The Darkness Within (20 page)

‘What’s so funny?’

‘The room is spinning…weee!’

‘Right young lady, I think you’ve had too much tonight.’ He lifted her so he could pull down the zip to the dress.

‘Ooo, what are you up to there. Taking off my clothes.’ She laughed more.

‘I am getting you into bed. You’re in no position for anything else.’

‘Oh yes I am. I’ve always been like this.’

‘Yes, but tonight you’ve gone overboard. I think you’re nervous about seeing Thomas, aren’t you?’

The smile was quickly faded off her face.

‘I’m sure it couldn’t have been easy for you. He as supposed to be your friend. He betrayed you and then he fucked off to another country like nothing happened.’

‘Yes, you’re right. I’m nervous and also very angry. I was so hurt that someone who was supposed to love me hurt me that way. I didn’t deserve that.’

‘No you didn’t. And tomorrow we’ll make it right.’ He kissed her forehead and she leaned into his shoulder. ‘The room still spinning?’

‘Yep.’

‘Okay, let’s get you into bed.’ He kissed her again and then began to undress her. Once she was ready for bed, he guided her into bed and pulled the covers over her.

‘Are you coming to bed?’ she asked.

‘I will be soon. I just want to make a few phone calls.’

‘Okay.’ she smiled. ‘Don’t be long.’

‘I won’t. I promised.’

He moved into the other room of the penthouse and gave Gary a call. He’d been given some disturbing news about a detective Murphy. Murphy wanted to bring him in for questioning about the disappearances that were happening around the county.

The phone rang a couple of times before Gary picked up. ‘Boss.’

‘What’s the latest on this detective.’

‘He’s been dealt with. The chief of police has told him to step down and stop this investigation.’

‘Do you think he’ll listen or is he one of those rebels?’

‘I don’t know sir. But I do know that the chief knows what’s at stake so he won’t leave anything to chance.’

‘Okay I hope you’re right. Keep your ears opened. I need to make sure I don’t become a person of interest.’

‘I’m on it so don’t worry.’

‘Okay, great. I have faith in you. Make sure you keep it that way.’

‘You have my word, sir.’

‘Good. Now I must get off.’

‘I will keep you updated as things happen.’

Ferguson ended the call and headed back to the room. Freya was fast asleep. He smiled. She looked so peaceful. All he wanted to do was get into bed next to her and hold her tight. Keep her safe forever. She’d definitely changed his life. He couldn’t see a life without her. He felt complete with her, she was his family now.

He began to get undressed, then slipped into the bed with her. She moved slightly as she felt his arms wrap around her waist.

‘Hey,’ she said sleepily.

‘Hey darling. Get some sleep.’ He kissed her shoulder. ‘I love you.’

‘I love you too,’ she said as she drifted back to sleep.

‘I know you do.’

*****

Detective Murphy walked into the dark alley and waited. It was another five minutes before a tall bald man approached.

‘This better be good,’ said the man.

‘I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t.’

‘Okay, hand it over.’

‘You need to make sure I’m not connected to this in anyway.’

‘I will do that. Hand it over.’

Murphy looked around him as if to see if anyone was watching. He hoped that no one had followed him. He handed over the envelope of all the information he’d collected about Ferguson.

‘Everything you need is in here. You’ll find it interesting and I’m hoping you’ll let the world know that there are wolves dressed as sheep among them.’

‘It’s my job.’ He took the envelope. ‘It was nice doing business with you. Take care.’ He walked back into the night.

Murphy waited a while just to make sure everything was okay. What he didn’t know was a dark van picked up the man he’d just handed the information to.

‘What the hell is this?’ asked the man.

‘We have something better for you to report. Here.’ They took the envelope that was in his hand and gave him a different one. After they’d driven about three miles, the door slid opened and he was pushed out of the moving van.

****

Murphy fiddled for the key in his back pocket. He opened the door and stepped into the small apartment. He’d never been able to settle down so there was no one to come home to. He switched on the passage light, picked up the mail and headed for the living room. He wasn’t ready to go to bed. Too much was going on in his mind. He switched on the light.

‘Chief?’

The chief was sitting on the main couch with a gun that had a silencer in his hand

‘You look surprised,’ said the chief.

‘A little, but now that I think about it, I’m not that surprised.’ He opened his mail as if this would make things a less awkward.

‘I’m glad. I thought I told you to let things alone.’

‘I see you got to Roy.’

‘Roy knows what’s important. Some things we just have to let go.’

‘So you think it’s alright for Mr Banks to get away with the things he’s done.’

‘What things?’

‘You know what things. And the woman he’s with.’

‘Son. We’ve got to make sacrifices at times. With all the budget cuts we’ve got to think about other ways of brining in the cash.’

‘By letting rich criminals get away with their crimes. And by the way. I’m not your son.’

The chief smiled. ‘I’m sorry it’s come to this.’ He lifted the gun.

‘Me too.’

‘You were a good man.’

‘A better man than you and you will live with that knowledge for the rest of your life.’

The chief pulled the trigger. The bullet got the detective in the heart. He fell to the ground his eyes on the chief. The chief watched as the man struggled to hold onto his life. Finally, Murphy left his lonely world. The chief took a picture of the dead body and made a phone call.

‘It’s done,’ he said.

‘Send the proof,’ said Gary.

‘On its way.’ He sent the picture to Gary.

There was a moment of silence and then he said. ‘Five million has been deposited into your private account. Leave the house unlocked, the clean up team will be there in ten minutes. Good luck.’ The call was cut.

The chief had done his part and he felt no remorse whatsoever. All he knew was that he’d have a comfortable retirement in any country he chose.

****

The next morning the faces of all the missing people were shown on television but there was also a horrible story attached to all of them.

‘We cannot justify their disappearances but I will say one thing. The things they did were horrific. Would it be so terrible of me to say that each of these men got what was coming for them? But who am I to judge? Life has a funny way of sorting its self out.’ The reporter said finally. He’d used the information that had been given to him and had weaved a story that had just hurt so many families. Most of their family members didn’t even know their family members had such a dark past. It was painted so horribly that it would take a lot of time to recover.

Amanda turned up the television once she’d seen one face she recognised. ‘That’s Blake.’ She hadn’t been in the same year, but she was certain that he was in Freya’s year. He was a rapist? She rewound the news a few times and then something she didn’t want to admit hit her. ‘Oh my god.’ It all couldn’t be a coincidence. Everything was beginning to make sense. The sudden change in her sister’s behaviour. The drinking and the drugs didn’t just happen. Something had triggered it. She sat a while taking it all in. Then she thought about Ferguson. For the first time in Freya’s life, Freya seemed stable. She seemed more in tune with herself, and that had only happened once Ferguson had entered the picture. ‘Oh my god!’ Amanda sat back into the couch. She really didn’t know what to think.

****

‘How are you feeling?’ He gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze as she gazed into the mirror.

‘Ready. I feel ready.’

‘Good. I’m ready too. So are we off to put an end to all this.’

She sucked in a deep breath and then nodded. ‘Yes I’m ready.’

They headed out of the hotel and out into the waiting car. Thomas would be going for his regular coffee and midmorning snack at about eleven thirty. They would be just on time, and the men had reported to Ferguson that Thomas was on his way to the regular coffee shop.

The journey was done in silence, but from time to time, Ferguson took her hand and gave it a squeeze.

‘It will all works out in the end.’

‘I know.’ It was her turn to squeeze his hand. She looked out into the beautiful city and watched as the world went on without her. ‘Do you think these people are happy?’ she asked without turning to him.

‘The real question is, are you happy?’

She looked him in the eye and said, ‘It’s really weird that I can say yes to that question.’

‘Then that’s all that matters.’

She nodded.

Thomas just arrived at the coffee shop he frequented. He ordered a coffee and a cheese muffin. The waiter who was on shift that day had been paid handsomely to help things unfold as they should. He took the order and then disappeared for a long while.

Freya finally walked into the coffee shop and spotted him immediately. She headed for his table and sat down. He almost choked on his spit.

‘Freya?’

‘Yes. Surprised to see me?’

He swallowed back hard. She watched him. There were mixed emotions going through her mind.

‘How’s it going? It’s been a long time.’

‘It has.’

The waiter placed the coffee and muffin on the table like he’d been instructed. He nodded at the men who were in the far corner of the room, they nodded back. If everything went to plan, then that waiter would receive three thousand euros into an account of his choice.

‘Would you like something to drink?’ he asked a little nervous.

‘I already have a coffee coming.’

‘How did you know I was here?’ He looked around.

‘I didn’t. I saw you through the window while I was taking a walk.’

‘Oh I see.’ He picked up his cup of coffee and took a sip of the coffee. To her delight. She would give it a few minutes.

The waiter arrived with her coffee and she too took a sip of her coffee.

‘Why?’ she said.

He was silent.

‘Why would you do this to me and think it was okay. After all these years you didn’t even ask for forgiveness.’ She took another sip. He did too out of nervousness than anything else.

‘I’m sorry. I was young and stupid.’

‘And that makes it okay?’ She watched him.

‘No…of course not but…’ He held onto his throat as he felt it tighten. He rubbed his hand up and down his throat.

‘But what?’ She tilted her head and watched him as he began to clear his throat constantly.

‘I don’t know what I want to say. I just think…’ He cleared his throat again.

‘Is something the matter?’ she asked knowing very well what was wrong.

‘No. I’m fine. Look…I’m sorry for what happened. I was young and stupid and there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t regret it.’

‘Really. I don’t believe you. The way I see it, you’ve got on with your life without any thought for me. You have no idea that what you did to me changed me for the worst. Things didn’t just disappear. I was hurt and abused and you tried to get away with it, but you won’t.’

He touched his throat again and this time he was struggling to breath. ‘What have you done to me?’

‘Nothing. Nothing at all. I just came to say hello.’ She sipped her coffee while watching him panic.

He wanted to respond but now his throat had totally closed. He held onto the table a moment and then fell sideways onto the floor.

‘Oh god!’ She got down on her knees. She only needed a few more minutes before it was lights out. She pulled her mobile from her pocket and pretended to call for help. ‘I need an ambulance. It’s my friend, he’s struggling to breathe.’ Freya could’ve won an Oscar with that performance. She leaned into his ear and whispered. ‘You’re a horrible person and you deserve to die. That cup you were drinking from was rubbed with shellfish. As your so called friend I remember that you were allergic to shellfish. So honey, I hope you have a good afterlife, because you certainly don’t deserve to be her.’

He tried to open his mouth to speak but his throat had fully swollen. She pulled back and screamed. ‘Someone please help me. Someone call an ambulance; I don’t know if I did!’ People had gathered around them and one man made a call for an ambulance.   She leaned into him again and pretended to give him comfort by rubbing his shoulder and yet she said, ‘It won’t be long now. By the time the ambulance gets here, it will be too late. I’m so glad I got to watch you die.’ She kissed him gently on the cheek. ‘Is help coming?’ she fake cried.