Chapter 580

As she spoke, she added for the police, “This man might be a serial killer!”
The police already had their guns raised as they broke down the door. They ordered the man not to resist, to put his hands on his head, and to get on the ground.
Utterly exasperated, the man did as he was told.
“I really didn’t kill anyone!”
“He’s not just a murderer, he’s a psychopath!” Penelope added.
“Now I’m a psychopath too?” The man was even more confused.
“When I saw you two weeks ago, you were wearing this exact outfit. You’re still wearing it now. If you’re not crazy, what are you?”
The man paused. “I’m… role-playing.”
“Hah! See? Definitely crazy!”
The police had already gone deeper into the house. Following Penelope’s directions, they opened the door to the room and were also taken aback by what they saw.
“Captain, we have a situation. We need backup!” the lead officer reported over the radio.
But after reporting, he noticed something was off.
“Wait a minute… the limbs on the bed… they don’t look real.”
Two officers went in and emerged a moment later, looking rather baffled. They carried a severed arm and a severed leg, which they tossed in front of the man.
“See! He did kill someone!”
Penelope exclaimed before the police could speak, quickly covering Kristin’s eyes to shield her from the sight.
“These aren’t real. They’re plastic,” an officer said.
Penelope’s eyes widened. “Not real?”
She leaned in for a closer look and realized they were indeed fake. And the “blood” on them was suspicious too. After a moment, she realized it looked like… ketchup?
“I told you I didn’t kill anyone!” the man yelled, exasperated.
An officer frowned. “Then why do you have fake arms and legs and a room that looks like a slaughterhouse? What are you up to?”
“I’m a screenwriter!” the man snapped.
A screenwriter? Penelope blinked. “So?”
The man said angrily, “I’m a screenwriter. I moved out here from the city for some peace and quiet. I’m currently writing a crime drama, and one of the cases involves & serial killer. To immerse myself the story, I’ve been role-playing as the killer and set up that room to try and capture the most authentic human psychology for the script.”
For a moment, both the police and Penelope were silent.
This story was a bit… hard to believe.
In the end, just to be sure, the police took the man into custody and asked Penelope
to come to the station to give a statement.
At the police station, they quickly verified the man’s identity.
He was, in fact, a screenwriter-and a very famous one.
He had won several prestigious awards, worked with A-list directors and actors, and
was considered a major figure in the industry.
“So you’re Benson Cooper! I’ve seen several of your shows. If you’d just told me your name earlier, I wouldn’t have misunderstood, Penelope said, with a nervous laugh.
Benson’s mouth twitched. “Do I really look that much like a murderer? A psychopath?”
Penelope continued to flatter him. “You’re very handsome.”
“You crashed into my car in my own driveway, and I didn’t say a word. I even invited you into my home for a meat and cooked you steaks Wait. the reason you wouldn’t eat the steaks… you didn’t think I was using beef, you thought it was
Penelope felt a pang of guilt, but not much.
“Come on, who wouldn’t misunderstand after seeing that room? In a way, we’re the innocent ones here.”
“You’re innocent?”
“Ahem, well, I’m not one to hold a grudge. Let’s just drop it.”
Just as they were clearing the air, Benson’s family arrived.
“Are you okay?”
Penelope heard the familiar voice, and when she looked over, she froze.
The newcomer was Sherry!