Chapter 245: Chapter 244: Julian Fletcher Sold Me Out to the Police?
Julian Fletcher froze, looking at me. He was obviously nervous.
He didn’t want Erin Whittaker to die. No matter how you looked at it, he seemed to think her crimes weren’t deserving of death.
I just found it laughable. I had thought that after he found out Erin had deliberately tricked me into going out on the night of the 15th, his opinion of her would change. I thought he’d stop trusting her, that they might even turn on each other.
But I never expected... Julian cared about whether she lived or died as much as ever.
"Cece... she promised that if she got out alive, she would give me the evidence she has on Victor Quinn. She hasn’t given it to me yet," Julian explained hurriedly.
’So he doesn’t care if Erin Whittaker lives or dies, only that she hasn’t handed over the evidence yet.’
"Besides... she did risk her life to protect me before..." Julian was still deluding himself.
"Do you really think someone as selfish as Erin would be willing to risk her own life? Either she knew from the start that there was no real danger, or you’re misremembering," Madeline Quinn said, rolling her eyes. "You saw how I tested her in the abandoned building. She didn’t have the guts."
"That’s different..." Julian started to explain.
I pulled Madeline Quinn’s arm. "Better to tear down ten temples than to ruin one marriage. The two of them were engaged, you know."
"Cece..." Julian looked hurt and anxious. "I really didn’t mean it like that. I just think her crimes don’t warrant death. She..."
"What you mean has nothing to do with me," I said, cutting him off with a raised hand.
Beside us, Asher sat obediently on the edge of the bed, secretly gloating...
’He’s probably mocking Julian in his head for having no emotional intelligence, for digging his own grave.’
But whenever Julian was digging his own grave, Asher would always act exceptionally well-behaved. It was as if doing so highlighted just how obedient and sensible he was in comparison.
He would even ’wag his tail’ from time to time, interjecting in that innocently provocative way of his. "Wifey, Erin Whittaker basically got Cecilia Caldwell killed, and he’s still defending her like this."
Julian frowned at Asher, his hands clenched into fists. "What happened was Erin’s fault, I admit it. She said she was just too scared, and she never thought something would actually happen to Cece. On the 15th, she’d had too much to drink and didn’t even remember the date, which is why it caused errors in the police investigation."
Julian was still making excuses for Erin Whittaker.
’He’s so desperate to make us see that Erin’s crimes don’t warrant death.’
"Julian, this killing game... it really didn’t serve as any kind of warning to you at all, did it?" I sighed. ’He’s a lost cause.’
’Excessive mercy is just cruelty to oneself.’
"Cece, I know this is unfair to you, and I’ll definitely make her pay the price she deserves. But we’re not the police. Right now, we need to be rational and analyze the value she possesses," Julian said, desperately trying to make me understand why he wanted to protect Erin.
’Maybe from his perspective, he wasn’t wrong. He just wanted to maximize Erin’s value before she received the punishment she deserved.’
’From Julian’s point of view, it seemed like all of us wanted Erin to die, while he was fighting tooth and nail to make us see that she still had value.’
’In short, it was like we weren’t even on the same wavelength.’
"Cece, his emotional intelligence is so low. It’s not like we’re going to do anything to Erin. He’s just so in love," Asher chimed in again, with that signature provocative innocence.
Julian looked like he was about to be driven mad by him. "Shut up."
"She’s my wifey! I’ll say whatever I want, we have a marriage certificate!" Asher retorted, indignant. Though his words had that same provocative tone, his entire aura had shifted. He glared at Julian, looking like he was ready for a fight at any moment.
"Use your words, not your fists," I said, grabbing Asher’s arm.
Asher huffed and sat down beside me, still fuming.
Julian rubbed his temples, a headache brewing. He looked at Asher. "Can you leave for a moment? I need to talk to her alone."
"No," Asher replied with righteous confidence.
I looked at Asher and suddenly laughed out loud.
But I still felt so numb... The realization hit a moment later, and I froze.
’Did I just laugh out loud?’
The sensation was so strange.
Ever since coming back from the abandoned building, everything had felt strange, like I was always realizing things after the fact...
My reactions were always half a beat behind my subconscious.
"Cece..." Asher turned to look at me, a hint of a tattletale in his voice. "He’s trying to kick me out. He’s definitely up to no good."
I nodded. "You can say what you need to say right here."
Julian looked like he was about to explode. After a long moment, he finally spoke. "Cece... Erin Whittaker is really important. The police know it, too..."
"Are you explaining all this to me because you’re afraid I’ll kill her?" I asked Julian curiously.
’Is Julian actually afraid of me?’
’Did the sadistic game in the abandoned building make him afraid of me?’
Julian froze for a second. He was, in fact, afraid I would kill Erin. "No..."
He said, then started again nervously. "I just..."
"Since I didn’t kill her in the abandoned building, you don’t need to worry about me killing her out here." I knew very well that I had scared Julian when I was interrogating Erin.
"Wifey, he’s scared of you," Asher tattled in a whisper in my ear.
I didn’t say anything, just kept my eyes on Julian.
’The reason he was afraid I’d kill Erin... was it because he thought I was the mastermind behind the serial killings? The person who orchestrated this game?’
"She..." Julian lowered his head and took a deep breath. "Erin... told the police you were the mastermind behind this sadistic game. She said... it was you who stabbed her, and you... who tore her wound open. She’s demanding a forensic examination of her injuries..."
I narrowed my eyes at Julian. "Heh. Does she have any proof?"
Julian froze, then fell silent.
I looked at Julian. "Ah... I get it now..."
In that instant, I felt like I suddenly understood why Julian was so afraid I would kill Erin Whittaker.
"Erin told the police I hurt her, and the only witness to that is you." I stared at Julian. In that moment, my chest felt tight, and my body trembled slightly with anger. "So, you sold me out?"
’Did Julian tell the police I was the one who hurt her?’
Julian looked down, explaining in a small voice. "I just..."
"Just told the truth?" I laughed, then pointed at the door. "Get out."
Madeline Quinn stared at Julian in a daze. "What did you do? What do you mean, hurt Erin? When did Cece ever hurt Erin? She saved her! If it weren’t for Cece, Erin would have died in there!"
Asher frowned but said nothing.
Erin had accused me in front of the police, claiming I had hurt her and was the mastermind of the killing game.
And Julian was the witness.
"Erin was afraid... that you would kill her. I just..." Julian clenched his fists.
’He had just been standing in front of Erin, had seen the pleading, desperate look in her eyes, and had been unable to lie.’
"Julian, I’ve said it before. You’re a kind person, but your kindness is always from Erin’s perspective. You didn’t do anything wrong here, because you didn’t lie," I said in a low voice, pointing to the door. "But I don’t want to see you right now. Please get out."
"Cece... Erin really does still have value. If..." Julian trailed off, shutting his mouth. He looked down, crestfallen.
It was as if he was trying to say that no one could understand him.
His corroboration that I had hurt Erin was ultimately useless. In a chaotic situation like that, nothing could be proven without concrete evidence.
He just wanted to earn Erin Whittaker’s goodwill and get her to hand over the evidence against Victor Quinn as soon as possible.
"I’m sorry..." Julian apologized, his voice hoarse. "If Victor Quinn makes a move on Erin, she’ll definitely be scared. When that happens... I’ll be the only one she can trust and rely on. Only then will she give us the evidence we want."
After saying his piece, Julian turned and left.