Chapter 40
“Take her own life? Ha… If she really had it in her to bite the bullet, Phoebe
would still be alive!” Stella’s voice shattered through the air, thick with scorn for
Melody.
It was probably because she thought I died in Melody’s place.
“Easy there, let’s go see what’s going on first.” Robin stepped in, keeping Stella’s
tumultuous emotions in check, and handed her off to the forensic expert. “Take
care of her.”
The forensic expert nodded and took hold of Stella. “You’re in the medical field,
and you should know better than to let emotions cloud your judgment.”
Stella didn’t respond, just stood there with tears staining her cheeks.
“Mr. Fitzgerald, I’ll go back with you to check on things.” Robin glanced at his
watch, wrapped up his instructions, and followed Dexter. “Considering the
investigation so far, your wife Melody was also one of the girls who left that
orphanage back in the day, so the killer will definitely keep an eye on her.”
Dexter’s stride stiffened at the mention, and he reminded in a deep tone. “She’s
not my wife.”
Robin found Dexter’s insistence odd but said no more.
I trailed behind them and got into the car, too.
“The girls who left the orphanage back then are scattered all over the city now,
with no pattern to the deaths. The killer seems to be acting out of revenge.”
Robin looked at Dexter. “If your wife isn’t even afraid to meet her maker, maybe
she could help us out, cooperate with the police so we can catch this killer
sooner.”
Robin didn’t want to play it this way, but Melody and Dexter had put Phoebe in
the line of fire as
bait.
I flashed Robin a wry smile. “As if. He treasures Melody like the crown jewels;
he’d never use her as bait to draw out a murderer.”
“I told you… she’s not my wife.” Dexter clung to that term. “And with Phoebe
already in harm’s way, I can’t risk Melody’s safety too!”
I laughed to myself, knowing he would never agree.
“Can’t risk? What were you thinking when you let Phoebe take the risk as bait,
Mr. Fitzgerald? Or is it that in your eyes, Melody’s life is precious, and Phoebe’s
just doesn’t count for much?” Robin challenged.
Dexter was clearly taken aback, sitting rigidly in his seat.
I felt a chill run through me, a biting cold..
Indeed, how could my lowly life compare to Melody’s golden one?
15:04
Chapter 40
“Melody’s not well, and she’s been emotionally unstable,” Dexter snapped back
at Robin. “You heard her earlier—she tried to kill herself! You’re a cop, for
heaven’s sake. How can you be so callous?”
Robin said nothing, but his silence seemed to affirm his suspicions.
“Dexter, Phoebe didn’t come from the orphanage, and her body hasn’t been
found. To us, that means there’s a good chance she’s still out there breathing. If
we don’t find her soon, she’s as good as dead.” After a long silence, Robin finally
spoke up.
He hoped Dexter would convince Melody to lend a hand to the police and, in
turn, to Phoebe.
Robin had put it gently. The fastest way to the killer was through Melody, using
her to draw out the predator.
But Dexter hesitated.
I had already amassed enough disappointment in Dexter to face it all with a
newfound calm.
In his heart, I never held a place of significance, and his choice was within my
expectations.
The affection buried deep from my younger years had withered and died during
its rapid growth into a mighty tree. My love story had ended at the age of
eighteen before it had even truly begun.
Their car pulled up at the hotel, and the banquet hall was still bustling with
guests.
Melody’s parents were there, looking less than pleased.
“Dexter…” Melody’s mother, a woman of grace thanks to their once—wealthy
background, only brought low in recent years by bankruptcy and reliant on
Dexter’s charity.
Dexter lowered his head, seemingly with regret.
I watched from a distance, finding the scene bitterly ironic.
Melody’s father said, “Dexter, we’ve seen all the good you do for Melody.
Whatever the reason, the wedding turned out like this… making Melody lose face
in front of our relatives. You should have a word with her.”
Dexter remained silent, opening his mouth but saying nothing. He just nodded.
“Alright.”
Robin stood in a nearby smoking area, taking long drags on his cigarette, his
addiction seemingly a side effect of long nights working cases.
I stood beside Robin, coughing reflexively at the smoke.
I used to be so sensitive to cigarette smoke, coughing had become a reflex
around it.
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But after a couple of coughs, I
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remembered—I was dead. What’s a
ghost got to fear ev
pene Siikab tter chuckle and
3 . 2.
said to Robin, though he couldn’t
“ f Ss
hear me, “See, Melody’s suicide is
just an act. If she really wanted to
’ : . .
end it, she’d be in the hospital right.
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2/3
15:04
now, not resting up in a hotel room.”
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& B 2
Robin couldn’t hear me, but it
seemed we shared the same
rs 5
houdiises Re sobifed Is this really
abolit suicide, or is it about reeling
coy
Dexter back in?” The content is on
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chapter there!
I gave Robin a knowing look, rare to find someone on the same wavelength as
me.
“Mr. Fitzgerald, I’d like a word with Miss Melody,” Robin approached after
Melody’s parents had
left.
Dexter frowned. “Some other time, please. Don’t agitate her. Her mother says
she’s just. managed to calm down and get some sleep.”
How caring he was.
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Sy
Robin’s brow furrowed with
increasing worry, his voice a cocktail
2 OL
of frustration and urgency. With
every pa sing day Bhéebe’s
NOI = :
khotking’on death’s door a little
” : :
louder.” He shot a piercing look at
Dexter, his tone edged with a
« )
challenge. “Dexter, for heaven’s sake,
do you even want to find Phoebe or
” :
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