10.08.2017459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqqDNyuC5MB
5:30 pm459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCLNolwpACs
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...459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpSW9ixas8S
"Mr. William"459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK48pRQ9gfp
I wanted to do it too...459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzST9n88L2o
"Mr. William"459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFrBrbo7DEY
Was I nervous too?459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSY3QXWz3RU
"Sir!"459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6uAxPqjpeN
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.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx7mnupD32c
"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 voice459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrN5FPzOq6O
Mr. Robert Faloney, the most cunning prosecutor living.
He is probably the reason corruption exists.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMqVE78p42f
"Yes, I work with my sister, Raven Winter."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjo9V2o9LsV
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."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡatPcwKSgHY
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, 459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEpePiBX4b2
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.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSUSHAy7kqS
I looked around until I caught my sister's eye. She gave me a subtle nod and smiled my way.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfBO9Y89S5G
That was all I needed...
For now.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnHORo10weh
"She called me, Bella did."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcpcnUi6OOw
"Are you saying that, Miss. Bella called you over herself?"459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5gXzSFv8cZ
"Yes."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJfzW0qnBD
"For what reason?"459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc95Xe8dGlY
"She had told me that she wanted to tell me something important."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5M9nq6AQKT
"Do you have an idea of what that might be?"459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQBu1nuCQZ5
"No."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnz0YYTY5Cc
"And so, you walked down to her house?"459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnwYpMRJISI
"Yes, it was only a few blocks away."
"Did you go empty-handed?"459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQF4NthOlP
I paused for a minute.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGbrkUbc6Ni
I have to stay strong,
I need to get out of here,
I need to catch him...459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIyzxhDT2M4
"No, I bought flowers along the way. White roses with a hint of pink."
"Did you, by any chance, have feelings for Bella or- "459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKpkeFh26r9
"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.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9giWiGJsFL
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.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡupuD19UEb7
"Objection dismissed." The judge announced as he turned toward me again.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3yevtKhYSd
"No, we were just friends," I answered.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJr9z9xOPGa
"Are you sure?"459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEDG94bEINh
"Yes."
"What did you see when you entered the house?"459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPY3Xa9Hvwk
What did I see?
What did I see...459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQXmTSW3tRq
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...459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoOKShpOQuo
"I saw... her in the l-living room." I started. "She had been hit... No, umm..."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Cok9iVUhu
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.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Y8vNl0M0J
You have to stay strong.
For her.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBzxKHjRKhd
"Your honor, clearly my client is not comfortable in sharing a memory of his friend who was bludgeoned to death."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZ7Hx0ePiF
I flinched hearing the last words Jenny spoke.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqwd4ltA5v
"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.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpTxg4jmOur
I felt a hand caress my shoulder, "Are you okay?" Raven's voice spoke softly.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwnCGJ3U5yl
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...459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiB61NdU1wk
That smelled like... Anna...459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzzU70nAq9R
"William!" Anna exclaimed as she ran into my arms. Picking her up I held her close to me.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6iFr2MheGB
I never get tired of that strawberry scent...459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGNLulGIkYH
"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.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ82pBnWNpEC
"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.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6VUScPdPzo
"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.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXbI142zMFQ
"That's enough of playing around. Let's go home..." Raven spoke.
Home...
After all of this, I still had a home...
-
11. 08. 2017459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmH3PQg2b60
2:00 am459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPWha4nTevx
The Winter estate.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTPogwRPs3q
459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPRv7bGrJyU
"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..."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAGrcFCASEd
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.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡigXAvo2WbQ
"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."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP1O7UZlUWf
Raven narrowed her eyes at me while studying me closely.
Probably trying to decide if I was telling the truth.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdvartVzHT9
"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."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbZdlikOZyc
"He... he... smiled. Raven, He smiled at her-her body... while she laid t-there..."
My voice was cracking now.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzaLiax2btl
I can't hold on,
Not anymore.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCUjMpkn6Br
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.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkzP3RV8XPY
"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...?"459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPLPGaxtlqM
"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.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwb5jpNy55Y
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 15.158.61.7da2
