PEEL-BEHIND THEIR EYES. Book 1 (Complete)

Chapter 10. Addiction

The old brick garage of Aigarth's funeral home contained a darkness so dark, that the figure that stood silently at its center had no sense of its boundaries, even though the walls were only an arm's length away, there was no feeling of restriction as to what they could achieve here, given enough time and the correct blue eyed angels, the darkness just seemed to unfold for eternity around them. The air was cold and still, a tinge of rottenness hung on it like a stain, "all would be perfect if it wasn't for those fucking Gul's, noisy bastards".

The figure remained standing in the blackness, with fingers outstretched as if to touch its very essence, and a cocked head, listening to the tiny scratching sounds and whispering overhead. The figure smiled, the power that those up above gave was so palpable, so enthralling, it was the ultimate addiction, and it was a shame that they had such a short life expectancy. The figure knew that the longer the girls stayed here, the greater the risk of discovery, so tomorrow they would be moved to the funeral homes old lock up, now that it had been made ready for the two blue-eyed angels. Once they were comfortably dockside, the next lesson that the Peel family needed to be taught could be carried out. Although it would be a lot more dangerous, the lesson would be closer to home, a lot closer to Robert's home. Taking a heavy step on the concrete floor, the figure turned blindly but knowingly to the doorway framed by a thin thread of faint light, and noisily twisted the handle, but rather than opening the door, the figure once again stood still and listened to the sudden commotion of panic and fear that filtered down through the floorboards, along with disturbed dust. With a satisfied sigh of happiness, the shadowed figure opened the door and passed through into the lit passageway beyond. Turning back to the darkness, said, just loud enough for the girls to hear "I'll see you at bedtime, my Angels," and the door thudded shut.

The light in the short hallway was blinding compared to the darkness of the old garage, but running a hand along the wall, the hooded figure stumbled onto the first step of the stairs and began to ascend to the first floor of the Funeral home. Happily opening the back door to the first-floor apartment, the figure sang.

"One.., two.., three, four, five, now there's only two alive

Six.., seven.., eight, nine, ten, I'll teach them all... once and again

Once... the lesson has been taught, in my trap they will be caught

Why... do I hate them so, very soon they all shall know?"

The rhyme came to an end, and the darkly clad figure quietly slipped unnoticed through the apartment, entered a room and closed the door, trailing behind a slow deep chuckle.

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The quietness of the building was disturbed by the sudden and invasive clatter as somebody thumped heavily on the Funeral homes locked front entrance, and was quickly followed by a second and third rap on the door. A loud squeal cut through the air as the doors aluminum letter box flap scraped up and open, and was followed by a loud grating voice.

"Hello is anybody there. Hello, it's the police, please we need to speak with a Julia Barringer, immediately, it's rather important," the door was thumped again.

A second voice, a woman's voice, flooded the air, this time from somewhere up the staircase, "Hold on, hold on, give us a moment. We are closed you know, can't you read the god damn sign," the woman's annoyance was clear to hear.

A large middle-aged woman sat filling a stained Draylon chair; she faced an old Cathode Ray tube TV which stood loudly in the corner of the smoke-filled room. Without turning her head, she screamed "Richard get the door will you," she got no response "Richard what you doing in there" still no response, "Jesus Christ! Samantha get your arse downstairs and see what the bleeding coppers want, will you? I don't know what your brothers up to in there, but he better get his act together".

Turning to the older man that sat silently puffing away on a pencil thin cigar, she said, "there's going to be hell to pay one day soon for that boy, I can tell you that for sure". The old man lifted the cigar crooked in his finger to his lips and drew in a short drag, held it in his mouth, savored its pungent flavor and then blew out a stream of blue smoke towards her, and agreed "Yep, that he will, Julia"

Julia got the response she desired, a young woman popped her head around the corner into the room, smiling, she said "OK mummy" and disappeared. Skipping down the stairs and smiling happily to herself, she unlocked the large glass doors.

"Hi" she greeted the two men holding up their police identification "Hello Miss, we are the police, I'm Detective Grayson and this is my colleague, Detective Haver's, does Miss Julia Barringer reside here by any chance"

The young woman chuckled at the stern looking pair, "I'm Samantha" she winked shyly at Havers, "Julia is my mother, she's upstairs, come on in," she beckoned, and closed and locked the door behind them.

"I hope everything is alright," Samantha asked.

Grayson and Havers followed her up the floral carpeted stairs, "I'm sorry Miss, but it's a matter for you mother," Havers pointed out as he followed her along the landing. Samantha slowed, stepped to the side and pointed into a room "Mothers in there listening to the TV, Jeremy Kyle is on" checking her watch, she stepped closer to Havers, brushing against him, and said "Give her a couple of minutes"

Grayson frowned "Miss, this is an emergency of sorts; we need to speak with her now"

Samantha smiled warmly at the detectives, amused by their naivety "Be patient, just a couple of minutes, she will be far more cooperative. It'll be worth it". Running her hand up Havers arm and across his shoulder as she passed him by, she asked "Coffee?"

Havers smiled at her and nodded "White with one, please" and winked at the blue eyed beauty that had rubbed his ego in all the right places. Grayson shook his head and tutted to himself as he watched the two of them almost drool over each other, this was why he hated partnering the younger detectives, and under his breath said "unbelievable"

Samantha emerged from the kitchen with a single mug of coffee and handed it to Havers, along with another lingering smile and a touch to his elbow, Havers smiled back "Thank you, Samantha".

Her hand fell to his hip "Oh please, call me Sam"

From the living room, the older woman's voice called "Well, come on in then, you've ten minutes before Jeremy's back. What's so important that the Police need to see me?"

Grayson pushed passed Havers and said "Back to work Casanova"

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