Eye Witness (Trifecta Challenge, Week 63)

Petar Milošević / Foter.com / CC BY-SA

Katje sat opposite the detective, cradling a cup of strong black coffee.

“Take a minute, collect your thoughts” he said.

Katje recalled the scene clearly; the tall assailant stepping from the shadows, the light reflecting from a raised knife, the scream before the man ahead had collapsed to the ground.  The attacker had snatched something from the victim’s coat, before colliding with her.

They’d both frozen with shock, staring at each other. Beneath the street lights she’d seen a cruel face, distorted by a scar running eye to chin.

Police sirens were drawing near, and the man had passed one hand across his mouth in a zipping motion, whilst drawing the other across his throat as if slashing. Then he’d run.

“Did you notice any distinguishing features, ma’am?  Tattoos, scars, anything like that?”

“Nothing,” she said.

“Height?”

“About my height I guess.”

“Another witness thought he was much taller, around five ten, five eleven.”

“I don’t think so.”  There was a silence.  Now she’d started down this path there was no turning back, and terror had her in its grip.

“Age?”

“Old-ish, I guess.  I’m not good at ages.”

“Middle aged, then?”

She nodded.  He’d been a young man.

There was a long pause.  The detective stared.

“I’m sorry,” she said, “I think I might be in shock.”  This sounded odd, like something an observer would say, not a victim. Things weren’t going well; he looked unconvinced.

“Could you identify him if necessary?”

She shook her head adamantly.  “It was dark, everything happened so quickly…  I was so frightened.”

When he’d finished with her she hurried home, occasionally glancing nervously behind her.  Arriving home she shrugged off her coat, running trembling fingers through her hair before entering the dimly lit kitchen.

Her lover looked up, the light from the candle reflecting on the shiny scar running from his eye to his chin.

“Well?” he growled.

“I told them nothing,” she muttered.

He continued counting the dollar bills spread before him on the table.

This week’s Trifecta Challenge had to incorporate the following word, with the third meaning.

PATH
1: a trodden way
2: a track specially constructed for a particular use
3a : course, route
b : a way of life, conduct, or thought

Please remember:

• Your response must be between 33 and 333 words.

• You must use the 3rd definition of the given word in your post.

• The word itself needs to be included in your response.

• You may not use a variation of the word; it needs to be exactly as stated above.

• Only one entry per writer.
• Trifecta is open to everyone.  Please join us.