Chapter 8

That was when I heard Yvie saying, "Martin, he's staring at me… He's so scary…"

I turned to see her trembling and hiding behind Martin's back and breathed a sigh of relief.

So the killer was looking at her, not me…

He seemed to be furious nonetheless, just as an officer said, "He's cool. He's just an orphan who left a nearby orphanage—people around here call him Star. I've arrested him before for snatching a woman's purse."

I was left shaking my head repeatedly. "No! He's the killer!"

However, the cops released Star with their colleague's assurance, while he pushed himself off the floor.

His legs were so long that his jeans didn't reach his ankles, and I could see the gruesome burns on them.

I was worried he would keep killing and followed him despite my fear, until he stopped beside Yvie and rasped in his broken voice, "You…"

Yvie was trembling all over even as she looked at Star, while I looked at him in shock too.

He knew that Yvie had set me up?!

That was when Jason walked up to Martin, nodding apologetically as he said, "Apologies for calling you out here this late at night, Mr. Fitzgerald. Do reach out to us if Ms. Cox ever makes contact—here's my number."

Martin snorted but took the business card as he left with Yvie.

Watching as they headed off to the distance, Jason told his colleague, "Find out the connection between those two and Beatrice. It's definitely something messed up."

"What? How'd you know?" his colleague blurted.

"Would you know if your sister has a mole on her breast or a birthmark on her crotch?"

"Shit…" The colleague gaped in shock. "That civilized look definitely had me fooled!"

Jason nodded. "Yeah, so start looking!"

-

I followed Star, because I didn't want to see what Martin was doing with Yvie anymore.

After being released, he limped away, clearly heading to where my body was.

When he arrived outside a rundown orphanage, he deftly climbed inside.

I looked around, my breathing turning rushed—this was where Star had brought me before he killed me!

It must also be where he had killed the other women!

As such, I followed Star closely to see if I could find my body.

However, he didn't go to his slaughterhouse—instead, he went to one of the rundown buildings.

Then, getting into a room filled with litter, he sat, curled up in a corner.

It was clear that he usually lived here.

I wandered around the rest of the orphanage for a long while, but I still couldn't find the basement where I died.

It was therefore not surprising that the cops couldn't find a thing even after so long.

Bang!

That was when a car rammed through the front gates.

Star stepped out, at once wary as he saw the unexpected visitors.

I looked on, not surprised as Martin got out of the car, while Yvie stayed inside, trembling.

"That's him," she said, pointing at Star. "I don't know if he's the killer, but he's been following me for days."

I was taken aback—so she never accused him in front of the cops and instead told Martin.

Martin didn't go to the cops either, and instead brought his buddies.

Naturally. Star tried to get away but couldn't, as Martin's buddies quickly surrounded him and clobbered him with bats and poles.

"A freakin' homeless bum lusting after Yvie?"

"Hah! He actually wasn't interested in Beatrice Cox? What is he, a homeless bum with standards?"

Star shielded his head with his arms even as he lay curled on the ground and took the beating.

If anything, he looked like he was used to it.

And when Martin's buddies were done, Martin walked up and showed Star a photo of me. "Have you seen this woman?"

At that moment, I wondered if he actually felt doubt and considered the possibility that I really was dead.