Bertelli Investigations Volume 1: Noteworthy Mysteries

Chapter 29

"I told you guys,I don't know how those keys ended up in my purse!" Hannah had her head in both hands,leaning over the table. Her black mascara was slightly running down her face. Her short blonde hair had been messed up from her running her fingers through it out of stress." If I knew I would tell you."

"So did the keys just jump in there?",Tony asked sarcastically. Tino jabbed Tony's side with his elbow,reminding him that he needed to be professional.

Hannah wiped away the black smears running down her face. She sniffed and shook her hands in an aggravated way. "Look,I told you: I have never even seen those keys. I didn't kill Jade. I would have never done anything to hurt her. She was my sister and my friend. Why would I have killed her?"

"I don't know,maybe you were jealous of her?" Tino asked calmly.

"I have never been jealous of my sister!",Hannah exclaimed." She did nothing but get herself into trouble. I would never be jealous of her!"

"Miss Smith do you own any guns?",Tony asked.

"Guns?",Hannah scoffed." No. I have never even touched a gun in my entire life."

"Would you give us permission to search your house?",Tino asked

Hannah rolled her eyes,and sighed in disbelief."Yeah,sure. Go ahead. You can search that place from top to bottom. I promise there is zero evidence because I did not kill Jade.",Hannah's eyes formed with tears."In fact I'm still mourning her death. And I told you guys from the beginning: I was asleep at the time she was killed, you can ask my boyfriend."

Tino had an idea. They needed to see how a sample of her handwriting would turn up.

"Hannah do me a favor.",he said giving her a piece of paper from a nearby pen and notebook. "Write down a sentence for me. Write down, 'Let this be a warning.'"

"Why? What is this about?",Hannah asked as she scrunched up her face,wondering if this would only incriminate her or help her.

"Just do it." Tony demanded.

Hannah hurriedly grab the paper and pen and jotted down the sentence,then practically throwing the paper towards Tino.

As Tino studied the note he had a look of intrigue come upon his face. He knew those letters. He had clearly seen them all before.

Tino cleared his throat."Excuse us for a moment."

As the brothers stepped out if the room, Hannab was left wondering what would happen to her.Woukd sure be incarcerated for this murder? Or would she be set free? Only time would tell. And she really wasn't a fan of waiting.

"Tony this is exactly what the writing in the original note looks like.",Tino said as he hastily showed Tony the note.

Tony looked at the note and back at Tino."Are you sure?",he asked.

"Yes I'm sure", Tino replied woth stress added to his voice."I have studied that note for hours on end until my eyes bled,yes I am sure. The only slight difference is that the curve on the s isn't as swirly as the s in the other note. Besides that,every letter is structured perfectly the same."

Tony sighed and stared at Hannah through the one way mirror.It was unbelievable in a way,but as they both knew,sometimes the person that commits the murder is the least expected."So it looks like we have our killer. Now we just need more evidence."

"And if we have Jade's killer then we also have Tia's kidnapper."

The brothers entered the small interrogation room again,but this time more prepared to ask questions. They were ready to find their sister,and they were determined to get answers from Hannah despite how long it took. Their eyes were burning from tiredness and their bodies started to get a bit weak from exhaustion. But they knew that they had to push through how they felt.

As they sat back down,Tino tried to look Hannah in the eyes,being down to earth and real with her. "Now Hannah, I know that this isn't the outcome you were expecting, but we need to know the truth. Where is Tia?"

"Tia? Why would I know where Tia is? I told you I didn't have a part in this!",Hannah exclaimed with anger. Her heart was beating fast out of fear and she was feeling sick.

Tino pulled out his phone, going to a picture of the note left at their office. He showed Hannah the picture along with the note she just wrote."Look at your handwriting. Now look at this. This is a note that was left at the crime scene. Its just about a perfect match."

Hannah's mouth dropped. Her palms became sweaty and instead of her heart beating fast, it actually felt like it stopped."Oh my goodness, youre right.",she said in a quiet, unbelieving, voice."Look you guys have to trust me. I think I'm being set up."

"Who would set you up and why?",Tony questioned.

"I have no idea! But you have to believe me! I didn't write that other note,and I have no idea how your buisness keys got in my purse! I was in bed asleep when Jade was killed. And if I had done this,why would I be carrying those keys around? To incriminate myself?"

Tony shrugged."I'm sorry Hannah. We only believe evidence. And it's pointing against you. We're going to have to give you a DNA test."

"Fine. Do the DNA test right now! I don't care! I'm innocent!"Hannah's tears started to form in her eyes again."Am I going to be arrested?"

The brothers quickly glanced at each other, then looking back at Hannah." No,not at this time", Tony said in a regretful tone of voice."We don't have any solid evidence. But you will be under servelience until the DNA results come back. Now tell us," Tony leaned forward snd stared Hannah in the eyes,"where is Tia?"

Hannah became furious as her face grew red and her mouth clenched in anger." That's all your after isn't it? All this time and that's all your after! I hired you guys to find my sister, and all you guys are doing is try to find yours! You don't care about Jade or about catching her murderer! You just want to find Tia! Well guess what?! You're not going to get that answer from me! And you are not going to hear from me ever again unless it's through my lawyers!"