Chapter 100: Erin Whittaker’s Comeuppance Arrives

Chapter 100: Chapter 100: Erin Whittaker’s Comeuppance Arrives

Asher’s aggrieved pout reminded me of a little kid running to tattle.

I took a deep breath and instinctively soothed him. "He’s sick in the head. Don’t pay him any mind."

Asher seemed happy and hugged me, refusing to let go.

"Let’s go." After checking the scene and confirming there was no one suspicious, Zeke had his men tell Asher and me to head back.

"Zeke, we checked the surveillance footage. All we could see was this person from behind. They carried the unconscious Erin Whittaker in. They’re pretty tall, and even though they’re wearing a raincoat with a hood, you can tell they’re well-built."

Zane had checked the nearby surveillance cameras. The only footage came from a single angle, one the culprit had probably overlooked. It was from a camera a family had installed on the second story of their courtyard home, one of the few houses in the area that hadn’t been demolished. If you didn’t know it was there, it would be almost impossible to spot.

I leaned in for a look. Even though it was only a view from the back, for some reason... I felt like this person wasn’t the same one with the facial burns I saw at my house.

"It just feels..." But I couldn’t put my finger on what was wrong.

The person who spoke to me at my house was like a phantom. Though tall, he was gaunt and slightly hunched over. Even in a raincoat, he couldn’t possibly look this sturdy and strong.

’Carry Erin Whittaker? I don’t think he had that kind of strength.’

"Do you recognize him?" Zeke asked, looking at me.

I shook my head. "The camera only caught his back. It’s not clear."

Zane and a few others stayed behind to continue the investigation while Asher and I followed Zeke to the hospital.

Madeline Quinn was already awake, just a little shaken up.

Luckily, she was usually quite brave.

"How did you get captured and taken there?" Zeke asked as he entered the hospital room, carrying some fruit for her.

"After I left last night, I missed Cece, so I wanted to come by the house to check on things, and also..." Madeline Quinn subconsciously glanced at me, her eyes shifting away.

’She probably believed what I said and wanted to see if the killer was really at the house.’

"I was just trying my luck. I didn’t think I’d actually run into him. As soon as I walked in the door, someone knocked me out from behind," Madeline Quinn said, slightly agitated.

Zeke said soothingly, "Don’t be afraid. You’re safe now. Don’t go anywhere alone from now on."

Madeline Quinn nodded. "That person... he was very strong. Probably around six-foot-one, with noticeable arm muscles. I tried to grab his arm while I was struggling, but his biceps were so developed I couldn’t get a grip."

I froze for a moment, then shook my head. "No, that’s not the same person... No."

The person I saw at my house had burns all over his face and neck. He was tall and thin, but... his limbs were slender. He didn’t seem like someone so able-bodied and strong.

"Is it possible... that there really is more than one killer?" I asked Zeke nervously. "Two? Or even more?"

Zeke and Madeline Quinn both fell silent.

’So many people killed, and still not a single clue.’

"It’s definitely not the same person," Zeke finally said after a long pause. "When we were investigating the cause of Jade Morgan’s death, we caught an image at the intersection where she disappeared. That person was also wearing a raincoat, but they had a very small, slender build, like a woman or a scrawny man."

I instinctively turned to look at Asher.

Asher stood there quietly, his expression unreadable.

’It’s not just one killer. They’re organized. They have a plan.’

’There’s probably one person in charge, directing the others...’

"Erin Whittaker is out of danger. The attacker failed. Knowing their personality, they’ll probably try to go after her again." Zeke glanced at his phone. "Let’s hope they don’t go after anyone else before they get to her, giving us time to investigate."

"Since Miss Quinn is out of danger, we’ll head home for now." I wanted to take Asher back; he was still sick.

Zeke nodded. "I’ll have Zane drive you."

"No thanks, we’ll take the subway," I said, shaking my head.

Madeline Quinn looked at me, a bit anxious. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but then stopped.

I turned and gestured for Asher to follow me, but he very deliberately held out his hand. "Cece, hold my hand."

I sighed and took his wrist. "Let’s go. We’re going home."

"Hold on tight. Don’t lose me again," he whispered.

I didn’t quite catch that and turned back to him. "What did you say?"

Asher just smiled at me and said nothing.

"Cece..." From the hospital bed, Madeline Quinn suddenly called out.

My steps faltered, but I didn’t turn around.

’Right now, it’s better for me to be Silvia Lynch.’

...

On the subway ride home, Asher held my hand the entire time.

I leaned against his shoulder, my eyes staring blankly into space.

Asher didn’t ask me again why I chose the subway over a car.

’He’s so smart,’ I thought. ’He must have already figured it out.’

I’m afraid of riding in cars whenever it rains.

The subway, with more people around, makes me feel safer.

Just as we exited the subway station, Assistant Foster and a driver were waiting by the roadside.

Asher frowned and glanced at me. "Cece, let’s run."

I froze. "Run? Where are we..."

Before I could finish my question, Asher grabbed my wrist and started sprinting through the crowd.

Assistant Foster saw us and tried to give chase, but he eventually lost us in the flow of people coming out of the station.

Asher dragged me along for a long time. I was almost out of breath when we finally stopped. "What are you running for?"

Asher, on the other hand, acted like it was nothing—not even flushed or out of breath. ’He can really run...’

"Don’t want... to go back," Asher said. He didn’t want to go back, not to the Lancaster Estate.

’He probably also feels like the Lancaster Estate is more of a cage than a home.’

"Assistant Foster probably put trackers on both of our phones, didn’t he?" I said, exasperated. I was carrying the Lancaster family’s child, and Asher was the family’s young master. They couldn’t afford to lose either of us, so Assistant Foster would definitely find us.

Asher didn’t say anything. He took my phone and his, did something to them, and then handed mine back. "One day of escape. It’s fine."

I didn’t know what was up with Asher today or why he wanted to run away, but I could only agree for now.

’If he ran off by himself, where would I even begin to look for him?’ "So where do you want to go now?"

"I want to sleep with Cece," Asher said earnestly.

I paused, then looked up and realized that Asher had stopped in front of a high-end, star-rated hotel.

"Why stay in a hotel when we have a perfectly good home to go to?" I muttered under my breath.

Asher didn’t say a word, just tugged on my hand, refusing to let go or move.

Knowing him as I did, a person this smart must have a reason for suddenly resisting going home. It definitely wasn’t just a whim.

Seeing his pitiful expression, I wanted to refuse, but the words died on my lips.

I turned and led him into the hotel, feeling a strange wave of irritation.

’Whenever I see Asher, I’m reminded of that orphanage and the psychiatric hospital...’

’I don’t know how much he’s truly endured.’

’I just hope... that the serial killings really have nothing to do with him.’

"Since when do you know about high-end hotels? Didn’t you used to sleep in garbage heaps?" I almost had to laugh as we entered the hotel lobby. When he was homeless before, he slept in a tiny, dilapidated room at the orphanage. This time, after dragging me away from home, he actually knew to come to a hotel.

"No," Asher said, shaking his head very seriously. "Cece deserves the best."

I froze. ’But he already said he knew I wasn’t Cecilia Caldwell...’

’So, am I enjoying the perks of being myself now?’

Once we were in the hotel room, I coaxed Asher into taking a shower and then got a call from Assistant Foster.

"Ma’am, the CEO of the Fletcher Group has been waiting at the house for you for two hours. He said he wants to discuss a company project..." On the other end of the line, Assistant Foster sounded exasperated.

My mouth twitched. ’So Asher guessed that Julian Fletcher wouldn’t give up and would come to the house, which is why he dragged me out to a hotel.’

’When he’s smart, this guy is terrifying.’