by J. D MCG
'What did he want?'
'None of your business,' Kate replied, not giving Belle any more of her time.
'What's happened to us, Kate? We used to be the best of friends.'
'And you went out to cheer Jacob up. What about me, Belle? He kept my father's secret from me. He was the one who should have suffered but you went and chose him over me.' Tears started to well up in her eyes.
'Your brother...'
Kate cut her off short. 'He's not my brother!'
'He is your brother and he always will be! He's done so much for me, and he needed someone to be there for him. So, yes, I did go and try to cheer him up,' she yelled before leaving the kitchen and headed back to the cafe counter.
Kate pulled her apron off in an angry motion, before chucking it on the side. She grabbed her belongings, stormed out of the cafe and marched to the pub. Belle started to hold back the tears, unsure if they would ever be friends again. She sure hoped they would.
Kate entered the pub, scanned her eyes and noticed her father sat at a table with a pint. She wandered to the table and sat opposite him. Her hands were trembling, not knowing what she'd say to this man, but she wanted to hear him out.
'I'm glad you agreed to this,' he said. 'Do you want a drink?'
'No, thank you,' she answered. 'I just want answers.'
He sighed, thinking this was not how he wanted this to go. Kate just stared at him, waiting for him to speak.
'Okay. I've just been released from prison,' he confessed. 'This isn't how I wanted this to go.'
'This isn't how I wanted my life to go either, but here we are,' she replied sarcastically. 'What were you in prison for?'
'Assault,' he said sharply. 'Not my best moment, but I'd like to say I'm a changed man. If you'd give me a chance, I'd like to get to know you?'
'Listen, a week ago I had no idea John Wright wasn't my father. Now I'm here with a strange man who wants to get to know me, claiming he's my father. You have to understand how sudden my life has changed.'
'I don't want to push you. Just know I'm here when you're ready. I know it's been a lot to take in and I can only apologise for that,' he said.
'Thank you. I'm really sorry, but I never asked your name?'
'Craig. Craig Ross,' he answered.
She held out her hand to be shaken. 'It's nice to meet you, Craig Ross.'
* * *
Felicity James' hands shook vigorously from fear, not knowing why she was suddenly sat inside a police station. Her solicitor sat beside her, trying to get answers of her crimes before the detectives commenced the interview. She had no clue what had happened. The last few weeks had been a complete blur, just like when she had her blackouts. Her body ached all the time like it had been in fights every day and her head pounded violently.
DI Miller and DS Wright entered the room, placed a tape in the recorder and waited for the loud beep to stop before speaking.
'This is Detective Inspector Ally Miller with Detective Sergeant Jacob Wright, interviewing Felicity James on the 25th of January at 5.07 pm. Felicity James, do you know why you are here today?'
Felicity shook her head in response, too afraid to speak.
'Can you confirm for the tape please, Miss James?' Ally asked.
'No,' she trembled.
'Okay. On January 24th, myself and Detective Chief Inspector Joseph Barnes, entered a premises just outside of the N.E.C grounds, where we discovered at least twenty women locked inside a farm shack. You then approached the farmhouse and entered the room where me and DCI Barnes were hiding with the women. We then arrested you at the scene. Do you not remember any of that?'
'No. That wasn't me,' she cried out.
'Then who was it, if it was not you?' Ally continued with her questions.
'I don't know.'
'Do you know what's going to happen now?' Jacob asked calmly.
'No.'
'You are going to go to prison for abducting these women, one of which escaped, only to be strangled to death,' Jacob continued.
'These women were starved and almost left for dead. Do you enjoy seeing women dying of starvation?' Ally raised her voice.
Felicity just sat there and cried, not knowing what to say. They didn't believe her, and why would they. It would sound crazy to her what she'd have told them.
'Felicity, have you ever heard of D.I.D?' Jacob asked.
'No, what's that?' she asked between sniffles.
'It stands for Dissociative Identity Disorder. It's when a person has another personality they sometimes don't know about which can be brought on by many different reasons. We took a look through your medical records. We know you used drugs, which can cause Dissociative Identity Disorder,' Jacob explained.
'You think I have another personality?' she asked.
'We do, along with two other people who have been involved in our current cases,' Ally informed her.
Felicity burst into tears, unsure of what was going on. What are they telling me? Am I crazy?
'Felicity, we need to know if you remember anything about your other personality? Their name? If they met anybody else?' Ally threw questions at her.
'I don't know,' she continued crying.
'I'm sorry, I know it's a lot for you to take in right now, but there is someone else out there, that is going to endanger other people's lives if we don't find them,' Jacob explained.
'I don't know,' Felicity repeated. 'I don't remember anything.'
Jacob didn't want to freak her out anymore than what she already was, but they needed her to remember anything she might have witnessed while her other personality was in control.
'Have you ever heard of the four horsemen of the apocalypse?' he asked.
Her solicitor gave him a funny glance from across the table, wondering where he was going with his questions.
'Yes, from the movies and stuff.'
'Well, one of our suspects seems to think he is one of the horsemen.'
'Which one?'
'Death and we really need to know if your personality has another persona they like to go by?' he braved the question.
Her headache got worse as her hand started to shake more violently. Unsure of what was happening to her, she tried to cry out for help, but her lips wouldn't move. She just stared at Jacob. One tear formed in her eye and trickled down her cheek.
'Miss James,' her solicitor spoke. 'Are you okay?'
'Felicity?' Jacob called out.
'Jacob,' Ally whispered in his ear. 'Do you remember the interview with Jack Roberts?'
'Yes.'
'She's doing something similar. I think we're about to meet personality number two.'
And within a few minutes, Felicity stopped shaking and sat still in the chair. She was calm. The back of her hand wiped the tears from her eyes calmly as she stared blankly, then placed them back by her side. She seemed distant and emotionless.
'Is this Felicity we're speaking to?' Ally asked, hoping for the answer she wanted.
'Felicity is gone,' she answered, remaining calm and still. 'My name is Ruth.'
'Hi, Ruth. It's nice to meet you. I'm...'
'I know who you, DI Miller,' she interrupted. 'I'm always there, listening in the background. What do you want with my siblings?'
'We want to know why you're here?'
'Why we're here? You should know why we're here.'
Jacob remained silent, just observing what Ruth had to say.
'Well I don't, so why don't you fill me in?' Ally remained calm too, folding her arms and leaning back in her chair.
'Have you both even figured out how we got here yet?' Ruth asked.
Felicity's solicitor seemed even more freaked out now than he was before, not knowing what on earth was happening in this tiny interview room. The room filled with silence while Jacob and Ally stared at Ruth waiting for her to answer.
'I'
ll leave you both to figure that one out,' she continued.
'I'm guessing it was you and not Felicity who held those women prisoner in that run-down shack,' Jacob finally decided to pipe up.
'Oh, you do want to speak to me after all, DS Wright. Yes, it was me who captured all of those women. Have you guessed which one I am yet?' They both kept their eyes on her.
'I'm guessing by starving your victims, you like to think you're Famine?' Jacob announced.
'Correct!' Ruth shouted at the top of Felicity's lungs. 'So, you have me and my brother, Damien. Which means you either have Cain or Esther?'
'Your turn to guess,' Jacob joked.
Ruth smiled. 'I'm guessing you've got Cain? He was always too stupid, thinking he knows better.'
'Just like me, you've guessed right. Which one is he then?' Jacob asked.
'Well he held your DCI against his will, didn't he? So it's got to be obvious as there are only two left to guess from.'
'It was Lily that held him there. Cain was just an accomplice,' Jacob burst out.
'Calm down, DS Wright. Do you really think she'd do it all on her own?'
Jacob sat in silence, not wanting another outburst like he'd just had.
'My guess is Cain is Conquer. Makes sense, him and Lily keeping Barnes prisoner. Did he also help you capture the girls?' Ally took over in asking the questions.
'No, but he'd sure take the credit.'
Ruth kept that creepy, psychotic grin on her face. She was totally different to the others. She knew how to push certain buttons on the detectives, getting the reaction from them she wanted.
'The only help I got was from my fellow sister, Esther. And you're soon going to find out how much fun she really is,' Ruth continued, hysterically laughing, leaning back in her chair with her arms folded.
Ally whispered in Jacob's ear as Ruth smirked at them. Her solicitor was petrified and worried about what was going on in the room.
'That makes her sister Pestilence,' she whispered.
'Which means we might have a huge problem on our hands,' he said.
Ally and Jacob turned their attention back to Ruth.
'One more question, Ruth. Do you know what your sister, Esther, is planning?' Ally asked.
'It's a secret,' she answered, putting her finger to her lip before laughing again.
'Interview terminated at 5.34 pm,' Ally announced before stopping the tape. 'Thank you, Ruth. You can return Felicity now.'
Ally and Jacob left the room with Felicity's solicitor close behind them.
'I think she's going to need a new solicitor,' he said, before scurrying off.
'Well, that was...' Ally was speechless.
'I know,' Jacob replied after a slight spot of silence.
The pair of them were dazed and exhausted from the interview. Neither of them knew if it was an act or whether it was genuine. Barnes came running down the corridor to meet them as they wandered back to the CID.
'Are you two alright?' he asked.
'Yeah, just slightly freaked out,' said Ally.
'We need to work out who Esther is. Finding a fourth person, suffering from Dissociative Identity Disorder within our radius, could narrow down who our next suspect will be. Hopefully, we can get them in time before more bodies start piling up,' Jacob expressed his concerns and his next step.
'I'll talk to Ethan,' Ally announced before leaving him and Barnes in the hallway.
'How are you, Jacob?'
'I'm fine, be better when we've got all four of them behind bars,' he replied.
After the crazy day he had, Jacob had forgotten all about envelopes filled with photos he'd been receiving. He'd not even given it a second thought. Someone had been targeting him, watching him, and at this moment, he didn't care.
They entered the CID when Barnes called everybody into the briefing room. Once everyone was inside, Barnes filled them in on the investigation, no matter how weird the details were. Some laughed and sniggered, but Barnes gave them the stare, making it known he could still scare his officers. This was no laughing matter to him. It was as serious an investigation as any other, even if it was borderline strange.
Once the briefing was over, Jacob wandered outside for some fresh air, reflecting on the disturbing and slightly terrifying day he'd had. He thought the strange and weirdness was behind him when he discovered Lily was the head of the cult that had killed a group of local women, but he was wrong. It was like it was magnetised to him, like a plague. Why do I have these visions? And why do I always get these supernatural cases? It was like the powers that be wanted him to solve the strange crimes.
Ally exited the building and leant on the same rails in which Jacob was leaning on.
'Hey,' she greeted him.
'How'd you find me?'
'It's not hard,' she chuckled. 'You're either getting fresh air or...' She stopped, knowing the words she was about to say next, would hurt him. 'I'm sorry,' she apologised.
'What for?' he asked.
'I think we both know what I was about to say next.'
'About my drinking problem?' She stayed silent and ashamed. 'It's fine. I'm trying every day. One step at a time, but I'll get there,' he tried to make her feel better.
'Jacob, do you really think these people are telling the truth? That they are the four horsemen?'
'I'm not ruling it out. There are so many things I'd like to tell you...'
'I've got time,' she smiled.
'Maybe one day,' he returned the smile. 'Shall we get back to work?' He removed himself off the railings.
They both walked back inside the station to witness their colleagues running around in a frantic panic.
'What's going on?' Ally asked Barnes, who was halfway through putting his coat on.
'Another body has been discovered, covered in blood,' he announced to them.
The pair of them chased after Barnes as he sprinted for the car park. As he jumped inside his Jaguar, Ally and Jacob followed. Ally in the passenger seat and Jacob in the back. They had no idea whether this body would be connected to their case, but it had to be. They needed it to be.
Chapter 19
Scarlett arrived home later that night. It had been a busy day, let alone a busy week. She couldn't wait to climb into her own bed, but her home phone was bleeping with messages that hadn't been listened to. She didn't have the time nor the strength to sit there and listen to calls about where she was and others that would possibly ask if she was alright after they'd heard the news.
She flicked on her hallway light and fell flat on her sofa, too exhausted to move. Before she realised it, her eyes were closing slower and slower until she fell into a deep sleep. It wasn't long before she was awake again. Her dreams quickly turned to nightmares as all that was on her mind was her kidnapping and being held prisoner. Her strong will and bravery suddenly turned to mush thinking about the past few days and what she'd been through. Tears started to flood down from her eyes, her thoughts remained on her trauma and the other victims inside that room.
A noise startled Scarlett, making her jump out of fright. Her heart beat fast as she slowly removed herself from the sofa, one foot at a time. She crept towards the window to see a cat balancing itself on her garden furniture. Scarlett sighed with relief, knowing there was nobody outside waiting to pounce on her again.
Deciding she needed a drink, she headed towards the kitchen and opened the cupboard, removing half a bottle of vodka and pouring herself a glass. After a sip, she started to relax slightly. That's better, she thought, lifting the glass back to her lips and emptying it down her throat. Images of her kidnapping came flooding back, the moment she was taken and hurled into the back of a van. The colour of the van and the face of her kidnapper was still blurry.
Pouring herself another glass of vodka, she made her way back to her sofa, hoping it would send her straight off to sleep. She perched on the edge, knoc
ked back the drink and spread herself along the sofa, laying flat, trying to close her eyes. She hoped for a fantastic night's sleep, but she knew that wouldn't happen.
As Scarlett lay awake, she listened to the sound of silence. Nothing but stillness filled the air. It was awfully quiet, not even the sound of traffic was hitting her ears. Her eyes just stared above at the ceiling. She needed to sleep but didn't want to, as the thought crossed her mind that somebody may be spying and waiting for her to drift off. Her tired eyes blinked slower and slower until she fell asleep. Nothing could wake her, not even the sound of someone breaking in.
* * *
Barnes drove his Jag up to the police cordon outside of the car park on Birmingham High Street. As they exited the car, they showed the uniformed officer their police badges before entering the crime scene where they were met by Sarah and Brian.
'What have we got?' Barnes inquired.
'A couple arrived back at their car when they noticed a pool of dried blood outside the back doors of the van,' Sarah informed them as they approached the van on the second floor.
The group arrived at the van which was surrounded by forensics. Chloe Fisher circled the van taking photos of all the evidence laying nearby. The back doors of the van were wide open and all the peering eyes could see the battered body of a woman lying in her own blood.
'Are there any cameras around here?' Barnes asked.
'Just your usual security style ones,' Sarah replied. 'Ethan's already checking them out.'
Barnes peeked in, getting a good look at the body, and noticed Julia Higgins in a white forensic suit, checking over the body, which was surrounded by tools and workman's equipment.
'Evening,' he greeted.
'Joe,' she announced his presence.
'Have you got an idea of how she died?'
'I can't give you a definite answer, but by the ligature marks on her neck
I think she was strangled, but I don't think it killed her. Her head seems to have been hit by a heavy object on more than one occasion. My initial guess is the assailant strangled her, thought they'd killed her, but when she woke, they got scared and grabbed the closest object and hit her repeatedly with force, bludgeoning her to death. Found her driving license inside her bag. Her name's Natalie Dixon.'