Private Detective Jacklyn Holmes had a gift that no one else knew about. She could see what animals saw and use their memories to solve crimes. She was called “The Witness” by the police, because she always found the clues that others missed. She had solved many unsolvable murders, but there was one case that haunted her.
It was a cold night in December, when she arrived at the crime scene of a wealthy businessman who had been stabbed to death in his penthouse. The place was a mess, with blood splattered everywhere and signs of a struggle. The only witness was a pet turtle that belonged to the victim. Jacklyn knew that reptiles were harder to communicate with, but she had no choice. She picked up the turtle and looked into its eyes.
She felt a jolt of pain as she entered the turtle’s mind. She saw flashes of images: the victim coming home with a suitcase full of money, a masked intruder breaking in, a knife glinting in the dark, a scream, blood. The turtle had hidden under a couch, terrified. Jacklyn tried to focus on the intruder’s face, but it was blurry and distorted. She couldn’t make out any features. She felt dizzy and nauseous. She dropped the turtle and gasped for air.
Jacklyn looked around, hoping to find another animal witness. Maybe a mouse in the wall, or a spider on the ceiling. But there was nothing. She was out of luck. She had failed.
She left the crime scene, feeling defeated and frustrated. She wondered if she would ever catch the killer, or if he would strike again. She wished she had a better gift, one that didn’t depend on animals. She wished she could see what humans saw.
But she couldn’t.
She was “The Witness”, and that was her curse.
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