After I Died, the Scumbag Went Mad

Chapter 211: Chapter 210: Silvia Lynch Cleared of Suspicion

”He’ll make bail.” Asher seemed certain that Howard Finch had a way to get out of the detention center.

Lucas Grant wanted to say more, but Asher had already hung up.

I shot him a frightened glance. Even though I knew Silvia Lynch was a good person who hadn’t done any of those terrible things, what if Howard Finch and Victor Quinn had everything prepared to frame her...

”Don’t be afraid.” He reached out and ruffled my hair.

’Just hearing him say ”don’t be afraid” was enough to put me at ease.’

’To be honest, I was conflicted. I didn’t know what to make of this dependence I had on Asher...’

”The police will call you in for questioning,” Asher said, glancing at me reassuringly. ”I’ve already found evidence to clear your name. Just cooperate with their investigation. Silvia Lynch... never did anything so heinous.”

I lowered my head in silence. ”If Silvia Lynch never did anything wrong, if she was a kind person, then for her to end up like this... is that fair?”

’But Silvia Lynch was still dead. She’d been used, plotted against, and then she’d died.’

’And I was just a parasite, living in someone else’s body.’

”There’s no such thing as fairness in this world.” Asher fell silent, then pulled me into his arms.

’I knew what he meant.’

’Some things just felt beyond my control.’

’But for some reason... I felt a gnawing guilt.’

’Silvia Lynch being plotted against, the ”accident,” my rebirth in her body... was it all really just a coincidence?’

...

That same afternoon, Lucas Grant arrived with his team.

It was official business. They were here to take me in for questioning.

Mrs. Fletcher had handed the so-called evidence over to the police—a photograph of me talking to the second victim of the dismemberment case.

’I had a feeling this was all premeditated, not a coincidence.’

”I wasn’t involved. I was deceived too. I don’t know anything.”

’As long as there was no absolute proof of my guilt, I would deny everything.’

’Howard Finch said Silvia Lynch was a good person. So, does that mean good people deserve to be deceived, misunderstood, and framed?’

’I wanted to save myself, but I also wanted to save Silvia Lynch.’

”Captain Grant, there are a few kids outside. They say they’re Silvia Lynch’s ’brothers.’”

I froze, looking up at Lucas Grant.

’It was those kids...’

’Asher must have found them. They were here to be witnesses for Silvia Lynch.’

”Silvia didn’t hurt us. Kyle is sick, and she was trying to raise money for us. That’s why she contacted a local charity. But they tricked her. They said they wanted to adopt Datou—he’s the smartest one of us—and if they did, the charity would pay for Kyle’s treatment. But after they took Datou, we never got the money they promised.”

”She’s a good person.”

”She was always taking care of us, protecting us.”

’All those children were willing to step forward and testify for Silvia Lynch.’

’I believe... Silvia Lynch was a good person.’

”Silvia didn’t completely trust them,” the lead child said, providing a crucial piece of evidence. ”So when she took Datou to meet the adoptive parents, she had us keep an eye out and secretly record photos and videos on our phones. It’s all saved with Kyle, but he got arrested. He’s still in juvie.”

Lucas Grant glanced at me, then gestured for Zane to go to the juvenile detention center and find Kyle.

’He was the same kid who’d tried to poison Erin Whittaker with paraquat.’

’With the children’s testimony and the evidence Silvia Lynch had cleverly saved, it was enough to prove my innocence and cement Howard Finch’s guilt.’

’Everything went so smoothly...’

’I was cleared of all charges. I was not only innocent, but a certified good person.’

I was in a daze as I walked out of the police station.

’It had all gone too smoothly.’

’Everything I’d been worried about had been resolved with incredible ease.’

’So why did I still feel so uneasy?’

’It was too convenient. Silvia Lynch just happened to have recorded a video, leaving behind evidence. It looked like self-preservation, but it felt like it was all for this very day.’

’It was as if someone had arranged everything in advance.’

”Cece?” Outside the door, Asher was already waiting for me.

He held a black umbrella over me, pulling me into his embrace.

I looked up and only then realized it had started to rain.

”It’s okay now,” Asher answered softly.

”You already knew I would be okay, didn’t you?” I looked up at him.

Asher’s eyes flickered. He shook his head. ”I believed you would be okay.”

’His words were ambiguous. I took it as him changing the subject.’

”Let’s go home.” Asher collected me and took me home.

On the way back, Asher told me that Julian Fletcher had woken up.

I just said, ”Oh.” It didn’t stir much emotion in me.

’So he was awake. It had nothing to do with me anymore.’

”Erin Whittaker has been by his side the whole time. He’ll most likely think she’s you.” Asher seemed to be giving me a heads-up, as if he was afraid I couldn’t handle the shock.

”Mm, that’s fine.” I nodded.

’Julian Fletcher was always blind anyway. This was for the best.’

...

Just as Asher and I had expected, after waking up, Julian Fletcher did indeed seem convinced that Erin Whittaker was ’Cecilia Caldwell.’ He kept her close and was fiercely protective of her.

During this time, I holed up at home, waiting for news about the human traffickers.

Zeke Shaw said he had been transferred back and was in charge of investigating the human trafficking lead.

Madeline Quinn also came to see me a few times, saying that Zeke Shaw had left Meridia on a mission, and this mission seemed quite dangerous.

’I figured it had to be related to the human trafficking case.’

Howard Finch took the blame for all the crimes, and the police couldn’t trace anything to Victor Quinn.

’I’d already anticipated that.’

What I hadn’t expected, however, was that Howard Finch had been diagnosed with cancer long ago. He needed to be released for medical treatment, which meant he could make bail.

’Asher was right. Howard Finch had a way to get out of the detention center.’

”Don’t overthink it. Just stay home and rest.” Madeline Quinn had come over, telling me to get some rest.

’But I had a feeling that a lot must have happened over the past few days.’

I’d been so frightened by the kidnapping that I just hid at home, not daring to go out. But Asher wasn’t around during that time.

’I was worried. Worried that he had actually gone to see Erin Whittaker.’

’That he’d gone to the ”old place” she’d mentioned.’

’I was torn and felt completely insecure.’

’I was afraid of Erin Whittaker’s schemes. If she could fool Julian Fletcher so many times, she could fool Asher too.’

I sat on the bed, hugging my knees, plagued by a constant sense of anxiety.

’I was sick of this life.’

’Is this really the life I wanted?’

’I began to have doubts, to wonder... what was the point of my rebirth?’

’Was I supposed to just keep living this foolish, terrified existence, simply for the sake of being alive?’

’Hadn’t my original goal been to find my killer?’

”Trust Zeke Shaw. He’ll definitely find those missing teenagers.” When I didn’t say anything, Madeline Quinn tried to comfort me in a low voice. ”Cece...”

”The serial killer... why hasn’t he made a move in so long? Is he unable to kill Erin Whittaker? Or...” I said, confused. ”Does that mean the killer really is Ash?”

’Why was Erin Whittaker still alive?’

’If she didn’t die, the others on the list wouldn’t be killed either.’

’I was actually... hoping for the killer to strike again.’

’I had to catch him, but at the same time... I wanted to use him to get rid of the others on that list.’

’To get rid of... those demons from the orphanage.’

”Cece...” Madeline Quinn seemed to have read my mind. ”Erin Whittaker... she seems like a different person recently.”

’Madeline Quinn lowered her gaze, probably afraid of upsetting me.’

’She’s seen Erin Whittaker too? Does Madeline Quinn believe her?’

”She said she’s Cecilia Caldwell, right?” I asked her nervously. ”Do you believe her?”