10.08.2017460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJX2Zusa9j
5:30 pm460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbBXSDj6Ck8
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...460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWXehZxAhHM
"Mr. William"460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXMqogx7dvw
I wanted to do it too...460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ11ABfrmzTu
"Mr. William"460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoBDhJK1Dy5
Was I nervous too?460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZWJJFpLIsJ
"Sir!"460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Ax4RXNNn0
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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu2pQPDoYu7
"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 voice460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvlrb6nCVf0
Mr. Robert Faloney, the most cunning prosecutor living.
He is probably the reason corruption exists.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY0Y5hBerB5
"Yes, I work with my sister, Raven Winter."460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbPBGvtzcwV
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."460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQpKPjS5u6
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, 460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7XAwoSAYx
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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMqQQhkJ4AA
I looked around until I caught my sister's eye. She gave me a subtle nod and smiled my way.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2VbXGcmljl
That was all I needed...
For now.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfXiVKwmb1x
"She called me, Bella did."460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAOJumBtyeY
"Are you saying that, Miss. Bella called you over herself?"460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEyt4Glgjgn
"Yes."460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpLQfD8K1Zm
"For what reason?"460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡldmxRMC4Vw
"She had told me that she wanted to tell me something important."460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmCkQXFQwlN
"Do you have an idea of what that might be?"460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSL36ziDGrC
"No."460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2s7Yuveyd
"And so, you walked down to her house?"460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrOvCZJKZy9
"Yes, it was only a few blocks away."
"Did you go empty-handed?"460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeBnosaQ50K
I paused for a minute.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmrKEYPpl6q
I have to stay strong,
I need to get out of here,
I need to catch him...460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6K64EzrdPF
"No, I bought flowers along the way. White roses with a hint of pink."
"Did you, by any chance, have feelings for Bella or- "460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI69esBYFIN
"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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAXLiuAelSU
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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1g0bK4pRw6
"Objection dismissed." The judge announced as he turned toward me again.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj1DQZSOLLS
"No, we were just friends," I answered.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwECX1hsjGJ
"Are you sure?"460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdOOjEINF2v
"Yes."
"What did you see when you entered the house?"460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLo8v5eNxcW
What did I see?
What did I see...460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ4uXaPzRof
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...460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfuYE1PzxUI
"I saw... her in the l-living room." I started. "She had been hit... No, umm..."460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRR2HjuxNj1
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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfAbN6NwXj0
You have to stay strong.
For her.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡafagbi1rVb
"Your honor, clearly my client is not comfortable in sharing a memory of his friend who was bludgeoned to death."460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ18MK92XUF8
I flinched hearing the last words Jenny spoke.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSGhEizIfyO
"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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡabRii2FuEe
I felt a hand caress my shoulder, "Are you okay?" Raven's voice spoke softly.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7EnZv75Tgm
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...460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡspf0Scnv2o
That smelled like... Anna...460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTn770aPwTg
"William!" Anna exclaimed as she ran into my arms. Picking her up I held her close to me.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpMv6Q9D5Dx
I never get tired of that strawberry scent...460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡifa4Aix9Er
"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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxzS1KcVLoP
"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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEfHBAmAjKa
"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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHW2D78PbJl
"That's enough of playing around. Let's go home..." Raven spoke.
Home...
After all of this, I still had a home...
-
11. 08. 2017460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsRXHxof2or
2:00 am460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDAfVvN19Uj
The Winter estate.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ89zk7xKjKl
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jByYumP53
"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..."460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo4PcywNxsC
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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd1djRo543d
"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."460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmrY9mLrMCd
Raven narrowed her eyes at me while studying me closely.
Probably trying to decide if I was telling the truth.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Hi4d0xHMN
"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."460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6T4pFNUFJV
"He... he... smiled. Raven, He smiled at her-her body... while she laid t-there..."
My voice was cracking now.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeuUOgh3oHd
I can't hold on,
Not anymore.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaglsWyKPQf
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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImrSWGTTVk
"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...?"460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6L9zolCRA4
"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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw4Oxo1iYjm
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
ns 15.158.61.37da2
