10.08.2017531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKNJmhF39EH
5:30 pm531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡth2TSgDh3n
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...531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxMdfhkY2s9
"Mr. William"531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbQALZmRumr
I wanted to do it too...531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8QIfU3cyR6
"Mr. William"531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSncqJsBm9V
Was I nervous too?531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfc7coauyQ8
"Sir!"531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyMX88LF79k
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.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpaww3n810o
"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 voice531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgm5izx1xXU
Mr. Robert Faloney, the most cunning prosecutor living.
He is probably the reason corruption exists.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCRhihZ9uSI
"Yes, I work with my sister, Raven Winter."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPLQSZpDUlp
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."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEOywPmexKR
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, 531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZFYPCJ72XM
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.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk324iGao1O
I looked around until I caught my sister's eye. She gave me a subtle nod and smiled my way.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZpF6SauxI
That was all I needed...
For now.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIhdIRgPEki
"She called me, Bella did."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtXZdO8gr0
"Are you saying that, Miss. Bella called you over herself?"531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFnZrMuYoGS
"Yes."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWTOZ4uvMka
"For what reason?"531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYQuC7V955
"She had told me that she wanted to tell me something important."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH7cnLenaBI
"Do you have an idea of what that might be?"531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa6oxTuuWPS
"No."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡobqgWsWyaT
"And so, you walked down to her house?"531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMIzcG5aKYh
"Yes, it was only a few blocks away."
"Did you go empty-handed?"531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡct1bSXaZR4
I paused for a minute.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEvl5uYMJ7k
I have to stay strong,
I need to get out of here,
I need to catch him...531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbJ8gtIQ9v2
"No, I bought flowers along the way. White roses with a hint of pink."
"Did you, by any chance, have feelings for Bella or- "531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnqIVIHRXDp
"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.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡywJWDzxvUC
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.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMCBpYj7zS9
"Objection dismissed." The judge announced as he turned toward me again.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK8pbYmu69R
"No, we were just friends," I answered.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVl4QsFBAqM
"Are you sure?"531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlsA267PZL6
"Yes."
"What did you see when you entered the house?"531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8c9AFRN51v
What did I see?
What did I see...531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxB9E6DmV2R
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...531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVNs6BZS6Wc
"I saw... her in the l-living room." I started. "She had been hit... No, umm..."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMIfeQiXnuH
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.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGlEJAJiyOB
You have to stay strong.
For her.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmAq70KzYqC
"Your honor, clearly my client is not comfortable in sharing a memory of his friend who was bludgeoned to death."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLRSFyH2vxe
I flinched hearing the last words Jenny spoke.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXHx4bHQLAE
"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.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI7JDNvcesL
I felt a hand caress my shoulder, "Are you okay?" Raven's voice spoke softly.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLMJFFIXA27
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...531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJaPxrdaQ4k
That smelled like... Anna...531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxGO7vKKPJI
"William!" Anna exclaimed as she ran into my arms. Picking her up I held her close to me.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiyZKNmpT1r
I never get tired of that strawberry scent...531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQc1EHSvrp7
"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.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ10wblpgXdV
"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.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5c3Akk8T00
"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.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhvtiQNlhsx
"That's enough of playing around. Let's go home..." Raven spoke.
Home...
After all of this, I still had a home...
-
11. 08. 2017531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuW2UxFOSfm
2:00 am531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbnJ3JWQY4w
The Winter estate.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1C4G3nQiYt
531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSb5v9F0IKp
"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..."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSYYeBHOIch
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.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJodWbbUXoo
"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."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHztReHj7jI
Raven narrowed her eyes at me while studying me closely.
Probably trying to decide if I was telling the truth.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4spNILlntj
"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."531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx2EFghlqot
"He... he... smiled. Raven, He smiled at her-her body... while she laid t-there..."
My voice was cracking now.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlI5ankpiwd
I can't hold on,
Not anymore.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPFL7xjxlpg
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.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZbFVAyIz3f
"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...?"531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwzzXE3QsOY
"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.531Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbzxVZnt31n
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
ns18.223.97.137da2
