Chapter 98: Asher Forces Julian Fletcher to Die

Chapter 98: Chapter 98: Asher Forces Julian Fletcher to Die

"When Erin Whittaker was at the orphanage, her number was 37. The orphanage assigned numbers based on when a child arrived, not by age. But since children of the same age were grouped together, the numbers in any given group are out of sequence. We found the corresponding numbers from that group photo at the orphanage. When we put them in order, it really is Erin Whittaker’s turn now." Zeke Shaw frowned and looked at Asher. "Can you pinpoint Erin Whittaker’s location?"

"Why were the first few victims all women? And Cecilia Caldwell wasn’t even from the orphanage," I asked, confused.

"Because most abandoned orphans are girls—very few are boys—the first few victims were all female," Zeke Shaw explained, then continued, "I feel like the killer’s actions are more like a ritual sacrifice. His method of killing Cecilia Caldwell was completely different from the other victims. Cecilia Caldwell was injected with an anesthetic when she died; the process was almost painless. Other than the person we found kneeling in the shoe cabinet tonight and Cecilia Caldwell, all the other victims experienced extreme pain and torture. Some were literally scared to death."

"The Twenty-Eight Mansions... they correspond to different directions. The last victim was at Southerlyn Pier... which is in the southeast." Asher suddenly had an idea and snatched the notebook and pen from Zeke Shaw’s hand.

"Coordinates... using the orphanage as the origin..." Asher drew a circle in the notebook and began frantically calculating the directions.

"Southerlyn Pier... The next one... the next one has to be Construction Road North, Westerly Cove!" Asher had calculated the killer’s likely dumping grounds. "If he’s going to dump the body there, he has to kill somewhere nearby. He won’t risk traveling too far. The only place in that area suitable for a murder is an abandoned pharmaceutical factory."

The westward expansion of the development zone had indeed forced many factories to relocate, and that specific area hadn’t been redeveloped yet.

"Let’s go!" Zeke Shaw yelled at Zane. "What are you waiting for? Get to the factory!"

Zane, still reeling from the shock, just gave Asher a thumbs-up.

’He’s incredible...’

I stared at Asher in astonishment.

’To be able to calculate the killer’s dumping ground and murder location... he really was something else.’

We followed Zeke Shaw’s car to the pharmaceutical factory.

The abandoned pharmaceutical factory looked completely desolate.

But there was Erin Whittaker, in plain sight, tied wide-awake to a beam in the rafters. Her face was ashen as she screamed for help in terror.

A rope was also tied around her neck. At the end of another rope—a load-bearing one—was a lit candle. Once the candle burned through that rope, Erin Whittaker’s body would drop, and she’d be hanged by the noose around her neck.

The killer used this method to force his victims to experience the most despairing agony and psychological torture before they died.

"Julian! Save me!" Seeing that we’d found her, Erin Whittaker cried out Julian Fletcher’s name.

I sneered. ’What true love. Even now, she doesn’t forget to call for Julian Fletcher.’

Julian Fletcher had indeed followed us over. His nose was still black and blue. He scrambled forward in a panic, trying to untie the ropes.

Asher watched Julian Fletcher with a cold expression, neither speaking nor stopping him.

Julian Fletcher didn’t realize that if he manually untied the ropes, Erin Whittaker would lose her support and be hanged anyway.

With Erin Whittaker’s body weight, the force of the drop would be enough to snap her neck instantly.

The killer had calculated everything.

I could see Asher’s intention. He wasn’t stopping him because he hated Erin Whittaker and Julian Fletcher.

"Julian Fletcher, I’d advise you not to move." Asher and I could stand by and say nothing out of hatred, but Zeke Shaw wasn’t about to let him do something so stupid.

"What are you all standing around for? Save her!" Julian Fletcher yelled angrily.

"You have a chance to save her, but only before the candle burns through that rope." Zeke Shaw walked over, pointing at the countless, tangled ropes connected to Erin Whittaker. "The beams in a factory like this are too high—we’re talking three stories off the ground. She’s suspended up there. If there’s no safety mechanism and she falls, she’s dead. No question."

Whether the wrong rope is untied or the main one burns through, Erin Whittaker dies. She either dies from the fall, or she dies from being hanged.

Julian Fletcher was getting frantic. "What good are you police! Do something! You said you’d guarantee her safety!"

I let out a cold laugh. ’So *now* he’s worried.’

"As you’ve probably noticed, the killer is very clever. We’re police, not psychics. Give us some time." Zeke Shaw was clearly annoyed by Julian Fletcher’s racket.

Zeke Shaw frowned at the web of ropes, his forehead already slick with sweat.

"This guy is a twisted genius... If the candle is moved or extinguished, the heat source vanishes. That changes the air current, causing the small steel ball beside it to fall. It’s like a domino effect—a blade above will drop, the rope will still be cut, and Erin Whittaker will still die." And taking the steel ball away beforehand would just throw off the weight distribution.

Erin Whittaker, suspended high above, didn’t dare to move a muscle.

"Julian... save me, I’m so scared," Erin Whittaker cried out to Julian Fletcher.

"I’d advise you not to talk so loud," I warned Erin Whittaker with a frown. "These ropes and contraptions are as sensitive as a precision level. Keep shouting and you’ll just die faster."

Terrified, Erin Whittaker’s face flushed red. She only dared to whimper, no longer shouting.

I looked up at Erin Whittaker hanging there and, for some reason... felt a strange sense of satisfaction.

’I admit it... I have a malicious streak. I don’t want to save her.’

’I knew Asher could save her, but I selfishly didn’t want him to.’

Zeke Shaw looked at Zane and the other officers. "Touching anything is a risk. When can the rescue team get here?"

They’ve dispatched a cherry picker to get up there and rescue her.

"But it’ll take time for the lift to get here. This is the new development zone; fastest they can make it is twenty minutes..."

Clearly, Erin Whittaker didn’t have twenty minutes.

"What do you mean, twenty minutes?! In twenty minutes, that rope will be long gone!" Julian Fletcher was still losing it, screaming at the police.

He whirled around to face Asher. "Was it you? Did you set this up? Did you deliberately lead us here?! You’re the killer! It has to be you!"

Julian Fletcher directed all his accusations at Asher.

Asher simply stared back at Julian Fletcher, his expression cold and silent.

"Stop lashing out like a rabid dog," I warned Julian Fletcher.

"If he hadn’t figured out the location, she’d be dead by the time we found her," Zeke Shaw shot back, warning Julian Fletcher to calm down.

Asher remained where he was, the air around him heavy with tension.

I wasn’t sure if it was just my imagination, but I thought I saw a flicker of a smile in Asher’s eyes.

’It must have been my imagination...’

"It’s definitely him! How else would he know about this place?" Julian Fletcher was still raving.

"Mr. Fletcher, I suggest you calm down. Right now, the only person who can get Erin Whittaker down from there safely before she dies is Asher. You’d better start begging him to help you save her!" Zeke Shaw said angrily, grabbing Julian Fletcher by the collar and shoving him toward Asher.

"Me? Beg him? In your dreams!" Clearly, Julian Fletcher wasn’t about to beg Asher.

Asher remained aloof, leaning against a nearby pillar without saying a word.

"I promise you, she doesn’t have much time left," Zeke Shaw said with a frown.

"I guess Erin Whittaker isn’t that important to you after all," I taunted with a sneer. ’It’s not every day you get to threaten Julian Fletcher. I have to admit, it feels pretty good.’

"Asher, do you have a way to save her?" Zane asked anxiously, looking at Asher with nervous eyes.

Asher didn’t say a word. I knew he wouldn’t save her unless I said something.

"What... will it take for you to save her?" In the end, Julian Fletcher finally forced the words out through gritted teeth.

Asher straightened up, his voice low and deep. "If you die... I’ll save her. You have three minutes to think it over."