Robin stared at his colleague in disbelief. “How did we miss such a crucial lead before?”


    “The orphanage was aplex web, privately run with scant records, and years ago, it came to light


    that the director had been abusing the children, preying on those orphans for years, so he was


    sentenced, and the orphanage was shut down. Some of the unadopted kids were transferred to other


    foster homes, and the records of those who were adopted out are iplete. It’s been tough to trace.”


    His colleague filled him in. “I heard from the victim’s neighbors and some elders that the victim. was


    adopted. So I started digging in that direction and found that all the victims were adopted, none were


    biological children. Many of the victims‘ familles were reluctant to talk about it at first, but eventually,


    they all pointed to that same orphanage!”


    “It looks like we were way off base from the start. We thought it was someone frequenting ces like


    Nocturne, but it looks like that was just a coincidence.” Robin, agitated, lit up a cigarette.


    I watched the policewoman, shocked. If all the deceased were women from that orphanage,


    then that didn’t add up either.


    I was the biological child of my parents, not adopted.


    Could it just be my bad luck?


    “Dexter! Melody… I remember Lilly mentioning that Melody was adopted! The Burton family, big on


    charity work, thought she was bright and took her home to keep Lillypany!” Hank suddenly blurted


    out, panic–stricken. “Is it possible that the killer was actually after Melody…”


    So it wasn’t just any woman in a red dress that the killer targeted. After they were dead, he dressed


    them in red dresses.


    I took a step back, a bitter smile on my face. After all this, was I just a stand–in for Melody’s death?


    That’s bitterly unfair.


    Why me?


    “Phoebe… it’s not…” At the doorway, Colin, who had disappeared earlier, returned, carefully holding a


    picture frame, which he handed to Robin.


    My eyes burned with resentment as I red at Colin. “Liar, you’re nothing but a liar, a madman, a


    murderer! Stop your act, you freak!”


    You’ve killed so many.


    I tried to grab Colin by his cor in a fit of rage, screaming that he was the murderer.


    But no one could hear me, and that was a kind of despair in itself.


    The deepest kind of despair.


    15:03


    Robin held the picture frame, looking up at the forensic expert. “The little girls who were


    adopted wore red dresses. The families that took them always had them pose in red dresses for


    keepsake photos.”


    The forensic expert nced at the picture and then at Colin. His mixed heritage made him. stand out.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    “Is this you?”


    Colin nodded.


    “Phoebe wasn’t an orphan. She was the biological daughter of her parents, not from the orphanage.


    Does that mean the killer might have spared her? So maybe her body hasn’t been found because she’s


    waiting for me. She’s waiting for me to save her!” Dexter shouted, seemingly out of control with


    excitement.


    “Robin… find Phoebe, we have to find her. She’s waiting for me,” Dexter pleaded, grabbing Robin’s


    hand.


    Such a proud man, now suddenly so humbly desperate, begging the police. “Please, find her…”


    I watched Dexter with a sad sort of amusement; the contrast between his earlier demeanor and now


    was so stark it felt insincere.


    “I thought you didn’t believe she was taken by the killer.” Robin frowned, visibly displeased.


    Dexter fell back, defeated. “I don’t know…”


    He hadn’t foreseen this oue. He truly didn’t know that I had still gone to Tangle Lane on the 15th.


    “This idiot… Why did she go there on the 15th? Why didn’t she call me…”


    +


    “We’ve checked Phoebe’s phone. She called you several times, and you even answered,” Robin cut


    Dexter off.


    Dexter froze, as if struck hard in the chest.


    I spoke up with augh: “You did answer, Dexter. You told me to die…”


    And I did, just as you wished, Dexter.


    Dexter copsed to the ground in a heap, looking rather pitiful. He said nothing. just fell silent. Clearly,


    he remembered. He remembered the words he had spoken.


    “It’s not… I didn’t mean to say those things, I just…” Dexter’s eyes reddened, and anyone who didn’t


    know better might think he was deeply moved.