

“It just got dragged too much already. It’s good that both parties reach a conclusion-”

“You reached a conclusion. You didn’t even ask me, you just agreed with them. I haven’t even reached any point.”

“But you said that you don’t prefer this kind of-”

“I don’t, yes. But I never said I agree with what you’ve come up with. You are so eager to punish my sister and you even dared to say that you would settle outside if this repeats again. When I asked for evidence, you blabbered your mouth and when I asked the very people who are involved in this incident, you tried to stop me. Why? Is there some kind of conspiracy? Under-the-table perhaps?”

“Mr. Pshmelba you’re getting out of line.”

“The only reason why this is dragging too much is because you drag it. If you have given me what I asked, then we would have reached a conclusion already. But you didn’t. You couldn’t because you didn’t do anything. So, who’s dragging whose precious time here?”

“I want to get to the bottom of this. Do you want this finish here or the Boards? Remember that when the Boards decide, it won’t be a mere suspension but a removal of the name in the list of graduates. Your call.” He looks each student in the eye, including his sister.

“… Mr. Pshmelba, I’m sorry I-” Dana starts to sob.

“Which one is it? Here, or no?”

“Fedina…”

“Please…”

The two look at Fedina pitifully, asking for her help.

“Why are you sorry? Shouldn’t it be the one who stole be sorry? Did you do something?”

“Ms. Pshmelba.” This time, their homeroom teacher interjects.

“As the accused, I want this settled between the parties and to not be brought up to the School Boards and DoE.”

“Ms. Cortes? Ms. Parvejo?” The still standing Mr. Pshmelba asks.

The two look at each other, sweat forming on their foreheads and on the back of their necks. “Here, please proceed. Please don’t involve the board.”

“Okay, then. Where were we? Ah, is there any sort of tampering in all the things that I brought out?”

“None, sir.” The two obediently answer, knowing what will happen to them if the matter is not settled here and is brought up to the higher ups.

“From now on, as to not waste any more precious time of precious people, may I ask that the three students be the only ones answering the questions. Thank you. Well then, for the last time. Are these the same bills and wallet that my sister stole? And by your words: stole, not allegedly.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Can you point out which bill was yours?”

The two obeys.

“Good.” He opens the box of disposable gloves and puts it on then opens two zip lock bags.

He shows Ella two pieces of five-hundred pesos and five pieces of two-hundred pesos amounting to one-thousand pesos before putting it inside a zip lock bag. Next, he pushes the box of disposable gloves to the scared girl and tells her to wear one and to write her name on a sticker paper using a marker from the ones he brought out earlier. He waits for her to finish then instructs her to seal the lock herself using the sticker paper she wrote on. Lastly, he asks her to sign between the plastic and the sides of the sticker paper.

He also shows Dana her one-thousand-peso bill and puts it inside another zip lock bag before instructing her to do what Ella did. Then, they do the same with her wallet.

After all is done, he opens another bigger bag and puts the three zip lock bags inside. He tells everyone to wear a pair of gloves and to write their full names and signatures in one sticker paper. Another sticker paper is used to write down today’s date and the summary of the incident. The two sticker papers are used to seal the lock of the bigger bag.

“Did everyone sign? … Did everyone feel wronged? … Did anyone feel that what I did was wrong?”

“What are you going to do with that? Are you going to seal it and throw it away? Or are you doing this stunt just so you could steal our daughters’ belongings? Are you some kind of a pervert who likes to collect younger women’s…” Mrs. Parvejo can’t find it in herself to continue what she is saying. She looks the disorderly man up and down, “well, looking at you…”

“No. None of which, none to anything you’ve said. I’m going to send it to a forensic. With their help, we’ll be able to know if my sister really touched those things.”

“Sir-”

“No need to fret, Ms. Cortes. If she really stole it, her prints would be on the things you’ve submitted. We sealed it so I won’t be able to tamper with it in any way, shape, or form. If you want, we can also ask for her prints on all your belongings to ease your worries. Surely, if she stole your stuff then she would’ve touched your bag, opened the zipper, searched for the wallet… her prints would be all over.”

Hearing that, the two hug their bags tightly as they both exert a shaky sigh, their tremors are getting more visible.

“Why are going to this extent? They’re just children-”

“You were so adamant to suspend a child without doing a proper investigation. A child who is a straight A student with countless university scholarships, they’re just children so why are you so adamant of ruining one’s child’s future?”

This time, even the older people are getting on edge.

“Do you want to send your bag for inspection, too?” He asks for the last time. “Well, then. What facility do you want me to send this to? You can choose so that you won’t think that I paid the facility off. And I suggest you don’t, too. I also suggest a facility where none of us are related, so that we won’t doubt the result.”

“Tapresa.”

“I don’t have any connection with Tapresa. Do any of you have a connection with Tapresa?”

“None.” Dr. Cortes hurriedly answers, squeezing his child’s arm.

“… Good.” He noticed but didn’t say anymore. He nods his head to his sister, silently telling her to stop recording. “Now, let’s talk about the marriage.”