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

as she was taking care of his girls. Once he got off the phone, Barnes started to pick up the dirty plates and rubbish that surrounded him. It was time for a clean.

On entering the kitchen, he noticed half a bottle of whiskey on his table. Maybe just a sip, he convinced himself. Once the bottleneck touched his lips and the whiskey poured down his throat, he craved more. With each swig, the traumatic few days flooded his thoughts, making him take bigger sips. The focus then changed from the trauma to his and Vanessa's wedding day, then to when the twins were born. Placing the whiskey bottle back on the table and wiping his lips with his sleeve, he realised drinking wouldn't make him any happier nor solve the situation.

Once he cleaned around the house, he glanced at the clock, noticing it was the early hours of the morning. Barnes took himself to bed. Laying there, he thought about his ex-wife and how happy they once were. He would still put himself in danger to save her life, knowing deep down despite their arguments and disagreements, he still cared deeply for her.

They were once a happy family, but it came to an end when Vanessa realised she would always be second best and Joe's job would always come first. He wanted to change, for them to give their relationship a second chance but he didn't think Vanessa would feel the same way. Contemplating his failures, he lay awake, staring at his ceiling, wondering what else life would throw his way.

Chapter 13

Barnes arrived at the station the next day to applause from colleagues, welcoming him back, happy to see him alive and well. Each member of the CID approached him, shaking his hand or giving him a hug before Ally walked towards him from inside his office.

'Good to have you back, boss,' she greeted with open arms.

'Glad to be back,' he replied, engaging in her hug.

As Ally ushered him into the office she'd commandeered, she updated him on their current case, but he wasn't listening. He was too busy glancing around at what she'd done to his office while he hadn't been there.

'Oh yeah,' she said, noticing his eyes taking a good look around. 'I'm sorry. I needed a quiet place to work since taking control of the team.'

'It's fine,' he accepted her apology. 'This is the least of my problems. Where are we with interviewing Cain and Lily?'

'Still got it on my list of things to do,' Ally replied.

'Well, let's get to it.'

Half an hour passed before Ally was ready to commence the interviews. Cain was first on the line-up. Barnes relaxed in a room behind the glass mirror, witnessing the interview. Ally wanted Sarah to join her again, and this time there'd be no interruptions.

'So, Cain,' Ally started. 'What ties you to Lily Black?' He remained silent. 'We know your real name isn't Cain, but Nathan Lawrence, born in London.' Once again he remained silent. 'What brought you to Birmingham, Nathan? Was it Lily? Were you both involved with one another?' Still, nothing but silence as she continued asking questions. 'You know, this would be much faster if you started talking.'

Ally began to lose patience with him and it was showing. Sarah noticed too and started to intervene.

'Nathan, or whatever you wanna be called. All we know is Lily was calling the shots and you listened like a good lap dog. Hell, she even did it with Mia and Ava, but you already know about them, right?'

Cain started to smirk as he folded his arms. Ally caught sight of his tattoo.

'Did Lily do that for you?' she asked, pointing at it. 'We know she's a good tattoo artist.'

Cain leaned on the table as he edged closer to them. 'No, she didn't. And I'm not Nathan Lawrence,' he finally answered in a gritty, deep voice.

'So who are you then? Because you have no last name and you go by just the name Cain,' Sarah questioned him.

'I'm Cain, but you might know me by another name,' he smirked again.

'Oh yeah. And what might that be?' Sarah continued.

'Conquer. Maybe even War.'

Ally and Sarah started to giggle at his answer, thinking he was delusional. Cain continued smirking at them and their ignorance, sitting back in his seat and folding his arms.

'Let me get this straight,' Sarah started to mock him, 'You’re one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse?'

'That's what I said.'

'I think you're as crazy as Lily is,' Sarah laughed.

Ally turned her head towards Sarah, nudging her to stop laughing. Cain didn't change his facial expression. If anything, it had gotten creepier.

'Do you really want to know why I am here?' he asked the pair.

Ally took charge of the interview. 'I thought that's what we had been asking? We want to know why you helped Lily in DCI Joseph Barnes' kidnapping?''

'She released us.'

'Us?' she replied.

'Yes. There are four of us, remember. Nathan Lawrence was kind enough to give me his body.'

Sarah was confused as to why Ally was encouraging him. Barnes had his eyes fixated on Cain's tattoo, trying to search the internet to see if there was any truth to his story.

'What do you want with Mr Lawrence's body?'

'I needed a vessel.'

'You said Lily released you? Released you from where?' Sarah questioned him.

'We were trapped inside the diamonds Lily left at the last crime scene, and that ritual she finished, freed us from our prison,' he explained.

Ally ended the interview and she and Sarah left the room and caught up with Barnes.

'Do you think he's telling the truth?' Ally asked Barnes.

'Do you?'

'I certainly don't,' Sarah piped up. 'It's a load of nonsense just so he can plead insanity and get a lighter sentence. We've seen it a thousand