Witness or Killer?

LadyDelores
Wednesday, October 25, 2000
Monday, October 30, 2000

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or any of its characters. This is for fan purposes only, and no infringement is intended.

Witness or Killer?

Prologue
Bra shook her purse again as she looked through the contents on the counter. She took another sip of her soda and started stuffing her loose change and receipts back in her purse. She gave an exasperated sigh to the clerk and started on the last zipper pocket. She couldn't find her keys. The clerk looked to the clock again before turning back to Bra. "Miss Briefs?"

Bra looked at the clock. "Closing time?" She slid more loose change into her purse and reached for her bags.

"You can always go to the Laundromat. They're open all night. They might have a payphone you can use."

"Okay," Bra followed the clerk out of the store. He began locking the doors, and Bra started to walk away, "Thanks," She left the jewelry store and ran across the deserted street to the 24-hour Laundromat.

No one was in the Laundromat at twelve fifteen. The soft whir from the back of the room told her that someone would soon be back. Bra tossed her empty soda can in the garbage can, and went in search of a pay phone. The cash register was empty as Bra made her way back to the entrance. Someone should have been there, and she got a nauseous feeling as she approached the counter. She felt a SQUISH under her shoes and looked down. Sticky red blood oozed from the behind the counter. She stepped closer and saw that the blood was gushing from someone's wrist. A wrist that was not attached to an arm. Bra felt the bile rising up her throat as the blood drained from her face. She tried to back away, but found herself stepping closer. A crimson path led from the counter to the small door in the back of the room. The rest of the body had been dumped in the restroom, the head plunged into the toilet and the full arm crushed with the wrist slit.

Bra gagged and stepped back. Her shoes slipped on the floor, sending her crashing against the dryer. Something clattered from behind the next row of washers, and Bra heard footsteps approaching. A face appeared, smudged with blood and eyes narrowed with rage. In his left hand he held a crimson knife, in his right several sweaty dollar bills. Bra's body refused to move as the man took a step backward. He broke into a run and soon disappeared from sight.

Bra struggled to get up as the victim's blood soaked into her clothes. She pushed herself to her feet and went to the next row of washers. There, a middle-ages woman was crumpled on the floor, blood flowing from her mouth. Her eyes were wide and her breathing shallow. Bra rushed to her side and the woman rolled her eyes upward to look at her. Her breath shuddered as she grabbed Bra's hand. "Ro..." her eyes fell shut and she stopped breathing. Bra jerked herself from the floor and went in search of the phone. She stumbled against the washer and fell to the floor. Her head hit the corner and rocked to a shaky stop.

Chapter One
The light stung Bra's eyes as her eyelids slid open. She quickly squeezed them shut, but soon opened them again. Her fingers found her temple and she felt the rough texture of gauze on a bandage. She opened her eyes a little more, and saw the agitated face of her father looking down on her. "Papa!" Her eyes slid over to the worried face of her mother.

"Are you all right, dear?"

"Yeah. My head hurts, but ... " she brought a hand to her forehead. "What happened?"

"We were hoping you could tell us, Miss Briefs." Bra turned to the door, where a handsome man stood standing with a notepad. He came in, and sat on the right side of her bed. Bulma and Vegeta took places on the other side of the hospital bed. "It's important that you tell us the truth, Bra." The detective smiled grimly.

"Okay." She looked back to the frowning face of her mother. "What's this about?"

"Miss Briefs, where were you last night?"

"I went shopping." She bit down on her lip, "Maggie's Jewelry Store,"

The detective frowned. "The store closed at ten. Where did you go after that?"

Bra's eyes settled on her father's agitated face. "I don't know. I guess I went home." She looked around the room. "Why am I in the hospital?"

"I see," the detective scribbled in his notebook. "Bra, you were found at the Laundromat early this morning. Do you remember going to the Laundromat?"

Bra shook her head. "Why would I go there?" The detective wrote more in his notepad.

"Does she need a lawyer?" Bulma asked sharply.

"Yes, Mrs. Briefs, I think that would be advised."

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Sorry it's so short! I just know you loved it!

Not that anyone actually read this, but thanks for being such a great audience. I seem to have caught HG - Mercury's disease of writing about Bra, not that I would like to be anything like that annoying bitch. I figured I would give writing seriously a try, and if it doesn't work, I can always go back to such masterpieces like "Well..." Oh yeah, if bob (the one who reviewed "Well..." part two) reads this, please e-mail me. I would like to talk with you. lady_delores_no_space@hotmail.com