Soultions For Business
“Mister Sykes, your 3 o’clock appointment is here”
“Thank you, Denise, please show them in.”
The door opened, and the secretary showed the two visitors into the director’s office. David Sykes stood up and shook his visitors by the hand.
“Mister Sykes? My name is Burke, and this is my assistant Miss Hare.”
The gentleman who spoke was smartly dressed, in a light grey suit, white shirt and tie. His assistant was wearing a red leather skirt and jacket, with red stilettos. Both sat opposite David at his desk.
“Now,” Mr Burke said, “How can Solutions for Business be of service to you?”
“Well, this is a delicate situation, otherwise….”
“Don’t worry, Mister Sykes, people only call on us when they have a delicate situation to deal with. I can assure you that all our clients enjoy strict confidentiality in our dealings.”
David relaxed. “Our company is on the verge of agreeing a merger with a rival company, but regretfully one of the directors of the opposing company is holding out. We have tried increasing the offer, or asking what he wishes for, but we have been unable to convince him to sign over his shares.”
Miss Hare was making notes as David spoke.
“I take it that this deal requires 100% agreement to proceed?”
“It does. I was talking to a colleague, and he mentioned that your firm may be able to provide a solution to this problem.”
“Personal recommendation always helps – would it be possible to know the name of this contact?”
David passed Mister Burke a business card, which he read then placed in his jacket pocket.
“Yes, I remember that problem – we were able to provide a complete solution in his case. Now, if we are to help you we need to set some ground rules.”
David nodded. “I was told this would be the case. You require complete anonymity – and to be honest I don’t want to know how you get this person to sign. Just get him to sign.”
“Do you have the information we asked for?”
David opened a desk drawer, and pulled a manila file out which he handed to Miss Burke. She opened the file, scanned the contents and nodded to Mister Burke.
“My associate confirms we have everything we need there, as well as the proposed retainer. We will, naturally, expect the balance upon his signature.”
“Of course.”
“Very well,” Mister Burke said as he and Miss Hare stood. “We will not be in touch until you have what you require. Goodbye, Mister Sykes.”
“Goodbye,” David said as he shook their hands and they left his office.
A grey limousine was parked outside the building, a liveried chauffer standing by the door as Mister Burke and Miss Hare left the building. They climbed in as he held the door open.
“The main office, please John,” Miss Burke said as the chauffer climbed into the driver’s seat. Mister Burke dialled a number on his cell phone.
“Mister White? I need a team assembled for tomorrow morning please, and ask Janice to clear some time in my diary for the day after tomorrow. I’ll talk to her when I get back.”
“With your permission, sir, I would like to take a part in this case,” Miss Hare asked, “I like the look of this woman.”
She was looking at a portrait shot of a blonde haired woman in her early forties.
“Of course, my dear,” Mister Burke answered, “I think this needs your personal touch. I will leave you to make the physical arrangements before tomorrow morning.”
“When’s Dad coming home tonight?”
“Not sure, Betty – he said he had a meeting this afternoon.”
“All right, mum. I’ll be in my room if you want me.”
Betty turned round and walked out of the kitchen, her blue baby doll top blowing in the wind as she headed off. She was also wearing a pair of tight black leggings, which moved as if they were her skin as she climbed the stairs.
Her mother finished tying the headscarf over her hair, then pulled the pair of gardening gloves over her hands as she headed towards the back garden. An old checked blouse was over her white t-shirt and tied under her breasts, and a pair checked Capri pants completed her outfit.
Both women failed to notice the sound of the white transit van pulling up into the drive, or the sound of the front door lock turning as two men silently crept into the house. One of the men, a Chinese gentleman wearing a grey t-shirt and black jogging pants, took his sunglasses off and looked to his companion. The blonde haired man, wearing a black sleeveless top and pants, nodded as they both crept up the stairs.
Betty was listening to her stereo, and so failed to notice anyone in her room until the wet rag had been slapped over her mouth and nose. She reached up to grab the arm holding it in place, but the chloroform took effect took quickly as she slumped unconscious. The two men picked her up, and carrying her down the stairs deposited her in the bag of the van. Taking some cord, they bound her hands and ankles and tied a bandana into her mouth as a gag, before tying a black scarf over her eyes as a blindfold.
Her mother was also oblivious to all that was happening, until she stood up from her flower bed to be surprised by the chloroform rag over her own mouth and nose. Within ten minutes, she too was bound, gagged and blindfolded in the back of the van, with the men closing the house doors behind them before driving off.
“Mister Theakston? The gentlemen who asked for a meeting at 3 o’clock are here.”
Robert Theakston stood and greeted his visitors.
“Mister Theakston? A pleasure to meet you – my name is Mister Burke, and this is my associate Mister Brown.”
“Gentlemen – please take a seat. I must confess I was surprised to receive your call – I have not heard of Solutions for Business before. What can I do for you?”
“Well, first I must ask if this room is secured, and that you turn off any recording devices you have on. This is a …. Delicate matter we have come to talk to you about.”
Robert looked at his visitors quizzically. “I’m not sure what you mean, but I assure you this room has no recording devices.”
“Fair enough. Do you mind if Mister Brown here uses his laptop? I assure you it is a secure connection that does not interface with your company, and he will need to take notes.”
Robert nodded, and Mister Brown opened a laptop he drew from his case.
“Mister Theakston,” Mister Burke continued, “We are actually here as representatives of David Sykes, who I believe is someone you have been discussing a matter of business with?”
“Well, I have, but I fail to see what our private business discussions have to do with your firm.”
“Actually, he has called us in to try to solve the impasse that you have reached. Tell me, Mister Theakston, have you spoken to your wife today?”
“My wife? I think it’s time I called security!”
“Before you lift the telephone receiver, Mister Theakston, I think you should look at this. Mister Brown?”
The silent gentleman placed the laptop on Robert’s desk, and showed him a shot of a barn. A set of cuffs with chains attached were hanging from the ceiling.
“What is the meaning of this?” Robert asked.
“Watch”, Mister Burke said as he made a call. “Proceed.”
Two men, one Chinese and one blonde, led in a blonde woman who had a black scarf tied over her eyes as a blindfold. She was dressed only in a leather harness, which crossed over and around her upper body, and even though she was blindfolded she seemed to be in some sort of trance. Robert recognised her instantly.
“Oh my god – that’s my wife! What have you done to her?”
“A mild sedative – I assure you she is in no physical danger as such, but she is unable to talk or run away.”
As they watched, the men placed her wrists in the leather cuffs that hung from the ceiling, and strapped them securely in place. The camera followed as they bent down and secured her ankles to similar cuffs that were fixed to the floor.
Robert watched as her wife stood there, slowly turning her head from side to side and trying to speak. He could also hear a muffled cry coming from somewhere else.
“Now, Mister Theakston, are you ready to sign the deal that Mister Sykes has offered?”
Robert shook his head. “No – I won’t give in to blackmail like this.”
“Pity,” Mister Burke said as he spoke into his call phone, “Carry on.”
Miss Hare could now be seen next to the helpless woman. She was wearing a black leather bustier with the top turned down to show her own smooth breasts, a black thong and high heels, and carried a whip.
“Are you sure you want to see this, Mister Theakston?”
Robert sat transfixed. “No – what is she planning to do to my wife?”
“I’m not sure – shall we find out?”
Miss Hare circled the blindfolded woman, running her hands over her body, and Mrs Theakston began to move in response to the touch. The whip was passed between her breasts and her legs, and Miss Burke began to gently kiss the bound woman’s breasts and body. As she continued to do so, Mrs Theakston started to moan and writhe in time to the movement.
Robert turned away. “Please – what do you want me to do?”
Mister Burke opened his case and drew out a sheaf of legal documents. “We want you to sign the deal, now. If you don’t – well, do you see the spare set of shackles there?”
Robert looked at the screen. “Yes,” he whispered.
“Well, if you don’t sign now, this is the person who will be changed and placed there.”
The scene on the computer panned to a bound, gagged and blindfolded girl sat on the barn floor, whimpering and trying to free her hands from behind her back.
“No – Betty….” Robert gasped. He took the papers and signed them.
“Thank you, Mister Theakston. Now, your wife and daughter will be returned to your home – please do not try to contact them for two hours after we leave this room, nor should you try to contact the authorities or they become permanent guests somewhere else. If you tell anyone about this, the film we have just seen being made is posted on certain web sites with full contact details. Do I make myself clear?”
Robert Theakston mutely nodded as Mister Burke took the documents, checked them and placed them in his case. Mister Brown turned off the laptop and filed that away as well.
“It has been a pleasure to meet you, Mister Theakston. Hopefully, we won’t meet again.”
The two visitors left as Robert Theakston sat at his desk and started to quietly cry with his head in his hands.