10.08.2017530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50nQ3NOYn2
5:30 pm530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLao47bCOlK
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...530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw98ps8zJey
"Mr. William"530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1AVCbRwz76
I wanted to do it too...530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ79urFqii45
"Mr. William"530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Cpb6GSXll
Was I nervous too?530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsu5I9sp723
"Sir!"530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8DSFvaWfuF
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.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW6HIEibFpx
"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 voice530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxKkbP0hGzi
Mr. Robert Faloney, the most cunning prosecutor living.
He is probably the reason corruption exists.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbyvP53a6K7
"Yes, I work with my sister, Raven Winter."530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBYkF9dErZ6
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."530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡktURwxvs1A
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, 530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhJtyqIR3LM
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.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRvP3sDM7jN
I looked around until I caught my sister's eye. She gave me a subtle nod and smiled my way.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvm8nf37YuX
That was all I needed...
For now.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHsmy1OZ3rg
"She called me, Bella did."530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0shfDo4GEG
"Are you saying that, Miss. Bella called you over herself?"530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxlvA3Yaan
"Yes."530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIaM61Cs969
"For what reason?"530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUxFdnNAIFz
"She had told me that she wanted to tell me something important."530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBSj6ujBynH
"Do you have an idea of what that might be?"530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡezMJXzc8T3
"No."530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG68epWeG33
"And so, you walked down to her house?"530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqHUIofygPs
"Yes, it was only a few blocks away."
"Did you go empty-handed?"530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcuTpUFNJgg
I paused for a minute.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEEvbgy6k2p
I have to stay strong,
I need to get out of here,
I need to catch him...530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5gXiNPwtJ1
"No, I bought flowers along the way. White roses with a hint of pink."
"Did you, by any chance, have feelings for Bella or- "530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU1SGX9GAyT
"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.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP3uSZofMkw
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.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdqoE7UMZNR
"Objection dismissed." The judge announced as he turned toward me again.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl1BOz9UlyQ
"No, we were just friends," I answered.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ38UNO8HfBU
"Are you sure?"530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZkDVn0cWq
"Yes."
"What did you see when you entered the house?"530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLthrAT9sT7
What did I see?
What did I see...530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkmvIQp0v8X
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...530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZ3neGzaOz
"I saw... her in the l-living room." I started. "She had been hit... No, umm..."530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNb59PcLUhy
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.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2g0gOjJ4Uv
You have to stay strong.
For her.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7sCTeTFR4E
"Your honor, clearly my client is not comfortable in sharing a memory of his friend who was bludgeoned to death."530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsGufJ4INvs
I flinched hearing the last words Jenny spoke.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTZfbwhWbq6
"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.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYi4RbbAKp
I felt a hand caress my shoulder, "Are you okay?" Raven's voice spoke softly.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkcv2OcUoC
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...530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTktSOwC0Y6
That smelled like... Anna...530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJRyiy7LeQr
"William!" Anna exclaimed as she ran into my arms. Picking her up I held her close to me.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEMDar7qIkM
I never get tired of that strawberry scent...530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC2oYE60f5I
"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.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvtqAJT5dz0
"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.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP0cCSu8F5o
"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.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZiHV0Nzlf4
"That's enough of playing around. Let's go home..." Raven spoke.
Home...
After all of this, I still had a home...
-
11. 08. 2017530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoYqJW2WkyT
2:00 am530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3gX0kAPlpV
The Winter estate.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuy2YUGfKBS
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXisxhkPfxY
"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..."530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmojxxU8dkL
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.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMc8N8vck2P
"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."530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLJpBqAeKxH
Raven narrowed her eyes at me while studying me closely.
Probably trying to decide if I was telling the truth.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkKLNY4TT1Z
"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."530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV7mnE4pOnm
"He... he... smiled. Raven, He smiled at her-her body... while she laid t-there..."
My voice was cracking now.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLYot0qS258
I can't hold on,
Not anymore.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGsnnAzkdER
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.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbTfbU419zr
"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...?"530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVSgdTJ7ZoV
"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.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeyGIjCYgn5
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
ns3.133.106.74da2
