Chapter 16: If You Want It, Come and Get It

A sudden chill ran down Sophia's spine, making her skin prickle.

"Were you at the villa back then?" She stared at him, totally shocked.

Chase nodded. "Yeah, I was at the third-floor window. I saw you."

"You actually know about tetramethylbenzidine?" Sophia gave him a once-over. Chase was turning out to be more than she expected.

Chase grinned. "I love reading mystery novels and watching crime shows. Guess I've picked up a few things along the way."

Sophia plopped down next to him and asked, "Your mom buying that ticket to leave town, that was your idea, right?"

Chase nodded calmly. "Yep, that was me."

He stretched out his legs, leaned back on his hands, and took a deep breath, soaking in the fresh air. Then he lay down on the soft grass, the gentle breeze making everything feel just right. Under the warm sunlight, Chase closed his eyes.

Sophia lay down beside him and kept questioning, "You put that picture frame on the third floor, didn't you?"

Chase chuckled but stayed silent.

"I gotta admit, you're pretty sharp." Sophia rested her head on her arms, gazing at the sky. "If it weren't for that photo frame, it would've taken me longer to find you. Did you do all this to clear your mom's name?"

"There are other reasons," Chase said, scratching his head. "If you couldn't find me, you might never figure out how Bianca really died." He sighed, "I wanted you to keep digging, but I was afraid I couldn't wait that long."

Sophia looked puzzled. "Are you that sure? Couldn't the autopsy reveal the cause of her death?"

Chase shook his head. "The cause of death, sure. But what about the method? What happened that night? Her behavior, her thoughts—can an autopsy tell you all that?"

Sophia went quiet.

Usually, an autopsy could only determine the cause, time, and means of death, and maybe the weapon used.

But a person's actions and thoughts? Those were a different story.

And those actions and thoughts could change everything, steering the case in a whole new direction.

Sophia had a hunch but wasn't sure. "You didn't kill Bianca, did you?"

Chase turned to her, his eyes bright. "What do you think?"

Sophia met his gaze. "All the clues point to you, but you led me here on purpose. A killer wouldn't take that risk. But everything hinges on evidence. Who's to say there aren't lunatics out there?"

"Lunatics do exist," Chase said, giving an example. "I heard about a guy who killed ten people and called the cops each time for thirty years. They even made a movie about him."

Sophia stared into his eyes. "So, are you a lunatic too?"

Chase calmly replied, "I'm not."

Sophia looked up at the blue sky. "Then tell me, how did Bianca die?"

Chase opened his eyes and started to remember.

That day, Bianca left early.

The weather was awful, dark clouds hanging low, covering the whole city, signaling a storm was on its way.

The weather forecast said there'd be a nasty thunderstorm tonight.

Not the best weather, but for the two people in the room, it was perfect. They were planning to make their move tonight. With all the thunder and lightning, any noise they made would be drowned out.

Matthew was smoking, his eyes cold and ruthless. "She's pushing me again. No more negotiating. She's getting a lawyer. I can't let that happen."

He put his right hand on Harper's shoulder, making her shudder. But instead of being rough, his tone was gentle. "I need you to do me a favor. If you pull this off, I can get the best doctors to treat you and Chase. Severe myasthenia isn't totally incurable, and neither is Chase's brain tumor. Just do as I say, and you both can live."

Harper looked up. "I don't care about my life. Just cure Chase, and I'll do anything."

Matthew gave a sinister smile, pressing the cigarette butt into Harper's skin. "What if I ask you to kill Bianca?"

Harper's face twisted in pain. She struggled for a long time before nodding.

They had no idea Chase was eavesdropping at the door.

When Harper got back to Chase's room, he was watching a movie.

Harper sat next to him. "What movie is this? Any good?"

Chase replied, "It's great. The protagonist kills for revenge but cleverly manipulates time and space to dodge the law."

Harper sat quietly, listening to him talk excitedly.

Under Chase's suggestion, Harper thought about buying a ticket to leave town. With an alibi, no matter what happened, even if there was an investigation, she could avoid punishment.

So, Harper bought a ticket and left for Silverlight City, getting a ticket to the bonfire party there. After greeting everyone at the party, she used the excuse of feeling unwell to return to the hotel, but in reality, she came back to Emerald City.

Once at the villa, she started prepping. She got a towel, soaked it in ether, and grabbed a rope.

Around five in the evening, Bianca came back. She ran to her room alone, skipped dinner, and cried for some reason.

It wasn't raining yet, but the sky was dark, and the wind was howling.

Chase was at the third-floor window, staring into the distance. He watched the sea level rise and fall, mirroring his emotions.

He pulled a coin from his pocket, planning to use it to decide Bianca's fate. He tossed it, watching it spin before landing in his palm. Chase looked at it.

Taking a deep breath, Chase knocked on Bianca's door.

This wasn't their first interaction, but they hadn't talked much before. Bianca didn't seem wary of him.

"What are you doing here?" Bianca asked.

Chase said, "Miss, you should leave. Go as far as you can."

Bianca replied, "I'm not going anywhere. If they want me dead, they can come and kill me."

Chase was stunned, standing there motionless.