10.08.2017534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojqfJAP4BL
5:30 pm534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPelT9ezUYe
The central court of England
Why am I here?
It felt as though someone had clogged my ears as all the sounds around me sounded muffed. I could smell a faint scent of cologne and sweat; the rest was...unclear.
There was a tiny, almost invisible, scratch on the wooden frame before me. It looked like someone had scratched it with their nails,
that was something a nervous mind would do...534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQcdjnh5vco
"Mr. William"534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGsT3Rm12HL
I wanted to do it too...534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuy0M0IvMNk
"Mr. William"534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTVAGgx2vC3
Was I nervous too?534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNMpjqPv89d
"Sir!"534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0LY3utL2hz
Snapping back into reality, I looked around the silenced room to find everyone staring at me.
A bit uncomfortable from all the attention, "Yes." I spoke.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO41AT4z9zK
"Do you swear that the evidence that you shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?"
"Yes, I solemnly swear that the evidence that I shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth."
"Now, Mr. William Winter, I hear you are a private detective?" Robert asked with a sly tone lacing his voice534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZFL92UgcH2
Mr. Robert Faloney, the most cunning prosecutor living.
He is probably the reason corruption exists.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGKif3mXDxm
"Yes, I work with my sister, Raven Winter."534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr2F7nNApNB
He nodded in response. "Why did you go to Miss. Bella's house at such an odd time? And might I remind you, your honor, a fellow neighbor reported spotting him walk up to her driveway at around half-past nine."534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡboB3jGoqn1
The court grew silent once again, only the ticking of the clock managed to pierce through the tense atmosphere.
I was used to being in court. Me and my sister used to come here often for our clients. That was when we were studying, 534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiunWqRqq0T
It's been so long...
The court as I remember was never as filled as it was today, a lot of women had gathered around Helen, a few holding her hand the other sending spiteful looks my way.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvlvkzkgt9W
I looked around until I caught my sister's eye. She gave me a subtle nod and smiled my way.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡevCChedH68
That was all I needed...
For now.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAtcDobNkUt
"She called me, Bella did."534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBtuDAIRQYy
"Are you saying that, Miss. Bella called you over herself?"534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJmOVND09F
"Yes."534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoTax8rCWrs
"For what reason?"534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXq7G2hGgvg
"She had told me that she wanted to tell me something important."534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKMO1lCoDSQ
"Do you have an idea of what that might be?"534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXcgj7HBdL2
"No."534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCZuxpbebkH
"And so, you walked down to her house?"534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuyI5LXtxtr
"Yes, it was only a few blocks away."
"Did you go empty-handed?"534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOpdapPxgys
I paused for a minute.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ17fGwRd08f
I have to stay strong,
I need to get out of here,
I need to catch him...534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmRlVdQDd0N
"No, I bought flowers along the way. White roses with a hint of pink."
"Did you, by any chance, have feelings for Bella or- "534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcao0BLcIyz
"Objection your honor, this question is irrelevant to the case," Jenny spoke upstanding. She looked quite mad as she glared at Robert with hatred filling her eyes.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxL7wXWhZRq
Jenny Davis.
She had studied with us in high school, but obviously, that wasn't the only reason she agreed to fight for us. She had this immense hatred for Robert that never seemed to die.
Probably because he was always one step ahead of her.
Probably.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSRzSqEAbFY
"Objection dismissed." The judge announced as he turned toward me again.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaC6EZ3cKdN
"No, we were just friends," I answered.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy5uWJklMB8
"Are you sure?"534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqKTnngqLwK
"Yes."
"What did you see when you entered the house?"534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMpQol6ETB3
What did I see?
What did I see...534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwG7r6lygks
The memories hit me, her lying on the floor, a noticeable depression on one side of her head. Blood soaking the carpet under her, the bloody hammer laying on the floor a few feet away.
I felt my heart pound faster by the second, as I remembered dropping my bouquet, my knees buckling as I fell to the floor, kneeling beside it,
and...
not believing my eyes...534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR0gQSNGeUg
"I saw... her in the l-living room." I started. "She had been hit... No, umm..."534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFckAOelVFf
I felt a drop of sweat roll down my temple, my throat felt like sandpaper. I fisted my shaking hands in an attempt to stop them from moving uncontrollably.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5XzqhhYRl9
You have to stay strong.
For her.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPGWJh6WFu3
"Your honor, clearly my client is not comfortable in sharing a memory of his friend who was bludgeoned to death."534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf62PjuwEkB
I flinched hearing the last words Jenny spoke.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRdRNdHFJOO
"That's enough Mr. Robert. I shall now pass the final verdict..."
-
I never thought walking out of a courtroom could make me feel this weird tingling in me. I hated coming to the court. It was mostly for the murders or robbers I and my sister had caught over the years.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxnkJ0KfJqK
I felt a hand caress my shoulder, "Are you okay?" Raven's voice spoke softly.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgu5rf0L682
I gave a small nod in response trying my best not to meet her eye. She always knew when I was lying, but she did not ask anything. Instead, we stood there in silence, that was before I sniffed a familiar scent.
It smelled like... strawberry...534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfFjJyyTIXN
That smelled like... Anna...534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66hZ8KtEu6
"William!" Anna exclaimed as she ran into my arms. Picking her up I held her close to me.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡABoZQWIp89
I never get tired of that strawberry scent...534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7VFY4wGkpU
"Are you okay?" she asked in a low voice. I chuckled softly, a ten-year-old was asking me if 'I was okay'.
If only she knew...
"Yeah, I am fine Anna..."
"They didn't blame you for that, did they? If they did, I will go and kick them where the sun doesn't shine!" she exclaimed.
Raven turned a light shade of red hearing the words our little sister just shouted, while I laughed.
Flustered, "Where did you l-learn that?" Raven asked.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeYAVaOL11l
"Uncle James asked me to kick the guys where the sun doesn't shine if they come near me. Now that you asked me, I forgot to ask where that place is... Do you know?" she asked looking at me.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgKE9hXtnE1
"Umm... yes... but, you don't have to know. And, if the guys do come near you, just give me a call. You do know I carry a gun around right?" I whispered the last part into her ear which made her giggle.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJSg3wcDwNU
"That's enough of playing around. Let's go home..." Raven spoke.
Home...
After all of this, I still had a home...
-
11. 08. 2017534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0fGXk3C4f
2:00 am534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrDhuUbRDTR
The Winter estate.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8VEAwX3o0x
534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlU1OSLnkQu
"Drinking wine this early? That's a rare sight..." Raven spoke as she walked over to me. I was standing on our balcony, holding a bottle of wine.
"Is Anna asleep?"
"Yeah, she seemed very tired. We should try not to bring her into this, I don't want to stress her."
"I agree, would you like a sip?" I asked holding up the wine bottle in my hand. I needed a drink and was too impatient to get myself a glass, so I ended up drinking from the bottle. Under normal circumstances, Raven would've lost it. I am surprised she wasn't glaring at me right now.
"No thank you, I don't drink at this time."
"How are we twins?"
"I wonder that sometimes too..."534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsR5jQLRsgm
Raven smirked, "I checked our birth certificates, by the way, I am elder than you."
"No way, by how much?"
"Three seconds." She said proudly.
I frowned, "That's rubbish!"
Raven let out a laugh, probably at how childish I was being.
It was nice, to forget what had happened for a moment.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFRcGF5FkZ
"Raven, I need to talk to you about... um... the case."
"Bella?"
I nodded.
She gestured me to continue.
I sucked a deep breath in,
"That night, Raven I saw someone standing right outside her window."534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpqOKkCsSRt
Raven narrowed her eyes at me while studying me closely.
Probably trying to decide if I was telling the truth.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxcjJmc6fvF
"He was a bit shorter than me, probably about two centimeters. His right front tooth was chipped off at the end, a-and he was wearing a black hoodie and black pants. And he smelled like... ink."
"His face?"
"It was too dark. But I know for sure he did it..."
"How? He could have been someone passing by."534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxIJn0UVFZB
"He... he... smiled. Raven, He smiled at her-her body... while she laid t-there..."
My voice was cracking now.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8dm7WodexJ
I can't hold on,
Not anymore.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqjL8314vav
I felt my sister's hands around me, as she slowly pushed my head down to the crook of her neck.
A strong scent of lavender hit me.
It was... calming.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7sUl0UuhJh
"It's okay to cry. You don't have to stay strong in front of me, okay?"
Hearing someone say that made me tear up. In no time I was sobbing while shaking in my sister's arms.
The whole time she patted my back and from time to time, ran her hand through my hair.
"I miss her..."
"I know, and I believe you."
"What do you mean...?"534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3zGX9AlzVN
"About the man you saw. I am sure he exists. And we will find him, I promise."
"Thank you..." whispered, Raven shushed me in response and stood there patting my back as I continued sobbing in her arms.534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3XXMJHhbO
It pained,
It felt like I had a hole in my chest.
More than seeing Bella dead, what made that hole bigger was the fact that I could have saved her...
If only I had taken the car...
If only I had chosen not to buy flowers...
If I was a few seconds faster...
Could I have stopped this Enigma from unfolding?
_______________________________________________________________________
Next chapter coming on- 6.12.2020 (coming Sunday)
Thank you for reading ^u^
-misswriter278
ns18.227.13.136da2
