Scarecrow of 1889
Chapter 57: Night of the crescent moon

Chapter 57: Night of the crescent moon

With the crescent moon only two days away, Jane was more alert than ever, hoping to cross paths with the copycat killer. As she made her way through the corridors, she headed towards the commissioner’s chamber.

She knocked on the door before entering, offering a respectful bow. "Good afternoon, Commissioner. You wanted to see me?"

"Come in, Miss Reinhart. Please, take a seat," the commissioner said, gesturing towards the empty chair in front of his desk while he put down the pen he was using. "I heard you were able to crack Chapman’s case. Congratulations on it."

"Thank you, Commissioner," Jane replied.

She noticed him pause for a moment and then remark, "I hear you have been attending quite a few soirees for the past few days."

"I wasn’t aware that I was being watched or that attending them would get noted," Jane smiled at him.

"Not at all, Miss Reinhart," the commissioner replied, trying to dismiss it. "Everyone in the law is only trying to look out for you. The detectives informed us that Sylvester is aiming to meet you, by targeting unmarried women."

"..."

For a good few seconds, Jane was left speechless because even though the detectives tried to catch the killer, they probably didn’t stop to think even once that this was someone else mimicking the previous killer.

"Contrary to what the current detective and officers believe, I doubt the killer is specifically looking for me, Commissioner," Jane replied calmly. "Though I’ve only known Mr. Crowley for a short time, I can assure you that if he wanted to meet me, he would have done so before beginning his killing spree."

The commissioner nodded in agreement. "I understand, Miss Reinhart. I know the pressure you must be feeling with everyone’s eyes on you. Since the case was transferred to the asylum and placed in the hands of the alienist, you haven’t attempted to see him there. He remained there for months, which shows you don’t want anything to do with him. But some of us worry if he will come to harm you given the current pattern."

"I can assure you, I am capable of taking care of myself. If the time comes, I will know how to protect myself and those I care about," Jane replied in a stoic tone.

"Of course, you are a self-sufficient woman in our society, Miss Reinhart, which is why people are wary of you. They can’t fathom how you manage it, but it also puts you on their radar," the commissioner said, his lips forming a thin line.

Jane could tell the commissioner was a neutral party, unlike Inspector Woodbead and Sergeant Gruger. He cared only about justice, but that justice had been stolen when the mayor decided to execute Sylvester Crowley along with the rest who resided in him.

"But it is my duty to ask you to be careful. The bodies have piled up once again," the commissioner sighed, his expression wary as if this were one of the most troubling cases of his career.

"I appreciate your concern, Commissioner. Do you have the next case file so I can get to work?" Jane asked.

The commissioner looked impressed by her dedication. He said jokingly, "If your name wasn’t linked to the killer, I would have already assigned the case to you. You’ve become an asset to us, even though most are too proud to admit it. But one moment," he opened a drawer and took out a file, handing it to her. "This is your next assignment."

Jane took the file and stood up. "Thank you, Commissioner," she said, then left the room. As she walked down the corridor, she released the breath she didn’t realise she was holding. She couldn’t afford to sit still, as it would hinder her efforts to find the copycat killer. By keeping herself busy and visibly working, she could evade suspicion. Even though Gruger had pulled his men away from closely following her and staying at her house, she still sensed someone watching her at times.

Now the question was whether it was Gruger’s men, Ricardo and the Scarecrow, or if the copycat killer had taken the bait, Jane thought to herself.

When the day of the crescent moon arrived, Jane mentally prepared herself. She had yet to meet the killer who hadn’t shown up as she had hoped. More than her, it was Addison who seemed unnerved at the thought of her being the bait.

"Did Ricardo call you, milady?" Addison inquired, his voice tinged with worry.

"Yes, we spoke on the phone yesterday. He told me he would be following me," Jane replied, taking a peek outside her office window.

"That’s good," Addison nodded, though his anxiousness was evident.

"But don’t forget your role either, Addison. You are the essential one," Jane reminded him. Addison looked like he was ready to sweat bullets at the thought of what was going to happen that night.

"We will catch the killer for good, won’t we, milady?" Addison asked, his voice betraying his nerves. Cases like these were tricky, and by plan, he wouldn’t be around to help, as he had another task in hand.

"Hopefully," Jane replied, knowing she was the most enticing victim for the killer. The perfect bait.

As the sun finally began to set, right outside Reinhart’s residence, two men stood watch, keeping an eye on Jane Reinhart and her house, ready to catch Sylvester Crowley. The men weren’t the same ones who had been previously assigned to follow Jane, but these were rowdy men whom Gruger had paid without the knowledge of the inspector or the commissioner.

When the gates of Reinhart’s residence opened, one of the men nudged the other and whispered, "Look at that. The lady must be going out to meet her lover, as expected. I hate dumb bitches," he spat, watching the outline of a woman dressed in black step inside a prepared carriage.

"You think she’s going to meet Crowley?" asked his companion, who dropped his cigarette to the ground and stomped it out.

"Gruger did mention she might leave tonight. Let’s follow her!" said the first, as they saw the carriage pass through the gates. They quickly climbed into their own carriage and began to tail it.

Inside the first carriage, Addison, wearing a blonde wig and Jane’s clothes, glanced out the back window. He noticed the carriage following them and sighed, murmuring, "One part of the night is done. Now it’s up to you, Miss Reinhart."

As the carriage disappeared into the night, Jane stepped out of her mansion, dressed in a dark gown and carrying her purse. She walked to the street and took a local carriage to the other side of town.

When Jane arrived in one of the most bustling streets of Riddleford town, it would be a lie to say she wasn’t slightly anxious. She had baited smaller criminals before, but never a killer. Her eyes moved, taking in the people, and her ears picked up the chatter where the night had come to life with lanterns hanging on every ceiling or wall of the buildings.

Then she caught sight of a fedora hat in the crowd, and when her eyes met Ricardo’s from afar, she felt a sense of relief wash over her. As if worried, she glanced at the people who walked past him, oblivious to who he was.

Her view was obstructed when a tall, brown-haired man with friendly eyes appeared before her. He asked, "Have you been waiting for me?"

Jane’s senses were quick to take in the man’s details and his behaviour. She asked him, "Do I know you?"

The man smiled at her. "We have, many times before. You must have seen me in your dreams, just as I have met you in my dreams."

Wrong person, thought Jane as she stared at him. She said, "I think you have mistaken me for someone else, as the figures in a dream can be rather blurry, mister. Excuse me."

Jane walked past the man and decided to enter a public house where men and women often met. Ricardo took his seat in the corner, keeping an eye on her.

"May I buy you a drink?"

"Are you waiting for someone? Would you mind if I offered you my company until then?"

"How about I take you back home? This place isn’t for a woman like yourself."

Different kinds of men approached Jane, but she politely brushed them away. With the ambiance slightly darker in here, it cast shadows on people’s faces.

"Miss Jane Reinhart, a pleasant surprise to find you here," Inspector Woodbead appeared next to her. "I didn’t know you liked coming here."

What was he doing here? Jane asked herself. She replied, "Sometimes I like to surprise people. But neither did I expect to find you here. I’m here to celebrate my recent case that I solved."

"Another completed case. You seem to be having more time in your capable hands," Inspector Woodbead said, noting her delicate features, which Jane caught on to. "I was supposed to meet a friend of mine who seems to have bailed out." Without another word, he took a seat next to hers, which quickly put Jane on alert. He snapped his fingers at the server, who brought a tray of drinks, which the man picked up. He then looked at her drink and said, "If you are here to celebrate, you should do it with the right drinks."

"I am good, thank you," Jane responded.

But it seemed the inspector had already downed more than a glass of liquor before meeting her here, as his body subtly swayed towards her.

Before she could move away from him, he leaned in and whispered, "Miss Reinhart, you are going to die soon. The killer is looking for you."

Jane didn’t see the point of waiting here any longer. She had spent enough time in the public house. She quickly made her way out and moved to the quieter streets, where they had planned to catch the killer. As she continued to walk, she heard something behind her. She paused briefly, turning to look, but saw nothing.

After more than an hour, Ricardo approached her in the dark alley. "It looks like the bait didn’t work," he said.

"So it seems," Jane murmured, wondering what had gone wrong. Did the killer possibly know she was setting a trap?

"You should go home. It is late," Ricardo suggested, his eyes fixed on her.

"What about you?" she asked.

"I have a place I’ve been staying. It should do for now. Let me walk you to your carriage," he proposed, and they began to walk.

As they walked in silence, Jane asked him, "If I may ask, if you were in the past and you missed a murder, why would you postpone it? Would there be a reason?"

"Usually, it would be to break patterns. It helps in throwing people off," Ricardo replied in a lowered voice. "But everyone’s reasoning isn’t the same. "

After a moment of pause, Ricardo said, "The scarecrow says the killer is trying to act smart. It would be wise to stay on your toes."

"I will bear that in mind," Jane replied. When she reached the spot where the local carriages were parked on the other side of the street, she turned to meet his eyes. "Thank you for accompanying me today."

"Anytime, Senorita," Ricardo replied. Just as Jane was about to turn and take a step forward to cross the street, he pulled her into his arms, and a soft gasp escaped her lips.

A carriage passed by, the hooves of the horses clip-clopping on the cobblestone road, and the wheels rolling as it moved away. Jane’s heart pounded in her chest while she was in Ricardo’s arms.

Now that she was in such close proximity to him, she could see his face clearly, even in the shadows. She couldn’t help but notice how sharp his features were, his full lips set in a slight smirk, and his eyes, filled with a sense of ’know it all,’ now bore into hers. The intensity of his gaze sent a shiver down her spine, making her acutely aware of every breath they shared in the close space between them.

Jane stared right back at him, unflinching. She had met plenty of men in the past and today, but none had ever stirred such emotions in her as the one whose arm now circled her waist. His gaze moved from her eyes to her lips, and his head tilted slightly, almost as if leaning towards her.

"Last call to Bobbins Parkway and Bascom Rode!" the local coachman called loudly as he wanted to head home.

Ricardo’s arm loosened around Jane’s waist, while he pulled away from her and said, "I will speak to you tomorrow, then."

Feeling a little light-headed, Jane gave him a nod before murmuring, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, hermosa," Ricardo wished her back, and Jane quickly made her way towards the carriage, leaving the place with her heart beating loudly.

Once Jane settled herself in the carriage, she turned to look outside. Ricardo had vanished from the spot where she had left him.

When Jane returned to her residence, her coachman informed her, "Milady, you had a call from Mrs. Reynolds an hour ago. It seems her niece was attacked."

Jane’s heart skipped a beat. "Is she alright?" she asked urgently.

"I’m not sure, milady. Mrs. Reynolds requested you to visit them as soon as you could."

Jane nodded, her mind racing. "Thank you for letting me know. Let us head there immediately."

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