Silent Jack

The Targeted One

Sheriff Sarah stood at the head of the table, her gaze sharp as she assessed the tense and anxious faces around her.

"Sheriffs, we're all here. What's the plan? We need to know how you're going to keep Jack out of the hotel and what we should do," Ethan Harris cleared his throat and said in a loud voice.

He was holding Emily's hand and trying to make her feel relaxed, as she seemed clearly terrified.

Sheriff Noah nodded and spoke, "We've set up a perimeter around the hotel. No one gets in or out without our say-so. We've also increased patrols and have a team monitoring the security feeds."

"Hmm," Ethan Harris said.

But Lisa Harris, Ethan's sister-in-law, didn't seem to agree with the police arrangements, so she said,

"But what if Jack finds a way through? What if he already has someone inside?"

Sheriff Sarah exhaled deeply and tried to reassure her by saying, "We're taking every precaution. The hotel's staff is under surveillance, and we've got undercover officers working with them. Jack won't get past our security."

This time, Susan Harris, Lisa's daughter, spoke and tried to vent her frustration by saying,

"That's not enough. We need to figure out who Jack's next target is. He's promised to kill one of us. We can't just wait around."

Marshal Harris, Ethan's only living son, leaned forward and said, "Yes, we should think like Jack and try to figure out who's most likely to be his target."

Sheriff Noah rubbed his chin thoughtfully and said, "Jack's vendetta is personal. He has clearly said that all of you except Emily were involved in beating and abusing him and his sister Mia, so this is the motive that ties him to you. You might have a better idea of who among you mistreated him the most."

"We have done nothing of the sort... he is just telling lies," Marshal grunted and gave a harsh look to Noah.

"We still have to ascertain this," Noah said.

"What if he's already chosen someone and is just waiting for the right moment? How can we figure that out?" Emily spoke in a trembling voice.

"Emily, you are right... maybe Jack has already chosen his target. That's why we are providing security to each one of you and asking you not to leave the hotel without telling us," Sheriff Sarah said, then added,

"And I'm sure we will catch him soon."

"I hope so," Emily whispered.

"Sir, you won't go to the venue of your award ceremony alone... a squad of police will accompany you," Sheriff Noah said.

"Hmm... okay," Ethan Harris said.

Out of thirteen family members, he had only four left, and he didn't want to lose any of them. That's why he had asked high officials of the police department to give them maximum security and catch Jack before it was too late.

"We should leave now, and once again, I remind you people not to leave your rooms without informing us," Sheriff Sarah said and stood up from her chair.

"Instead of reminding us what we should do and what not to do... catch Jack," Marshal said in a harsh tone and moved toward his room.

He had come to Ireland to enjoy his vacation and have fun, but now he was confined to a hotel room, and this idea was irritating him.

"Thank you, sheriffs... I hope this terror ends soon," Ethan Harris said in a polite tone and tried to compensate for Marshall's harshness.

"We too hope so," Sheriff Sarah said and left the room at once.

As the meeting concluded, the room was filled with a sense of grim determination. Each family member knew the stakes were high, and the looming threat of Jack's vengeance cast a long shadow over their collective resolve. The sheriffs and the Harris family members braced themselves for whatever was to come, hoping that their preparations would be enough to protect them from the deadly promise that Jack had made.