Suddenly the man’s face looked like he was in shock. His eyes started to bulge and his mouth fully opened. Almost in slow motion and in disbelief, he looked down to see the kitchen knife Mrs Mitten had pulled out of the pocket in her apron sticking out from his stomach.
Blood poured out as he fell to his knees and then face forward onto the ground with the top half of his body across the door threshold.
“Nobody threatens my family and gets away with it.”
“I, I, I’m yo–” was his last utterance before he fell silent.
Diane was trembling as she stepped back into the hall and still looking at the body, picked up the phone and dialled 999.
She waited for the police and ambulance while sitting on a chair looking at the body as if she couldn’t quite believe the man was dead.
As she waited, she replayed his voice in her mind. There was no doubt. She would never forget it. The same tone she had heard those eight weeks ago. The same voice who had threatened to send one of her twin daughters home safely and the other home in a coffin.
She could hear the sirens. It wouldn’t be long. They would take him away. Please God, they would take him away.
It had been three months since the stabbing. The police and the Crown Prosecution Service had certainly taken their time debating about what would happen to Diane.
The family had been kept waiting and wondering if the police would confirm this was the mastermind behind the kidnapping. They just wanted it to be over.
The family solicitor had put forward a case for self-defence, even though it had turned out the man was unarmed.
Finally, the two detectives involved in the case were back in the house to tell Mr and Mrs Mitten what was going to happen.
Diane and Francis were sitting in the living room side by side and clasping hands.
Detective Inspector Eden Gold and Detective Sergeant Tracy Archer sat opposite.
“So, Mr and Mrs Mitten. We have heard from the CPS and they have decided given the circumstances, your actions were in self-defence. That you thought, as your solicitor has put forward, this man was here to harm you in your own home. Therefore they feel it is not in anyone’s interests to pursue the matter any further unless new evidence to the contrary emerges in the future. I’m sure this decision is a relief to you both.”
Francis Mitten spoke. “Thank you, detective. Thank you, both. We know the amount of effort you put into everything and we are extremely grateful for all you have done. But can you tell us. Who was this man and why did he target us?”
“Over the past few days, we’ve been able to piece a lot together, thanks to Chris Linwood finally opening up. It seems his partner had told him half of his share of the ransom would be waiting for him when he was released. But now his partner is dead and the money recovered, Chris has become co-operative in the hope of doing a deal.
“They worked in the motor trade and became close friends. They were both fanatic Liverpool supporters and went to football matches together. One day on a car journey to an away match, Chris told him the story of how he had worked for you. He revealed how you and your father had offered him a share of the business but then changed your minds.
“So Chris became involved in the kidnapping for the money he felt was owed to him. However, his partner’s motive was different. The real mastermind was someone who had never been in trouble with the police. Things were made more difficult because in the video footage taken by Daniel, the man always wore a wig, dark glasses and a fake beard. Now, from everything Chris has told us, the sole reason behind his partner’s part in the kidnapping was revenge.”
Diane looked puzzled and leaned forward towards the detectives. “Revenge? Why would he target us? What did we ever do to him?” Before he turned up here I’d never seen him.”
Eden looked uncomfortable as he answered. “There is one piece of information that has come to light about this man. I think it will come as a shock. His parents were not nice people. He suffered extreme abuse. They poured boiling hot water over his back and legs when they thought he had been naughty. What he went through in his childhood was horrific, so he decided to track down the person he felt was to blame for his situation. He was born on the eighteenth of May 1984 but his mother gave him up for adoption five days later.”
Tracy saw the instant realisation and terror fill Diane’s eyes.
Eden continued.
“His adopted name was Gary Bone. His birth name was David Hammond. I’m very sorry to break the news to you, Mrs Mitten, but the man you killed was your son.”
THE END
