Chapter 113
When Bagot and his team burst into the mansion, they were met with a scene that stopped them in their tracks. The guests and photographers, who had been scattered throughout the house, were now all huddled on the second floor, their faces etched with shock.
As Bagot pushed through the crowd for a clearer view, he found Winnie standing exactly where she had been when she disappeared. Across from her, Naylor was sprawled on the floor, his pale face twisted in terror, his hands clutching at his throat as he gasped for air.
“What’s going on?” Bagot’s voice was tense, his question hanging in the air: Was the man still
alive?
“He’s fine now,” Mervin spoke up, his voice carrying a tinge of complexity, though his gaze
remained fixed on Winnie.
Before their arrival, or perhaps at the very moment Winnie shattered the spectral realm and pulled everyone out, she had already dealt with the five vengeful spirits and the malevolent force hiding within the mansion’s walls.
Winnie had never intended to Jet Naylor die at the hands of the five spirits. Old sayings often remind us that every debt has its debtor. But in seeking revenge, one might inadvertently take on a karmic debt of their own.
The five young women had met a tragic end, but they had not taken a life themselves. With guidance, their spirits could be led to reincarnate without issue. However, should they kill Naylor now, they would incur a blood debt, facing punishment and potentially dooming their next lives.
Better to leave him to the justice of the law. Even if he escaped the death penalty, being possessed by an evil spirit and laden with karmic debt, his life–whether in or out of prison–wouldn’t be easy.
“What… what exactly happened?” Bagot looked to Winnie, still struggling to grasp the reality, “Is Naylor really a…” A murderer?
Winnie knew what he was asking. She nodded slightly and added, “We better call the police.
now.”
The crew stood agape, unable to fathom that one of their celebrity guests was a hidden killer–a serial killer, no less. It was horrifying to think that someone with such an idol–like appearance could commit such crimes. Oh, but then Winnie had said something about hist face being surgically altered,
At this moment, Winnie was reliable in everyone’s minds, despite they hadn’t witnessed her in action. To them, Ms. Bryant was clearly not ordinary.
Compared to the others, Baily remained relatively composed. Seeing a crew member ready to dial 911, he stepped forward and said, “No need. The police have already been informed and are on their way.”
As he spoke, he cast a look of admiration mixed with resignation at Winnie. He admired her real skills, but was resigned to the fact that their show had stirred up such a major incident on its first day, catching a serial killer in the process. With Kane Morgan involved, it seemed the ‘Ghostly Guidance‘ show was doomed.
While everyone else was lost in their thoughts, Winnie, the instigator of it all, remained utterly composed. Soon after, the police arrived, and they immediately took Naylor, still stunned by the ordeal, into custody.
As the one who had uncovered everything, Winnie was also expected to go with them to give
a statement.
“Ms. Bryant, regarding Naylor’s case, we’d appreciate it if you’d come with us to record your statement,” The police officer Newman said, eyeing the young woman who barely looked eighteen.
Just by her innocent appearance, who could guess she was the one who had coldly identified Naylor as the murderer in the recording? As for reading facial features and talking to ghosts, Newman was skeptical. He was more inclined to believe she had learned some kind of psychological technique…
From his years of experience, Newman speculated that Winnie had accidentally discovered Naylor’s true nature, and perhaps she was a close friend of one of the victims. After learning of her friend’s fate, she had resolved to seek revenge, using the opportunity provided by the show to get close to Naylor and expose him through hypnosis in front of everyone…
Newman felt his guess was probably not far off and looked at Winnie with a hint of reproach for not contacting the police as soon as she had a lead and instead confronting a dangerous
criminal alone.
He was about to give her a piece of his mind about leaving such matters to the authorities when Winnie interrupted him.
“Officer Newman, before we go for that statement, there’s something else. I’d like to ask the police for assistance in excavating a set of remains from this mansion,” she said calmly.
Newman’s prepared lecture vanished at her words, his brow furrowing in sudden seriousness. Bagot and the rest of the crew’s eyes widened in horror.
There were remains in this mansion? Was this place actually haunted?
Mervin was the only one who seemed unfazed, asking immediately, “Do you know where the
remains are buried?”
At that, everyone turned to him, their shock apparent, “You knew about this too?!”
Bagot didn’t know whether to panic or feel exhilarated. He had joined the show partly to explore the existence of the supernatural, and the first episode had delivered more than he could have imagined.
Mervin’s expression was grave. “As I mentioned before, this house’s layout is similar to that
of a tomb. If it’s a mausoleum, then it should have a tomb owner.”
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: True Tycoon Her Empire, Her Rules ( Winnie and Suzan )