Chapter 114

Even after Winnie had just helped the police catch Naylor, the serial killer, Newman felt a twinge of recklessness creeping in.

Was it really prudent to excavate the foundation of a house on the word of a young ?

And once they start digging, the house would be uninhabitable. Would the owner even allow Perhaps sensing his hesitation, Baily urged him from the side, “Master Bryant says there’s a body buried under there, officer, and I’d bet my last dime there is. Better call in the help!”

Newman was speechless. Master Bryant? Isn’t that a bit too much?

Was the show’s producer off his rocker?

Newman didn’t buy into any of that paranormal hocus pocus, but something about this girl, this Winnie, tugged at his gut, whispering that she might be onto something.

As Newman waffled, Kane chimed in, “Officer, please get someone down here. If it turns out there’s nothing under there, I’ll cover all the damages. Not because I’m throwing money around, but because I’ve got to know if Miss Bryant really has some kind of sixth sense.”

Baily piped up that he could get in touch with the homeowner for consent.

The homeowner had been aware of the house’s notoriety ever since the show aired and was instantly decisive when he heard about the possibility of a body buried beneath.

Dig it up, dig right away!

With the homeowner’s approval, Newman no longer had reservations.

So, within the hour, a team of officers arrived with drilling equipment in tow began to bore into the concrete where Winnie had indicated.

The fans who knew the filming location had gathered round due to the interruption of the shoot, and the commotion quickly drew media to the scene.

Soon after the concrete was breached and a chunk removed as per Bryant’s instructions, they chiseled out a tiny coffin.

With much effort, they cracked open the coffin and the concrete to reveal the skeletal remains of a child, no more than three years old.

At the sight of the little bones, several of the younger officers found their eyes welling up with tears.

What kind of parents could entomb their child in a concrete grave? Even with the coffin, burying a body in concrete… wasn’t that akin to the cursed practice of burying a living life?

Although raised in modern times, Newman had heard tales of ancient practices where a child would be buried alive to secure good fortune or ward off evil during construction.

10:51 Looking at the child’s remains, it was impossible to tell if the child had been dead or alive when entombed, but regardless, this was desecration of a corpse.

This warranted a thorough investigation.

“The old lady living in the villa across the street, she might be related to the kid. If you want to start somewhere, she could be your lead, Winnie said, dropping yet another clue.

This time, Newman didn’t hesitate to have the old woman brought over.

The police had cordoned off the area, keeping the rubbernecking crowd at bay, leaving them curious about what was happening inside.

When the old woman arrived, someone from the crowd who had followed the live broadcast. recognized her, “Isn’t that the creepy old lady over eighty from before?!”

With that, many in the crowd recognized her.

Even those who didn’t know her quickly pulled up screenshots from the show. And then they started connecting dots from what Winnie–had hinted at earlier.

Winnie had speculated that the old lady might be related to the child in the photo from the house.

So, was the old somehow linked to the incident in the house?

But all the wild guesses of the outside world were of no concern to Winnie and the others at that moment.

As soon as the old woman saw the gaping hole and the child’s remains, she collapsed to the ground, her face a mask of terror.

Then, she turned to those inside with a furious rant.

She railed in a local dialect, but a few phrases were clear enough.

You’ll pay for this! You’ll all pay!”

Newman, hardened by years of dealing with criminals, fixed the old woman with a steely gaze.

“Ma’am, you’d best come clean about your relationship with this child!”

Under Newman’s imposing presence, the old woman finally caved.

The child in the coffin was indeed the one from the photo that Winnie had seen.

The old woman was the child’s great–aunt by marriage.

The child was the illegitimate son of a wealthy Mr. Eaton Smith, born to a mistress who died in childbirth. Eaton, out of pity for the sickly bastard and fear that his wife would mistreat him if brought home, had spent a fortune to build this house for the child.

But before construction could begin, the child succumbed to a sudden illness.

In his gnet, Eaton had a psychic redesign the house, entombing the child’s coffin beneath it, turning the residence into a shadow house.

His intention had been to create a tomb home for the child, but after a family crisis, Eaton had hastily relocated abroad, entrusting the domestic properties to relatives, who, unbeknownst to him, sold the place for cash.

As the show’s producers had initially reported, subsequent owners all suffered accidents or worse after moving in, and the house earned its reputation as a haunted mansion.

The current owner had reached out to the show in hopes of finding a resolution to the house’s grim legacy.

And now, as the truth unfurled, it seemed the old woman and the house’s sorrowful history were inextricably intertwined.

After laying out her final wishes, the old lady’s sharpness faded from her face, replaced by tears and cries of pity for the child who couldn’t rest in peace even in death. She pleaded with the authorities to bury the kid’s remains properly.

On the side of the TV crew, Baily hadn’t expected that the house would turn out to be a mausoleum built especially for a child. It was no wonder that families who moved in later would suffer from all manner of disturbances.

The house was meant for the child, after all.

He had never heard of anyone burying a child in anything other than a cemetery, save for ancient emperors who had grand tombs built as their final resting places. But, the more he thought about it, the less it seemed like a problem.

As these thoughts crossed his mind and he glanced at the unearthed skeleton, Baily couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt.

He was about to say something when, from the corner of his eye, he noticed Winnie, who had been silent up until now, suddenly step forward.

Her gaze was as clear and piercing as a winter’s morning, and when she spoke, her voice was cool yet firm, “You’re lying.”