Within the Shadows Read online

  'Stay back,' Barnes said to April, as he pushed her behind him, shielding her from Lily.

  'This is all your fault, Joe,' she yelled once again.

  * * *

  'Aren't you going to do anything?' Ally yelled at the armed response officer.

  'We can't ma'am. We can't get a clear enough view. The curtains are drawn and we can't get a shot on the suspect,' he explained.

  She stormed off and approached the front of Vanessa's house, despite the officers shouting at her to return to a safe distance. She could hear shouting coming from what she thought was Lily's voice. Children crying was the next thing Ally could hear, before hearing her boss pleading and begging.

  Ally quietly rushed back behind the tape and informed the armed officers of what she heard.

  'Someone's been shot, which I believe is Vanessa Barnes. Our suspect, Lily Black, seems to be inside and armed.'

  The officer responded with just a nod while keeping his sights on the house in case of any activity. The rest of her team made their way across the street and reconnected with Ally.

  'Pretty ballsy, boss,' Brian joked.

  'Lily has Barnes' wife and kids hostage,' she explained to them. 'I'm gonna go round the back and find a way inside.'

  'But you can't. They won't let you enter there alone,' said Sarah, talking about the armed response unit.

  'I don't care. There are two little girls inside that house and one mother, who is bleeding out from a gunshot wound, and the most they are doing is aiming at a house with no target in sight,' she explained with frustration.

  Ally opened the boot of her car, put on her Kevlar vest, and gave her gun the once over before moving towards the house. She ran around the back while the officers once again shouted at her to stand down, but Ally wasn't waiting any longer. Barnes and his family were in there and in danger.

  Once she made it into the garden, she checked the back door to see if it was open. That's when she noticed one of the glass panels in the door had been smashed. The door was still slightly open, making it easier for Ally to enter.

  Her foot avoided the smashed shards of glass currently laying on the floor and made her way through the kitchen and to the hallway. Sounds of shouting could still be heard, echoing throughout the house.

  Lily sounded panicked as if she had no idea how to remove herself from the current situation she was trapped in.

  'Lily, please just calm down. You're scaring my daughters. Just let them and my wife go,' he begged once again.

  'I've told you, no one is leaving,' she replied, with her hands on her head pacing around the floor, trying to think of a way out of the house alive.

  Vanessa was unconscious and losing blood. Barnes heard a noise to his left, like a squeaky floorboard, coming from his right. He took a quick glance and caught sight of Ally, peeking from behind the door frame.

  Ally moved stealthily across the hallway to the room opposite which would give her another vantage point at Lily. Barnes moved his focus back on Lily. He could see Ally hiding by the door frame from the dining room next door to the lounge area. Both Barnes and Ally now had Lily cornered with nowhere to go.

  'Lily, just walk out of here, before you end up dead,' Barnes instructed.

  'What makes you think I'll end up dead?' she questioned with a smirk.

  'Because you're cornered,' Ally informed her, aiming her gun at Lily.

  Lily took a quick shot at Ally, missing, before moving her gun back at Barnes and pulling the trigger. But Barnes calculated her next move and jumped behind the wall to the hallway with April.

  'You and your sister go upstairs and don't come out of your room till you hear me, okay?' he told April, giving her clear instructions, before removing his gun from the back of his trousers.

  Ally fired back, also missing Lily as she ducked behind one of the sofas, getting out of the line of fire from both Ally and Barnes.

  'Is that the best you’ve got?' Lily called out to Ally, taunting her.

  Barnes peeked around the corner, looking to get a clear aim of Lily, but no joy. He could hear the sound of footsteps approaching the door to the left of him before the door flung open and an army of police stormed through the house.

  'Armed police!' the first officer shouted. 'Put your weapon down and surrender yourself.'

  All Barnes could see in the lounge, was two arms held in the air with empty hands. Lily removed herself slowly from behind the sofa and into the open area of the lounge.

  'Get down on the floor with your arms above your head,' the officer continued to shout his instructions.

  Lily did as she was instructed and lay on the floor as the officer cuffed her hands together and removed her from the house. Barnes rushed over to his ex-wife who lay unconscious on the floor.

  'I'm so sorry,' he sobbed.

  Two paramedics came rushing in and moved Barnes out of the way, before trying to save her life. Ally hugged Barnes, not knowing what to say. Once they released from their hug, Joe ran upstairs to his daughter’s room.

  'You can both come out now, my brave little soldiers,' he said softly with his arms wide open.

  April and Bonnie came rushing out of their closet and into their father’s open arms. The three of them stayed hugging for minutes, crying their hearts out.

  'It's okay now girls. Daddy's here.'

  It had been a long and hard night for the team, but finally, they had Lily in custody, and it was all over.

  Chapter 11

  Belle ate her breakfast like she did most mornings before leaving for work. The weather was slightly chilly, but the sun peeped out from behind the clouds on occasion.

  She couldn't help but think about Ben. They spent the whole night texting one another, staying up until the early hours of the morning. She felt incredibly happy. Her life was back on track. No more worrying about where she was going to be sleeping each night or where her next meal was coming from. Her life had changed for the better.

  On the commute to work, she noticed a strange man had been following her from outside the apartment. She had never seen the man before and wondered what he wanted from her. She picked up the pace, trying to speed up, not being that far from her destination. But he was gaining on her. She turned the corner but as she did, she noticed the man began to jog before placing his hand on her shoulder.

  'Hey, I need to talk to you.'

  Belle gasped out of fright, pulling herself away from the strange man. He took a step back as he noticed the scared look upon her face.

  'It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to talk to you, Kate,' he explained, not realising he was talking to the wrong person.

  'My names not Kate. I think you've got the wrong person.'

  The man looked shocked. 'I'm so sorry. I just seen you come out of the same building.'

  'That's okay,' she replied, wanting to get away.

  'You don't know Kate Wright, do you?' he asked.

  Not knowing what the man wanted from Kate, she decided to lie. 'No, I don't. Sorry.'

  Belle scurried away as fast as she could. What does he want with Kate? Who is this man? She had arrived at work. Another long day ahead of her before she could get any answers about the mystery man.

  * * *

  The light shone through Jacob's eyelids. He opened his eyes slowly, trying his best to get a glimpse of his surroundings, but the light was too strong. He tried to move his arms to cover his eyes, but couldn't. Something was restraining them tight. His head was pounding from the smack he received from Jack Roberts.

  After a few minutes, his eyes were completely open and inspecting his surroundings. Jacob was strapped to a chair with duct tape and rope, trapped inside the same room he asked Mr Roberts questions in the night before.

  No sounds could be heard, not even quiet footsteps pacing the room next door. It was dead silent. Only the sound of the early morning birds tweeting in the trees o
utside could be heard. Jacob tried to call for help, but his throat was dry and his voice raspy from the lack of fluids.

  Where is Jack Roberts? he asked himself. I need to get out of here. Jacob tried to pull at the duct tape surrounding his wrists. The robe hugged his chest and the remaining duct tape cuffed his ankles to the chair legs. Glancing around trying to find anything that could help him escape, he noticed a piece of folded paper on the cabinet beside him.

  He continued trying to tear the tape that bound his wrists the best he could. Jacob knew he was in trouble and if Jack didn't come back, he'd be stranded here with no one knowing where he'd gone. He cried for help again, this time his voice was clear and vocal. He yelled at the top of his lungs, just enough for a neighbour to hear.

  * * *

  Ally arrived at the station after a long night. The place was quiet and untouched since the night. Lily was taken to a holding cell awaiting her interview of questions. Ally needed to prepare, but this was the part where she needed her partner in on the interview. She couldn't involve him now. He was too involved in this case along with Barnes, so she was on her own and in need of a new partner to help.

  Sarah suddenly burst through the doors as if she had a feeling Ally needed her help. Ally was inside the briefing room staring at the photos on the investigation board. Everything they had on Lily was hanging right in front of her and now they had her in custody. She took them off, picture by picture when Sarah entered.

  'Need any help?' she asked.

  Ally turned around, seeing Sarah lent against the door frame. 'I'm just taking down the investigation board on Lily. I can't believe we've finally got her.'

  'I know. It's a relief knowing she's locked up. Do you need help with the interview?' she cut straight to the point.

  'With Barnes and Jacob not being here, I think I'm going to need you,' Ally smiled.

  'Have you told Jacob yet?'

  'No. I don't know how to. He'll be happy we've found Barnes alive, but how do I explain what Lily had done to him. He'll want to see her, maybe even kill her, and I don't want him to lose himself.'

  'I think Jacob can handle her.'

  'I don't think he can. You should have seen him yesterday. He's taking it hard. She killed people, including his father and lied about her entire life. He's not himself anymore,' Ally explained to her.

  'But think about how annoyed he'll be if he finds out you've hidden this from him.'

  'You're right,' she agreed. 'I'll call him.'

  Ally left the room and headed to Barnes' office where she called Jacob. There was no answer, so she tried a second time. Still no answer. She walked back to Sarah in the briefing room.

  'Have you heard from Jacob since yesterday?' she asked.

  'No, why? What's wrong?'

  'I tried calling him, but no answer.'

  'Maybe he's sleeping.'

  Ally sighed. 'Maybe.'

  The two of them continued planning the interview of Lily. She was finally in a cell and this time she wouldn't escape from their grasp. Ally couldn't help but think about how this was going to set Jacob spiralling back into depression. She worried about the drinking and his mental health the past month. I love him, but if I act on my feelings now, it's either gonna push him away or bring him close to me.

  * * *

  Jacob had been awake in the chair for over an hour, trying to find something close that would help him escape the clutches of the duct tape. The tape hadn't ripped as much as he'd hoped and he was in for a long day, hoping and praying someone would find him soon.

  That's when Doris, the nosy neighbour from across the road, approached the Roberts’ house and peeked through the window. She noticed DS Wright strapped to a chair with rope and duct tape and decided to call the police.

  'Hello, is this the police?' she asked. 'He's at it again. My neighbour. He has one of your detectives. He is being held hostage in his house in The Russells, just off Russell Street. Come quickly.'

  She hung up the phone and glared at Jacob through the window trying to signal she had notified the police. Jacob thanked her before she sneaked back over the road to her house, afraid that Jack was still in the house.

  Ten minutes later the police arrived outside. Doris filled the officers in on the situation before the AFOs showed up. A perimeter had been set up around the house, with the armed police trying to get a view inside the house and of their suspect.

  * * *

  Ally and Sarah were ready for the interview of their career. Lily Black was the most horrific case they'd ever worked on and she showed no remorse for what she had done or who she had killed.

  'Are you ready, Ally?' Sarah asked.

  Ally took a few deep breaths. 'It's now or never,' she responded.

  The pair of them grabbed their notes and made their way towards the interview room when the officer guarding the door approached them.

  'She didn't want her lawyer present.'

  'What do you mean?' Sarah asked the officer.

  'She told me there's no point. She said she knows the game is over for her now,' she explained.

  Ally sniggered. 'Game? Does she think this has all been a game? She's disgusting.'

  Ally moved past the officer and opened the door to the interview room. Her eyes set upon Lily's which appeared black and tired. She mustn't have slept well, Ally thought. I'm glad. She smiled as she sat down, Lily not taking her eyes off Ally. Sarah followed before shutting the door behind her, then sat down beside Ally.

  'Are you sure you don't want your solicitor present?' Ally asked her politely, though she didn't want to be.

  'No. Like I told your colleague, I know what I've done, who I've hurt,' she replied, looking Ally dead in the eye. 'I'm going down, either way, lawyer or no lawyer.'

  'Okay then,' Ally replied, trying not to smile, placing the tape in the recorder. 'This is DI Ally Miller with DS Sarah Taylor interviewing Lily Black on the 7th of January at 10.47 am. Lily, for the tape can you confirm you didn't want your solicitor present for this interview.'

  'Yes,' she mumbled.

  As they were about to begin the interview, someone knocked on the door. All three of them jumped with fright. Ally paused the tape, lifted herself up and answered the door to see Ethan standing on the other side, silent and keeping his head down.

  'Come on, Ethan. Spit it out. What is it?' she questioned him, frustrated that she had to pause the interview.

  'It's Jacob.'

  'What's wrong?' she asked, starting to worry about what he was going to say.

  'He's at the Roberts’ house. He's in a hostage situation,' he explained.

  'Is he okay?' Ally started to panic and Lily noticed the feelings she had for her ex-fiancee. 'I've got to go.'

  Sarah followed her out of the room and informed the guard to send Lily back to her cell. The three of them ran through the station and jumped into Ally's car and sped towards The Russells. Ally's mind was uncontrollable. Not again. Not another hostage situation. Not today.

  Chapter 12

  Ally dashed through red lights; her siren blaring and echoing throughout the streets. Sarah sat beside her, holding on to the passenger handle for dear life. Ethan was being thrown about in the back seats wanting to puke from being travel sick.

  'Any chance you could slow down?' Sarah freaked out.

  'Why? What's the problem?' Ally glanced at her surprised, taking her eyes off the road momentarily.

  'I just don't think I'm ready to die yet,' she replied with sheer panic as Ally manoeuvred her way through the traffic.

  'We're almost there. Just hold on a bit longer.'

  Minutes later they arrived at The Russells, pulling up on the busy street full of police cars and vans. News reporters had beaten them here and already getting the low down on the situation, interviewing neighbours and trying their best to get a statement from the police.

  Ally rushed over to where the ra
nking officer on scene was prepping a scenario to rescue Jacob.

  'What's going on? Have you had any contact with the perp yet?' she threw her questions at him.

  'DI Miller, I presume?' He held out his hand for her to shake.

  'Yes,' she grabbed his hand.

  'We haven't seen or heard from anyone inside the house. The lady from across the street called it in after she heard shouting coming from the house. She took a peep through the window and saw DS Wright tied to a chair and that's when she called it in.'

  'Do we even know if Mr Roberts is inside?'

  'We have no confirmation on that yet,' he answered.

  Sarah and Ethan finally caught up to her and she filled them in. This seemed like it was becoming a regular thing in their team. They had seen two hostage situations in the last twenty-four hours. Everyone's emotions were on high alert.

  Moments later, Brian turned up alongside Barnes. Ally was shocked and couldn't believe Barnes was standing in front of her after everything he'd been through.

  'Boss, what are you doing here? You should be resting,' she looked concerned.

  'One of ours is in danger. I can't sit back and leave everyone else to it. Besides, I owe it to his father,' he replied, showing her his compassion towards his team.

  'How's Vanessa doing?' asked Sarah.

  'She's doing fine. The doctors think she'll recover. The bullet didn't hit any major arteries or organs so she'll be just fine.'

  'What about your daughters?' Ally fired another question of concern at him.

  'They're with Vanessa's mother. So, what's going on?'

  Ally informed him of what was happening. He sat down on the curb and placed his head in his hands.