Logically, Zack and Madeline were siblings, yet it was her own brother who killed her in that crash. Why would Zack murder his own sister? What secret lied behind this? Could it be connected to Shermaine's mother?
After sending the clear video to her phone, Shermaine put on her coat and went downstairs, where she bumped into Joshua, who had just returned from outside. He had a long overcoat casually draped over his shoulders, with a formal gray pinstriped suit underneath, looking as composed and meticulous as ever.
"Where to?" Joshua asked.
Lately, Joshua had been a bit too attentive, but Shermaine didn’t mind. She replied succinctly, "I was looking through my mother’s old photos and documents and got curious about a woman named Madeline who was often around her."
"I wanted to ask her about my mother, but she died in a hit-and-run fourteen years ago. Just now, I found out the driver was actually her own brother, Zack."
After a brief pause, she added, "I'm going to visit Sanderson Grove again, the place where they used to live."
"Let me go with you," Joshua said.
They arrived at Sanderson Grove late at night. The wind howled through the deserted streets, and from the dark corners came the occasional cries of stray cats, piercing the eerie silence.
Having been here before, Shermaine got out of the car and headed straight to Building 125, Unit 5, Apartment 3003. Joshua followed close behind. With the stairwell light out, he pulled out his phone and switched on the flashlight, lighting the way for Shermaine.
Shermaine knocked repeatedly, but the door remained unanswered. Just then, a neighbor came downstairs to take out the trash and remarked, "Freya and her son Zack moved out half a month ago. When they left, I almost held a party to celebrate."
"Any idea where they went?" Shermaine asked.
"How should I know? They never interacted with any of the neighbors. All we know are their names, nothing else."
Shermaine paused briefly, then said to the neighbor, "Thank you."
Only half a month had passed, just days after her last visit. The timing was too close to be a coincidence. Most likely, her appearance spooked them; they must have been afraid she’d uncover their secrets, so they moved out.
With so many people out there, if they’re really trying to avoid her, finding them would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.
The neighbor was about to say “You’re welcome” when he saw Shermaine kick the door open and stride right in. If they weren’t so good-looking, he’d have been scared shitless.
Joshua watched Shermaine’s actions, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he followed her inside and closed the door behind her. The lights were still on, dust coated the table, and all the valuables in the house had been cleared out.
Shermaine went straight into Zack’s room. The walls were plastered with pin-up posters—scantily-clad women in seductive uniforms, flaunting long legs, nothing short of vulgar. On the desk lay piles of pornographic comics and magazines. But to be fair, the women Zack had pinned up on his walls, whether for their looks or their figures, were undeniably attractive, the kind most men would find hard to resist.
Chapter 115
Joshua followed her in. “Find anything?” he asked, his gaze briefly sweeping the wall before he looked away nonchalantly and turned to Shermaine.
Shermaine studied his face with amusement. Here was a grown man faced with all these provocative pin-up posters, yet he showed no reaction whatsoever. It seemed Joshua’s self-control was truly remarkable.
“Nothing yet,” Shermaine replied.
Noticing Shermaine’s scrutinizing gaze, Joshua asked, “Why are you staring at me like that?”
“Not even a little turned on?”
“Pardon?” Joshua asked.
Shermaine squinted playfully, pointed at the posters, and teased, “I meant those girls.”
Joshua replied without a second thought, “No.” He thought, if it weren’t for Shermaine, he might have believed he’d never feel anything for a woman in his life.
He almost said, “You’re the only one I have feelings for.”
But openly making advances like this probably wasn’t appropriate, especially since Shermaine clearly wasn’t interested in him right now. Besides, she was still too young. He should show some restraint.
“Oh.” Shermaine finally dropped the subject. In Zack’s room, she found several photos of him and Madeline tucked inside a book. These were clear evidence of a close sibling relationship, which effectively ruled out any motive for murder.
Yet, DNA testing confirmed that Ruth was indeed related by blood to Shermaine and Ross, which made things even more puzzling.
Noticing her deep in thought, Joshua proposed, “Could she be a clone?”