The Darkness Within

by Deorre, Iris

  ‘We will be in touch as soon as we can be. Sorry we can’t tell you right now where he is.’

  ‘Yes I understand.’ That didn’t make anything easier. For now, she’d just have to cope without him.

  ****

  ‘So I’ll see you a bit later beautiful woman.’ He gave her a kiss at the door. ‘You have a good day at work. Not the time to be leaving though.’ They’d had a lie in.

  ‘That’s all your fault for keeping me in bed.’ She laughed.

  ‘I’d say it’s more your fault with that delicious body of yours.’ He gave her another kiss. ‘I’ll keep you posted on the others. I’m sure my assistant will find them very soon.’

  ‘I trust he will.’

  Again he kissed her and headed for the waiting car. Freya headed for the car that was waiting for her too. It was going to be a long, but interesting day.

  ****

  The detective and his partner arrived at the car dealership. Lucy, Lewis’s assistant was ready and waiting. There were other sales people and the boss had also come into the dealership because it wasn’t like Lewis not to check in with him the day of a sale. He too was worried.

  ‘Please have a seat,’ she offered.

  ‘Thank you.’

  ‘Do you know what’s happened to him? We’re all very worried about him. He’s always in touch so when I heard nothing from him I knew something was wrong.’

  ‘We don’t know yet. I just have a few questions and perhaps you could give me a brief on the man he was selling the car to.’

  She nodded. ‘He’d had a meeting with a Mr Banks.’

  ‘Do you have a first name?’

  She checked her notes. ‘Ferguson Banks. He works in oil. Has an oil company and is very successful.’ She turned her laptop around to show him who she was talking about.

  ‘I see.’ He took notes. ‘So he went to see this man last night?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Why wasn’t the business conducted on the premises?’

  ‘It’s usual for clients to want to talk to us off the premises. It’s just the way. Sometimes we go to their homes, or wherever they want us. They’re spending big money so they get to call the shots.’

  ‘Nice for them.’ He didn’t seem too impressed. ‘Do you keep footage of visits? I see you have cameras positioned around the office.’

  ‘Yes we do.’

  ‘Great, we’d like to scan through the footage. Anything that could lead us somewhere. It would be good if we pick up something. Anything.’

  ‘Yes of course. I’ll have security forward that on to you.’

  ‘That will be helpful.’

  They asked a few more questions hoping it would lead to some more leads, but it didn’t. He wanted to speak to this Mr Banks, but not before finding out more about Lewis. If he could find a flaw in Lewis, perhaps it would be the same man he was after, but if not they would be back to square one.

  ‘Thanks you for your help,’ he shook her hand. ‘We’ll be in touch.’ With that they left.

  ****

  ‘So how’s it going?’ Bailey asked her boss with a slight smile.

  ‘How’s what going?’ Freya knew exactly what Bailey was talking about, but didn’t feel like playing that game.

  ‘You know. With Mr tall dark and handsome or sexy. You’re glowing. He seems good for you. You seem a lot more focused.’

  ‘Perhaps he is. And to answer your question, I think it’s going well. I do like him and it takes a lot for me to like someone.’

  ‘Yes I agree; he must be really special.’

  ‘Yes he is. Now what’s going on today? I see I have a meeting at twelve, and an interview at two. I’ve got to go over the magazine proofs before we release next month’s issue. It’s all none stop.’

  ‘It is, but everything is under control so you don’t need to worry.’

  ‘Yes. Thanks to you. I guess we better get working.’

  ‘Good idea.’ Bailey left her to get on with work.

  ****

  Ferguson was happy. Two more names had been delivered and their whereabouts. All he needed was a plan to get them to where he needed them to be. Trevor hadn’t done well for himself. He’d struggled with drugs and alcohol and had only manged to get himself a minimal job as a shop assistant. It was a waste of his degree. He didn’t have a wife or children, so no one would really miss him. Perhaps his parents, but Ferguson didn’t really care about that. All he wanted was to capture him and end him. Blake on the other had was a successful stock broker. Ferguson knew just how to get to a man like him. He had an idea that he thought might excite Freya. It was nice to enjoy his secret with her. At least she didn’t think he was a freak, just like he knew she wasn’t. Both of them just coped with things differently.

  ****

  The detective studied the Lewis’s Facebook page. He had so many friends he wondered if he’d be able to get anything substantial from it.

  ‘Got anything?’ he asked Roy.

  ‘Nope.’

  ‘Let’s narrow down the search. How about we use his school or university information. Match every one of his friends that attended the same university. I think that will make it easier, that way we can ask some of them if they’ve seen him.’

  ‘Sounds like a plan, but why university? Isn’t that going back a little too much? asked Roy.

  ‘Maybe, but I’m going with my gut here. Something tells me we might find something.’

  ‘I hope you’re right. I’m getting tired of chasing a ghost. I’m not even sure that Lewis fits into the profile of the other murdered people.’

  ‘We don’t know that yet, so keep looking.’

  ‘Sure.’

  For the next hour they went through each and every one of his friends that had attended the same university.

  ‘I think I’ve found something,’ said Roy excited.

  ‘See. I knew this wouldn’t be a waste of time. What did you find?’

  ‘Look at this.’ He placed his laptop on the desk beside the detective and pointed at the picture of Ronald.

  ‘He’s missing.’ There was an appeal on his page and that of his friends and family asking if they’d seen him.

  ‘Do we have a report on that?’

  ‘This was reported in London. He was living down South.’

  ‘When did he go missing?’

  They checked the dates and read the short message of what happened on his parent’s page.

  Our dear son Ronald went missing on the twentieth of July. He was a fun and loving man, with an expectant wife. We’re pleading with anyone who has seen him to please contact us. He was last seen in Leeds. He’d been attending a charity ball for the company. No one knows what happened after that ball. No one saw him leave, but he’d been seen entering. How is it possible to be there one minute and then gone the next? Please help us find our son. We love him so much and we as a family deserve to know what happened to him.

  Detective Murphy sat back and took time to take in what he’d read.

  ‘Leeds. He was in Leeds,’ he said finally. ‘Where all the disappearances are happening, but what is it about Ronald and Lewis that has caused this?’

  ‘We don’t know for sure if the same person killing the scum of this earth is the person killing these young men.’

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘Don’t you think you’re jumping into conclusions a little too quickly? I mean these men haven’t committed any crime.’

  ‘That we know of. This can’t be a coincidence. I don’t see how it can be.’ He dropped his head in his hand and took a moment to try and string pieces together.

  ‘Any thoughts?’ asked Roy a little impatient. This whole case had taken its toil on him. He was of the impression that they’d never catch this killer, this was why, he thought the detective was getting desperate.

  ‘Yes. I think that these two disappearances are connected. We have to find out how. We have to find out about the night of the ball. What happened and we need a list of al
l those who attended and see if any of them attended the same university.’

  ‘Okay I’ll get right on it.’

  ‘Great thanks. I’ll start a profile on Lewis and get a detail look at his life. Find out if he was hiding something. There’s no smoke without fire. Something must have happened.’

  ‘I agree.’

  They got down to work. The detective could feel that he was getting close to something. He could feel it.

  ****

  ‘You can go right on in,’ Bailey said to Ferguson.

  ‘Thank you.’ He walked into Freya’s office with a bouquet of flowers.

  ‘For me?’ she held onto her chest playfully. ‘How very romantic of you.’

  ‘Do I hear a hint of sarcasm.’

  She stood up with a wide smile and gave him a kiss. ‘You do. It’s not like you to be giving flowers. You just don’t seem like the flower type.’

  ‘I am many types. You just haven’t seen them yet.’

  ‘Is that so?’

  ‘Yes, it is.’ He handed her the flowers.

  ‘They’re lovely thanks.’ Freya gave them a smell and then put them on the table.

  ‘Come here.’ He lifted her into his arms and swung her around. ‘I missed you.’

  ‘I missed you too, even though I saw you this morning.’

  ‘Isn’t it nice to feel that way. I love it.’

  ‘Yes, it is. I love it too.

  ‘So am I really meeting your friends?’

  ‘Yes you are. So sorry it’s short notice, Tasmin is back in town for a business meeting and Loretta is just around.’ She laughed.

  ‘Sounds perfect to me. I’m looking forward to meeting them.’

  She pulled away a moment. ‘What about you?’

  ‘What about me?’

  ‘Do you have friends I could meet someday soon?’

  ‘I’m not a friend type person. With the way I am, it’s best to keep it that way.’

  ‘So you’ve never had friends?’

  ‘When I was younger, but not right now. My friends are the people I pay to do things for me.’

  ‘That’s not what I’d class as friends.’

  ‘I know, but it’s where I am at the moment.’

  ‘I’m your friend.’

  ‘Yes you are.’ He captured her into his arms and gave her a long big kiss. ‘I like being your friend and lover.’

  ‘I’m your lover am I?’

  ‘You are indeed.’

  ‘I thought I was your partner in crime.’

  ‘You are that too.’

  ‘Great.’ she giggled. ‘Do you have my cocaine?’

  ‘I do. The best of the best.’ He handed her the packet.

  ‘Okay. I’m going to take some before we go out. Promise you won’t watch me.’

  ‘I promise.’ He winked. ‘I’m going to look out of the window and look out into the beautiful city.’

  ‘That sounds like a plan.’

  He walked over to the windows and looked out into the city that was below them. Leeds was a beautiful place, but it also had some unsavoury characters that cause harm to law abiding citizens. He always wanted to put a stop to that. It fed his need and it took care of all the bad people around them.

  Freya took her time to snort the white powered up her nose from the table. She sat back, looked up at the ceiling and let it take effect. It took a while, but soon she was buzzing again.

  ‘About that rehab idea, I think I’m going to put it on hold a little. I’ve already managed to keep my intake low. I’m even thinking I’ll be fine to help myself. It isn’t that difficult. With the killing I didn’t have that big of an urge.’

  ‘I understand darling. If that’s what you want, then that’s fine. I will support you no matter what you decide.’

  ‘And that’s why I love you.’ She swung around. ‘I love the way you just accept me for me.’

  ‘Because I do.’

  She pushed back the chair and went to stand where he was. She wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned into him. ‘I love you.’

  ‘I love you too.’ He tilted his head forward so it was lying gently on hers. ‘I’ve got something to tell you.’

  ‘Oh.’ She straightened up.

  ‘It’s good news. Don’t sound so worried.’

  She giggled.

  ‘I know where Trevor and Blake are.’

  ‘Really?’ That feeling of both excitement and fear hit her.

  ‘Yes. Really. I thought you’d be pleased.

  ‘I am. I’m just shocked you found them so soon.’

  ‘Yes well I have a great assistant. I have great people supporting me.’

  ‘I can see that.’

  ‘Trevor is working as a shop assistant.’

  ‘Wow. I can’t believe that. What a waste of a degree.’

  ‘My thought’s exactly, but that doesn’t seem a loss to the world really.’

  ‘Not at all. I hope he hasn’t hurt anyone else.’

  ‘Me too. Anyway Blake on the other had is a stock broker in a good private bank.’

  ‘Two extremes.’

  ‘Yep. I now have to figure out how to get them to a place where we can get rid of them. I was planning to do this as a double killing.’

  ‘So we kill them together?’

  ‘Yes, what do you think?’

  ‘I think it’s a perfect idea.’ She said excited. ‘I can’t believe I’m excited about this.’

  ‘You should be. You get to punish those scum bags who hurt you. You get to be you again.’

  ‘Yes I do.’

  There was a light knock on the door.’

  ‘Okay enough talk about death.’ She laughed. ‘Come in Bailey.’

  Bailey entered with a wide grin on her face. ‘Just to remind you that you have an early start tomorrow and I’m off.’

  ‘Great. Thanks for letting me know.’

  ‘I’ll put these in water for you before I go.’ She took the flowers.

  ‘You’re star, thank you.’

  They waited for Bailey to shut the door behind her.

  ‘Lovely woman, you’re lucky to have her.’

  ‘I am. Shall we head off? My friends will be mad if I’m late. I am used to it, but I still think we should be off.’

  ‘Sure. Let’s go.’ He held out his arm for her to take. ‘We’re good together.’ He felt satisfied as she threaded her arm through his.

  ‘I agree. We are good together.’

  Chapter Twelve

  ‘What have you done to me? Let me go!’ The woman struggled to set her arms and legs free. She’d been tied to the bed posts. The room began to blur and the man who stood above her began to blur. She thought he was just a nice guy offering to buy her a drink, but it hadn’t turned out that way. She wasn’t sure how she’d even landed in the house with the cigarette smell and the sounds of barking dogs.

  ‘It will soon be over,’ said the man in a deep voice that sounded like it had seen many years of cigarette abuse.

  She struggled from left to right with the little energy she had. The room began to move from side to side and the ceiling seemed as though it were about to crush in on her. It was the worse feeling in the world.

  ‘Please…please let me go.’ Her words slurred. ‘I…wa…nt to go ho…’

  There was the sound of a belt buckle as he undid his pants. The woman understood what was going on, but she had no power to stop it. The man had all the control.

  Trevor stood with his hand on the erect cock. This was what he’d amounted to. A loser rapist with the habit of drugging women and taking them home. It was a surprise he hadn’t been arrested, but most of the woman could hardly recall what had happened, and he’d made sure that he always picked up women that were an hour away from his home. The only person who he probably cared about was his mother. Trevor made sure he rang his mother every day and visited on the weekends. That was about it with his life.

  ‘You’re so beautiful,’ he said as he pulled off his shirt
. ‘I will do things to you that no man will ever do.’

  ‘Please, please don’t.’

  He was turned on by the begging. The more she begged the harder he became. He began to rub his member as he watched the naked girl in front of him. He just couldn’t help himself, and soon he would be on top of her getting all the pleasure he needed.

  She turned her head from left to right, trying to reason with him, but there was no reasoning with a monster. Monsters were just that, it was their nature to hurt and destroy and he wouldn’t back down. He crawled up on top of her and began to give into his selfish needs.

  ****

  ‘So sorry we’re late, had a late finish at work,’ said Freya once they arrived at the Italian restaurant.

  ‘You’re always late,’ said Loretta as she got up and gave her friend a hug.

  ‘Yes that’s true,’ said Tasmin doing the same thing. ‘But it’s so good to see you. Nice to see you out of the hospital.’

  ‘Yes well…’

  ‘You look well. You look amazing,’ said Tasmin.

  ‘Thank you. I feel great.’ She was on a coke high and that made things super fantastic.

  ‘I’m guess we have this gorgeous gentleman to thank for your glow,’ said Loretta. ‘I’m Loretta,’ she proffered her hand.

  ‘Nice to meet you, Loretta, Ferguson.’ He shook her head.

  ‘And I’m Tasmin.’

  ‘Lovely to meet you.’

  ‘Great, let’s sit,’ said Freya a little agitated. She hated drawn out introductions.

  ‘What are you drinking?’ asked Tasmin.

  ‘I don’t think you have to ask me that question.’

  ‘So you’re still on the bottle even with a great man by your side.’

  ‘Yep. It doesn’t just disappear.’

  ‘Of course not.’

  Freya was used to the judgement, at least it wasn’t as harsh as the kind she got from Amanda.

  ‘How do you feel about it, Ferguson?’ asked Tasmin.

  ‘I’m fine with it.’

  ‘Really?’ she eyed him suspiciously. ‘How can you be okay with the terrible abuse she inflicts upon herself. You must love her to care enough to stop her from doing it.’

  Freya didn’t know whether to be mad or just let this one slide. It was the usual with her friends and sometimes she wondered why she put up with them, or why they put up with her.

  ‘You can’t force someone to change. You either love them for who they are or you leave them alone. Freya is her own person and I love her just the way she is, even with her problem. She will figure this out. I trust her enough to figure this out.’