Minerva's POV
'Oh my!...' I exclaimed. I had decided to step out of the house for fresh air and immediately I opened the gate; the tall, dark man startled me. He was leaning on his car and he seemed impatient. Trying to figure out who it was, I moved closer to him taking each step cautiously.
'Minerva' he called softly and I recognized the voice immediately. Now I didn't move anymore, he walked toward me instead.
'Arthur! What are you doing here?' I knew I would be in trouble if Father showed up at this moment but my peace wasn't all that disturbed; unlike Liam, Arthur could escape my Father's wrath because he —Arthur was the King's son. It must be very important—whatever had brought him to my father's house. It has been ages since he was here and that was when we were still friends but the incident with Liam brought me misfortune as every schooler thought of me as a vulnerable lass with an evil Father; they had to stay away. At first, I felt pity for myself but immediately I realized that Liam's misfortunes were innumerable, I lived with mine quietly. Sincerely, I was glad but I hoped it wasn't bad news.
'I'm sorry about your sister.' he sympathized and all I do was nod smiling.' Someone called the jury on behalf of Liam' he added after a brief silence.
'The jury?' I asked to be sure I heard right. I thought about it carefully and it didn't take me too long to understand what Arthur meant. A surge of happiness and bitterness together in me, I was happy because it was my opportunity to forgive myself and earn the acceptance I once lost. Things were going to change for Liam too but then Diane had just died and no one–not even Father would like the idea of facing the jury.
It wasn't Liam who called the jury by the way, whoever it was, it wasn't someone who knew my Father.'Who did it?'
'Athena' he hesitated. 'She had called the jury before she told him.'
He was trying to prove Liam's innocence I understood but then it wasn't my problem.
Her name didn't seem familiar but I wanted to know who she was.
'Who is she?'
'She is a new schooler from town'
There must have been a relationship between her and Liam because why would she call a jury because of an incident that happened about two years back? I pondered on the type of relationship they shared and how they got to know each other but I couldn't get my assumptions so I left it.
'When is the hearing?' I heard myself ask crying. It was hard to see a stranger do things for Liam –a town person at that.
Many questions came across my mind, wanting to know how Liam was faring and how he was taking things. I hoped someone would be there to mourn with me but not until today did anyone show up. He didn't just show up, he came with heartbreaking news too.
Kione's POV
I walked into the laboratory swiftly ignoring everyone I came across. I received a letter that says that the autopsy results were ready.
'Detective Kione!' the husky voice called excitedly. It must be the doctor as no one calls me by the detective title. I turned towards the direction of his voice and I saw the short, chubby man in a white coat –he waved at me eagerly.
'So it was an accident?' I asked again a second time. We had settled into his office a few minutes ago and he reported a detailed analysis of what probably happened to Diane. Broken bones, a damaged spinal cord, several bruises, and an internal hemorrhage.
'She must have died from the internal bleeding. If only she was found earlier....' he ended quietly. But that didn't bother me, I was confused at the fact that it was an accident that killed Diane but then it might have been planned. 'One more thing Mister Kione..... there was a bottle of alcohol with her and....'
'Diane doesn't drink' I retorted rolling my eyes in disappointment. Someone must have dropped it there to make us believe she got hit in her drunken state. Another idea struck me. 'Did you say it was an accident?' I asked a third time but the doctor only nodded this time. 'She was dumped in the woods.' I said and rose from the chair.
The Doctor frowned confused.
'The accident couldn't have happened in the woods. It must have happened on the bridge' I explained hoping he would understand which he did. He seemed amused by my words. 'I'll see you again Doctor' I muttered and walked out.
Even if it wasn't intentional, someone must have killed her and hidden her body away in the woods to keep his secret. Most car owners were males, only a few women rode a car thus the higher probability that the killer was a man. It could be a woman too, I decided to take things slowly from that point.
And before visiting anyone again, I knew I needed to find Diane's car' and visit the place her body was found.