𝐁𝐎𝐑𝐍 𝐓𝐎 𝐃𝐈𝐄 - 𝐒𝐈𝐗

"𝐢𝐟 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥, 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐰?" - 𝘫𝘰𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘢𝘦𝘻

WARNING: please be aware that this chapter does contain some description of murder and dead bodies. read at your own discretion. my dms are always open.

The chip hadn't turned anything up. Forensics had told the detective that the piece of evidence was too damaged to recover anything which meant that Harry Winks still wasn't in the clear. In fact, he looked even worse now because a new body had turned up at the training centre.

"Howard, what have we got?" Harper asked her partner but she didn't need a verbal response.

Harper Hayes looked down at the ground and saw a man in his early forties who had no physical injuries but was very visibly dead.

"He's going to the coroner now since forensics have sweeped the scene but you're not going to like this, Harps." Howard Benson spoke to the smaller detective in a hushed tone, not wanting any of the footballers who were crowding the scene, to hear what he had to say, "Harry Winks is the last person to be seen leaving this room."

Harper's eyes darted over to the brunette boy who was standing away from the crime scene, looking ghostly pale.

"I'll talk to him. You need to start interviewing people again but this time, start with the backroom staff. I don't think a footballer would ruin their rep by doing something like this." The raven haired girl insisted. She needed to find out why harry continued to get himself into situations like the one that he was currently in. Harper still didn't believe that he was guilty. She still entertained the idea that he was too much of a gentle soul to be able to commit such a crime.

The detective found herself pushing past people who were working on the case in an attempt to reach Harry Winks and when he saw her, he immediately grabbed her arm and pulled her to the side, "I didn't do it." He confessed, pleading his innocence and Harper nodded her head in sympathy.

"I know you didn't, Harry. I just need time and your help. I'll clear your name. I promise."

It was a big promise for Harper Hayes to make. She could only clear his name if she could get the evidence that she needed but whoever the killer was, they were being very careful not to leave any trace of themselves.

Harper was frustrated with herself. She could usually solve a case in no time at all, building a very strong case and sending the criminal to jail for a long time. This one was different though. There were all sorts of complications and twists and Harper almost never saw them coming.

"Why do you think I'm innocent?" The London boy questioned. He knew that he was innocent but he looked guilty and he needed to know why the beautiful detective was so confident in him.

"My gut tells me that you didn't and my gut never lies." It was a pretty simple explanation for harper. most people would prefer to rely on the science side of things. It made sense since it was all fact based but the raven haired detective knew that she could always rely on her gut and her instincts. They were always right.

"I need to go but meet me tonight at my flat. I'll make us dinner and you can tell me everything that you know." As the detective was finishing up with the number one suspect, she slipped a note into his large, warm hands with her address scribbled onto it but harry called out, "Is this a date?" Harry was so sweet and naïve sometimes but Harper liked it. He was cute but she wouldn't tell him that. Not yet at least.

"It can't be. I can't go on a date with a person of interest but," The detective turned back around to face the footballer who was wearing his Spurs tracksuit. Harper placed a flirty smile upon her face and replied, "If you want a date with me, ask me after the case and I might say yes."

Harry Winks stood in the corner of the room with a dazed look upon his features. He couldn't believe what harper had just said. He could potentially get a date with the prettiest detective he had ever seen. Her words also filled him with hope. Not necessarily about the date with her but about the fact that she seemed to think that he would be a free man after this was all over.

"She really does think that I'm innocent." Harry whispered to himself as he decided that it would be best to leave the crime scene and meet up with his teammates so that training could get underway.

Of course, Harry still felt weird knowing that Cassandra Baker and Ian Jones were dead. Cassandra was a lovely woman who always treated Harry with nothing but kindness. He had even met her kid and despite not being the one who had killed her, he felt guilty about the fact that they now had to grow up without their mother. Ian had been a quiet man but still, he was polite. Harry had never really spoken to him before but he seemed nice enough.

The footballer could only hope that the families of the deceased would wait until the case closed to blame someone for the death of their loved ones. Harry really didn't want to have the blame put on him when he didn't do anything wrong. He was being framed.

"Winksy, you alright?" Dele called out to his friend, noticing how spaced out he was. Dele had a feeling why Harry was so out of it because if he was being honest, Dele felt the same way. The taller of the two boys knew that Harry was innocent but the police didn't seem to think so and that put Dele at risk too for he could be convicted as an accessory to murder.

"That Harper girl is going to clear us, you don't have to worry. Come on." Dele slung his arm over Harry's shoulder and lead him towards the rest of the team on the training pitches.

Harry's life felt like a blur. It didn't seem real to him. How could a normal boy like him be caught up in the middle of two murders?

a/n: things have really been turned up a notch! this is still only the beginning so keep an eye out for what's to come. also, there are clues in the chapters that will help you piece together some of the case so keep your eyes peeled.

just a fair warning: i won't be updating this book every second day anymore. i start uni later this month and because i don't know what my schedule will look like. obviously i want to keep writing but i probably won't be able to do it as much.

who's the best player you've seen play for your side during your lifetime?
- probably stevenson or mcginn that i can remember.

enjoy and stay safe!

lots of love, e x