Scarecrow of 1889
Chapter 56: Working together

Chapter 56: Working together

Jane’s thoughts were immediately interrupted. For a moment, she wondered if she was being pranked by the woman sitting behind her, whose face she hadn’t seen. Before she could turn to look, the person behind her said, "Don’t turn. We don’t need the guards wondering if something is wrong," the woman’s voice continued, but by now Jane’s suspicion had turned into confirmation that this was Ricardo sitting here.

Jane picked up the coffee cup near her face and whispered so that the others couldn’t hear her, "To be out in the open, isn’t it risky even with the scarecrow with you?"

"It is, but no one knows about this new appearance, considering they didn’t spend much time with Agnes. It wasn’t that hard to dress with the experience," Ricardo replied. Jane couldn’t help but find it strange that he was speaking in a woman’s voice. She could only guess that this was possible with the scarecrow’s help. "With those guards around you, it is hard to talk to you."

"Did you see the new body?" Jane asked him, while keeping an eye around her.

"Mm. Though not very clearly, it seemed rotten," Ricardo replied, and Jane couldn’t believe they were having a casual conversation about a dead body. At least they were on the same page, which made it easier to talk about. He said, "You shouldn’t involve yourself in this case. I will find this person. The scarecrow isn’t pleased with how his identity is being stolen."

"I haven’t seen the other bodies, but something about this bothers me. It feels like a setup, a way to capture you," Jane said, lowering her cup so she didn’t appear suspicious.

Though she had heard about the copycat killer’s victims, this was the first body she had stumbled upon, and it was old. What if the officers were using already dead bodies not only to enrage the public but also to draw Ricardo out of hiding? Like he said, the scarecrow was upset about his identity being used.

Jane continued, "If this is a trap, it means they want you to react. They want you to come out and confront them. You have to be careful."

What if the mayor had been so upset that he had devised a plan to get Ricardo caught? Especially after the execution he had travelled for had been unsuccessful.

"I will take care of it. We have been keeping an eye around during the night and where there are chances of bodies showing up. But in the meantime, it would be best for you not to meddle in it, Jane," Ricardo advised. "I don’t want anything to happen to you."

Ricardo’s words brought a sudden tug to Jane’s heart. She didn’t ask for it, but she didn’t immediately reject it. How strange that even though they had spent only a little time together, he had this kind of effect on her. Morally, it wasn’t right... to talk to him or to seek him out. Especially after she knew what he had done and what he was capable of doing. She didn’t respond to his caring words. He had once asked her to consider, and now she couldn’t.

"I believe I am one of the oldest people already linked to the case," Jane responded behind her cup. She said, "I am going to find this person, whoever it is."

A sigh escaped from Ricardo’s lips, and he then proposed, "How about we help each other? It is better to have helping hands than to work alone."

Jane gave it some thought before she asked, "How are you going to help me though? There are guards following me, and we cannot meet like this. In a coffee shop, before it gets too apparent," she pointed out.

"That is true, but there is the telephone through which we can speak," Ricardo stated, his voice abruptly changing to a woman’s when a couple walked past them. He said, "You only have to promise me that you won’t go anywhere alone. I know you are trying to bait the killer, if the person exists and isn’t just made up. But I can keep an eye out if I know where the person will show up."

"That can be done," Jane replied. Maybe if they worked together and she was the bait, Ricardo or the scarecrow would catch this killer. She then asked, "How do I contact you, though?" She didn’t even know where he was living now.

"The days you want me to contact you, wear this hat. It will be enough of an indication. There is much to do," Ricardo said, and the next moment, Jane noticed a fedora hat placed on the table. Before she could catch a glimpse of his face, all she saw was a heap of blonde hair, as he had already walked past her table and exited the cafe.

Holding her breath, Jane watched the person disappear into the crowd without being spotted by Gruger’s men. A sigh of relief escaped from her lips, as a part of her didn’t want Ricardo to be caught.

Jane spent the next two weeks acting like she was the perfect candidate for the copycat killer. So that the night or day she was walking by herself, the person would find her, while under Ricardo and Addison’s eyes.

In the office, Addison expressed his concern, "Milady, this person has a broken pattern. Will it be easy to bait him?"

Jane responded thoughtfully, "With the crescent moon coming, it creates an opportunity for the killer to make a move. This way, we know the person is focused and doesn’t go after any other woman." She paused, considering their next move, "If I’m not wrong, I’m already being followed. My routines are being observed for preparation."

Far away from where Jane was, a person chiselled the dagger until its edge shone, ready for its next victim. Running the finger against the sharpened edge, the person murmured,

"I cannot wait to make the next doll."

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.