5Hi everyone! Sorry I know I've been pretty rubbish lately. RL came calling and I also decided to do a bit of a re-edit. So Witness now looks slightly different and I'll be re-posting chapters to reflect this. Bare with me while I sort myself out.
Also it's done! Witness is now finished! Yay! So new chapters coming soon!
Enjoy the re-edit! Much love…And without further ado...
Witness In Memory
Sometimes in crime what you need is the perfect witness or…the perfect memory
Prologue: Smoke And Mirrors
"No one ever told me that grief felt so much like fear…" C.S Lewis
15 years ago…
The world had spread out before them with so much promise that morning. In their little golden bubble made of sheets and each other. He tangled his hands in her hair long and blonde as he pulled her in for another kiss. She laughed against his mouth.
The clack of a car door jolted them out of their sheet made paradise. "Oh for God's sake!" The girl said her blue eyes impossibly wide. "They're early." "Oh crap!" The boy said softly. They looked at each other and then in a flash they were out of their self made world, trying to make it back to reality and failing getting lost in quick sloppy kisses and hushed words instead.
It was a dash of quick kisses, hugs, and silent giggles and hushed voices that day with the spring sunshine spilling in through the window. The light of the day filled so much with promise as they scrambled for their clothes in their golden bubble. Their clothes were everywhere scattered round their bedroom. Happy sloppy kisses exchanged between a tangles of limbs trying to get their clothes on the right way. More kisses as she threw him his shirt. He caught it and pulled it over his head, his tousled hair now completely out of control. She pulled on her skirt quickly tucking her t-shirt in and pulling her hands through her hair. Her long blonde hair flowed down her back like a waterfall and her brown eyes danced with laughter as she looked at him. "I think I could get used to your hair like that," She said her voice full of laughter.
"You lie so much." He said laughing, taking a step towards her but then remembering himself. "Later." His eyes dark with promises. "I can't wait." She said softly.
He said nothing just smiled at her both of them finally ready to face the world. He moved round her and kissed the back of her neck before throwing the sheets into the air and deftly making the bed. "You'd make someone a good boyfriend." She said with laughter in her eyes. "Well I am kind of seeing someone you know…" He said his eyes intent as he looked at her. She looked away. "You know I'm not ready to tell the world yet."
"When though? 'Cause I want…"
But he didn't let it finish. Not today. They'd talked about that already. "I know. I'm working on it." She said softly. "I know." He said just as softly. "I just miss you and I hate that we're pretending to the world when we don't have too." He grabbed her hand. "No one would care you know." "I know." She pulled a hand through her hair. Her smile was bright but her eyes were troubled. "Soon. I promise." She grabbed his hand and squeezed.
He reeled her in by her hand and gave her one last quick kiss. Then they made their way out into the living room to make it look like that's where they'd been, the whole time his parents had been gone. It wasn't too far of a stretch their homework was right where they'd left it. She stayed long enough to see his parents and greet them and wish them well on their road trip and that she'd see them later at the charity bash, then she was gone.
There were 15 messages from her parents when they'd got back from Hexam that day wondering if they'd seen her. That was just the start of what was to come. A day went by, two and not a trace of her.
A week and then a month and all the while they hoped she would be found. But soon hope, while still there began to fade and his heart so open to love and promise the day he'd watched her leave, turned slowly to stone.