A Fine Robbery

The Monford Manor House stood back from the main road, a large Georgian building that for generations had been the home of the Monford family. It was also the site on which a daring home invasion was carried out by one man – a man known as the Green Hood…

As a criminal, he was known for a very particular modus operandi – target the family one at a time, secure them, then force the parents to hand over their valuables. He was also know for striking at night, save for one occasion.

This occasion…

Belinda looked out over the lawns to the rear of the manor house as she heard the front door open. She had taken the role of housekeeper to the Monford family two months ago, and was beginning to feel settled in her role.

As she looked out into the hallway, she saw the four children coming into the house from the morning service. Eugenie, the youngest at six years old, was wearing a long sleeved white blouse under a black pinafore dress, a large black ow tied round her neck. The tops of her white socks could be seen over her black ankle boots, her blonde hair cut short.

The next oldest at ten years old was Matilda, her hair in two bunches on her head. She was also wearing a white blouse, this one an Edwardian style one with a high lace collar and black trim, as well as a long black skirt and black shoes.

Gerald, who was eleven, was the only boy – a serious looking young man, in a blue suit and white shoes, a purple tie carefully knotted under the collar of his white shirt. And then there was Ffiona, the oldest at twelve. She was wearing a black dress with long sleeves and a ruffled skirt, long white socks and black shoes, her long light brown hair loose over the shoulders.

Finally, Samantha Monford came in. Their mother had long dark brown hair, and was wearing a cream blazer over a black wrap dress with a large gold leaf motif, as well as long taupe coloured leather boots.

“We will want lunch at two, Belinda,” she said as she looked at the housekeeper, “the children have homework to do, and I have some correspondence to deal with.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” Belinda said as she watched them walk up the stairs. She was wearing a black sweater with a wide black leather belt around her waist, and a knee length white skirt with a large black check. Her outfit was completed by the knee length black leather boots she was wearing, the heels clicking on the floor as she walked back across the kitchen.

The father, Mr Monford, was away on a business trip, but that was fine – looking after the children was more than enough to keep her attention. She went back to the kitchen sink, looking out of the window as the sun shone down on the grass.

And that was when she saw the reflection in the glass. Before she could say anything, the figure came closer, and she inhaled the scent of the leather as the gloved hand was clamped over her mouth, and she was grabbed from behind,

“Remain calm, do not scream, do not raise the alarm.” It was a male voice, soft but commanding, and as Belinda struggled she felt his grip on her tighten.

“Do you really want to frighten the children before I have a chance to make sure they are safe? If you make a noise or a fuss then I cannot be certain of what might happen – do you want that to prey on your mind?”

Belinda stopped struggling, and then shook her head as she looked in the window. All she could see was the eyes and mouth in the head covering…

“Better – now, I am going to walk you to a chair, and I want you to sit on it, hands by the chair side – and you are not to move, you are not to make a sound. Nod if you understand.”

She slowly nodded as she was walked over to one of the chairs by the kitchen table, and she sat down, her arms by her sides as she looked straight ahead. There was a ripping sound, and then she felt something tug on her left wrists as it was secured in place to the wooden chair. Glancing to her side, she saw the large roll of silver duct tape as it was wound round her wrist, locking it into place, before whoever this mans was walked behind her, and she felt her other wrist as it was taped to the chair.

She then felt him pulling her long blonde hair back, lifting it out of the way before the tape was stuck to her cheek, and he wound the roll tightly round her head, covering her mouth and muzzling her as it pressed into her cheeks. He passed the roll round several times before tearing it free and letting her hair fall back, before he wound it round her upper arms, pressing them against her body.

More tape went around her stomach, forcing her against the chair back and holding her in place, and then round her upper legs and the chair seat. She could see him clearly now – a big man, wearing a dark boiler suit, heavy boots, gloves – and a green balaclava that covered his head, only his eyes and lips showing.

Kneeling in front of Belinda, he looked up and smiled before putting her ankles together and taping them, the silver band round her ankles and her feet, and then a further band around her legs below her knees, before he stood up and pulled her chair into the centre of the room.

“Now don’t move – I’m going to take care of the family,” he said sternly as he looked into her eyes, Belinda nodding as she tried to move her legs, the tape crinkling as the leather rubbed and squeaked. She was too tightly secured, so all she could do was sit, and wait.

And pray…

The masked man walked into the hallway and slowly made his way up the stairs, the large silver roll in his hand as he reached the top. Despite the boots he was wearing, he moved noiselessly, looking carefully into each of the room and seeing what the occupants were up to, who was in each room. When he was satisfied he knew where everyone was, he walked back to one door and silently opened it.

Eugenie was sitting with her back to the door, drawing on a piece of paper and not paying any attention as he walked in and closed the door behind himself. The first the young girl knew of what was happening was when he put his gloved hand over her mouth and pulled her head back, resting it against himself as she reached up and tried to pull it down, his hand muffling her screams.

“Be quiet, little one,” he said as he looked down into her as Eugenie looked up, the fear clear in her eyes, “do what I tell you to do, and don’t make a sound. Trust me, you will be happier if you do.”

“MMHMMHHLPHMMMM!!”

“I said to be quiet, little one – or do I have to knock you out?”

Eugenie stopped struggling as she heard that, and looked up at him, starting to cry as she mumbled “Phlssdhnthrthmh.”

“I won’t hurt you if you do as I say. Now, if I take my hand away, are you going to scream for help?” He waited until Eugenie shook her head, and then removed his hand before he said “I want you to stand up, and put your hands behind your back.”

“Why?”

“Because,” the masked man said as he showed the six year old the roll of silver tape, “I’m going to tape your wrists and arms, then cover your mouth, before we go to the rest of your brothers and sisters - and then your mother. So do as I say – stand up, and put your hands behind your back.”

Eugenie slowly stood up and put her hands behind her back, trying not to cry as she felt the masked man put her hands together, heard the ripping sound, and then felt the tape as it held her wrists tightly to each other. The man then wrapped the tape round her waist to make sure her hands stayed there, and used another band to hold her arms to her sides over her chest.

As she twisted round, she said “why are you doing this to me?”

“Because I want your mother’s nice things – and it’s so much easier to get them when the children have already been secured,” he said, smiling as he tore a long strip from the roll. “Now, turn round, and put your lips together.”

Eugenie turned and looked at him, the green balaclava over his head, as he smoothed the tape down over her mouth, followed by two more strips so that she wasn’t able to do more than mutter.

“Now, don’t cry – you don’t want to hurt yourself do you,” he said as he brushed her hair away from her face. Eugenie slowly hook her head, as he said “good – now, let’s go and have a word with one of your sisters…”

Eugenie walked in front of him, too scared to do anything else as he stopped outside Matilda’s door and opened it, ushering the six year old n front of him. Her sister was lying on her bed, looking at a book, but when she heard the footsteps she looked up and saw Eugenie, and then the masked man, before she whispered “oh my…”

“Hello – are you going to scream and try to raise the alarm?”

Matilda slowly shook her head as Eugenie mumbled “Fhnkshssss.”

“Good – stand up, come over and stand in front of me, hands behind your back.”

“Are you going to do that to me as well,” Matilda whispered as she saw the silver bands round her sister’s upper body.

“I am – as well as your bother, your older sister, and your mother, one at a time. Now, walk over here, nice and quietly, and do as I say.”

“Are you all right, Genie,” Matilda said, her younger sister nodding as she walked over and turned round. She heard the ripping sound, and then the tape on her wrists as they were secured tightly together, before the tape was taken round her waist to lock them against her back. Eugenie could only watch, breathing as carefully as she could through her nose, as the masked man then passed more tape round her sister’s arms and body to hold them against her sides, the silver contrasting with the white material of her blouse.

As she twisted round, they both heard the tape crinkle, and then she saw the long strip in her binder’s gloved hands.

“Is that to keep me quiet?”

“It is – and then we go and have a word with your brother.”

“But what if I need the toilet?”

The masked man looked at her, and said quietly “put your lips together…”

“Phlsshssdhnt,” Matilda said as he pressed the tape over her mouth, Eugenie watching as he tore two more strips off and then pressed them firmly down on top. Opening the door, he put a gloved finger to his lips, and motioned the two girls to walk in front of him…

Gerald turned round when he heard the soft knock on the door, and placed his jacket over the back of his desk seat before he walked over. Opening the door, he said “what do you wan…”

The sight of Eugenie and Matilda standing there, bands of silver tape round their body and their mouths covered, made him stare - and then he saw the masked man with a gun in his hand, who motioned to him to step back and pushed the two girls in front of him.

“So you’re the brother,” he said as he looked at Gerald, “are you going to try and fight me?”

Gerald stared at his sisters as they shook their heads, the tape crinkling over their mouths as they tried to speak – and then he dashed at the intruder. The man in the green balaclava merely stepped to the side and grabbed the young boy, putting a gloved hand over his mouth and lifting him up as he said “I wanted you to take the chance – now, listen to me. Stop struggling, or your sisters may get upset and struggle. And if they struggle, they may start coughing - and that tape over their mouths may be a problem.”

Eugenie and Matilda looked at each other, before the older girl said “Ghrrhldd!” He looked at his sister, as she shook her head and said “phlsshthp.” He slowly nodded as the intruder pushed him face down on the bed, and pulled his hands behind his back, crossing his wrists and taping them tightly together.

“Smart move, son,” he whispered as he made Gerald stand up and face his sisters, before he passed the tape round his waist, then pressed the tape to his arm as it was wound round his upper body. Gerald tried to twist round, as he said “if you hurt my sisters or my mother.”

“Kid – if you don’t stop struggling, you’re the one that is going to get hurt,” the man said as he tore the tape free and smoothed it down, then wrapped another band round his stomach and arms.

Gerald looked at the other two, and said “are you both all right?” He watched them nod in response, as Eugenie tried to move again =- but the bands held her arms in place, as he was turned round and a length of tape pressed firmly down over his mouth, covering his lips and jaw. Two more strips followed on top of that one, before the man held Gerald and looked into his eyes.

“You need to take responsivity for all of you,” he said quietly, “because if one of you misbehaves, or does not do as I say, you will all suffer.”

“Hllfhfhhss – ffhne!”

“And that is where we are going to go next – so be good kids, and let’s go.”

Gerald looked down at his upper body, the three bands of silver on top of his white shirt, his tie under all the bands and his arms fixed in place. He also wriggled his fingers, but it was no good – so he slowly nodded, and walked to join his sisters.

“Whhsshnnmhmhrd,” Matilda mumbled as they walked to the oldest sister’s room.

“Shhsslhsnhnnhnhebhds,” Gerald said quietly.

“Whtthbhtbhlhndhh?”

In the kitchen, Belinda had her head down, her eyes closed. She had tried to break herself free, tried to move the chair, but nothing had worked, and exhaustion had finally taken its toll on her…

When Ffiona saw her room door open, she said “is it lunchtime already?” – and then she stepped back as Eugenie, Matilda and Gerald walked in, their arms taped and their mouths covered – and then there was the man wearing a green balaclava, who followed then in with a gun in one hand, and a large roll of silver tape in the other.

“Oh my god - please, who are you?”

“I want your mother to be a good girl and give me all her valuables - and you kids are the key,” he said quietly as he closed the door.

“And my mother has heard nothing? Is she listening to the radio through her earbuds again?”

“Htsshndhh,” Gerald said as he shrugged his shoulders. Ffiona sighed, and said “let me guess - I’m next?”

“Clever girl,” the masked man said as the others watched silently, “now be a good girl, and put your hands behind your back.”

Ffiona looked at the others, and said “silver on white – I think silver on black will look better."

“Kid, I leave fashion to those who care,” the man said as he put the girl’s wrists together, and wrapped tape tightly round them.

Ffiona smiled as she said “well, it’s one way to spend a Sunday lunchtime. You three all right?”

“Chldbhbhtthrr,” Gerald said as his younger sisters nodded. He was watching as the man wrapped the tape round his older sister, forcing her arms against her body at the waist, stomach and shoulders, the silver bands on the black dress – and something was stirring in him.

“Well, it is snug, I will say that,” Ffiona said as the man tore the tape off the last band and patted it down, shaking her head as her long hair fell over the band around her upper arms. “So what now?”

“Now – you be quiet,” he said quietly as he pressed strips of the silver tape over her mouth, Ffiona watching before he said “good kids – now, let’s go and talk to Mummy…”

Samantha was sitting on her large bed, her legs stretched out in front of her on the cover, reading a magazine as she listened to the radio program through her wireless earbuds.

She didn’t notice the door opening and closing, but then she heard a mumbling sound. She paid it no attention, as the sounds of Simply Red were in her ears.

“Mhmhm….”

“The only thing I ever wanted
Was the feeling that you ain't faking
The only one you ever thought about
Wait a minute, can't you see that I”

“Mhhhmmmm!”

“Wanna fall from the stars
Straight into your arms, I
I feel you, I hope you comprehend”

“MHHMMMMM!”

The sounds made Samantha look up, only for her eyes to open wide as she stared at her four children standing there – all of them with silver tape over their mouths, all of them with bands of silver tape round their arms and upper body – and all of them staring at her as she slowly removed the earbuds.

“Good afternoon, Mrs Monford.”

Samantha suddenly turned her head to see the man standing there, the green balaclava over his head so only his eyes and mouth could be seen, as he said “now, here’s the question – do you want your children to be safe?”

“Of course I do – why?”

“In that case,” the man said as he held up the roll of silver tape, “get off the bed. The two younger girls are going to lie down on the bed, and you are going to tape their ankles and their legs together – and you’re going to make sure it is tight, because I don’t want you to think I thought you were trying to make it easy to escape.”

“I… I’ll do whatever you say,” Samantha said quietly as she got up, Eugenie and Matilda looking at each other before they walked forward and sat on the edge of the bed, the man smiling as he handed their mother the roll of tape.

“Girls, I’m sorry,” she said as she slowly knelt down, and tore the end of the roll free before she put Eugenie’s ankles together.

“Hsmshchrdmhhmmhe,” the youngest girl said as she looked at Samantha, tears starting to flow down her cheek as she felt the tape round her ankles, and then round her legs below her knees.

“I know you are, Genie,” Samantha said as she tore the tape free, and then smoothed it down, before she wiped the tear away and kissed the young girl on the forehead. “We’re all going to be together in this, so stay calm, and be brave for me, all right?”

Eugenie nodded as she watched her mother taping Matilda’s ankles and legs together, the silver bands crinkling as she raised and lowered her own legs, before Samantha stood up.

The masked man looked round the room, and saw a chaise longue, before he looked at Gerald and Ffiona. “You two – sir down there, and Mummy is going to tape your ankles and legs as well.”

The mother nodded as she kissed Matilda on the forehead, and then walked over, kneeling down as she said “you are both being very brave – now, put your ankles together for me.”

Gerald and Ffiona looked at each other and nodded, before they put their legs out, ankles together, watching as Samantha wrapped the tape tightly round their ankles, and their legs below their knees. She then stood up and kissed them both, before she said “so now what?”

“Now,” the man said as he took from his pocket a velvet sack, “your jewels, and your other valuables – in here.”

The four children watched, the tape still crinkling as they wriggled while Samantha slowly took the man round the room.

“Hwwhrudhnhhnnn,” Ffiona said as she looked at her brother.

“Hdhnntknh- hfhllfhnnheee,” he said as he looked at her. Ffiona looked back, and then slowly nodded as she said “mhthhh – hmschrrd, hnshmhxcthddd.”

“Yhsss, mhtthhh,” Gerald said as he blushed, and then looked at Eugenie and Matilda. He could not explain how he was feeling, and he hoped they would understand…

“Thank you,” the masked man said quietly as he put the sack down, and picked up the roll of tape. “Your turn now – turn round, hands behind your back.”

“Did you do this to Belinda as well,” Samantha asked as she turned round, feeling the man as he put her wrists together and then feeling the tape holding them together as he took it over the cuffs of her dress.

“The housekeeper? She’s secured downstairs - I don’t think she’s going to be your concern,” he said quietly as he tore the tape free and smoothed it down, then wound the tape round her waist to hold her wrists against her back.

All four watched, Gerald’s eyes opening wide as the masked man then wound two further bands of tape around his mother’s body, one around her stomach and one around her upper arms, the way it made her look adding to his feelings. For Samantha’s part, she could feel the upper band of tape on her chest, and knew she would be going nowhere as well.

“Sit on the other side of the bed.”

“All right,” she whispered as she sat down, watching as he taped her booted ankles together, and then he moved her legs so they lay down the bed, bending her knees slightly so that he could tape her legs together above and below her knees, the skirt of the dress gathered underneath. Samantha could now see the silver band over the taupe leather, and the bands over the black and gold, as she stretched her legs out, the skirt rising slightly.

“We can talk about this later,” she said to the children as she watched the man tear a strip of tape from the roll, and then felt it press down on her mouth, silencing her as he tore three more strips off and pressed them into place as well.

The masked man walked round and picked Matilda up in his arms, walking round the bed and sitting her next to Samantha on her left side, before he walked back and helped Eugenie to sit on the other side. They then watched as he walked to the chaise longue, and made Gerald sit on the floor, before he laid Ffiona on her side with her head resting on the arm.

“Have fun,” he said quietly as he picked up the velvet sack and walked out of the room. Samantha looked at the others, and said “Hmsshreee, bht whrrhlrht, hrntwh?”

All four nodded as they listened to the footsteps going down the stairs…

As he walked through the kitchen, the Green Hood saw that Belinda was asleep in the chair, her chest rising and falling. Smiling to himself, he slipped out of the manor house, and made his escape…

“Gehrhldd?”

Samantha looked at her son as he twisted round, the blush clearly visible on his cheeks as he tried to control what he was feeling, but it was becoming stronger, the helplessness, the feeling of freedom despite that as he twisted his face round, and then felt the tape coming away from his mouth.

He looked at Ffiona, and then rubbed his cheek on the seat she was lying on, gently peeling the tape away until he gasped and said “Mum, I’m sorry…”

“Whllthllklthrr,” she said as he saw her smile under the tape. “Chnuuhgththphn, chllfhrhlp?”

Gerald slowly nodded as he started to push himself to the open door, praying the man had not disconnected the telephone…

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