The Researcher's Journey

Chapter 23 : It's You!

Everyone agreed with Stella's analysis.
Adam added, "Those people must be behind the recent incidents as well."
One of the men said, "When we patrolled yesterday, there was nothing unusual."
"We will stay here tonight, they may show themselves again to scare us too, so be prepared."Adam decided.
"He looks a little better like that, all these two days he didn't behave like a peacock, I hope he stays that way, this is a good version."
Stella thought, looking at him.
Paying attention to this, he looked at her in turn, saying, "What are you looking at, it's better to stay close to me."
"I was completely wrong, he remains the same."
Everyone got ready for a one-night stay, this time inside a willow forest.
They all sat by the fire at night, usually talking and laughing.
After dinner, Stella decided to go to the carriage to sleep, or rather pretend that she would sleep, and then sneak off to go to the village, to check something.
The others stayed awake outside talking, Adam sat with a book in his hand reading it, this was the book that Stella took stealthily from the library, he saw it by chance and took it from her because she didn't ask permission to borrow it.
While everyone is busy, Stella takes advantage of the opportunity and sneaks out without paying attention.
"Well now I have to go there, to make sure of that."
She went straight to the well again, and took that necklace too.
"I am sure that the owner of the necklace, close to Helena and her mother. This is more than a coincidence." 
She contemplated the well and she fell into deep thought .
In a moment she remembered something, made her eyes widen, "Wait, it might be …" Suddenly her thought was interrupted by some voice.
It's the sound of footsteps on the grass.
Stella said in a cold tone, "It's you, isn't it ? You were behind everything that happened."
The person answered in a familiar voice, " Well done, I figured everything out."
Stella turned around with a cold smile as her tone, "Who knew, it was you who have been doing all this deception all these years, Mr. Albert."
Albert smiled as usual and replied, " You are also a deceitful person. Who would have known you were lying about your life."
"Relatively true, but at least I didn't kill anyone."
Albert remained silent, staring at the well with a sad look.
"So, tell me, why would someone like you commit such a crime ?"
He coldly replied, "This is beyond the understanding of a little girl like you."
Stella pulled out the necklace, looked a little angry, asked him, saying, "And what about the owner of these ? You should know something about him."
When he saw it, his expression became indescribable, he tremblingly asked, "Where did you find it ?"
She asked in a tone of disgust, "How can you do this ? Wasn't He your best friend ? His wife even considered you her brother, and his daughter saw you as a father."
Albert completely fell silent, his hands trembled, flashes of his life flowed into his mind, he wrestled with the overwhelming intensity of the moment.