The Four of Us

Chapter 1- Capital Offense

'A crime punishable by death'

Kat's POV

The Hawaiian breeze danced around in the air of my newfound hometown, Blackwater Bay. The name was the perfect amalgamation of darkness and terror which on the contrary was the complete opposite to what I was confronted with. A friendly sea-side town in Hawaii with warm welcoming people, breath-taking scenery from luscious beaches to dense forests. To sum it up, it was heaven on earth. I had been glad about my family's decision to relocate to Hawaii we all needed the change especially after what had happened back in our old hometown. Some secrets were just best kept buried, and here there was no way anything from the past could come back to haunt us.

Hawaii, I thought what a beautiful place to start afresh except, the rest of our family were already inhabitants of Blackwater Bay. The thought of being in close proximity to them made me nauseous. Hypocritical, vile creatures are but a few words to describe my extended family. If you want scandal, drama, dangerous affairs and backstabbing, look no further my family is full of it.

We were finally rebuilding our lives with what he had manage to salvage. I was fortunate that I had enough money in savings to open my law firm in Blackwater Bay. Soon I would be back to practicing law and all would be right with the world again. What better place than Hawaii to practice environmental law, a place where mother nature is still intact and at its purest.

The move had been nothing short of exhausting, all I wanted to do was snuggle in my bed and sleep for an eternity. My mother on the other hand was not a fan of this particular idea of mine. Instead, she preferred using her ball-buster attitude to make us do work around the house. 27 years and I still couldn't catch a break. I do have to admit that no matter what happened, I would be nothing without my family. We stuck together no matter how rough things had gotten over the past few years. All six of us still together and nothing was going to tear us apart this time.

I get up off the bed and make my way downstairs to find the whole house engulfed in darkness.

"Ray-Mumma, what happened?" I ask the shadowy figure in the kitchen.

"Wow Kat, we have been sharing a room for over 20 years and yet you think I look like our mother, much offense taken. I mean look at me, I am young and banging. Do I really look like a pre-menopausal old lady to you?" Says none other than my partner in crime and loyal steed Anna, she was the donkey to my Shrek.

"You have to admit our mother doesn't look rather old compared to other woman her age." I say in an attempt to reason with Anastasia, my mother and her never seized an opportunity to butt heads. So, me confusing the two of them for each other, would only cause problems.

"Anyway, I forgive you, come over here and taste the cake batter. I am trying something new for the bakery." Says Anna in an over enthusiastic voice as she points the wooden spoon in her hand in my direction.

"Are you going to bake the cake in sun." I say sarcastically as I drag my finger over the wooden spoon and place the green and white batter in my mouth.

"Firstly, you are rude, secondly dad is gone to fix the light issue and thirdly, how does it taste?" She says without taking a break. That's Anna for you, a chatterbox around people she knows and a monk around strangers.

"It is tasty as always Ana." I say as the peppermint taste lingers on my tongue.

"Perfect, I am making a peppermint tart but in cake form, so there is still caramel and mint chocolate to add." She says enthusiastically as she pours her batter into cake tins, white and green in equal parts to form a pattern.

"As much as I love your company Anna, where can I find your mother?" I say mockingly.

"She is your mother to you know, and she is in the lounge rearranging furniture."