Athena's POV
Two days passed and it seem like I got used to not talking to Liam already. Today, I sat quietly as usual but the practical class was a bit tiring and it seem like I wasn't going to get hold of it. My thread fell off the table and I reached for it. I glanced at Liam, he was busy with the practice too. With attractive eyes and long, neat fingernails, I watched him as he meticulously finished the threadwork for his garment.
'Listen up everyone ' a voice called out distracting me. Everyone looked at the young lady with curiosity written over their face. 'They found a girl's body in the woods this morning.' she announced but there was no reaction from anyone in the hall.'She was found dead' she added straining the last word.
Then the outburst came, I tightened my grip on the thread as I heard everyone murmur. It was the girl from that night. I felt sick for a moment as I recalled what happened that night. I should have helped her that night, she was still breathing when I got to her but I couldn't. Liam didn't seem disturbed by the news, he focused on his embroidery designs for his garment. I wished I could talk to him but I couldn't–this agony is mine alone to bear.
******
Emma's POV
He stood there with poise, his brown fierce eyes and short dark hair and, He was wearing a pale green coat over jean trousers. 'Can I come in?' he asked skeptically. I guess I was taking too long already.
'Yes you can' I moved away from the door and ushered him in. He observed the room for a while before settling into the sofa. The room was small and tidy. I poured out some tea and he muttered his appreciation quietly.
'Do you stay alone?' he asked.
This morning I had earlier received a letter from the Police Department saying a detective would visit me and there he was–he was in his mid-sixties and he had a
grumpy look. He took a notepad out of the briefcase on his lap.
'No' I answered.
'I am Kione Elliott' he introduced raising a Police tag.
'Emma Kamila' I told him crossing my legs.
'Do you know any Diane? Diane Elliott?'
'Are you her father?'
He gave me a cold stare, drumming on the table with his fingers, after giving it a deep thought he finally asked,' Does it make any difference to you if she was?'
'I didn't kill her...,' I looked away.
'You know she's dead?' he asked again surprised. This time he watched me with keen interest. It was no news anymore because bad news spreads like wildfire here in the village. Even though it was confirmed yesterday, everyone seemed to have heard it already. Whether he was truly surprised or not, it didn't matter to me.
'You both were never on good terms till she died. Why is that?'
I stared at him with disdain. Diane must have taken after him–heartless and selfish and I didn't feel bad for her, it felt great to me that she died. 'She took what was mine.'
'Oh I see' he murmured and wrote in his notepad.' That'll be all for now. Thank you for your time ' he smiled wryly and walked towards the door.
This is not good too– I thought.
Minerva's POV:
Aunt Kathy sat with Mother consoling her, I sat down somewhere else in the room and my heart ached every minute. Diane's lifeless body was found yesterday in the woods, now it dawned on me that Diane wasn't missing—she was dead. Mother cried bitterly.
We'll miss Diane. Her smile and her coolness, her love and generosity, and all the bad times we spent together as a family.
'Minerva' Tessa called quietly. Her confusion was written all over her face.
'Come here I embraced her crying.
All we could do was wait for the autopsy results but Father was certain that Diane was murdered. It troubled my heart greatly to have thought that someone doesn't like Diane and killed her because of that. Diane was nice and harmless, she had a smile always and she was my source of strength and happiness. That happiness I couldn't find with our parents–she gave me that and I felt indebted to her every single day. I can't pay her back now because it is late already.
Father is a detective. He'll find her killer assuredly.
Kione's POV
The papers landed on the table with a thud. I adjusted my eyeglasses heaving, I could hear Sathiya talk to Tessa—our youngest daughter in the other room. In my notepad, I read through the names again;
Diane Elliott
Minerva Elliott
Emma Kamila
Alfredo Davina
Eloise Ford
Diane is the murder victim and the other four were her acquaintances and they happened to be close suspects. I brooded over the names over and over. I met up with Emma Kamila the day before and she was suspicious. Most haters of a murder victim tend to feel sorry after the news of the victim's death gets to them but that wasn't the case for Emma. It seemed like she was taking the grudge with Diane to her own grave too. But something was odd, Diane is the most gracious and likable of all my daughters, what could she have done that could have caused Emma to be filled with contempt towards her? There was a need to meet Emma again but who do I meet today? I thought as I studied the names again.
Alfredo Davina!
The name rang in my head violently. And of course, I should meet him– Diane was betrothed to him. He should know something about her death. I cleared my throat before looking in the mirror.
My tired eyes and weary face, I am too old for this but Diane is my daughter and someone has killed her, I need to find the killer and punish him by the law. The autopsy results will be out tomorrow and I'll know the nature of her death.
*******
Liam's POV
I looked up to see whoever it was that was standing before me and there she was
Her hair fell over her shoulders, the rose perfume scent was nice, and she looked serious crossing her hands across her chest, her brown eyes staring into mine with a questioning look. Her red dress clinging to her body and I could see her chest rise and fall rapidly–it must have taken a lot of courage to stand here. She reached out for my hand and before I could think, she dragged me with all her strength.
'What are you doing?' I muttered scowling, those brown eyes of hers were pleading quietly and I figured I had to follow her even though it didn't make any sense.
'I called the jury' she declared.
Silence reigned—I tried to think about what she had just said and I didn't understand what she meant. The jury were individuals from the village that judged a case in the court–these cases must have been judged by the judiciary and the only reason why the jury can judge again is the presence of evidence or witness that was absent during the first trial.
So I wondered if she had an ongoing case or if she was in trouble. 'Did you do something? Why did you call the jury?'
Disappointed at my confusion she rolled her eyes, she was pissed off.
'Don't you want to prove your innocence?' she asked. Then I understood why she called the jury and my soul dampened.
'You did what?' I growled. 'Athena!'
She was quiet for a moment, she swallowed and took a few steps towards me–her gaze fixed intently on my face.'You can hate me all you want now but I'm sure you have nothing to regret if you prove your innocence' she advised quietly. How I wished I could tell her I couldn't hate her even if I was angry, keeping her out of my head wasn't something I succeeded at, and every time she wasn't looking; I was watching her to be sure that she was fine. Staying away from her has been hard and here she is ignorantly causing a distance between us.
'What if I am not innocent?' I shouted furiously making her shriek. 'Who do you think you are to meddle with my life? Does it make any sense to you? You don't even know what happened so please stay away and mind your business from now on!' I scolded. I observed how she tried to not be defeated by my words tightening her grip. I couldn't let her meddle with my business with Kione Elliott, she doesn't understand how much of evil he is.
' I've got witnesses. And the hearing date has been fixed. Just tell the girl to show up and let's deal with it once again '
'If this is because you pity me, stop it immediately. y' I quietly told her but the look in her eyes said it all. She wasn't ready to stop now. And I couldn't let her ruin her own life because of me. The jury couldn't be dissolved and the case must be heard. Can't she just sit by my side as always until things become better? Kione Elliott isn't the man to play around with, he could harm her too and that was what bothered me. It was certainly the reason why Father didn't agree with me when I was accused the first time. He wouldn't dare to say or do something so it won't become worse than it already is and I had to take the blame for what I didn't do. I lost my VIP membership in the Academy, my Father was stripped of his title in his office–he was the Minister of Health, and my Mother was locked up in a room for three months —a punishment for giving birth to a son who sexually assaulted a lady.
But then Minerva used to be a friend and one I liked so much. She had always told me about how her life had been hell living with her own Father and how he doesn't care about anyone in his family and that day...
'I don't pity you..' she muttered fighting back tears. 'I ....' she went silent then after regaining her stability, she stepped back. 'Can you stop avoiding me now? My Father isn't Kione Elliott and my brother isn't like him too. I don't want to sit by you like a doll and do nothing when there is an alternative.'
'Athena' I heaved
'Think about it, Liam. The hearing is still in five days.' and she left almost immediately. What do I do now? I needed to let her know that the girl in question lost her sister a few days ago and it was murder. What do I do with this determination of yours Athena—my heart ailed.