Chapter 215 - 214: The Fletcher Family’s Nanny is One of the Serial Killer’s People

Chapter 215: Chapter 214: The Fletcher Family’s Nanny is One of the Serial Killer’s People

"Julian," Erin Whittaker said, deliberately using his intimate name.

’A shiver went down my spine. Would the old me really have called Julian Fletcher like that?’

’I wonder how convincing Erin Whittaker’s portrayal of ’Cecilia Caldwell’ really is.’

"A fool like Julian Fletcher got out so fast, and he still thinks her act is convincing," I muttered under my breath. Hiding behind Asher, I gripped his arm tightly. I was scared.

’Where are we?’

Julian Fletcher glanced in our direction. His eyes landed on me and he frowned slightly, but he didn’t say a word.

His expression was cold and distant.

’Clearly, Julian Fletcher was already convinced that Erin Whittaker was Cecilia Caldwell, and I was just an imposter who wanted him dead.’

"How many people did this psycho grab?" Felix Foster cursed under his breath. "How did this delusional maniac even get all of us here?"

Erin Whittaker shot me a hostile glance before speaking in a low voice. "The Fletcher family’s housekeeper works for the killer. She was embedded in the household for years. It was impossible to guard against."

Julian Fletcher’s expression was grim. He had obviously been drugged and brought here by their housekeeper, Mrs. Wright, as well.

I took a deep breath, still hiding behind Asher.

’Mrs. Wright...’

’During my time with the Fletchers, I always thought Mrs. Wright was strange. Wasn’t she working for Victor Quinn and Erin Whittaker? Could she really be a double agent?’

’But if she’s a double agent, then what did she mean when she told me the cherry trees on Quentin Road were blooming?’

"Alright, so you two were set up by someone you knew," Felix Foster said, nodding. He pointed at Asher. "He’s crazy enough to have gotten himself captured on purpose to catch the killer."

Then he pointed to me and himself. "So that just leaves the two of us as the idiots who got knocked out and dragged here."

I looked at Felix Foster but didn’t call him out.

’The truth is... when Felix Foster was captured, his lack of resistance was a little too obvious.’

’He had clearly gotten himself captured on purpose, too.’

’So, I’m the only real idiot here.’

"Help! Get us out of here!"

"Save us..."

The sounds of countless people pounding on doors and crying for help echoed down the terrifyingly sterile hallway.

Their voices were already growing weak.

Clearly, most of them didn’t realize the IV solution could be drunk to temporarily restore some energy.

If they kept screaming, crying, and panicking, they would burn through their energy and blood sugar reserves. It wouldn’t be long before they collapsed from hypoglycemia, went into shock, and eventually died of starvation and dehydration.

"CLICK. CLICK. CLICK." The motion-activated lights in the hallway flickered on and off.

Terrified, I stood behind Asher, nervously tugging at the hem of his shirt.

Asher reached a hand behind his back, a silent invitation for me to take it.

I quickly reached out, and our fingers intertwined.

In that instant, the warmth of his palm slowly began to soothe my frantic heart.

"Where are we? How many people did that lunatic capture?" Julian Fletcher asked in a low voice, clearly having no intention of helping anyone else.

"This hallway is so long, and both sides are lined with these cage-like rooms. They must all be full of people," Felix Foster swore, then looked at Asher as if to ask, ’Are we going to save them?’

Erin Whittaker sneered. "We should be saving ourselves right now."

With that, Erin Whittaker moved forward and grabbed Julian Fletcher’s wrist. "That psycho said there’s food and weapons at the end of the hall. Let’s go."

I looked at Asher, my heart pounding.

’Save them, or save ourselves?’

Our group’s energy was clearly limited. My legs were already starting to give out.

’This is the kind of moment that reveals a person’s true nature.’

Felix Foster leaned against the wall, cursing. "Damn, I’ve never had low blood sugar before. I’m starting to break out in a cold sweat..."

Asher, however, seemed perfectly fine.

But as I held his hand, I could feel his strength starting to fade, too.

"CLICK." The door to another room opened, and a figure stumbled out.

I stared in shock at the man. It was Howard Finch.

"They said he had cancer and was released on medical bail for treatment. How did someone snatch him right from under the police’s noses and bring him here?" I asked, stunned.

Asher didn’t answer. He handed me over to Felix Foster. "Go eat. And pick out a weapon before the rest of them get out."

Asher knew very well that the people on the list were all inherently malicious.

With limited food and supplies, they might not even last until the police arrived. They would turn on each other and fight to the death over what little there was.

The mastermind behind all this wanted to see exactly that.

He wanted everyone to slaughter one another.

From the very first serial murder case, he had been exploiting the subtle connections between people to make them kill each other.

Howard Finch was sprawled on the ground, clearly too weak from hypoglycemia to get up.

He opened his eyes and glanced our way. The moment he saw Asher, a mix of fear and survival instinct propelled him to his feet, and he scrambled toward the end of the hall.

"CLICK." Another iron door swung open. The person who emerged was, to my surprise, Chase Carter’s wife.

The woman Chase Carter had been abusing—the one we met when we were looking for Peach.

I looked at Asher in shock. "But... isn’t she innocent? Why would she be brought here?"

"She’s a victim," Asher said with a frown.

I drew in a sharp breath.

’Does that mean the captives include not only the perpetrators but their victims as well?’

"Peach... Peach!" the woman cried out frantically. She looked to be in much better shape than Howard Finch.

I pulled Asher in her direction and glanced into her room. She had actually figured out that she could drink the IV solution and that the writing on the wall was the clue to finding her key.

’She’s smart.’

"Peach... Please, help me! I’m begging you, help me! Peach was captured, too! We were taken together, please!" The woman pleaded frantically with Asher and me.

I looked at Asher anxiously. "Peach is here, too..."

"Felix, take her," Asher said, telling Felix Foster to lead me to the food.

Felix Foster nodded and grabbed my wrist.

I wanted to stay, but I knew I’d just be in Asher’s way, so I quickly followed Felix Foster to find the food.

At the end of the hallway, we found a table laden with food, with a wall of weapons next to it.

Julian Fletcher was eating in a slow, deliberate manner. After studying the weapons on the wall, he chose one that suited him.

They were all melee weapons, but the knives, axes, and other tools were more than enough to kill.

Erin Whittaker was wrapping up all the remaining food in the tablecloth, clearly intending to hoard it for themselves.

"What are you doing?" I demanded angrily. "If you take all the food, what’s everyone else supposed to do?"

’It was obvious. Erin Whittaker and Julian Fletcher had no intention of leaving anything for anyone else.’

Erin Whittaker shot me a cold look and ignored me. She walked over to the weapon wall, selected two very sharp knives, then began taking down the rest of the weapons, planning to hide them.

Felix Foster saw what she was doing and stepped forward, grabbing her wrist.

Julian Fletcher frowned and moved to stop Felix Foster. The tension between the three of them was suddenly thick enough to cut with a knife.

I walked over, crouched down by the pile of weapons she’d made, and picked out a dagger for myself and another for Asher.

Felix Foster reached for a Tang sword that Erin Whittaker had her eye on, but she blocked him.

"Drop the food and the weapons," I said. I don’t even know why I did it, but I pressed my dagger against Erin Whittaker’s throat.

I had come up behind her, my arm around her neck. "Drop them," I whispered, "or I’ll kill you."