Chapter 246: "’Someone’ Is Touching My Foot!
Chapter 246: Chapter 246: "’Someone’ Is Touching My Foot!
The crime scene was no place for Michelle Fuller, so Zachary Conway thoughtfully rephrased, "The air’s bad in there. I’ll stay out here and talk with you."
Michelle Fuller put her hands in her pockets and slowly squatted down. She shook her head without much expression. "You go get busy. I’ll be fine by myself."
"Is this your first time seeing a dead body?" Zachary Conway asked, trying to start a conversation.
Michelle Fuller glanced up at him, her lips barely moving. "Yes."
"You’re pretty brave, then," Zachary Conway said, crossing his arms and leaning against the opposite wall. "Not scared at all."
Michelle Fuller said, "Who says I’m not scared?"
Zachary Conway raised an eyebrow. "I could tell."
Michelle Fuller pursed her lips, her voice tinged with a note of grievance. "I was so scared my legs turned to jelly."
’She hadn’t been scared at first, because she was worried about Renee Jennings being framed. Then she was just mad at Michelle Shepherd’s words. Now that it was quiet, the image of Evan Shepherd’s ashen face kept flashing in her mind.’
"I’m not going to be able to sleep alone tonight," Michelle Fuller said, then buried her face in her knees.
’It’s terrifying. Just too terrifying.’
’Renee really is so brave.’
Hearing that she wouldn’t be able to sleep alone tonight, Zachary Conway found her both amusing and pitiable.
An idea came to him, and he fished a coconut candy out of his pocket.
"Don’t be afraid." Zachary Conway squatted down in front of Michelle Fuller, comforting her. "Have a piece of candy. It’ll help you calm down."
A few seconds later, Michelle Fuller slowly raised her head and saw a coconut candy lying in his palm.
She looked back at Zachary Conway, her brow furrowing even more. "Are you treating me like a three-year-old? How is eating a piece of candy supposed to calm me down?"
"How about this," Zachary Conway said mysteriously. "If you can’t sleep tonight, you can give me a call."
Michelle Fuller: "No way."
Zachary Conway: "..."
’Why isn’t she following the script?’
"Why don’t you take my number, just in case you need it?"
Michelle Fuller: "I don’t."
Zachary Conway: "..."
He sighed helplessly. "You’re really not playing along."
"Why should I play along?" Michelle Fuller asked.
Zachary Conway stood up and retreated to the opposite wall. "I was just trying to tease you, to distract you."
Michelle Fuller snorted. "Don’t think I don’t know what you were about to say."
"You do?" Zachary Conway said, surprised.
Michelle Fuller said, "Isn’t it just 911?"
Zachary Conway’s eyes widened. "How do you know me so well?"
"It’s not that I know you," Michelle Fuller corrected him. "It’s that I’m smart."
The corners of Zachary Conway’s mouth lifted slightly, and a faint smile crept into his eyes. "You really are one sharp girl."
Michelle Fuller: "..."
’What a weirdo.’
She took her headphones out of her bag and put them on, her refusal to communicate perfectly clear.
Zachary Conway didn’t mind. He turned and walked into Evan Shepherd’s home. "Any progress?"
"Nothing," Sawyer said, shaking his head. "This place is so clean you couldn’t even find a cockroach."
Renee Jennings said calmly, "Evan Shepherd was a neat freak. He didn’t cook, rarely ate at home, and frequently hired a cleaning service."
"Should we wrap up here for now, then?" Zachary Conway asked.
Thinking of Michelle Fuller still waiting outside, Renee Jennings nodded. "Alright."
As she passed the entryway, Renee Jennings suddenly noticed a terrarium on a cabinet. Next to it sat a box of feed labeled "Freeze-Dried Insects."
"Wait a second."
"What is it?" Sawyer asked, looking back at her.
Renee Jennings pointed to the terrarium. "There has to be an animal in this house."
Sawyer’s and Zachary Conway’s eyes lit up. "Should we look again?"
"One moment." Renee Jennings took off her gloves and went to the door. Seeing Michelle Fuller squatting on the floor, she called out to her.
Michelle Fuller was wearing headphones and didn’t react.
Renee Jennings walked over and gently tapped her on the shoulder. "Michelle."
Caught completely off guard, Michelle Fuller was so startled by the touch that her whole body jolted, and she stumbled backward, landing on the floor.
"Did I scare you?" Renee Jennings asked, giving her a hug. "Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. It’s me."
Michelle Fuller took off her headphones, her eyes rimmed with red as she fought to hold back tears. "It’s nothing. I wasn’t scared. Are you finished?"
"Not yet," Renee Jennings said softly. "How about I have Sawyer take you home first?"
"No, it’s fine," Michelle Fuller said, shaking her head. "I’ll wait for you."
After a moment’s hesitation, Renee Jennings pulled her to her feet. "Why don’t you come inside and wait for me, then?"
Michelle Fuller asked uncertainly, "Am I allowed to go in?"
Renee Jennings: "You can just sit inside and play on your phone while you wait."
"Okay," Michelle Fuller nodded.
Renee Jennings led her into Evan Shepherd’s home. "Just sit here on the sofa and play on your phone."
"Alright, you go get busy," Michelle Fuller said, waving her off. "Don’t worry about me."
"Alright." Renee Jennings walked over to Sawyer and Zachary Conway and explained in a low voice, "I’m worried about Michelle, so I’m having her sit over there. I promise she won’t disturb the scene. I’ll take full responsibility."
Sawyer and Zachary Conway both said it was no problem, and they resumed their search.
The terrarium wasn’t large, so the animal was likely quite small as well.
Judging by the feed, it was probably a pet reptile or arachnid, like a lizard or a spider.
The three of them—Renee Jennings, Sawyer, and Zachary Conway—split up to search the bedroom, kitchen, and gaming room. They scoured every corner but couldn’t find a single trace of an animal.
"Find anything?" Zachary Conway asked, emerging from the gaming room.
Renee Jennings and Sawyer answered at the same time, "Nothing."
Zachary Conway frowned. "I’ll check the bathroom."
Michelle Fuller sat ramrod straight on the sofa, perched on the very edge of the cushion. Her body was taut as a bowstring, and a chill surged up from the soles of her feet in cold, relentless waves.
She pressed her lips together and took a shaky, deep breath. The image of Evan Shepherd’s ghastly pale face flashed through her mind again and again.
Just then, she felt a sudden, strange sensation on her foot.
Michelle Fuller’s eyelashes fluttered. Overwhelming fear washed over her, and a scream tore from her throat. "AHHH—HELP!"
Hearing the commotion, Renee Jennings, Zachary Conway, and Sawyer immediately rushed into the living room.
"Michelle, what’s wrong?" Renee Jennings asked frantically.
Michelle Fuller didn’t dare to move. "Some’one’ is touching my foot!" she stammered.
The color drained from their faces. Renee Jennings immediately knelt to look, Zachary Conway circled around to the other side of the sofa, and Sawyer reached for the gun at his waist.
Seeing the little thing clinging to Michelle Fuller’s leg, Renee Jennings breathed a sigh of relief. "Michelle, don’t be afraid! It’s a spider!"
"We found it?" Zachary Conway sounded surprised.
The little spider was trembling as it clung to Michelle Fuller’s calf, shouting in a panic, "AHHH, WHAT’S THAT NOISE?"
"Little spider, we’re humans," Renee Jennings said, slowly extending her hand and picking it up.
The little spider flailed its eight legs, struggling in mid-air. "Help! I’ve been caught by a terrifying human!"
"Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid," Renee Jennings quickly soothed it. "I’m not going to hurt you."
She hurried over to the terrarium, placed the spider inside, and secured the anti-escape mesh. Turning back to Michelle Fuller, she said, "Michelle, it’s okay now. It was just a little spider."
"A little spider." Michelle Fuller felt her heart hammering against her ribs. She pursed her lips. "You scared me to death. I thought there was someone under the sofa."