Murder by Medium

Chapter 12-The Broken Web...

—-—— The Broken Web—-——

Detective Marlowe and Officer Price sat across from Phaedra in the sterile interrogation room. The tape recorder clicked on, capturing her words for posterity.

"Rowan gave me the details," Phaedra began, her voice trembling slightly. "He told me how he did it. But I didn't believe him at first. I thought he was just trying to scare me."

"What made you change your mind?" Price asked.

Phaedra hesitated. "He threatened me. He said if I didn't do what he wanted, he would hurt me. Or worse."

The detectives exchanged a glance. "We'd like you to wear a wire for your next meeting with Rowan," Marlowe said. "We think we can get him to admit to the crimes."

Phaedra was hesitant, but she knew she had no other choice.

'Yes, see you at our place. Have you chosen the next victim yet?

She agreed to wear a wire.

Rowan replied 'of course, you know me, I'm a quick learner C U there'

A few days later, Phaedra met with Rowan in a secluded park her heart pounding beneath her chest. The wire was hidden beneath her clothing, a tiny bug recording their conversation. She had a plan, a daring plan to scapegoat him away and secure her future. She would play the part of the frightened victim well, baiting him into revealing his crimes without ever mentioning her involvement.

Showtime.

Phaedra sat down empty handed. No envelope.

"Where's my share of the money?" Rowan asked inquisitive. "I've got the next victim for you- Lillian Hayes, she's got Epilepsy I'm sure I could get a seizure out of her"

Phaedra raised her eyebrows incredulously. "How in the heck are you going to 'get' a seizure out of someone? She folded her arms and leaned back, her face a mask of disbelief. "Rowan you're talking madness!"

Rowan laughed, his eyes glinting with a sinister light. He leaned forward, his voice low and menacing. "No you don't get it," he said, his words punctuated with a smirk.

"I've gotten good at faking natural causes," he continued. "I'll just do what I did to Agnes and Oliver – secretly induce their symptoms or allergies. Lillian's got temporal lobe epilepsy, so a combination of bright flashing lights and muscle relaxants after putting ethylene glycol in her favourite lemonade should do the trick. And then your séance can be..."

Rowan swooned dramatically, his eyes rolling back in his head. He clutched his chest, his face contorted in pain. "Ooh the lights, my head..."

Phaedra watched him outwardly with a mixture of disgust and fear. She knew Rowan was capable of anything, but this was a new level of depravity.

Inwardly though, she was so proud of him. Rowan's character development had gone from unsure opportunist to confident distinguished killer in lightspeed under her manipulative tutelage. And she was even more thrilled he was hamming it up so much for her. While the Police were watching and listening.

Now was the tricky part, the bait- and some good ole fashioned lying

"Rowan," she began, placing a gentle hand on his knee. "I don't think this is a good idea anymore."

Rowan's mouth opened and closed like a startled fish. He was caught off guard. Phaedra needed this. Just a little more push.

"You see, Cillian came to speak to me and I think—" The steam was rising in Rowan's eyes. That little name ignited a storm within him.

"CILLIAN!" he roared, his voice a thunderclap in the quiet park. He slammed his fist on his leg. "You've spoken—no—agreed with Cillian!"

Rowan stood up abruptly, a whirlwind of rage. He paced back and forth, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

Phaedra's heart pounded in her chest. She had baited him, and now he had fallen for it.

"Do you know what I've done for you in the last six months?" he snarled, his voice a venomous hiss. He pointed a finger at Phaedra, his eyes blazing with fury. "You were a phony before me. I made you psychic, not you, ME! And now you want to leave this, leave me!"

Then Rowan leaned forward, his voice a chilling whisper. "I know how to make people disappear now" His voice had taken on a sinister, menacing tone and even though this was apart of her scapegoat plan even Phaedra could admit she didn't need to act her fearfulness. "To make people have 'accidents,' go missing, and die from natural causes. Which one shall I pick for you?"

"Please don't hurt me," she pleaded.

"I won't hurt you," Rowan said, his voice dripping with false sympathy. "As long as you continue to do what I want you to."

Yep excellent tutelage indeed.

Just then, a team of police officers burst into the park, their blue uniforms a stark contrast against the lush greenery. Tasers drawn, they moved with swift precision, their faces etched with a grim determination. Rowan, turned to face them. Caught completely off guard, stood frozen in place, his eyes wide with disbelief.

The officers closed in on him, their voices stern and authoritative. He turned back around. With all the attention on Rowan, Phaedra risked a condescending smirk. Rowan lunged at her "You treacherous Spider'

The pieces seemingly fallen into place for him after that. Luckily, he was quickly grabbed and cuffed before he did any real damage though. Such a shame.

"No, I did it for Phaedra, it was all Phaedra I'm the victim here!"

Phaedra watched the scene unfold with a mixture of relief and satisfaction. She had done it. Her plan had worked. She had successfully scapegoated Rowan, with a lot of help from him, and was now truly exonerated. 

Officer Price shook her hand and thanked her for her bravery, while Detective Marlowe thanked her strongly for helping catch 'the serial killer we never knew existed' Was that talks of a commendation she heard?