The Lost One (Lost Series Book 1) (2 page)

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T
hen my two weeks of hell began.

I’ve been sitting in this courtroom day in and day out, listening to the endless questioning from the lawyers to Abby’s colleagues and friends. How was Abby’s behaviour in weeks before she disappeared? Had anyone met the defendant, Jacob? Did they seem happy? Did she seem afraid of him? Hearing their responses has been excruciating, and I’m surprised to learn of all the things I
didn’t notice, such as how she had stopped going to work and often called off sick. I had no idea, because she wasn’t at home much. What kind of sister am I?

When they call me to the stand, my nerves are all over the place. I’m not sure if I am going to burst into tears or vomit. After I’m sworn in, the prosecutor is first up with the questioning.

“Miss White, Abby is your sister, correct?” She is an elderly lady with kind, brown eyes that urge me to answer her question.

“Yes,” I respond, my voice cracking.

“Did Abby confide in you about her relationship with the defendant?”

“No. Not about what happened in their relationship. Not long after they started dating, she began shutting me out. She only opened up to me the night she left, telling me how scared she was at how Jacob was going to react.” My heart is pounding in my chest and I’m sure everyone in the courtroom can hear it.

“Why did she shut you out?”

“I questioned her about bruises she began showing up with.” I look at Jacob, and his heartless, green eyes are staring back at me. I wish I could wipe that smug look off his face.

“How often did she show up with new injuries?”

“I can’t be too sure. I only saw them every now and then, so perhaps once a week, but then she started wearing more clothes and keeping herself covered.”

“Describe Abby’s behaviour in the weeks leading up to her disappearance.”

“Her personality and even her appearance changed. She didn’t seem to care anymore and dropped her normal standard. It was like her happy and caring soul had been taken from her.
Seeing it broke my heart.” My voice breaks and tears begin to fall. “Sorry,” I mumble into the tissue.

“It’s okay. When you’re ready, could you tell us about the night she disappeared?”

I nod and focus only on the prosecutor. I don’t want to look at my parents. I know my mum will be a complete mess. “Something with Abby had changed. She was a little happier, and she told me she was planning on leaving
him.
” I glance toward Jacob, giving him an ice-cold glare. I wish looks could kill. “I offered to go with her, but she assured me everything would be okay and she would see me later, but—” tears burn my cheeks again, “—later never came. I haven’t seen my sister since.”

The prosecutor thanks me and I’m allowed to leave the stand since Jacob’s lawyer has no questions for me. I return to my seat beside my mum.

Jacob is next to be called to the stand. When he gets up, he looks around at my family with an arrogant look on his face.
Arrogant arse.
The anger within me is slowly reaching a boiling point. I have so much hate and bitterness toward this man. I hope he gets what is coming to him. I hope karma comes around and punches him right in the face. I’m not usually a violent person, but my parents and I have been through so much lately, and I can’t take much more.

Jacob is sworn in and takes his seat. His lawyer is first up with questioning.

“Mr Smith, please tell the court your relationship with Abby White.” His lawyer is young, and I can only hope he is fresh out of law school and does a terrible job.

“We were in a relationship, a happy one and so very much in love.” His voice is full of confidence.
Liar!

He sits there all sure of himself. He has jet-black hair, with shining green fearless eyes. If I had met him on the street, not knowing what I do now, I would have considered him a nice guy.

“Were you in anyway abusive toward Abby?”

“No.”

“How do you explain the bruises?”

“Well, let’s just say she was a little clumsy at times and she also enjoyed things
rough.”
WHAT? He is so full of it! My hands begin to shake with my anger and I start looking at my hands, picking at my nails to keep my hands busy.

“Do you mean sexually?”

“Yes.” There is no way she was like that at all.

The questions continue to fly at him, and still he expresses no emotion as he sits up there and lies. All I hear are lies. They make my ears want to bleed. I hope they are just as clear to the jury. After both lawyers have finished, the jury is ushered away to make their decision. I sit in silence, praying it will all work out in our favour.

“Please stand,” I hear the court officer addressing the courtroom, pulling me out of my thoughts. I focus on the judge entering, followed by the jury. Feeling very anxious of what the outcome might be, my heart is racing and my stomach is twisting in multiple knots.

“Please be seated,” said the judge, slamming his hammer down for order in the courtroom.
I actually feel like I might be sick or pass out; I’m not too sure at this point. I feel my mother’s hand grab mine and squeeze. It’s a good comfort, and I feel myself calm a little. I look at my parents. Dad has his arm around her for support, and both look worn out from this whole ordeal, as I’m sure I do as well. Looking at Mum’s deep red hair, now with some grey spots through it, I notice how similar we look with our hair and crystal blue eyes. Abby was the opposite, even though we were twins. We weren’t identical twins, but fraternal. She had beautiful brown hair like Dad. So she gained most her features from Dad, while I gained mine from Mum, but we had the same clear blue eyes.

As we sit, all I can do is hope Jacob is found guilty. Then justice will be served for my sister. I look over at him, looking all calm and relaxed. He glances over his shoulder, catching my eye, and smiles. I feel the bile rise in my throat, and quickly look away, taking a few deep breaths to settle my stomach. I grip Mum’s hand harder.

“Has the jury reached a verdict?” asks the judge, looking toward the jury panel.

The spokesperson for the jury approaches the front, handing a piece of paper to the court officer, who takes it to the judge. My stomach is feeling like the sea in the middle of a storm. No matter how much breathing I do, it won’t calm, and if I keep the deep breaths happening, I might hyperventilate. The judge unfolds the piece of paper that holds the fate of that pathetic excuse of a human. He reads it before he hands it back to the court officer to give back to the spokesperson.

“We, the jury, find the defendant, Jacob Smith, not guilty.”

“NO! That’s not fair. He killed my sister!” I shout at the jury. I can hear my mother trying to calm me down, but all I feel right now is rage, rage and hate toward Jacob Smith. I watch him as he’s thanking his lawyer, shaking their hands, and smiling.
Oh, how I wish I could wipe that smile off his face
.

I don’t realise I’m crying sobbing actually, until my mother pulls me into her, and we cry together, standing here holding each other. Dad walks out after the verdict is read. He knows he won’t be able to control himself. I guess I get my temper from him.
I sense someone standing behind me.

“I’m sorry for your loss. I did love Abby very much.” I whip my head around to face the scum of the earth. Did he just say he loved her? I look Jacob in the face. There’s no compassion in his eyes; he never cared for her. I don’t know what comes over me. I just see red. I straighten up, turning my entire body toward him, and before he knows what’s happening, I clench my fist and let it fly right at his face, hitting him squa
re in between the eyes. I smile at him.
Take that, you pathetic excuse of a man!
I look around to see the officers looking my way, but they don’t come toward me. It actually looks like they enjoyed the show.

“
Oww, you bitch!” he yells, while clutching his nose. I don’t think it’s broken, but it is pouring out blood. Man that makes me feel much better seeing him in pain. I nearly laugh in his face, but think better of it. It was a dumb thing to do, but I feel so much anger toward him, and he deserves every bit of pain that comes his way.

“Don’t you ever speak to us again, and you have no right speaking about Abby at all. It’s your fault she is gone!” I yell at him as my mother grabs my arm, pulling me out of the courtroom doors. “You may have got off today, but we know the truth!” I continue yelling at him.

“Stop, Melodi, you’re going to make things worse. Abby wouldn’t want you to be like this,” I hear Mum say as she finally gets me out the doors and into the parking lot before I can do more damage.

We walk to the car in silence. I see Dad waiting for us near the car, pacing, anger written all over his face, his eyes glazed over with hate. I have never seen him looking so outraged in all my life. I look at Mum and see she is fighting off tears. I wish there is something I can do to take away their pain.

“I’m sorry, Mum. I know I shouldn’t have done that; something in me snapped and it just happened.” I grab her, stopping her from walking any further. I pull her to me, wrapping my arms around her. We stand there for a short time, holding each other, giving the support we both need right now. Dad comes over, joining in on the hug, and supports Mum and me while we cry. He always tries to be the tough one.

Mum pulls me out at arm’s length, looking at me with a mischievous smile on her face. She has red eyes and blotchy cheeks, but there is a little shining light in her eyes. Looking toward Dad, she says, “You would be super proud of the punch she just gave that lowlife, honey.” She gives a sad chuckle, which sets me off giggling. Dad looks surprised and confused; then pulls me into a Dad bear hug, laughing. It feels good to be smiling and laughing with Mum and Dad again. I know it will take a while to get over our loss, but we have each other.

“Wish I could have seen it,” he beams proudly.

We let go, walking to the car. “I love you, Mum and Dad.”

“We love you too, honey. We’re always here for you, no matter what. We need, more now than ever, to stick together.” Mum says, taking my hand giving it a light squeeze.

Someone standing near us clears their throat. “Excuse me, Mr and Mrs White?” We all turn and face a police officer standing before us. My heart sinks.
Oh, gosh, that punch has come back be bite me on the arse.
I look to Mum and Dad, who look concerned, as I’m sure I do too.

“Yes, that’s us,” my dad says formally. “Can we help you?”

The police officer looks really nervous; I can see small sweat beads forming on his brow. He looks young, maybe too young, to be a police officer. Perhaps he is a newbie. He has a strong build, about six foot tall, jet black hair, and bright green, sad but kind, eyes. Maybe it isn’t to do with my incident.

“Ah…yes, I just wanted to let you know how sorry I am for your loss. I—” his voice catches as though he is on the verge of tears, and he clears his throat, “—I knew Abby. I met her one day at the park. I was doing my normal rounds and I saw her sitting there alone…crying. I approached her and noticed bruises on her arms. We got talking and I tried to get her to put a Domestic Violence Order out on
this guy
and she said she would. I even gave her my number if she ever needed anything. I’m terribly sorry I didn’t do more.” He hangs his head in shame. Each word spoken is low and touches my heart.

I am on the verge of tears and my mother has tears streaming down her face, but Dad stands tall and walks over to the young,
handsome police officer.

“What’s your name, son?” Dad asks.

“Blake Johnson, sir.” His voice shakes from emotion, or fear; I’m not sure. I do know my dad can be a scary person sometimes.

Blake is taken completely by surprise when Dad, who is not a hugging kind of guy, pulls him into a short, manly hug. A lump forms in my throat at the sight of two grown men shedding a few tears.

“You did what you could, son. Don’t beat yourself up over it. It’s no one’s fault but that lowlife’s sitting in that courtroom now with a broken nose… hopefully.” He beams proudly at me. I give a weak smile.

“I know. I guess I will always think I could, no should, have done more to help her.”
“It’s all right. Just pick yourself up and go help those you can help now. Don’t live in the past.”

“Thank you, sir.” He stretches out his hand and Dad takes it. Blake then turns toward Mum and me. “You and your sister are both beautiful women. She talked about all of you that day, how much she loved you and appreciated all your support and encouragement. She was smiling when I left her,” he says with a sad smile of his own. ”A
gain, I’m sorry for your loss.”

Mum and I are standing here with tears still flowing down our face. I am so grateful he approached us. To know she felt our love and found this stranger to confide in makes me happy. Hearing she still had smilin
g moments lifts some of the weight off my heart.

We both hug this stranger and thank him for his kind words. He walks away looking a little more relieved than before. I leave feeling the first glimmer of peace since the night Abby disappeared.