10.08.2017537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6aN0xIuAdV
5:30 pm537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS79lJ5bYmc
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...537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxRFMYCYUh
"Mr. William"537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuwqeOfxuVL
I wanted to do it too...537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ46LNJaWvWa
"Mr. William"537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXiDeCM6WAN
Was I nervous too?537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1gQHuyYaqQ
"Sir!"537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRYLHvxfY3r
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.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLYCXiPJPGZ
"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 voice537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVtgdMUgAhR
Mr. Robert Faloney, the most cunning prosecutor living.
He is probably the reason corruption exists.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWGh6NUPJUc
"Yes, I work with my sister, Raven Winter."537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXWf8yYvuFe
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."537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeovjRV0Szq
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, 537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6XFMLAMI4d
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.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKJOde7Qvek
I looked around until I caught my sister's eye. She gave me a subtle nod and smiled my way.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYkTYp5dOWr
That was all I needed...
For now.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2rRLy7Yj57
"She called me, Bella did."537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrdmfJc0TFh
"Are you saying that, Miss. Bella called you over herself?"537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDvgo3BI1GI
"Yes."537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9iwSP7Ss1C
"For what reason?"537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvctxmWS6UT
"She had told me that she wanted to tell me something important."537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3MJgdC2Y8P
"Do you have an idea of what that might be?"537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJlsudWSDS
"No."537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkUkGjIUsmG
"And so, you walked down to her house?"537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWc3R9HE4o1
"Yes, it was only a few blocks away."
"Did you go empty-handed?"537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡONNmrc8Bmj
I paused for a minute.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZUaL7BXoI
I have to stay strong,
I need to get out of here,
I need to catch him...537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrv1zzIdqQJ
"No, I bought flowers along the way. White roses with a hint of pink."
"Did you, by any chance, have feelings for Bella or- "537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhRYUN1oKgY
"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.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡERtVTt2t07
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.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG2aRAjniDK
"Objection dismissed." The judge announced as he turned toward me again.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡneKOhr925s
"No, we were just friends," I answered.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwucFXzVIh5
"Are you sure?"537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwpkfn1iV47
"Yes."
"What did you see when you entered the house?"537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9DxmFNdnVG
What did I see?
What did I see...537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZtxjZFcGX
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...537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk4HewRHz2h
"I saw... her in the l-living room." I started. "She had been hit... No, umm..."537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVpLpnunaBV
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.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPp3G5iwLA1
You have to stay strong.
For her.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmiIcDkXBuL
"Your honor, clearly my client is not comfortable in sharing a memory of his friend who was bludgeoned to death."537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS56iiueS1R
I flinched hearing the last words Jenny spoke.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrW52d3D89C
"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.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh23AVSq0ld
I felt a hand caress my shoulder, "Are you okay?" Raven's voice spoke softly.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRV6yBgUrGO
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...537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3aZWgRETKW
That smelled like... Anna...537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ54FOo3TNbQ
"William!" Anna exclaimed as she ran into my arms. Picking her up I held her close to me.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdoHTW2WHlh
I never get tired of that strawberry scent...537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3gG2fXooNd
"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.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FqpcMRqcI
"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.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLVF7THbH7e
"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.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQlNvzT9Bxh
"That's enough of playing around. Let's go home..." Raven spoke.
Home...
After all of this, I still had a home...
-
11. 08. 2017537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCoywTguJGM
2:00 am537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvMuYIkp78G
The Winter estate.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ZizSftbzM
537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQFXNodkPJR
"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..."537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡebTwrBvgnL
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.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpXsgCqvC5k
"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."537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6dBdeIGg0
Raven narrowed her eyes at me while studying me closely.
Probably trying to decide if I was telling the truth.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3sFOTonAVU
"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."537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPAVLoObHp0
"He... he... smiled. Raven, He smiled at her-her body... while she laid t-there..."
My voice was cracking now.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG7uXFoMCve
I can't hold on,
Not anymore.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3546hDh5rF
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.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjfzhqsYaJv
"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...?"537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJWbgdBtsSf
"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.537Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ907gUC4MZC
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
ns18.191.31.59da2
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