Duskwood - For all the Ghosts that are never gone

Chapter 6: :)

Chapter 6: :)

Karen, a young, friendly woman in her early thirties, had brought the ordered coffee and biscuits. Plenty of them, too. Besides a considerable selection of biscuits, there were five muffins. Three with chocolate chips and two with blueberries. My empty stomach was very grateful for this. So I immediately took one of the chocolate muffins and ate it while Alan read out my personal data.

My name, my date of birth, my address, all this was correct. As Alan began the lecture, I sipped my coffee. Saying that it was the best coffee I had ever drunk would have been an exaggeration. However, it was very close.

"However, you do not have to incriminate yourself. Do you have any questions?"

"Yes, I understand completely," I confirmed and sipped my coffee anew.

"Why don't we start with how you got involved in the Hannah Donfort abduction case, [MC]. You're not even from Duskwood."

My eyes fastened on the large dictaphone and the black tape, moving from one reel to the other.

"Thomas messaged me and added me to a group."

Still looking at Alan.

"Thomas said he got my number from Hannah."

I reached for my coffee with a shaky hand.

"After she was kidnapped already."

The spilled coffee drops formed large stains on my blouse.

"Do you have any explanation as to why Ms. Donfort did this?"

Automatically I shook my head.

"For the record the witness is shaking her head," Alan's voice surprised me.

"Sorry, I didn't think of it," I said, my cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"It's alright. I still can do something like that, just like put it in the audio log like that. There' s really nothing for you to worry about. Your testimony is only to prepare the charges against Richy Rogers."

Alan had already told me that before we started the investigation. Actually, there had been no reason to be suspicious of this. But the fact that Alan was now officially taking it on board relieved most of my nervousness.

"Do you have any idea why Ms. Donfort might have sent your number to Mr. Miller of all people?"

"I really don't know Hannah. I hadn't even heard of Duskwood until the message from Thomas."

"Understandable. After all, they live several hundred kilometres away from our little Duskwood. However, surely you will have given some thought to, shall we say, your role. I'd just love to hear those theories."

I took the second chocolate muffin and took a piece. However, I held it in my hand and didn't put it in my mouth.

"Yeah. I think Hannah just mistyped it. Maybe she meant to send Richy's number. Or it was Jennifer's Hanson old number. But if you want to know the exact reason, you should ask Hannah, not me."

"We've already done that. However, Ms. Donfort assured us she hadn't mailed your number. She had lost her phone in the assault."

The piece of muffin I had just had in my fingers had fallen into my coffee. According to the laws of physics, the hot brew should burn on my skin, but I felt nothing.

"Ms. Lilly Donfort had mentioned a man in your video. Can you imagine him integrating you into that?"

"No.", I said with a vigorous shake of my head. "He was just trying to help."