Within the Shadows by J.D MCG (knowledgeable books to read .txt) 📕

'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