Within the Shadows by J.D MCG (book recommendations .TXT) 📗

Belle's phone began to ring, but she ignored it, but Jacob had noticed her trying to hide it.

'Answer it,' he demanded politely. 'I know it's that boy from the cafe. You have been so happy lately and I'm guessing he's the reason why?'

'We've been talking for a few days. I quite like him,' she confessed. 'But today's our day. You need cheering up.'

'I appreciate everything you're doing for me, but I'm fine. Honestly.'

Belle's phone rang again, this time being the taxi, calling to let them know he was outside waiting. The pair of them left for the day, with Belle hoping this would do the job of making him slightly happier, knowing it wouldn't fix everything that had happened but hopefully it was just enough to take his mind off it.

Ally and Barnes returned to the crime scene where they found Hannah Jones. Barnes kept thinking about what Julia had told him over the phone. Someone had starved Hannah, but why? And why did Jack strangle her? Did he know this girl? Maybe he's working with someone and his wife found out, and that's what got her killed. But why Mr Hussain? Is it because he told Jack he was having an affair with his wife? Barnes ran different scenarios in his head, hoping something would click, but it didn't.

Sarah was already looking into any connection between Hannah and Jack when they left the CID. They needed to find who and where Hannah had been held captive, so they could connect the dots.

Barnes studied the area, trying to find anything that might help him uncover where Hannah had come from, before her untimely death. Forensic investigators had found footprints in the mud and sent the measurements and their findings to the lab to try to distinguish the type of shoe worn as well as the size. Ally had just finished her phone call before approaching Barnes.

'Julia has just informed me that they also found manure underneath Hannah's nails.'

'So she was held at a farm nearby, stumbled a few yards till she gets here and is murdered by Jack Roberts. We've got to widen the search. I want nearby farmyards searched. We've got to find out where she came from.'

'Okay, I'm on it, boss,' she walked away, dialling on her phone.

Standing where they'd found Hannah's body, Barnes glanced around to see if he could figure out which direction she came from when a forensic investigator stood beside him.

'Do we have any idea which direction Hannah Jones had come from?' he asked.

The investigator proceeded to explain what they'd found out so far, showing Barnes in a reenactment of her struggle with her killer. Showing Barnes Hannah's footprints in the mud, then the killer's, he assumed Jack followed Hannah from behind until she reached the secluded alleyway. Then grabbed her attention to turn her around before he struck, strangling her and choking her to death.

'But what about the blood?' Barnes asked.

'Could have covered her as he got in closer and moved her body upright against the wall,' he explained.

Barnes thanked him for his time before returning to Ally, who'd just finished on the phone.

'So, there are a few patches of land nearby, but separating us from there, is the M42. There's no easy way across either, which means the first place I'd like to search is less than two miles away.'

'Let’s get back up there right away and take a look around. We've got to find out where she came from, Ally. We need to find a connection to Jack Roberts.'

Scarlett's face was hurting as she lifted her head from the floor. She noticed the woman next to her was barely breathing as the sunlight drifted through the open patches of the wooden roof, lighting up the room for her to see. Women all around the room, tied up with metal shackles. About fifteen women in total. She couldn't believe her eyes as some looked as if they hadn't been fed for weeks. All bone and no muscle.

'Good. You're finally awake,' the woman from the night before made herself known. 'I'm guessing you're the one I heard get the smack last night?'

'Yeah,' she replied. 'The bitch almost knocked my bloody teeth out.'

'Just be lucky that's all she did. She's a dangerous woman.'

'We need to get out of here,' Scarlett told her while glancing around.

'I wouldn't bother. I'm Alice by the way,' she introduced herself.

'Scarlett,' she replied, also introducing herself.

All the other women were unconscious, leaving her and Alice talking alone. They discussed a young girl who'd been held there with them but recently escaped and hoped maybe she'd have told the police where they were.

'But nobody's been here to save us. She mustn't remember where we were,' Alice continued.

The strong smell of faeces stuck up Scarlett's nostrils. The sun became dimmer as it hid behind the clouds, shielding light from the room. There was no movement from beyond the door. Scarlett's stomach growled as the thought of food and a drink crossed her mind. Wondering if her family would ever see her again was the next section of thoughts. She forced herself not to give up and tried yanking at the chains once more.

'I'd give up, girl. You'll end up like the rest of us eventually,' Alice tried bringing her down.

'I'm not giving up. I'm getting out of here,' she insisted.

Slowly, the bolt keeping the chains attached to the wall was coming loose. She continued pulling the chains with force, as hard as she could, wanting to free herself and get her fellow prisoners out. Once more, she thought to herself, looking at the loose bolt coming away from the wall. Scarlett grasped the chains tight in her tired hands and gave a quick pull with force, pulling the bolt completely