10.08.2017572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡirWYNnb1uI
5:30 pm572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEMSW3uE5ER
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...572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH0Zi16OfGU
"Mr. William"572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3JjvqZWmt2
I wanted to do it too...572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4wIsYXPjHO
"Mr. William"572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzkCQmTRVhP
Was I nervous too?572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCmz9DEMMKL
"Sir!"572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCFhlOBko5d
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.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoKKdyKgMjQ
"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 voice572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhoRZu2D5uQ
Mr. Robert Faloney, the most cunning prosecutor living.
He is probably the reason corruption exists.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoN8wuOeW66
"Yes, I work with my sister, Raven Winter."572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhlwjJ8UodF
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."572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvP8jwi9Y2Y
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, 572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVTl5u3Ou0C
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.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfxWYWYvVdP
I looked around until I caught my sister's eye. She gave me a subtle nod and smiled my way.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMmsHJr77Gv
That was all I needed...
For now.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡofoUQe2uWy
"She called me, Bella did."572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVojgZY8TCb
"Are you saying that, Miss. Bella called you over herself?"572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL0yG8w8917
"Yes."572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo5SyAYZQnx
"For what reason?"572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDcSthZINtj
"She had told me that she wanted to tell me something important."572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK3csRfT96U
"Do you have an idea of what that might be?"572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUMNZkGtA1G
"No."572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Un2yDqVNf
"And so, you walked down to her house?"572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYyU7hvxytQ
"Yes, it was only a few blocks away."
"Did you go empty-handed?"572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3UlLSrVlrm
I paused for a minute.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQV8UcRFuRk
I have to stay strong,
I need to get out of here,
I need to catch him...572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgVAUMuxJrr
"No, I bought flowers along the way. White roses with a hint of pink."
"Did you, by any chance, have feelings for Bella or- "572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSK1OzYzlXR
"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.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2OlA2W4MV4
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.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2KnvPatqMq
"Objection dismissed." The judge announced as he turned toward me again.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4PYKdP6pgF
"No, we were just friends," I answered.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHvc3WRRlw
"Are you sure?"572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtYT8QlOZda
"Yes."
"What did you see when you entered the house?"572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1lEB0sastl
What did I see?
What did I see...572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPsNhOv6Fw6
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...572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgzgzK1aMkb
"I saw... her in the l-living room." I started. "She had been hit... No, umm..."572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHFAlfehlH
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.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwknDmSWRdM
You have to stay strong.
For her.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJol9XMDiiz
"Your honor, clearly my client is not comfortable in sharing a memory of his friend who was bludgeoned to death."572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZXdAyUg0R
I flinched hearing the last words Jenny spoke.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡisROK9Si80
"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.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfe85UwtaBX
I felt a hand caress my shoulder, "Are you okay?" Raven's voice spoke softly.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ySIpRzovl
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...572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTVy9h2gxjh
That smelled like... Anna...572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaGfVPfxnfS
"William!" Anna exclaimed as she ran into my arms. Picking her up I held her close to me.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmhGNjRhMLX
I never get tired of that strawberry scent...572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiNS5NHDcRr
"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.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVZM9S7m4CA
"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.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgu2M4XbUpV
"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.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtSgxLZHu54
"That's enough of playing around. Let's go home..." Raven spoke.
Home...
After all of this, I still had a home...
-
11. 08. 2017572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyJNOxq5MXQ
2:00 am572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZIWoyubTm2
The Winter estate.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6FvbFd2SM5
572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCXDirpfpEa
"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..."572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xngLnyIH8
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.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXGX8ZVzsVX
"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."572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnwDZdlTU33
Raven narrowed her eyes at me while studying me closely.
Probably trying to decide if I was telling the truth.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3JdDyCSXBt
"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."572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqKrOyhAIk
"He... he... smiled. Raven, He smiled at her-her body... while she laid t-there..."
My voice was cracking now.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvBHJT1jJf2
I can't hold on,
Not anymore.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ2uwVUyjSd
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.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu7hJQnn16T
"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...?"572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT2783JXkZ1
"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.572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYE7UA38lRs
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
ns18.189.188.228da2
