Chapter 304
Luke's body twitched uncontrollably. A hole in his head gushed blood, quickly staining the ground bright red. His body finally stilled. After firing the shot, Shirley remained frozen. Earlier, in the car, she had used Luke's distraction to slip his handgun from his coat pocket.
It was easy; she'd honed her thieving skills since childhood. Everything went according to plan, except Cynthia's survival. How could she send Luke abroad? He had to die, regardless of Cynthia. Shirley's heart pounded. She hadn't thought when she fired the shot.
But now, staring at the blood, her fingers trembled. She recalled stabbing Dennis, a memory that resurfaced countless times. She'd repeatedly imagined it in her mind. The reality was terrifying; she'd shaken uncontrollably. Yet, a sense of relief, like removing a cancerous tumor, had spread through her. The same feeling washed over her now.
She laughed at Luke's motionless body. "Luke, you should have been careful; this isn't my first time." She'd never believed she'd dare kill him. But it wasn't her first murder. One death is a death sentence, two is the same! She laughed heartily, the blood reaching her feet, then quickly stepped back, avoiding the stain.
She produced pre-prepared tissues and gloves. Wearing the gloves, she wiped the gun clean. Carefully avoiding the blood, she placed the gun in Luke's hand and took his cell phone—evidence of their communication that couldn't be discovered.
As she rose, she glanced at Luke. His wide, dilated eyes and pale face seemed vengeful. A chill ran down her spine. "You forced me. Blame Cynthia; if not for her, you wouldn't be dead."
Shirley arranged everything, opened a window, lit a lighter, and tossed it into a suitcase filled with money. Flames erupted, quickly engulfing the couch, sheets, and curtains. A gust of wind scattered the burning money.
Once the money had burned sufficiently, Shirley fled, screaming, "Help! Help! Murder!" Her cries echoed through the mostly empty neighborhood, waking residents. The fire grew, and soon someone arrived. She collapsed, crying, "Murder!"
An elderly man asked, "Young lady, what happened?"
She cried, "Luke was going to kill me! He murdered someone, took me hostage, planned to burn the place down and die with me. I barely escaped, then he shot himself! You must testify!"
The elderly residents, many of whom had been threatened by Luke, were relieved. They readily agreed to testify.
The police arrived; the fire had spread significantly. Shirley watched, feeling relief. The fire would erase everything—Luke's claims, secrets, any evidence of her involvement. She would be innocent.
She was taken to the police station, accompanied by the elderly witnesses. Her statement mirrored her earlier claims: Luke had gone mad, set the fire, and she'd barely escaped before hearing a gunshot.
The police found it odd that Luke, having taken a hostage and attempted escape, would return to commit suicide. They also couldn't understand his earlier murder of Mrs. Yates.
Despite Luke's death, many questions remained. After her statement, Shirley was released. In their eyes, she was a hostage victim. She contacted Ruben, who bailed her out. The police harbored no suspicions.
Shirley wasn't afraid; there was no evidence against her, and she had Whitney's support. Ruben drove her home, commenting, "Ms. Jones possesses both courage and cunning."
Shirley was surprised and pleased. She knew Whitney's arch-nemesis was Jonathan, making Cynthia a thorn in Whitney's side. Whitney tacitly supported removing Cynthia. Shirley thanked Ruben for the compliment, but admitted the plan hadn't perfectly unfolded.
Ruben smiled. "Plenty of time. Ms. Bennett admires you and asked me to give you an invitation to the QUEEN International Jewelry Exhibition—a small consolation." He presented a gold-embossed invitation.
The QUEEN exhibition, held annually in Betrico's palace, was highly exclusive. Cynthia, even as Mrs. Bennett, might not receive an invitation. Shirley was ecstatic. The exhibition offered networking opportunities and a chance for success.
Lillian, meanwhile, was in critical condition in the hospital, her baby also at risk.
Chapter 301 (The information provided for Chapter 301 is incomplete and doesn't flow well with the previous chapter. It should be reviewed and provided in a more complete form to allow for editing.)