Chapter 25 Murder For Hire
Annabel frowned. “The culprit? Turned herself in?”
Beatrice gasped. “Annabel, you didn’t know? It’s all over the internet, Stella’s assistant confessed. She said she did it, and the police even found evidence. She’s the murderer.
‘Evidence?‘ Annabel sneered inwardly. She finally understood the purpose of that photo. It was all a ploy to stall her, to find someone to take the fall.
If her guess was right, the evidence she had in her hands was now useless. All the blame had been dumped on that poor assistant. If she presented it now, Beatrice would just claim innocence.
Annabel’s eyes gleamed with sharpness. “Strange, isn’t it? A mere assistant, pulling off a clean kill and then coolly framing me for it. If she hadn’t confessed, would the police have even looked her way?”
Beatrice shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. “M–Maybe her conscience kicked in. After all, it’s a human life.”
“Perhaps.” With that, Annabel picked up her things and went upstairs without another
word.
As Annabel walked past Lillian, she caught the flash of cold, murderous intent in her eyes. But in the blink of an eye, Lillian’s expression shifted into a syrupy smile. ” Annabel, make sure to get some rest.”
*****
Once back in her room, Annabel called Walter.
Walter’s tone turned unusually excited and delighted when he learned that Jonathan had helped Annabel and that she’d spent the night at his place. “Annabel, there’s no need to hurry back. Spend a few more days with him and enjoy yourselves.”
Annabel was momentarily speechless. ‘Is this really my old–fashioned, rigid grandfather?‘ she thought.
“I’m home now,” Annabel replied softly.
“Oh?” Walter’s voice was heavy with disappointment. “Alright then, get some rest for now. I’ll come back later.”
“Drive safe, Grandpa.”
Annabel hung up the phone and booted up her computer, hacking into the surveillance cameras along the road wharn the ma~ bumped into her.
Successfully unlocked!
From the moment the man appear on the footage, he kept his head down,
..༦
deliberately avoiding the cameras, never once revealing his face. It was clear he had
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planned everything in advance, knowing the layout of the road and the angles of every surveillance camera.
After searching for a while and coming up empty–handed, Annabel decided to check out the so–called confession of the “culprit” online. Instead of going to the police station, Raina Moore, Stella’s assistant, had uploaded a video online to confess.
In the video, she was sobbing uncontrollably. “I was jealous of Stella. She’d hit me or yell at me whenever she was in a bad mood. I… I lost control and killed her. I’m so sorry -to her, to my family…”
The police hadn’t released any evidence, but Annabel couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.
She typed out a comment: [The victim was killed with a Strider straight blade, stabbed cleanly into the chest in one strike. Even a man’d struggle to pull this off, let alone someone as frail as Raina.] She pinned it and erased her IP address.
Annabel’s pinned comment quickly stirred up a storm online. Some questioned how Annabel could know such specific details about the case, but many others believed her analysis.
Someone: [So, you’re saying the killer must be a strong guy–or maybe a woman who works out a lot?]
Another commented: [Does that mean Annabel’s off the hook?]
Seeing the heated discussion and noticing it had even caught the attention of the authorities, Annabel logged off and headed to the bathroom for a shower.
By the time she finished getting ready and came downstairs, the sky had already turned dark. In the dining room, Victor was having dinner with Beatrice and Lillian. Walter wasn’t home.
Annabel greeted him with a blank expression. “Dad.”
Victor noticed she was about to head out and called her back. “It’s late. Where do you think you’re going? Haven’t you stirred up enough drama already?”
Victor slammed his fork onto the table, the sound echoing sharply through the room as he glared at her in frustration.
Beatrice quickly stepped in, her voice soft and soothing. “Victor, calm down. She’s young–it’s only natural for her to want some fun.”
Lillian chimed in with a falsely sweet tone, “Annabel, if you’re heading out, don’t stay out too late, okay? Dad’s just worried about you.”
Annabel didn’t even spare them a glance. She walked out without a word, flagged down a cab, and headed straight for the police station.
Chapter 25 Murder For Hire
As soon as she walked into the station, Annabel said, “I need to see Raina.”
The officer recognized Annabel and politely declined, “Sorry, Miss White, the suspect is in custody and can’t meet with.outsiders right now.”
“I’m directly involved in this case, and she hasn’t even been tried yet. She’s not a convicted criminal. Why can’t I see her?”
The officer hesitated, but before he could say anything, a mocking voice interrupted.” Miss White, you barely managed to slip through the cracks of the law last time. What brings you here now?”
Annabel turned her head and saw Gideon, the officer who had deliberately made things difficult for her yesterday, standing nearby. She remembered his name and called it out with a hint of sarcasm, “Gideon Lynn.”
Gideon instinctively stiffened, his body tense as he watched her cautiously.
Annabel chuckled softly, her tone laced with mockery. “So, are we settling yesterday’s
score now?”
Before Gideon could respond, another officer rushed over in a panic. “Mr. Lynn, something terrible happened–Raina just committed suicide.”
“What?” Gideon’s face darkened as he barked angrily, “How could this happen? She’s a suspect, and you let her die in custody?”
As the captain, Gideon knew that a death under his watch could cost him his badge. In his agitation, he cast a probing glance at Annabel.
Annabel, fully aware of what Gideon was insinuating, had that “are you serious” look on her face. “I just got here. This officer can vouch for me–I haven’t gone anywhere
since I arrived.”
“Then how do you explain the timing? Everything was fine before, and the moment you showed up, she killed herself?” Gideon shot back.
Annabel ignored his baseless speculation. Raina’s suicide left her feeling unsettled and frustrated. ‘What a waste of time tonight turned out to be,’ she thought.
Annabel frowned as she left the police station and called Mason. “Raina Moore, Stella‘ assistant, committed suicide. Look into her recent social interactions, bank transfer records, and phone call logs.”
“Got it. One hour,” said Mason.
Annabel hailed a cab back to the White estate, but her phone buzzed again. It was Victor, the relentless tyrant. As expected, the moment she answered, he exploded. ” You asshole, where the hell are you? Get back here now.”
Annabel’s voice was icy. “If I’m an asshole, then what does that make you? Asshole too?
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“What did you just say?” Victor’s fury was palpable, his breathing ragged. “You ass… You are killing me.”
Annabel’s tone remained indifferent. “Shame I can’t actually make that happen.”
“Y–You…”
Annabel waited patiently for Victor to regain his composure. When he finally stopped sputtering, he barked, “Get back here immediately.”
“Sure, whatever.” Annabel hung up, a faint smirk playing on her lips. Victor–always barking orders but crumbling the moment someone stood up to him.
*****
At the White estate, Annabel had barely stepped inside when she was greeted by Beatrice’s dramatic sobs. “Victor, thank God Sutton was there to save me. I thought I was going to die–I’d never see you again.”
Victor’s face was etched with concern as he comforted her. “Don’t worry, Beatrice.
From now on, I’ll make sure you’re safe.”
Lillian chimed in, her voice trembling as tears streamed down her face, “Dad, is it true? Did Annabel really hire someone to hurt Mom?”
On any other day, Victor would’ve called Annabel an “asshole” without skipping a beat. But their earlier phone call lingered in his mind, planting a seed of doubt.
He thought, ‘Annabel has been so bold, so defiant–could it be that Dad has given her something, something that makes her untouchable? Even capable of orchestrating a
murder without fear?‘
