Dexter let out a snort of derision, as if mocking Colin.


    He thought Colin would get it wrong.


    He thought Colin was just full of himself.


    He held onto his faith in Melody with a stubborn grip.


    Suddenly, Dexter seemed rather pitiful to me, blinded by gratitude for a past rescue.


    "Phoebe..."


    When the cops went to investigate, both Dexter and Colin were moring to talk to me first. I


    frowned, eyeing the two men warily.


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    One was an ex I hadpletely forgotten due to amnesia, the other a man I had foolishly fallen for


    after losing my memory. Both of them felt like strangers to me.


    Dexter appeared penitent, but his attitude towards Melody wasughable, tinged with irony. There


    were too many opaqueyers to him for my liking.


    And Colin... even more so.


    Colin was a genius, alright. A single nce at the surveince footage and he found the missing


    Melody. There''s no way he couldn''t have found a thread to follow in the serial killings by now, unless


    the killer''s IQ surpassed Colin''s. Or they shared the same spark of genius.


    But back in the day, the only two to score perfect in the Genius ss were Colin and Carter. Unless


    Carter wasn''t dead...


    In the years that followed, the Genius ss never saw another perfect score. Colin and Carter had


    be almost legendary within school records.


    "Phoebe..." Dexter stepped closer. "Melody wouldn''t put herself in danger willingly. She wouldn''t be


    caught in a rundown demolition site. It''s all a smokescreen, unless..."


    Dexter lowered his voice, speaking softly beside me. "Unless this whole thing was Caleb''s doing.


    He had Melody kidnapped, ying a game of cat and mouse."


    I gave Dexter a cool nce. His animosity towards Colin was palpable.


    "I''d advise you to mind your own business, Mr. Fitzgerald," I said firmly, taking a step back.


    Dexter''s wounded expression tightened, his eyes questioning why I didn''t trust him. "Haven''t you


    ever thought he might be the mastermind behind the serial killings? He''s orchestrating them, using


    the killers to take you out."


    I frowned, annoyed by his rambling.


    Yet, Dexter''s words were a reminder.


    If Colin was the mastermind... then indeed, no one could uncover the truth.


    He nned, others executed; it mirrored the question marks on his evidence wall - one for the


    nner, one for the executor.


    Could Colin''s evasive behavior be because he was the one behind it all?


    But if he wanted me dead, then treating me so kindly after recognizing me, being so obedient... that


    wouldn’t make any sense.


    "Phoebe..." Colin stood not far from me, whispering my name.


    I nced at him before looking away.


    He hung his head as if he knew he was in the wrong.


    I hated being a pawn in someone else''s game. Dexter and his friends had gambled with me before,


    now Colin was doing the same.


    Win or lose, it felt bitterly cold.


    "We found her!" After a long, ufortable silence that seemed to stretch forever, Cory burst in,


    breaking the tension.


    "In an old building scheduled for demolition, we heard a generator running. Melody''s in there! She''s


    free, no one''s holding her captive. She''s just hiding out!" Cory was panting, gulping down a ss of


    water as he entered.


    Colin kept his head down, silent, not daring to look at me.


    Dexter, on the other hand, looked thunderous. "Was it you?" he demanded of Colin.


    using him, "You had her taken there, didn''t you?"


    Colin met Dexter''s gaze with an icy stare.


    "y by the rules, Dexter. Can''t handle a loss? Resorting to framing now?" Ste snapped angrily.


    "And what''s Melody anyway, some kind of saint?"


    Ste rolled her eyes, turning to Robin. "Typical damsel in distress, causing trouble as always."