10.08.2017588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFQFcwB3Wzw
5:30 pm588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUMXyZxUa2k
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...588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZnblVvhyG3
"Mr. William"588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp8L97k1xgW
I wanted to do it too...588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI7y44Gsv3y
"Mr. William"588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqu7B8Wf32o
Was I nervous too?588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQHAIDHwHW9
"Sir!"588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Oj3TsfKW4
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.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgY9CMBzAD9
"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 voice588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ZwT38aIxh
Mr. Robert Faloney, the most cunning prosecutor living.
He is probably the reason corruption exists.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡknxWDE8R7q
"Yes, I work with my sister, Raven Winter."588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡObfeJpVZYz
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."588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrIfBzh9NVz
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, 588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMGBZn2xObq
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.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgmAOoTGoSI
I looked around until I caught my sister's eye. She gave me a subtle nod and smiled my way.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7vIMqE3nN3
That was all I needed...
For now.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJXYZGBavAu
"She called me, Bella did."588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFrHECzOMVK
"Are you saying that, Miss. Bella called you over herself?"588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcM5j0NxVc4
"Yes."588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSMnHIiO2cn
"For what reason?"588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmJzPjh3Udd
"She had told me that she wanted to tell me something important."588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOdX4ChgjE
"Do you have an idea of what that might be?"588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHraUQUxq0t
"No."588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPvPk9kCVTI
"And so, you walked down to her house?"588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡROSCpUkJ1R
"Yes, it was only a few blocks away."
"Did you go empty-handed?"588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡom28qIiwpW
I paused for a minute.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4GRy6uPadD
I have to stay strong,
I need to get out of here,
I need to catch him...588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvh6nJOmQxR
"No, I bought flowers along the way. White roses with a hint of pink."
"Did you, by any chance, have feelings for Bella or- "588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuXPqE1Qmub
"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.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUpPRhjX6s7
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.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeIzVWiLdJb
"Objection dismissed." The judge announced as he turned toward me again.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡioiGa6tVk1
"No, we were just friends," I answered.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiu6oEYyNsi
"Are you sure?"588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDMbT78YmL9
"Yes."
"What did you see when you entered the house?"588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFoH0SbEhE5
What did I see?
What did I see...588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbkdugDHXtv
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...588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaebQsVll2C
"I saw... her in the l-living room." I started. "She had been hit... No, umm..."588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuDPejoAFnq
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.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQpUarDYWtS
You have to stay strong.
For her.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOqHAz0IB7z
"Your honor, clearly my client is not comfortable in sharing a memory of his friend who was bludgeoned to death."588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWVA0jAVX35
I flinched hearing the last words Jenny spoke.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMpxCLknZTu
"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.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmONycN9vJ
I felt a hand caress my shoulder, "Are you okay?" Raven's voice spoke softly.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN4tWkDzcCQ
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...588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXhBjoORHCM
That smelled like... Anna...588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiOvHswsFeK
"William!" Anna exclaimed as she ran into my arms. Picking her up I held her close to me.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAOqRO0mZps
I never get tired of that strawberry scent...588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfD9x4pm4vW
"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.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGgMNYY3Dma
"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.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHAqqDgimyG
"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.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC0Q7uM8JFK
"That's enough of playing around. Let's go home..." Raven spoke.
Home...
After all of this, I still had a home...
-
11. 08. 2017588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFvp2dysDHe
2:00 am588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm0xqlyVpyA
The Winter estate.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2uQAuUBbtQ
588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcsOKUDu9Kj
"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..."588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ26LTkNyWAt
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.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg7zHJqFZ1o
"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."588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKLRpeSRSqU
Raven narrowed her eyes at me while studying me closely.
Probably trying to decide if I was telling the truth.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4wAVLNyRFK
"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."588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKpM0zXnyS6
"He... he... smiled. Raven, He smiled at her-her body... while she laid t-there..."
My voice was cracking now.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHcNu4wkfur
I can't hold on,
Not anymore.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz3iRYmwlEY
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.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhkZNVkET4D
"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...?"588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaoMVe8ROFt
"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.588Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSaQvoRKCE5
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
ns18.116.242.144da2
