Chapter 40: It Was Her Who Killed Cece

Chapter 40: Chapter 40: It Was Her Who Killed Cece

"Suicide? Hah... If she really had the guts to die, she wouldn’t have gotten our Cece killed!" Madeline Quinn shrieked, losing control. The hatred she felt for Erin Whittaker was palpable.

’She must hate her because I was made to be Erin’s scapegoat.’

"Calm down. Let’s assess the situation first." Zeke Shaw stopped the distraught Madeline Quinn and handed her over to the medical examiner. "Take care of her."

The medical examiner nodded and took hold of Madeline Quinn. "You studied medicine. You should know better than to get emotional."

Madeline Quinn said nothing, standing frozen with red-rimmed eyes.

"Mr. Fletcher, I’ll go back with you and take a look." Zeke Shaw glanced at his watch, gave his final instructions for the scene, and caught up to Julian Fletcher. "Based on our investigation so far, your wife, Erin Whittaker, was also one of the girls who left the orphanage. That means the killer will definitely continue to target her."

Julian Fletcher faltered mid-stride and corrected him in a grim voice, "She’s not my wife..."

Zeke Shaw found Julian Fletcher’s correction baffling but didn’t say anything more.

I followed the two men and got into the car as well.

"The girls who left the orphanage are now scattered all over the city. There’s no pattern to the victims or the order of their deaths. It’s like the killer is out for revenge." Zeke Shaw looked at Julian Fletcher. "Since your wife isn’t even afraid of death, maybe she’d be willing to cooperate with the police so we can catch the killer as quickly as possible."

Zeke Shaw hadn’t wanted to suggest this, but Erin Whittaker and Julian Fletcher were the ones who had let Cecilia Caldwell be used as bait.

I smiled at Zeke Shaw. ’As if. He treats Erin like she’s made of glass. There’s no way he’d let her be the bait to lure out a murderer.’

"I told you... she’s not my wife." Julian Fletcher was still hung up on the title. "Besides... after what happened to Cece, I can’t possibly let Erin take that kind of risk!"

I laughed. ’See? There was no way he would ever agree.’

"A risk?" Zeke Shaw shot back. "What were you thinking when you let Cecilia Caldwell risk her life as bait, Mr. Fletcher? Or is it that in your eyes, Erin Whittaker’s life is precious, but Cecilia’s was just that worthless?"

Julian Fletcher was clearly struck speechless by the question. He just sat there, completely rigid.

I felt a chill spread through my entire being, a biting cold.

’That’s right. How could my cheap life compare to her precious one.’

"Erin’s health is fragile, and she’s always been emotionally unstable. You heard what happened—she attempted suicide!" Julian Fletcher glared at Zeke Shaw. "You’re a cop! How can you say something like that?"

Zeke Shaw didn’t say a word, but his silence seemed to confirm his own theory.

"Julian, Cecilia Caldwell wasn’t from the orphanage, and her body has never been found," Zeke Shaw finally said after a long silence. "As far as the police are concerned, that means there’s a good chance she’s still alive. If we don’t find her soon, she *will* die."

He was hoping Julian Fletcher would persuade Erin Whittaker to help the police, and in doing so, help Cecilia Caldwell.

Zeke Shaw was being as subtle as he could. The fastest way to find the killer now was to use Erin Whittaker to draw him out.

But Julian Fletcher still hesitated.

I’d already had my fill of disappointment from Julian Fletcher. By now, I was almost numb to it.

After all, I held no place in his heart to begin with. His decision was well within my expectations.

That love, buried deep in my heart since youth, had been brutally uprooted and destroyed just as it began to sprout and grow.

My love story had ended the very year it began, when I was eighteen.

The car stopped at the hotel. The guests in the banquet hall still hadn’t left.

Erin Whittaker’s parents were both there, and they did not look pleased.

"Oh, Julian..." Erin’s mother was an elegant woman. Her family had been quite well-off years ago, but after going bankrupt in recent years, they had come to rely on Julian Fletcher for financial support.

"Ma’am." Julian Fletcher bowed his head, looking somewhat guilty.

I stood a short distance away, watching this family, and couldn’t help but find it all so ironic.

"Why are you still calling her ’Ma’am’? It’s time you called her ’Mom’." Erin’s father sighed. "Julian, we all see how good you are to our Erin. But this time, no matter what happened, the wedding ended in such a disaster... It’s left Erin unable to face our relatives. You need to go have a good talk with her."

Julian Fletcher fell silent. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but then closed it and simply nodded. "Okay."

Zeke Shaw was standing off to the side in the smoking area, having a cigarette. He seemed to be a heavy smoker, likely a habit from pulling all-nighters on cases.

I stood beside Zeke Shaw and coughed out of habit.

I can’t stand the smell of smoke, so seeing someone light up had almost become a conditioned reflex for me.

But after a couple of coughs, it suddenly hit me. I was already dead. ’What’s a ghost got to fear from secondhand smoke?’

I let out a sarcastic laugh and looked at Zeke Shaw. ’See? Erin’s suicide attempt was just an act. If she really wanted to die, she’d be in the emergency room right now, not resting in her hotel suite.’

Zeke Shaw couldn’t hear me, but he seemed to be thinking the same thing.

He also gave a scornful laugh. "Was this really a suicide attempt, or just a ploy to lure Julian Fletcher back?"

I smiled at Zeke Shaw. ’It’s nice to have someone on my side for once.’

"President Fletcher, I’d like to see Miss Whittaker." Zeke Shaw stepped forward and asked, once Erin’s parents had left.

Julian Fletcher frowned. "Some other time. Let’s not upset her. Her mother said she was hysterical and only just fell asleep."

’How thoughtful of him.’

"Every extra day... is another day Cecilia Caldwell is closer to death." Zeke Shaw’s brow furrowed. "Julian Fletcher, do you even want to find her?"