Within the Shadows

by J. D MCG

  'You've found him?'

  'Yes, but he believes you and your daughters are in danger. We'll be right outside if you need us.'

  'Thank you,' she replied, before closing the doors as the officers returned to their vehicle.

  Nervous and worried, Vanessa strolled back over to her sofa and wine. She couldn't relax knowing her ex-husband thought she was in danger, was putting her on edge. His kidnapper must have gotten away, that's why he's sent the officers, she wondered.

  Vanessa couldn't relax and wanted to check on her daughters as her mind raced through multiple thoughts. One-step, two-step. Before she knew it, she was at the top. As she pushed their bedroom door open, she sighed with relief, seeing them calmly asleep in their beds.

  She stood there for what seemed like minutes, watching them sleep. It was an incredible feeling, seeing them laying there while danger was on the loose. But another knock on the door interrupted her moment.

  As she walked down the stairs, she thought for a moment. What happens if it's the kidnapper? She peeped through the spy hole, to see a female officer stood in uniform.

  'Hello,' Vanessa greeted as she opened the door.

  'Hi. Just to let you know, Mrs Barnes, we've just had a report that the kidnapper is in the area,' the officer informed her while looking over her own shoulder.

  The female officer seemed nervous and on edge. She kept checking behind her and around the street.

  'Do you want to come in?' Vanessa asked her.

  'I'll check the house, just to make sure, if that's okay?' she replied.

  Vanessa caught a glimpse of the officer’s badge as she entered. Sam Wilson. As she walked over to check the windows and doors throughout the ground floor of the house, Vanessa offered her a drink.

  'No, thank you,' she replied, continuing through the house.

  The phone in the hallway began to ring. As Vanessa checked the caller I.D, she noticed it had Brian's name.

  'Hello, Brian,' she answered.

  'Hi, Vanessa. I'm just checking up to see if the police unit we sent over has arrived?'

  'Yes, they're here. Officer Wilson is inside checking the windows and doors. She's just checking upstairs and then she's finished.'

  'Officer Wilson?' he asked.

  'Yes, that's what I said. Sam Wilson.'

  'Vanessa, I need you to listen carefully,' he replied anxiously.

  'Why? What's wrong?'

  'I need you to tell me the description of this officer,' he asked, still nervous about who was in her house.

  'Who is in my house?' she queried with a whisper as she was becoming scared.

  'What does she look like?' he repeated, wanting her to give him an answer.

  'She's slim, blonde...'

  'Get out of the house! Sam Wilson is a man,' he yelled at her.

  But before she could even move, she heard steps coming from behind her.

  'Put the phone down, Mrs Barnes,' the officer demanded.

  Vanessa turned around to see the woman aiming a gun towards her. She placed the phone down by her side, leaving the call open so Brian could hear every minute of their conversation.

  'Where are my girls?' she cried, knowing this woman was dangerous.

  'Don't worry they're still asleep, and they will stay that way, as long as you do as I say,' she ordered.

  Chapter 10

  The flashing lights were on, the cars were roaring, blasting across the Birmingham streets. Lily was about to cause more chaos and mayhem. Shattering the lives of the people who took her's from her was all she had left. It was ride or die for her now. To kill or be killed.

  She wanted information from Barnes, knowing he was the only one who could tell her what she needed to know. It was the only reason she’d kept him alive. She needed a new approach and going after his family would be her last option.

  Barnes was still bleeding from his wounds but didn't want to get stitched up until he knew his family was safe, and Lily was in cuffs. Ally hightailed her way to Vanessa's house, pushing her car to its limit.

  It wasn't long before they pulled up outside, to see a police perimeter, with armed police trying to get a vantage point on their suspect.

  'What have we got?' Ally asked the officer in charge.

  'All we know is the suspect is inside holding Mrs Barnes hostage and is armed,' Richard Banks informed her.

  Richard had been in charge of the armed response team for as little as five months. It wasn't the first time he'd been in charge of a tactical operation like this.

  'I'm going in,' Barnes demanded, pushing his way through everyone.

  'DCI Barnes, this is my operation and you'll do as I say!' Richard shouted at him.

  'And that's my family, Richard! So keep out of my way!' Barnes yelled back before storming towards his ex-wife's front door.

  He slowly pushed the door open, before hearing a familiar, yet to him, terrifying voice call out to him.

  'Come on in, Joe. We've been waiting for you.'

  Barnes stepped inside, slowly closing the door behind him. Vanessa sat opposite Lily, crying her eyes out, focusing on her ex-husband, who had a horrifying appearance.

  'Joe, I'm so sorry,' she apologised for letting Lily into the house.

  'It's okay, Honey,' he calmly responded.

  'Do you like my handy work?' Lily asked Vanessa, discussing Barnes' horrific appearance.

  Barnes noticed the gun pointed at Vanessa. He stopped moving, trying not to make any sudden moves. This situation could go very badly at any moment, and Barnes knew that.

  'It's going to be okay, V,' he tried to calm his ex-wife down.

  * * *

  Jacob couldn't sit still. The craving was back and stronger than ever, as the thoughts of Lily kidnapping Barnes, and killing his father, never left his mind. He decided food was probably the best course of action to remove alcohol from his thoughts.

  Belle and Kate were sat watching TV on the sofa, discussing work, gossip and love lives. Jacob finished making his dinner before joining them.

  'Where's ours?' Kate joked.

  'There's some more in the kitchen,' he replied with a mouth full of food.

  The food wasn't enough for him. The craving grew stronger. He turned his head over towards the kitchen counter, where he'd left half a bottle of whiskey. His eyes were drawn to it as well as his thoughts. He needed it. Maybe it will calm me down, he thought.

  He placed his plate of food on the coffee table, then strolled over to the bottle. After he grabbed a glass from the cupboard, he opened the bottle and poured the liquid. His hand began to shake as he lifted the glass closer to his lips. The smooth whiskey dribbled down, warming his throat. It felt incredibly good.

  'Slow down, Jacob,' Belle said. 'You'll be drunk after that one glass.' She laughed.

  He chuckled along with her, feeling more relaxed now. He wondered about Barnes; where he was; if he was okay. His thoughts began to drift as he focused on his mobile phone, ringing in his pocket.

  'DS Wright,' he answered.

  'Jacob, it's Harry Wong, from the forensic lab. Just to inform you that we've lifted prints from the crime scenes, both Mr Roberts’ and Mr Hussain's homes. We've run it through the database and have come up with no matches,' he explained.

  'Does that mean Mr Roberts is innocent?' he asked.

  'It means we have no evidence on him having killed either his wife or his neighbour.'

  'Thank you, Harry,' he said disappointedly.

  'One other thing, Jacob. If you speak to Ally, will you let her know? I couldn't get through to either of your team,' he informed him.

  'Okay, no problem.'

  He hung up the phone, worried about what Harry had just told him. He tried to call Ally, but no answer. Then he tried Sarah, then Brian, but still, no one answered. Why aren't they answering? He called Ethan, his last hope.

  'Hello,' Ethan
greeted.

  'Finally,' he praised. 'Where is everyone?'

  Ethan didn't know what to say. He was instructed by Ally not to tell Jacob what was happening, due to his current state of mind.

  'They're following up on a lead,' he lied.

  'Okay. I need you to meet me at The Russells right away. I want to ask Mr Roberts a few more questions about this mystery man.' He explained, wanting a partner to work with.

  'Jacob, I've been told not to let you work anything until Ally gives the go-ahead. I'm sorry mate. Can it wait till tomorrow?'

  'Yes, I'm sure it can. I'll see you tomorrow then,' he said before hanging up the phone.

  Jacob couldn't wait. He needed something to take his mind off Barnes, Lily and his father. He grabbed his keys, coat and phone, then headed for the door.

  'Don't wait up,' he told the girls.

  'Why? Where are you going?' Belle questioned him.

  'Work,' he replied, shutting the door behind him.

  * * *

  Jack Roberts was frightened, peeping out of the windows, scanning the neighbourhood for the mystery man. He couldn't relax, knowing this man was out there, committing murders around him.

  Jack shifted from room to room, window to window. Nothing could calm him down. It was just him inside the house now, all alone. He missed his wife every minute of the day. His hands were shaking, his legs like jelly. He couldn't stop shaking. He sensed the stranger was outside of his house, so Jack went to the window, peeped through the curtains once again, to see the man in his back garden.

  Jack stepped away from the window and gasped, covering his mouth with his hands. His heart raced, faster than it ever had. He had no idea what action to take now. Is this it? Has he come for me now?

  There was a knock at Jack's door, making him leap with fright. He didn't know what to do. Creeping towards his front door, he peered through the spy hole, locking his eyes upon DS Wright.

  Jack opened the door without hesitation and greeted the detective with delight.

  'DS Wright. You've got to help me,' he yelled at him, surprising Jacob.

  'What's going on? What's wrong?' Jacob asked him with urgency.

  'The man, the one who killed my wife, he's in the garden,' he continued shouting.

  Jacob pushed past Jack and ran straight through the house until he reached the back door, but it was locked and the key was nowhere in sight.

  'Where's the key?' Jacob demanded.

  Jack reached into one of the kitchen cupboards, removed the key, and walked back into the hallway, placing the key in Jacob's hand. He placed it in the lock as fast as he could and dashed into the garden. Jacob inspected the entire garden, but there was no one there, nor was there evidence anybody had been.

  'Mr Roberts, there's no one here,' he informed him.

  'But he was right there,' he pointed to a section of the garden, where he'd seen the man.

  Jacob was concerned, thinking Jack might have paranoia. The pair of them went back inside the house, locked the door behind them and set foot in the living room. Jack was still pacing around the room, terrified of the mystery man that only he had seen.

  'Mr Roberts, the forensics have come back on Mr Hussain's home and yours. They've found matching fingerprints at both scenes,' Jacob informed him.

  'Do you have a match?' he asked, concerned.

  'Not yet, but we'll keep you updated. I just wanted to tell you in person.'

  Jacob noticed Jack had a strange, gazed look upon his face.

  'Mr Roberts, are you alright?' Jacob asked.

  But Jack didn't move, he didn't even flinch. His eyelids remained open, gazing straight ahead of him. There was no movement, not one slight bit. Seconds passed before Jack snapped back, changing the way he acted. Jacob noticed the difference between when he arrived, to how he was at that moment.

  'Sorry, DS Wright,' he apologised. 'I don't know what came over me.'

  'Are you okay?' he repeated, noticing the calmness Jack had upon him now.

  'Yes. I think I'll be absolutely fine.'

  'Are you sure? You seemed nervous as hell before I arrived,' he recalled.

  'You said there was no sign that anyone had been out there, so I think I'll be fine. I'm probably just paranoid,' he joked and laughed.

  'You can come back to the station with me if you want?'

  Jacob gave him the option for his safety, even though he wanted to keep a close eye on Jack as his behaviour had become unusual. But Jack just smiled a creep half smile towards him. Jacob felt apprehensive about his change in behaviour. Maybe this man did kill his wife and her lover? he began to think.

  'Okay, I should be going,' Jacob said while heading for the door fast.

  But Jack had other ideas, knowing Jacob had noticed he'd changed and grabbed one of his wife's ornaments. He never liked them, and always thought they took up too much space. With the ornament held tightly in his grasp, he smacked it over the back of Jacob's head, knocking him to the floor.

  Jacob lay unconscious. Nobody had any idea where he was. His head slightly cut and bleeding over Jack's carpet. Jacob was now in a dangerous situation, just like his DCI.

  * * *

  Barnes stood in the hallway of his ex-wife's house, glancing between Vanessa and Lily, worried about the gun Lily held tight in her grasp. Vanessa's eyes were watery from the tears which streamed down her cheeks. Barnes was in agony but held back the pain, trying to remain strong. His knees were getting weaker, but he needed Lily to see he was still able to fight.

  'So, I know what you want, Lily, as we've been over it a few times. But what do you think's going to happen to you after you leave this house? You think you're just going to walk out of here?'

  She laughed, but she didn't have an answer.

  'Just let my wife and kids go, Lily. They are not part of this,' he begged.

  'What have I told you, Joe? Don't beg, it doesn't suit you.'

  'What do you want me to do?' he yelled. 'You want the answer to something I don't know. You've held me hostage for days and now you're holding my family hostage. I'm begging you, Lily. Just let them go.'

  Barnes started to cry. He had become physically and mentally broken and was at his lowest, just the way Lily wanted him to be. She began to get impatient and wanted the answer to her question.

  'Well, none of this would be happening to your family right now, if you left what wasn't yours. You would be dead and your wife and kids would have moved on, and I would have what was mine,' she stood up shouting, approaching and pointing the gun at Barnes.

  Joe suddenly heard a noise coming from the stairs to the right of him. His two daughters had awoken from their slumber.

  'Daddy,' April said, rubbing her eyes. 'What's going on?'

  April and Bonnie turned six just before Christmas. They were identical twins with the same personalities, but their curiosity they inherited from their father.

  'Nothing sweetie. You and your sister go back upstairs to bed,' he told her, with tears in his eyes.

  April and Bonnie held hands as they turned around and took themselves back to bed. Barnes couldn't help but think of Jacob and Adam when they were younger, in the same circumstance that his daughters were in now.

  'Is this how it went with your sister and John's wife and children?' he demanded her to answer, raising his voice slightly. 'Jacob and his mother? Were you there to witness his mother’s murder? You know, the man you promised to spend your life with before you killed his father,' he explained.

  Vanessa stared at Barnes shocked, not knowing any information on who this woman was until Barnes revealed her true identity.

  'Oh my God! You're Lily!' she shouted.

  'Live in the flesh,' Lily giggled, pointing the gun back in Vanessa's direction. 'No, I wasn't there, Joe. I spent most of my time alone while my sister took care of her plans.'

  'Why don't you just get out of here, Lil
y,' he pleaded. 'Just sneak out the back and disappear.'

  'Do you really think I'm that stupid? I'm in the endgame now. The only way I'm leaving here is in a body bag or in handcuffs.'

  'But if you really do love Jacob, like you say you do, then you'd surrender yourself.'

  'Not till I get what's mine!' she shouted back at him.

  Lily knew there was no way out of the house. She was trapped. There was no escape other than captured or dead, but she wouldn't surrender until he told her where the diamonds were.

  'It doesn't matter. You'll never get to them either way,' Barnes admitted he knew where they were. 'You'll be dead or arrested before you can get anywhere near them.'

  'So you know where they are? This whole time you could have just told me and spared yourself and your family so much pain. Did you ever think why I just came after you? I knew you took them and I know they're not where they are supposed to be.'

  'Lily, I'm begging you, just let my wife and daughters go and I'll tell you where they are,' he continued to beg.

  'You had your chance.'

  Before Barnes could move, Lily stared Vanessa dead in the eyes before pulling the trigger, blasting a bullet straight in her stomach. She hit the floor with a thud with blood pouring everywhere on the floor. Barnes rushed to snatch the gun out of Lily's hands before she could take a shot at him, but she was quicker than him and pointed it in his direction.

  'No sudden movements, Joe,' she demanded calmly.

  'Let her get some help,' he pleaded. Lily said nothing, making Joe shout, 'She's gonna die! She needs to go to the hospital.'

  'Nobody's leaving,' Lily yelled back, still pointing the gun at him.

  The twins had come back to the stairway after hearing the gunshot, to see their mother bleeding on the floor beneath them.

  'Mummy,' Bonnie cried out, her tears streaming down her cheeks.

  April came running down the stairs and towards her mother before Barnes stopped her from getting any closer to Lily. Bonnie remained on the stairs, too afraid to move. Her eyes focused on the gun Lily had pointed at her father.