The Misplaced Case File

Chapter 1

Chapter 1 - The Murder

Willow

My name is Willow Mills. The day I was born was December 25, 1977. I was born in Mississippi. I was also born with cerebral palsy. When I was a baby, my mother abandoned me and my father. Dad took care of me and my aunt helped with that. My Aunt Jennifer is my mom's sister. Grady is the son of my aunt. My dad and my aunt did get married and he adopted Grady. Grady's my best friend and I love him as my brother. I love to read mystery stories. The classes I was taking were online. I've always wanted to be a writer, but my paralegal classes were keeping me busy.

I am hoping once I get my degree I can get a job. I have a cat named Pepper. I am also hoping to get my own place. I cannot afford to live on my own just yet. I woke up around 1:00 PM. My dad went to town to get groceries. I am bored with nothing to do. The weather was sunny. My Aunt Jennifer was an actress. She was in England making a movie. I did have a crush on a boy named Nicholas Edwards. I had liked Nicholas since I was ten years old, but I don't think Nicholas feels the same way.

Dana

Dana was not happy. Dana's husband George was a jerk. George was sleeping around with other women. She really wanted to work things out with her husband but he was never home. George claimed to be working late, but Dana of course, doesn't believe that. The relationship between Dana and her parents isn't great. After graduating high school, she married George to get out of her parents' house. Dana was close to her sister Susan. Dana was also close to her brother-in-law Christopher Singer. Christopher is a criminal attorney. Christopher is in England right now working on a case.

The next morning, Dana woke up and she saw that her husband George was dead. Dana got up to call the police. The police did not take too long to get to her house. Dana felt as if the police were rude to her, almost as if they were treating her like a suspect. Dana hoped they could find her husband's killer soon. Dana called her sister Susan and she told her what had happened.

The police took Dana in for questioning. Susan became angry that the police treated Dana as a suspect. Susan thought the police should be open to other suspects. George had a lot of enemies. George had affairs with other men's wives. Susan's husband Christopher was busy, so he couldn't defend Dana. The police arrested Dana. The prosecutor tried to cut a deal with Dana. If she pleads guilty, she would get less time in prison. Dana did not want to plead guilty because she was innocent.

Weeks later, Dana was at court. She couldn't believe that the witnesses were lying about her. Dana did not kill her husband. It didn't take too long for the jury to find her guilty of murder. She was absolutely distraught about the fact that she was going to prison for a crime she did not commit. Dana was furious with the jury for being so blind to her innocence. Dana was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Susan told Dana that she can appeal her case and that Christopher will defend her next time.