10.08.2017489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrXPVlr9G52
5:30 pm489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ86YXQFn1jX
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...489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlcTt8Jwz0U
"Mr. William"489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZcUNyATVLe
I wanted to do it too...489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAS7DmsvJaO
"Mr. William"489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWpaV8NF9hT
Was I nervous too?489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV5HWFXotRy
"Sir!"489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5F9qYzj6vr
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.489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4h3OTZPbWi
"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 voice489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjAcRMXZmeg
Mr. Robert Faloney, the most cunning prosecutor living.
He is probably the reason corruption exists.489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxzPthDcGIw
"Yes, I work with my sister, Raven Winter."489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZqKOuUrtrp
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."489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTzdhTomEpz
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, 489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3GIsN9PaID
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.489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfww5g4zi8W
I looked around until I caught my sister's eye. She gave me a subtle nod and smiled my way.489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzLsbQ8sUHr
That was all I needed...
For now.489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfLcr8OX7dw
"She called me, Bella did."489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRNZDy0KFge
"Are you saying that, Miss. Bella called you over herself?"489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkRz8bmX1Um
"Yes."489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqUggGq4oay
"For what reason?"489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdNaNxQSkCu
"She had told me that she wanted to tell me something important."489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ10vIwfcUsE
"Do you have an idea of what that might be?"489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz1oD53ZU3s
"No."489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcFKk0BCsel
"And so, you walked down to her house?"489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaX233Gq22p
"Yes, it was only a few blocks away."
"Did you go empty-handed?"489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhd1wQw91g1
I paused for a minute.489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJ5o2X1Gkp
I have to stay strong,
I need to get out of here,
I need to catch him...489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdlrhjrY1be
"No, I bought flowers along the way. White roses with a hint of pink."
"Did you, by any chance, have feelings for Bella or- "489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9F9Zj2xWVU
"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.489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnNj1WM7WN6
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.489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1WHrv0OIZW
"Objection dismissed." The judge announced as he turned toward me again.489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLEyQay6Oa2
"No, we were just friends," I answered.489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiPSEyJt9eb
"Are you sure?"489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkO5lpFuepY
"Yes."
"What did you see when you entered the house?"489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6XjSeaKYat
What did I see?
What did I see...489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLpXp9po3Hc
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...489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC1rbOn5hh3
"I saw... her in the l-living room." I started. "She had been hit... No, umm..."489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVQz5gZyF2
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.489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4onj2f6fuP
You have to stay strong.
For her.489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡadxBzabhFL
"Your honor, clearly my client is not comfortable in sharing a memory of his friend who was bludgeoned to death."489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDR594X5oR
I flinched hearing the last words Jenny spoke.489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzNL1dUawFn
"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.489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGarEL1AcOA
I felt a hand caress my shoulder, "Are you okay?" Raven's voice spoke softly.489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSGGJG8f5k
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...489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3K1EEJIDuN
That smelled like... Anna...489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiPQ0EYrmKo
"William!" Anna exclaimed as she ran into my arms. Picking her up I held her close to me.489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2L8AKekfD3
I never get tired of that strawberry scent...489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrJxcgGdQk
"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.489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuGwVkyx7lx
"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.489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYqU1BRW1Mg
"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.489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqCSnLvePh
"That's enough of playing around. Let's go home..." Raven spoke.
Home...
After all of this, I still had a home...
-
11. 08. 2017489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyByXvs16Tv
2:00 am489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjtHrvkXi07
The Winter estate.489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwG7BEuM2R7
489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK3LrFqAblz
"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..."489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlM9Pq4Mdy3
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.489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLiEZKaJ8IY
"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."489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWGyT1gH8Jy
Raven narrowed her eyes at me while studying me closely.
Probably trying to decide if I was telling the truth.489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPOAdqtBwP1
"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."489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ1aVrwM0jQ
"He... he... smiled. Raven, He smiled at her-her body... while she laid t-there..."
My voice was cracking now.489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5pZYLGxkik
I can't hold on,
Not anymore.489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLOTGEiGoaH
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.489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoDBkw742lo
"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...?"489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIw1ox3yvf
"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.489Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5QDP6EO8u9
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 15.158.61.18da2
