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

with drugs and alcohol, then I'd take it out on your mum and hit her. And I mean I hit her hard enough to send her to hospital on more than one occasion.'

'I guess that's why mum was always so skittish,' she recalled.

'And that's my fault,' he began to cry.

Kate placed her hand on his back and tried to console him. It was upsetting to her seeing him like this, even in the short space of time she knew him.

'I'm sure you're sorry for how you were in the past, and I'm sure mum would've forgiven you if she was still here.'

Sitting inside the car while Ally floored it back to the station, Jacob thought about the hidden uncle that he never knew existed. Is this how Kate feels? Betrayed? My family holds too many secrets. He was so angry that his father had a secret life that he never told his kids about as well as other secrets. He clenched his fist at his thoughts.

'Is everything alright?' Ally asked, noticing his fist.

'Yes,' he lied, turning his head to the window, not making any eye contact.

'You're lying,' she guessed.

'I don't want to bore you.'

'Jacob, whatever it is, you need to get it off your chest, otherwise, it will eat away at you.'

'I just don't know what to do.'

'What with? Is this about your secret uncle?'

'How'd you know?' he released a slight chuckle. 'He wants to talk to explain everything, but my father lied to us his entire life. My sister isn't my sister and my father isn't her dad. He kept that from us as well as his family and I don't know why. I want to get to know him, but I'm too angry with my dad right now.'

'How does Kate feel at the moment?' she asked.

'Betrayed and angry, and now...'

Ally interrupted. 'And now you know how she feels.'

'Yeah,' he lowered his head in shame.

His phone started to buzz in his hand. Seeing Kate's number, he couldn't bear to speak with her while Ally sat next to him, so he placed the phone back inside his pocket, silenced the buzzing and ignored it.

'Have you told your brother?' Ally continued.

'Not yet. I'll call him later, I just can't find the words right now.'

'When we get back to the station, I want it to be the first thing you do,' she demanded.

'Yes, boss,' he laughed.

Ally smiled along with him. Making him happy made her happy and she truly deep down, loved making him smile. She felt extremely carefree and relaxed around him and her love for him was growing by the day.

'Have you made your mind up yet?' he asked her, hoping she'd stay in Birmingham.

'On the job in Hawaii?' He nodded in response. 'Not yet. It sounds like a great opportunity. Sun, sea, sand...'

'...And murder,' he jumped in and finished with a giggle.

She laughed along with him. 'Everything inside is telling me to jump with both feet, but my heart is telling me to stay. I've just joined this incredible team who've made me feel so welcome, and then there's you.'

He turned his head in a quick motion, looking at her as she continued to keep her focus on driving, not wanting to look at him.

'Me?'

'Yes. Jacob, you must know by now how I feel about you?' He stayed quiet, not wanting to answer. 'If there is something between you and me, then I'll stay. I know we've only known each other for a short time, but I feel this strong connection between us and I don't want to leave knowing we could have been something.'

'I don't want you to give up a dream job because of me,' he lowered his head again.

'If you don't feel the same way as I do, then just tell me.'

The car stayed quiet as Ally pulled into the car park. The awkward silence made Ally feel upset and wanting to burst out in tears. She thought he didn't want to be with her.

As the car pulled into an empty space, Jacob jumped out of the car, quicker than he'd ever done before, and phoned his brother, trying to get out of answering Ally's question.

'Hi, Adam,' Jacob said to his brother, as Ally exited the car and entered the station. 'I've got something to tell you.'

'Jacob, I was just about to phone you.'

'Why? What's wrong?' Jacob asked concerned.

'I'm going through Dad's house as we agreed, and I've found something. Maria had hidden a few letters from Kate's father. I'm really worried about Kate if she's meeting this guy.'

'Why, Adam? What have you found?' Jacob kept asking, wanting his brother to get to the point.

'He abused Maria, but that's not why he went to prison. He killed someone, Jacob. He got angry and beat them to death,' Adam informed him.

'You don't think he'd do anything to Kate, do you?' he worried.

'I wouldn't rule it out. He's dangerous, Jacob.'

'I'll call her now,' Jacob said before hanging up on his brother.

Scrolling through his phone book, he stopped at Kate's number and called her, only to hear the beeping of an engaged tone. He tapped a text message to his brother explaining before he headed inside the station.

As he made his way through the grey hallways and walked into the CID, Jacob's eyes were met with a huge group of officers, buzzing around the office.

'What's going on here?' he asked as he approached Ally.

'The terror threat has become real. We've been given more officers, resources and equipment in helping us track Esther down,' Ally explained.

'Wouldn't this be a job for counter-terrorism?'

'Yes, we're working with them. Barnes demanded us to work with them as it ties in with our case. After all, this was our case first.'

Jacob marched