Doug and Bob sat in the car ready and waiting. Joseph and Jacob were standing under the scaffolding near the front door they were cold but didn’t complain. The gloves and woolly hat helped but the chill wind cut through them from time to time and they shivered involuntarily.
In the van the two Steve’s and Ian just stared at the screen. There was very little movement from the walk in wardrobe. Sometimes Jane’s head moved, other times her arms moved as if she was wiping her face. They had a good close up view now and they could see her shaking.
‘I think she’s crying’ said Steve.
‘Do you think she’s lost it’ said the other Steve
‘Surely all of this has taken its toll. Maybe she has realised what she has done.’
‘I think you’re right Steve’ interjected Ian ‘surely seeing an eight year old girl just lying there all helpless must have sparked something off inside her. To kill four times already in what seems like a crazy three week period is one thing. Perhaps because she has waited longer for this last one it has made it different.’
As they were pondering these thoughts there was a light tapping sound on the van doors. The armed response unit had got there in thirty minutes.
Ian opened the door to see his old mate from school Mark Goodwin standing there.
‘Ello numb nuts’ was Mark’s opening greeting.
‘Hello Mark you tosser, how’s things?
‘Okay, mustn’t grumble I suppose. I’ve got two of the other lads here can we squeeze in so we can see what we are dealing with.’
Into the van also stepped Mark’s two other officers. All six of them were now crammed into the van. Ian went over the details and what the plan was. Mark was happy but changed some details. He suggested one of them stayed near the front door so they could get in that way if there was any movement before they were ready. Also Mark and his other officer would climb up. His officer would lie on the floor ready to break the window with the butt of his gun. Mark could then turn, set and aim through the window without the added hassle of either breaking the window or shooting through it which could add vital seconds to their response time.
‘Okay I like it’ Ian stated. ‘Lets do this’
Mark and his two officers exited the van and walked over to the house. They had a quick chat with Jacob and Joseph. One officer stayed with them as agreed whilst the other climbed the scaffolding with Mark. The two of them climbed efficiently, effectively and most importantly silently. They were careful not to allow their guns to hit against the scaffolding as this would probably alert the whole street, never mind Jane. Plus in the dead of night every sound seemed to be ten times as resonant as during the day there were other sounds to compete with, but at 11 p.m. on a chilly September night there was very little about to actually generate any noise.
Mark’s officer got onto his knees and crawled into position, on his back under the window. His Heckler and Koch assault rifle ready to smash through the window in an instant. Mark quietly rested on the scaffolding. His knees slightly bent, his backside on the inner scaffolding, his back resting up against the wall, his rifle slung across his chest. He checked his sights. The night vision setting was on and he carefully leant over and peered into the room. The young girl was asleep in her bed directly in line with the window. She had a small night light on her pink bedside cabinet which glowed slightly. Mark adjusted his night vision accordingly. He looked over to the left and saw the walk in wardrobe. There was a rocking chair in the corner just behind the bedroom door. In front of the wardrobe in the middle of the room was a rocking horse. Jane would have to get round this to get to Sally and he decided that if she got past the rocking horse that would be the last thing she would ever do. Mark had young kids of his own, and he couldn’t quite believe what he was hearing when he was de-briefed personally by the Chief Super over an hour ago. Surely a woman…any woman just couldn’t kill a child. He realised she had been through a lot, but surely this would be taking things too far. Mark swung back around and rested against the wall. He pressed the small button on his earpiece and whispered ‘If she moves, let me know and I will take her out once she gets past the rocking horse in the middle of the room.
‘Roger that, Mark’ Ian whispered.
They waited there for an hour, it had gone midnight. Mark and his officer were getting cold but still diligently stayed in position. Jacob and Joseph thought hypothermia was setting in. Ian had dutifully taken the three of them cups of coffee to keep them warm. He had felt guilty sitting in the warm van. It was strange really, the two Steve’s and himself had just sat there silently, drinking coffee and staring at Jane. All of them, questioning how she had got to this point. How everything had fallen apart over a number of years, the way she had so nearly recovered from Nicks death only to spiral downwards to a point where the strangest and most bloody outcome had seemed the most reasonable one. And what if they were successful and brought her out alive. They would then need to tell her that her mother had died and she had caused that as well. She would be left with nobody, having lost everybody and everything…..