Scarecrow of 1889
Chapter 50: Only one stands

Chapter 50: Only one stands

Based on the scarecrow’s words, Jane could only conclude that Sylvester was as good as dead. But Sylvester was the actual host of the body. How could the body function without him?

"There’s no need to think too much about it," the scarecrow said, rising from the chair he had been sitting on. "The weak usually don’t survive."

"Doesn’t that go against what you initially believed in? By caring for the boy," Jane mustered the courage, her eyes fixed on the man’s scarred face.

"I can care for someone who wants to live. When you attempt to end your life, the battle is lost, Miss Reinhart," the scarecrow replied, his tone void of emotion. He continued, "You must be wondering why I didn’t come out before. But that is only because I had no reason to show up except for those in need. I have merely assisted, nothing more. I saw no reason to appear in court, nor when I spent time in the asylum."

"And do the other alter egos agree with your decision to end Sylvester’s time?" Jane asked.

The man’s stare intensified. "Are you wanting to know what Ricardo thinks?"

"I want to know what everyone else thinks."

"If you’re inquiring about Agnes and Marcello, they’ve been fused into Ricardo. The doctor wanted all of them to become one, and I helped by starting with Marcello and then Agnes. That was the goal," the scarecrow responded. "Of course, the doctor never found out. I suggested Ricardo read books to improve his English, to listen to people speak. And when I put Sylvester to sleep, the doctor didn’t even realise that it wasn’t Sylvester he was talking to. It was Ricardo the entire time."

Holy crap... Jane thought. Though she could understand the fusing of Marcello and Agnes, the idea of putting Sylvester to sleep was staggering. Her lips quivered at the thought before she asked,

"What are you doing here?"

At her question, Jane noticed how the scar from the scarecrow’s face disappeared, making the skin smooth once again and the look in the man’s eyes softer. Ricardo was back in the front, and he replied,

"I won’t lie that I’ve wanted to see you since I left the asylum. But I know you weren’t ready. Because you didn’t come to see me."

"I thought it was better this way," Jane confessed, because the last time she had seen him, things had been messy for her. "Until all of you came together."

"Por favor, entiende, Jane. It wasn’t my intention to keep things from you," Ricardo apologised to her. "I know I have hurt you. But I want to make it up to you."

"You don’t have to," Jane replied, her voice firm while she felt her heart clench. "Your actions came from a reason in the past, and it has now ended. Right?" There was a hint of doubt in her voice.

When Ricardo stared at her without a response, Jane started to internally panic and she said in haste, "Fixing the public isn’t your job, Ricardo. It is something we need to leave in the hands of the officers and the law."

"Like how the law decided I should be electrocuted? That law?" Ricardo questioned her, bringing a frown to Jane’s face.

"You know I didn’t mean that. What the mayor did was wrong in more than one way. We—"

"So you agree that some should be gone," Ricardo interrupted her, and Jane didn’t need the clarification here that ’gone’ meant dead in this case. "Because if they are not eliminated, innocents will suffer in their hands."

Though Jane partly agreed with it, the only reason Sylvester Crowley’s decision had been pushed was because the public was in rage after knowing he had killed people, and it didn’t matter if those deceased were guilty or not.

How did one prove their innocence? Especially with Sylvester gone, Jane thought to herself. She then saw Ricardo take a step towards her and said, "I thought you wanted to see me. To know if I was involved in the recent murder of the woman."

"I know you weren’t the one," Jane replied, her voice soft against the silence. "The way you killed was different. Or the scarecrow. But people believe it is you who is behind it."

A tender smile spread on Ricardo’s lips. He murmured, "What others say about me, doesn’t matter to me. What matters is what you think of me and that is more than enough."

She was sure there were already people spying on her and her house, with the belief that the murderer would pay her a visit, just like he had done now. And as if someone heard the thought, her maid returned with a knock on the door.

"Milady, the sergeant is at the door with men," the maid informed her.

Jane pursed her lips, her gaze moving between the door and Ricardo standing in her room. He let her know, "I will see you another time. I have work to do."

"To find the culprit?" Jane asked but didn’t get an answer, as Ricardo had gotten near the window, before he jumped out of there. When she quickly ran to the window and peeked outside, he had disappeared.

Leaving her room, Jane walked to the main door and she caught sight of the sergeant and his thick moustache. Sergeant Gruger wore a smile and he informed her, "Lady Jane Reinhart, I have been asked to assign men for your protection."

Jane’s eyes narrowed and asked, "What protection?"

"Sylvester Crowley is on the prowl and the inspector decided that it would do you good. To keep you safe, ’course," Sergeant Gruger informed her, and turned to look behind him, where three men offered a bow to her.

"Thank you for yours as well as the inspector’s kind consideration for my safety, but I am fully capable of looking after myself and don’t need men to protect me. You can use them for your own needs, thank you," Jane stated, ready to close the door on his face.

"Lady, this isn’t an option but an order that has been delegated from the mayor. Refusing help would only mean that you are hiding something. And let me tell you the mayor is upset," Sergeant Gruger responded.

Jane had thought to solve the copycat scarecrow with Addison, but with people following her, it would be difficult to get anything done. "Men," the sergeant said to the three men who would be accompanying Jane. "Take good care of Miss Reinhart. She is a valuable asset," he smirked.

Once Gruger left, the men got inside and followed Jane in the corridor before she paused. She turned around and ordered her maid, "Cora, prepare their stay in the back room." She then turned to look at the men and asked, "What are your names?"

"I am Barret Hafle and he is Colt Terrance and he is Finley Ransom," said one of them. "Finley and I will be sitting outside. Colt will guard your door."

Jane could already feel her movements beginning to feel restricted. Far from Reinhart’s residence, a shadow slithered across the walls of the mayor’s house.

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