"You said it yourself—the Fifth Penitentiary is full of inmates with mental issues," Cassius said dismissively, not giving it much thought. "That man probably has his own problems, which is why he''s insisting he doesn''t." He added, "It''s like a drunk man swearing he''s sober. Same principle."


    "Not at all."


    Both men turned to look at Evadne. "On the contrary," she exined, "someone who''s truly mentally ill rarely ims they''re sane. They usually think everyone *else* is the one with the problem."


    Jason''s eyes lit up. "That makes sense!"


    Cassius nodded slowly. "Yeah, I guess you''re right."


    "From your description, Jason, the man''s speech was clear and articte, not like someone who''s lost their mind," Evadne continued. "He waited for the perfect moment to rush toward Mr. Dempsey, which suggests he''s been suppressed for a long time, just waiting for a once-in-a-lifetime chance he couldn''t bear to miss." She then turned to Jason. "So what did your uncle do?"


    "My uncle said that before he could even understand what was happening, the guards were dragging the inmate away. They called him aplete lunatic and were far rougher with him than with any other prisoner."


    A look of surprise crossed Cassius''s face. "That''s strange. If he was there to provide legal aid, every inmate should have the right to a consultation. Why would they stop that man by force?"


    Evadne lowered her gaze, deep in thought, and said nothing.


    Jason went on, "My uncle said that after he left, he couldn''t stop


    thinking about it. He used some old contacts from his days at the courthouse to try and pull the Finmate''s case file. And you never guess what happened. The file was sealed. ess required special authorization from the Attorney General himself! Every other inmate''s file was avable, but not his. It was under lock and key. Don''t you think that''s odd?"


    Cassius was silent for a moment before asking, "What was the inmate''s crime? Surely he could find that out."


    "Murder. Multiple murders, actually. Other inmates said he killed two women, and it was incredibly bloody and brutal. But my uncle said the man was short, frail, and sallow-faced, with a congenital limp in one leg. He didn''t look like a crazed killer at


    all."


    The phrase "crazed killer" made Evadne think of Mason, Chad''s uncle, who was also locked up in the Fifth Penitentiary. Coincidentally, Mason was also diagnosed as mentally ill, was also a murderer, and had also killed two women.


    Evadne''s mind was always sharp and quick to connect the dots, especially when it came to


    coincidences. She had a


    fundamental disbelief that so<fnad42> Readplete version only at Find★Novel</fnad42>


    many oveps could happen by chance. It was like her time in Country Paloma fighting alongside Thaddeus, dependent on each other for survival; that was a choice she had pursued with all her heart. Later, when she''d disguised herself as a caregiver at the nursing home to look after her grandfather, it had also been an excuse to see


    Thaddeus, to catch even a glimpse


    of him.


    Coincidence, fate... it was all nonsense. It was just her own meticulously nned devotion.


    "Jason," she said, her voice firm, "find some time to go back to the Fifth Penitentiary and dig up more background on that inmate. Also, try to find out how Mason is doing in there. I''ll ask my uncle to do everything he can to get that case file. He''s at the Attorney General''s office in Elmsworth, with connections all over the legal system. He''ll find a way."


    Jason''s expression turned serious. "Yes, Ms. Evadne."