10.08.2017532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0OtGy47rRG
5:30 pm532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlmYcK0KLCd
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...532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDnWsPHhVZ5
"Mr. William"532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhKO3duvh91
I wanted to do it too...532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwy763kc2RS
"Mr. William"532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSIzoQTEsVo
Was I nervous too?532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkATFbUOHgK
"Sir!"532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSPL1GD8eUF
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.532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFYnzD48D3d
"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 voice532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtHUlOHt4m7
Mr. Robert Faloney, the most cunning prosecutor living.
He is probably the reason corruption exists.532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡieFytrrd9H
"Yes, I work with my sister, Raven Winter."532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4NQV8u39Qa
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."532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT4ASHpCDbL
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, 532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5RCC9eUwzv
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.532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ7S5KmrHYb
I looked around until I caught my sister's eye. She gave me a subtle nod and smiled my way.532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUV4GaJSRE
That was all I needed...
For now.532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOwUeNIz1kZ
"She called me, Bella did."532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPNaoDbZWsL
"Are you saying that, Miss. Bella called you over herself?"532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHUZx32HaqK
"Yes."532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcoVRY2RKq3
"For what reason?"532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdlJG4gZSfm
"She had told me that she wanted to tell me something important."532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPrFNqLu2t8
"Do you have an idea of what that might be?"532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLBcddHNWht
"No."532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmHc91Yzx1I
"And so, you walked down to her house?"532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtFiMaIkzeR
"Yes, it was only a few blocks away."
"Did you go empty-handed?"532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmR0WAKeh5U
I paused for a minute.532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk1Wv6pP5Ss
I have to stay strong,
I need to get out of here,
I need to catch him...532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3jf3geFpmk
"No, I bought flowers along the way. White roses with a hint of pink."
"Did you, by any chance, have feelings for Bella or- "532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvuYPxWim9u
"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.532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLRAxJdAxnS
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.532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYMFO4O6plp
"Objection dismissed." The judge announced as he turned toward me again.532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt5bbevCTQA
"No, we were just friends," I answered.532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqHfot5l0IF
"Are you sure?"532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc6fVCmgWn8
"Yes."
"What did you see when you entered the house?"532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUrjDrig4m7
What did I see?
What did I see...532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh1gyqinQ8e
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...532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQmE9U6frqV
"I saw... her in the l-living room." I started. "She had been hit... No, umm..."532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2GbHmtzHRz
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.532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2phcePSy53
You have to stay strong.
For her.532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi8g3dgexyy
"Your honor, clearly my client is not comfortable in sharing a memory of his friend who was bludgeoned to death."532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5mAK5pMTNa
I flinched hearing the last words Jenny spoke.532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfK5BZ3Xneo
"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.532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3mJg3eKQAC
I felt a hand caress my shoulder, "Are you okay?" Raven's voice spoke softly.532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHD8XhxQSBY
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...532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgLGJYpMlt4
That smelled like... Anna...532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY72CPNjs9S
"William!" Anna exclaimed as she ran into my arms. Picking her up I held her close to me.532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQhJlg2st1d
I never get tired of that strawberry scent...532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡad2KE1vL6A
"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.532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM3Dp88t2iO
"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.532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHRLOIqyODy
"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.532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbLjOUjzgkY
"That's enough of playing around. Let's go home..." Raven spoke.
Home...
After all of this, I still had a home...
-
11. 08. 2017532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3T3g7zsCi
2:00 am532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAb68FrFYjm
The Winter estate.532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4vLgACh9Vy
532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRkIz6KnAlX
"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..."532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡef82hnirT4
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.532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyAgiXWkjqf
"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."532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFjKuLBOirr
Raven narrowed her eyes at me while studying me closely.
Probably trying to decide if I was telling the truth.532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiwUV30Qd3J
"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."532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx1hQlOimgY
"He... he... smiled. Raven, He smiled at her-her body... while she laid t-there..."
My voice was cracking now.532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU9qIljsV06
I can't hold on,
Not anymore.532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmDpDxW6u28
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.532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjKp7FL5PZZ
"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...?"532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Y4KXeJzNE
"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.532Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfFd5Gq71A
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
ns3.145.188.159da2
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