Behind Blue Eyes: The Good The Bad & The Blood

  But did she really want him to stay away?

  She took hold of the angel pendant that was dangling around her neck. She held it to her chest and lay back down on the bed. Could he really be one of the undead? That would certainly explain a few things. She shook her head. Grow up! The only monsters in this world are humans.

  She would have to go to the police soon. Surely the bodies would have been found and they must be looking for her by now. What would she tell them about Cain? That he’s a madman who thinks he’s a vampire, who killed them for wanting to turn her into a sex slave? Even if they didn’t think she was mad, they would definitely think she was involved with the murders.

  She went downstairs and told Jess she was going over to the police station.

  “Mia, please tell me what happened.” Jess stroked Mia’s arm, but she jerked her hand back when her daughter flinched.

  “I never noticed how sore my arms were last night.” Mia gave a slight smile as Jess put her hand to her mouth. “I’m okay. I‘ll tell you everything when we get to the station. I don’t want to keep repeating it.”

  Jess put her arms gently around Mia and held her for a moment. “Come on, let’s go. I’ll drive.” She tried to put a brave smile on her face.

  They arrived at the police station and Mia took a deep breath. It’s now or never, she told herself. Jess held her hand as they entered the station.

  Chapter 28

  Peter Smith was on the desk. Mia had been in the same class at school with his younger brother, Greg.

  “Hi, Mia. Hi, Jess. What can I do for you today?” He greeted them with the usual friendly smile that made his whole face light up. His green eyes, blond hair, and 1.85 cm slim build had made him popular with the girls.

  Mia and Jess had always liked the brothers.

  Jess nodded and looked at Mia. “Mia needs to report something.” She squeezed Mia’s hand.

  Mia was unable to speak. Her mind was going wild. They weren’t looking for her. Had Cain really killed them? Maybe no one had been to the apartment and found the bodies yet. Did she really have to mention Cain? She was pulled from her thoughts by Peter.

  “What do you need to report, Mia?” He saw the vacant stare on her face and the way she jumped when he spoke to her. He had always thought she was beautiful, but she did not look like the same girl today. There was no smile. Her smile was usually so genuine, so attractive. There was no color in her normally rosy cheeks, there were dark shadows under her eyes. Then he noticed the bruising on her neck. His stomach clenched and he felt sick. The thought that somebody had hurt her was gut-wrenching.

  “Let’s go somewhere a bit more private.”

  “Yes, please. Privacy would be good.” There was no emotion in Mia’s voice. She wanted Cain by her side, holding her hand. She had to stop herself thinking about him as deranged, or possibly a psychopath.

  Peter showed them into the interview room and called another officer to watch the main desk.

  “Mia, do you need me to get a female officer?” He was silently praying she would say no, that she hadn’t been molested, hadn’t been raped. Mia shook her head to indicate no and relief flooded him. “What happened to you?” Peter held his breath, knowing he still would not like the answer. Someone had tried to throttle her at the very least.

  Mia took a deep breath. “You know how I moved to Banksfield, for college?” He nodded. Her voice was flat. She needed to keep switched off, but the look on Peter’s face was starting to make her falter. Did he know something? Had they found the bodies? Were they going to wait for her statement, and then arrest her?

  She shook her head sharply. She needed to carry on. I’ll just tell the truth. “I rented a room from Taz Jones and Billy Jenkins.” She looked at Jess as she waited for Peter to recognize the names.

  “It’s okay, Mia, just take your time,” Peter said. He tried to smile, to relax her a little and not make things more difficult for her.

  “A week ago I saw them with two men, and they sold me to them as some sort of sex slave to be shipped abroad.” But she couldn’t hold it together any longer. She burst into tears.

  Jess and Peter were stunned. Peter did not know what to do. What should he say? He felt so angry he could not think straight. Come on, pull it together. You’re a cop, for heaven’s sake, he berated himself.

  Jess grabbed hold of Mia. “What did they do to you?”

  Mia calmed herself and carried on with her story, but she kept her eyes on the ground. She did not want to see her mother’s face, the anguish this was going to cause her.

  “When I got home last night, Taz and Billy attacked me. Billy started strangling me while he and Taz held me down. Then I blacked out. When I came to, I was tied to a chair. They told me what they had done, about selling me. Taz said it was either me or her. She went out and left me alone with him.”

  Mia lifted her head to look at Peter. His face had darkened. Her mother’s face was ashen. She decided she could not tell them about Cain. If he hadn’t been there, if they had sold her to someone else…? She had to stop herself thinking these thoughts. She took a deep breath and clasped her hands together to stop them from shaking.

  “I managed to get myself free after he left the bedroom. I ran as fast as I could. I saw the same two guys they’d been speaking with, and another man, coming into the building. I pushed past them and got to my car. They went on into the house, all three of them. I’m sure they were going to the apartment. I just drove non-stop until I got to Mom’s.”

  “Why didn’t you go straight to the police?” Peter asked, relief evident on his face.

  “I was so scared. I just wanted to be home with Mom, to be safe.”

  Someone brought in a tray bearing glasses of iced water.

  “I couldn’t believe it all happened. I didn’t even remember the drive. I was numb. It was as if my mind and body didn’t belong together.” Mia took a few gulps from her glass. “I know that sounds really lame, but that’s how it was. I guess I was on autopilot.”

  Jess sat with a stunned look on her face. It was moments before she could speak. “That’s incredible! I thought Taz was such a nice girl!” Jess shouted. But when she saw the look on Mia’s face, she put her glass down, and she hugged her daughter some more. “You’re safe now, honey.”

  Peter excused himself. He needed to report this to his lieutenant. And order in some coffees while he was at it. It was going to be a long session.

  “What about the other guy you mentioned? Cain. Was that his name?”

  “Mom, I want to leave him out of this. Without him I…. God knows what would have happened. Please don’t say anything. Not yet.”

  “Okay, but I’m not happy about this. Do you understand?”

  “I do and I will tell them, I promise. But just leave it for now.”

  Jess wondered, Is this Cain more involved than Mia realizes?

  Lieutenant Perry Jefferson entered the room. He had watched Mia grow up. “Hello, Jess. How are you feeling, Mia? I hear you’ve had a terrible time. Are you up to talking with me?” Perry was a tall, overweight, gray-haired, slightly balding African American. He was well respected and liked within the community.

  “I’m okay, I guess. A bit nervous. Will it take long? I just want to go home.” What am I going to tell Mom about Cain? What if someone had seen me leave after the three men had entered the apartment? What’s going to happen when they finally discover the bodies?

  “It won’t take long. Peter is calling Banksfield PD, and an APB is being put out on your two roommates.” He looked at Mia. Such a shame, and after all that nasty business with her stepfather. Poor kid. “Mia, can you describe the men you saw your roommates with? Did you hear them mention any names?”

  “One was maybe sixty, fat and bald. The other was taller. He had a skinhead and a scar down his face. I didn’t hear any names, but Taz said they were old friends of Billy’s.”

  Perry noticed the marks on Mia’s throat. “Are those bruises from last n
ight?”

  Mia automatically put her hand to her throat. “Billy did it. He was strangling me.” She held out her arms so he could check out the bruising Billy’s knees had caused.

  “Have you been to the hospital?” Mia shook her head. “I want you to look at some mug shots, but first I need to get you checked over at the hospital. We’ll have some photos taken of those bruises. Do you have any other injuries?”

  “I don’t think so. I haven’t really checked.”

  ***

  Mia was given the all clear at the hospital once photos were taken of her injuries. She was advised to drink only cool drinks until the aching in her throat had subsided. Then she returned to the station to go through the dozens of mug shots. Eventually, she stalled at a photo of Joseph Mils. Her hand started shaking as a cold sweat ran over her entire body. A tear escaped and ran down her cheek. She tried to speak, but her mouth had gone dry. She gagged.

  Jefferson watched her as she tried to control her emotions. “It’s all right. Take your time. Do you recognize him?”

  Mia nodded as she put the photo down, but she found it hard to take her eyes off it.

  None of the other photos matched the other man.

  Lieutenant Jefferson told Mia that he knew Joseph Mils; he had arrested him in New York just before he was transferred here. He had arrested him for the assault and battery of a prostitute.

  Lieutenant Jefferson gave a colleague, Lieutenant Mathew Denton from the New York Police Department, a call and inquired about the latest Intel on Mils. He explained his case to Lieutenant Denton. Lieutenant Denton told him all he knew about the guys. Mils was under suspicion of human trafficking along with a guy known as Arben the Albanian, but not a lot was known about the Albanian; the last he heard was the FBI had lost track of both men, about a month back.

  When they got home Jess insisted Mia tell her about Cain and why she never mentioned him to the police. Mia couldn’t tell her mother the whole story.

  “I met Cain when I was ten. I told him about Phil. He was the one who made me tell you about him, what he had been doing to me. Cain was the one who sent Angel on my birthday. He was in Banksfield when he heard Billy and the two other men talking about what they were planning to do to me. He warned me, and he tried to get me to leave. But I went back to collect some of my stuff. He broke into the apartment, knocked Billy out cold, and set me free. I’m sorry, Mom, but I didn’t want to get him mixed up with the police for saving my life, saving me yet again.”

  “I would have liked to have met him, this man who rescued my daughter.” Jess thought it strange Mia had never mentioned him before. “Do you think you will see him again?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  Jess saw the sadness in Mia’s eyes as she answered her question. It was different to the way she looked when she was at the station. She wasn’t scared; she was visibly saddened at the thought of not seeing Cain again. Jess decided not to push her daughter any more about this mystery man. At least for the moment.

  ***

  Lieutenant Jefferson received a call from the Banksfield Police Department. They needed to talk to Mia. They had found two bodies in the flat, one female and one male. Both of the bodies had been decapitated. No one had seen or heard anything.

  Peter volunteered to drive Mia to Banksfield.

  Mia gave the Banksfield PD the same statement she had given Peter. She was asked if she could identify the bodies while they were trying to trace the whereabouts of their next of kin. Tamzin Jones had been an only child and brought up in foster homes. Billy did not exist; they couldn’t find any record for a Billy or William Jenkins that matched his age or description, they couldn’t get finger prints without his hands, and the apartment had been wiped clean. They warned Mia that the pictures were disturbing.

  Mia identified the photos of the bodies as that of Billy and Taz. She had stood for what seemed like an eternity looking at the photos of their identical tattoos. Why had they done what they did? She was confused about how she should feel; did they deserve to die for what they were just planning on doing?

  Was that why Taz had been so upset? But she did help Billy restrain me. Mia couldn’t hold the tears back from her stinging eyes any longer. She was in turmoil. She was angry at Taz, but Taz didn’t deserve to die.

  During the drive back with Peter, Mia was holding on to her pendant, preoccupied with her thoughts. Cain had really killed them, so where were the other two? Why was there no trace of them? Could he really be what he said he was? She was missing him. What would have happened to her if she had never met him? She wished she hadn’t told him to go away.

  She jumped as Peter spoke. “That’s a nice necklace.”

  “What? Oh, thanks. A friend gave it to me a long time ago.” A very good friend I miss so much.

  “Everything’s going to be all right. You will get past this and be back to your old self soon,” Peter said, hoping he sounded convincing.

  Mia smiled. “Thanks, but I’m not sure I will be.”

  Peter pulled the car over and took hold of Mia’s hand. “I’m here if you need me. I mean for anything you want to talk about. Well, anything at all. I’m only a phone call away.”

  “Thanks, Peter.”

  Joe and Arben were never found. The official report was that they had killed Tamzin Jones and Eugene William Jenkins, a petty crook from Texas also known as Billy Jenkins, during an argument over them letting Mia Taylor escape.

  ***

  Mia could not face going back to college, back to Banksfield. The thought terrified her. She decided she would take the rest of the year off, get a job, and then transfer to a different college the following year.

  Cain was completely alone. He missed seeing Mia, and, even if most of the time it was from a distance, he missed hearing her telling Angel about her day and her plans for the future. Did she really never want to see him again? Could he honor his vow and stay away from her? He knew she was wearing the token, he could feel her. Did he dare think that meant she had forgiven him?

  He could not bring himself to find out. He couldn’t bear for her to send him away again. But no, he could never be totally separated from her. He would visit occasionally, and he would make sure she did not see him, but make sure she was safe always.

  ***

  Peter had become a good friend to Mia. He was always calling by the house asking after her, keeping her updated on any news of the two men who had got away. Mia knew they hadn’t really got away, but she would listen to Peter’s theories. Peter reckoned they had left the country on false passports, gone to Albania or the Middle East and continued in the sex slave business. Another theory of his was that they could have gone to Cuba or Brazil, they could be dealing in drugs, anything, but he always assured her they were not in the US. She was safe and he would never let anyone hurt her again.

  He was pleased when she told him she wasn’t going back to college and that she was taking the rest of the year off. But she couldn’t just sit around thinking about what happened; she needed something to keep her busy, a job. Peter’s dad owned Smith’s Family Pet Store and he put in a good word for Mia.

  She got the job and worked full time, really enjoying working at the pet store. This gave Peter an excuse to visit her more often.

  After a couple of months, Peter asked Mia out on a date. She had become fond of him. Peter had agreed to take things slowly, he never pushed her and they just enjoyed each other’s company.

  Peter and Mia had been dating for five weeks when Cain went to visit Mia. He waited all evening, most of the time at Angel’s grave. He began to worry. Why had she not visited the grave? It was nearly ten; surely she would not come now, not this late. She was still wearing the pendant and nothing felt wrong. In fact, he could sense she was happy. He decided he would visit her home, just to make sure she was okay.

  As Cain turned his Audi onto Ashton Road he saw Mia getting out of a Honda. There was a young man with her. They stopped at the front door and hugged, an
d then he kissed her passionately before saying goodnight. Cain felt gut-punched, not sure if it was anger or jealousy caused by watching someone else kiss her. Shouldn’t he be happy that at last she would have a normal life, a life with a boy her own age, and eventually marriage and children? He should have known this day would come.

  But he needed to know who this man was. Cain followed Peter home.

  The next morning he watched Peter leave the house in his police uniform. He was an officer of the law, but that did not mean he was automatically good for Mia. Cain would have to find out what kind of person he was. After a week of following Peter, Cain was satisfied that Peter was a good person. He would not hurt Mia, not on purpose anyway.

  Yet he didn’t know any more than Peter and Mia did that their relationship would only last six months, that they would both realize they were more friends than they were boyfriend and girlfriend.

  Chapter 29

  Cain visited Edward Mair. He showed him Helena’s letter and ledger. All of Helena’s affairs were put in order. Helena had given Cain just over seventeen million dollars, vast amounts of assets that had been in her safety deposit boxes. There were also photographs of Helena in one of the safety deposit boxes, along with what Cain assumed were her husband’s pictures. The only real difference in Helena was her style of clothing. There was one that looked like it was from the 1800s, with a gentleman who looked to be in his late fifties, and another from around the 1960s.

  Cain smiled at the picture of Helena in full flower-power attire alongside a hippy-looking man. He was saddened when he found the charcoal drawing of her with a baby on her knee. He remembered her story of the children she had lost, and the last hope of having a surviving child being cruelly taken from her. The deeds were for an apartment in Florida, one in New York, and a ranch in Jefferson County. Both apartments Cain put up for sale; he already owned homes in Florida and New York.