Jay and the Long Night
Jordan Hempford and Clark Benson had built HempSon
from a start with one transit van to a national distribution logistics company with
a strong reputation, and even though they were now Executive Directors, they
had confidence that those who worked for them were doing so legally and
properly.
As a result, Jordan and his wife Helen had retired to
a large farmhouse in the Cotswolds, and on this particular afternoon Helen was
in the kitchen, baking cakes and other items both for the family that were
coming to visit and also for Clark, who was coming with his wife Janet and
their two grandchildren.
“That smells good,” Jordan said as he looked round the
kitchen door. He was wearing a checked shirt over a white t-shirt, brown pants
and Doc Marten boots, while Helen was wearing a blue dress with a white scarf
wrapped round her neck, a white apron protecting the front of her dress, and
knee length taupe leather boots.
“Get out of here,” Helen said with a laugh, “you are
not having anything before Lauren and Claire get here with the kids.”
“Then I’ wait with anticipation,” Jordan said with a
laugh, Helen shaking her head as she took one tray of cakes from the Aga oven,
and placed a second one in. Washing her hands, she smiled as she heard the
vehicle pulling up. Looking out, she smiled as the SUV came to a stop, and two
young women got out.
Lauren was the oldest daughter at 34, and she was
wearing a light brown jumper and matching knee length leather boots which her
black leggings were tucked into, a brown tartan shawl tied round her neck and
hanging over her chest. Claire was 30, and she was wearing a blue denim shirt
dress with a thin belt round her waist, the bump just showing under the belt.
She was also wearing knee length boots, in her case darker brown ones, and she
had a red and grey tartan shawl tied round her neck and hanging down her front,
covering the bump at the tip. Both of them looked over and waved, the slight
wind blowing Lauren’s long blonde hair and Claire’s light brown hair.
As Lauren opened the rear doors of the vehicle, Helen
smiled at the two grandchildren who had jumped out. Chris was Lauren’s son,
twelve years old with dark hair, and he was wearing a blue jumper over a grey
T-shirt, grey jeans and trainers. Claire’s daughter, Astrid, was nine years
old, and was wearing a grey jumper with a large white elephant on the front,
and red leggings with white polka dots as well as red trainers. Her blonde hair
was swept back from her face and held there by a white band.
“GRANNY!” They both ran into the kitchen and hugged
their white-haired grandmother, as their mothers came in.
“All right, all right,” Helen said with a smile as she
rubbed their heads, “why don’t you go and see your grandfather while I sort out
some coffee and drinks for everyone.”
“Okay,” Astrid said as she and Chris ran off, Helen
hugging her daughters and looking at Claire. “So, what did the doctor say?”
“All good and the men of the house know we’re going to
be late back tonight, so they’re going to the pictures and then stopping in the
town for the night,” Lauren said. “How’s Dad?”
“Wondering why he only goes into the office one day a
week now but he potters around the place,” Helen said as she put a copper
kettle on the Aga. “So let me make some coffee, I have hot fruit cake cooling,
and then we can all have something together “
The grey transit van made its way slowly up the
driveway, seeing the cars and the SUV parked outside the farmhouse, before it
quietly made its way round to the back of the house.
“Thanks Granny,” Chris said as he took the plate from
Helen, and started to eat the scone that was on it, the jam and cream on top.
“Take your time,” Lauren said quietly, as Jordan
looked on.
“Once you two have finished I have a new jigsaw in the
back room that you can make a start on,” he said with a smile, the children
nodding as they drank their milk.
“Can we go now then,” Astrid asked with a smile.
“Go on then,” Claire said as the two children went
off, Lauren smiling before she said, “so have you sorted out the cruise yet?”
“Two months’ time,” Helen said as she took a drink
from her cup, “and you’re happy to keep an eye on the place while we are away?”
“Of course we are you know the kids love coming here,”
Claire said as she held her mug in her hands, and then said “Did you hear that?”
“Hear what?”
“It sounds like someone coming in, but who would Oh my
“
The four adults looked over as the door opened and a
group of men and one woman came in, one of them pointing a gun at them. They
were all wearing blue boiler suit, leather gloves and boots, and black
balaclava masks, two of the men carrying holdalls, and the one with the gun
saying in a soft Geordie accent “please, no shouting or raised voices we need
everyone to remain calm and just sit quietly, with your hands where we can see
them.”
Jordan stood slowly up, and said “I don’t know who you
are, but “
“My name is Jay Edwards.”
Jordan stared at him, and then at the woman before he
whispered “Mrs. McPhee?”
“Aye,” the masked woman said in a Scottish accent, “ahnd
where are the bairns?”
“In the back room,” Helen whispered, “why?”
“Mrs. McPhee, if you would do the honours please?”
“Wi me,” she said as one of the men carrying the bags
nodded and followed her, Claire and Lauren looking at each other as they heard
her say “Guid afternoon noo stay nice and calm “ before one of the men closed
the door.
“Now,” Jay said quietly, “we have business to discuss
with you and your partner, Jordan, and I am sure you know what that means.”
“I do I fear we are all going to be tied, gagged, and
held hostage by these men and the lady,” Jordan said as he looked at his wife
and daughters.
“What Chris and Astrid as well?”
“Necessary, I assure you,” Jay said with a smile, as
Claire wondered why she was not more scared. “I can also assure you, Claire, we
know your current condition, and we will take that very much into account, but
the best thing you can all do is remain calm and trust us.”
“Lord Holdsworth is a friend he has described the
times you have visited homes his family have been at, and how you held his
grandchildren hostage for a weekend. You’re not “
“No our stay should be completed tonight, all things
being equal,” Jay said as the man with the bag put it on the floor, opened it
and took out a length of rope, before he walked behind Jordan and took his
hands behind his back.
“What is he doing, Dad,” Lauren said as a second man
took a length of rope and then he went behind her and guided her hands behind
her, before she felt the rope rubbing on her wrists as they were bound tightly
together.
“Making sure we stay in here what are you doing to the
children?”
“Me, nothing,” Jay said as he handed the shotgun to
his partner, and then took another length of rope before he walked behind
Claire. “As I said, you are perfectly safe,” he said quietly, Claire nodding as
she put her own hands behind her back and the rope went round them. “Mrs.
McPhee is going to make sure they cannot spoil the surprise for your partner
and his family we need them as well to remain calm.”
“There disnae hert, does it?”
Astrid shook her head as she sat in the chair and
twisted her bound wrists together in front of herself. The two children had
their ankles tied together, as well as their legs below their knees, while the
masked woman went over to Chris and wrapped the rope round his wrists as well.
“So, we’re your hostages,” he said as he watched her.
“Aye but ah know wehl hae fun as wehl,” she said as
she pulled the rope between his wrists and tied the ends off. “Ahn ye cahn dae
yer jigsaw ahs wehl.”
“Thank you,” Astrid said as she slipped off the chair
and looked at the pieces on the table.
“When yer cuhsins git here, they cahn help ahs wehl
bit ah need tae do one mair thing “
“Fhnkkuh,” Lauren said as the rolled up white scarf
was tied round her head, her lips closed over the band as she looked round. Her
sister was sat next to her, her parents in the armchairs, but all of them had
their wrists tied together behind their backs, their ankles secured together as
well as their legs below their knees, and each of them gagged with an identical
white scarf.
“Shwwhthphnsnh,” Helen said as she looked at Jay. The
masked man looked round and said “You take the handbags, remove their phones -
and make sure Mrs. McPhee has any the children have as well. You disable the
internet and telephones, then keep a look out.” As the two men left, Jay sat
down and smiled as he said “When your partner gets here, I will explain to both
of you what is going to happen. Until then, just relax “
“I’ll bet Helen has been cooking all morning and half
of the afternoon,”
Janet Benson said as she looked out of the window of the jeep. She had short
grey-blonde hair, and was wearing a grey checked blouse with a grey scarf
wrapped loosely round her neck, her jeans tucked into knee length grey leather
boots.
“Nah too safe a bet,” Clark Benson said with a smile.
His beard and what little hair was left on his head was snow white, and he was
wearing a grey T-shirt, jeans and grey trainers with white ankle socks.
Janet looked back to see her two grandchildren asleep
on the seats. Paul and Petra were ten-year-old twins, with blonde hair. Paul’s
black shirt was over a grey roll neck sweater, while he was also wearing jeans
with black shoes. Petra had longer hair, a large black bow sitting on the top,
and she was wearing a long-sleeved black top with purple leggings that had a
floral print, as well as black gym shoes.
“Well, they need to wake up,” Clark said with a smile,
“we’re here I see Jordan’s family are here already.”
“Good,” Janet said as Clark pulled up beside the SUV. “Wakey
wakey,” she said as she looked back, “we’re here.”
“Are we,” Paul said as he rubbed his eyes, and then
got out of the car, Petra getting out the other side before Janet took both
their hands. They walked up to the door, Clark nodding as he knocked on the
front door and watched it open.
“Hey - hope you’ve got a drink ready, Jordan,” he said
as he walked in and then stopped still.
“What’s wrong Clark,” Janet walking in with the
children and then hearing their gasps as the door closed behind them. There
were two masked men there, one holding a gun as the other said “Hello Clark I
need all of you to be nice and quiet now, because we need to make sure you do
what we say for the remainder of today.”
“Who are you,” Petra said quietly.
“My name is Jay Edwards,” the masked man said as Janet
instinctively gripped the hands of her grandchildren tightly. “I desire a
discussion and to conduct some business with you and your partner, Clark he and
his family are in the front room, and I will take them to you in a moment. But
first, I need you to hand your phones and your handbag, Janet,” to one of my
friends here and I need to secure your wrists behind your back.
“All of you but I promise you, it will not hurt, and
then your grandchildren can come and meet my friend, Mrs. McPhee. So please,
hand over what I ask for, and then face the wall.”
“Granny “
“It’s all right, Paul,” Janet said as she looked at
them, “I know of this man, and it’ll all right to be a little bit scared, but I
believe him when he says he will not harm us. See what he does to me and
Grandad first, and then he can do it to both of you, all right?”
Jay turned and looked in a door to the rear of the
corridor, before he and another of the men took lengths of white cord and tied
Clark and Janet’s wrists together behind their backs.
“As for you two,” he said, “turn round my friend Mrs.
McPhee says you need to be able to use your hands, so I am going to tie your
wrists together in front of you.”
“See, that’s not so bad is it,” Clark said as Paul and
Petra turned round, watching as Jay held the rope in his gloved hands and then
secured their wrists tightly together.
“Look at me, Granny,” Petra said as she held her hands
up, before they heard a woman say “Ahn this must be wee Paul ahn Petra.”
“My good friend Mrs. McPhee,” Jay said as Clark and
Janet looked at the masked woman. “Go with her Clark, Janet, if you will come
with me?”
“Be brave,” Janet said as Mrs. McPhee guided the two
children to the rear room, and Jay walked hem into the main room as they heard
Jordan say “Nhtwhtthhphlnnhd.”
“No indeed,” Clark said as he looked at Jordan, Helen,
Laura and Clare.
“Are you all right,” Janet said as she looked at
Clare, seeing the dark material at the corners of her mouth. She nodded as
Jordan was heled to stand up and shuffled over to Jay, while Janet was sat
down, watching as her ankles and legs were lashed together by another masked
man with more rope.
“I want to see the children,” Clark said, Jordan
nodding in agreement as they watched Janet being gagged.
“Of course - shall we?”
“Chhmhmnn,” Jordan mumbled, the two men walking with
Jay to the back bedroom.
“Hllghrrhndhd, chmhndlhk.”
Jordan nodded as Clark looked at Chris, Astrid, Paul
and Petra, all of them gagged with rolled up white scarves and their ankles and
legs secured as they stood round the table, finding pieces of the puzzle and
making the borders as Mrs. McPhee helped to sort the pieces.
“Well, I can see you are busy,” Jay said, the children
nodded before he said “Mrs. McPhee, in a little while, take them to be with the
ladies and they can watch some television while you take Helen and Janet to
prepare a meal. Gentlemen, come with me please.”
Jordan and Clark looked at each other as Jay and one
of the masked and armed men followed them, and they walked into Jordan’s
office, Jay turning and saying “stand guard” as he closed the door. Indicating
a leather couch, he said “sit down gentlemen, and we will talk.”
As they sat down, Jay untied and removed the gag from
Jordan, putting the grey and white cloth to one side as he worked his mouth,
and said “all right, so we go and give you access to our company accounts
later, right?”
“That is part of it, certainly,” Jay said as he sat
across from them, “but not all. Gentlemen, I have a story that, for once, I do
think the people we are robbing need to be aware of “
Mark and Yvonne looked at each other as they sat on
the large couch in their front room, and then looked at the screen of the
laptop before Mark said “are you serious Brian?”
“Believe me, I wish I was not,” the brawny Australian
said as he looked out from the screen at them.
“But I really do not believe either Jordan Hempford or
Clark Benson would have anything to do with his,” Yvonne said. “I know their
wives and we’ve met socially they both support local charities.”
“Well, normally this is where I’d remind you that some
of the best known crime bosses in the UK support very useful charities,” Brian
said with a smile, “but on this occasion you are absolutely right my superiors
have no issue with either of them, their wives or their families. But they do
have strong evidence that someone in the senior management of Hempson now is
using the firm to ship items to countries where they are not been used for the
well, let’s just say people are dying.
“And then there is the return trade. Another contact
has informed me the lorries do not return empty.”
Yvonne looked at Brian, and whispered “no “
“This other contact is a member of a group who are
going to deal with that at the source,” Brian said quietly, “but we need
confirmation of who is managing this through Hempson. We have suspicions, but
we need the proof- and that is where we need your help.”
“Given Jordan and Clark,” Mark said, “a direct
approach may help.”
“No the people involved in this may decide to
eliminate them, and that would include their families,” Brian said quietly, “we
do this with ‘jay and Mrs. McPhee but for once, I want you to tell them without
going into details what you are going to do and why.”
“You do? Why?”
“I think they will react in the appropriate manner “
“You are serious, aren’t you?” Clark said as he looked
at Jordan. “Someone in our company OUR COMPANY is doing this?”
“I counsel you not to shout and remain calm,” Jay
said, Clark looking at him and then slowly nodding.
Jordan looked at Jay and said “Seriously? Some spook
uses you to do this?”
“I am taking a great risk in telling you this,” Jay
said quietly, “and I need to ask you to keep this a secret between yourselves,
but it may make the events of this evening a little more understandable if you
know the full motive behind what we are doing.”
Jordan looked at Clark, and nodded before he said “What
else can we do?”
“If this is successful, there are going to be some gaps
at the senior management of your firm,” Jay said quietly, “it may benefit from
the two of you stepping in and completing the cleanup. After that well, best
you do not know what may happen.”
“Something tells me that is definitely the truth,”
Clark said quietly. “Okay we keep quiet, we accept our wives, our families, are
going to spend a different night, and in return a great evil is removed. I can
live with that.”
“So can I,” Jordan said as Jay stood up.
“Thank you now, with regret, I must silence you before
you go and sit with the children. I am sure Mrs. McPhee can arrange some food
with your wives for everyone.”
Both men nodded as Jay replaced the wet scarf in
Jordan’s mouth, and then gagged Clark in the same way, before they walked back
into the front room.
“Hllhgghrhph!”
Jordan smiled as he saw the four grandchildren sitting
on the floor, their gags much darker at the corners of their mouths and with
their wrists now tied to the ropes holding their legs together. Mrs. McPhee
smiled as she helped Helen and Janet to stand up, while Jordan and Clark took
their seats, two of the men kneeling and securing their ankles and their legs
below their knees.
“Cum wi me,” Mrs. McPhee said as one of the men went
with her, Helen and Janet to the kitchen. She looked round and felt the top of
the Agam stove as the two older women had their wrists released, Helen rubbing
hers as the masked woman says “tahk their gags oot ahs wehl we chan hae a wee
tahlk while we cook.”
“Thank you,” Helen said as she worked her mouth, and
then poured some water into two glasses, handing one to Janet. They both took a
long drink, before Janet said “that’s better - how do you do it?”
“Dae whit?”
“Keep the children so calm when they are hostages and
us for that matter. Claire is not panicked at all and I am grateful for that,
believe me. But what is going to happen after we eat when you take our husbands
away.”
“Dinnae worry ye’ll ahl be fihn. Noo then wha shall we
make?”
“Thank you, Mrs. McPhee,” Astrid said as she and Petra
sat side by side at the table, Janet smiling as she placed the food in front of
them and they started eating. All of the family had been untied and the gags
removed, the masked men watching as Jordan said “Well, not the day we expected
to have, was it? How did you get on with the jigsaw?”
“We got the border and sky completed,” Chris said, “but
we need to complete it later.”
“Well, it will be tomorrow,” Jay said with a smile, “but
I am sure you will be able to do that. Right now, eat up I’m sure you are all
hungry.”
“So, what happens after we eat, Mrs. McPhee,” Petra
said as she looked over at the masked woman.
“I think a family game is going to be in order but
once you have all got ready for bed,” Jay said. “Jordan and Clark are going to
head to the offices with one of my friends but afeer that, we will make sure
you all stay in bed.”
“How?”
“Wait ahn see, wee yin,” Mrs. McPhee said as she
looked at Paul, “Wait ahn see “
“Come on you don’t want the food to get cold,” Helen
said as the others kept eating
“Are you both going to be all right,” Jordan said as
he looked at Helen. His wife had now changed into a round necked nightdress
with a pink check and little blue flowers in each box, the skirt coming over
her knees.
“I was going to ask you the same thing will you and
Clark be all right?”
Jordan nodded as Janet came in from the en suite
bathroom. She was also wearing a long-sleeved nightdress, her one cream with
red flowers. She was wearing light blue slippers, while Helen was wearing blue
ones.
“Look I know somehow they are keeping us calm -
especially the kids but do whatever they say,” Jordan said as he looked at
them. “When this is over, we can talk about what happened, all right?”
The door opened as Jay walked in, holding several
coils of rope in his gloved hands. “The others are playing Monopoly,” he said
as one of his group brought Clark in as well,” but we are going to secure your
arms in the same way as the children will be, so that they can see there is
nothing to worry about.”
“Okay,” Helen said, “but what about Lauren and Claire?”
“Given Claire’s condition, we are doing something
different for them,” he said with a smile. “I think your husbands should hug
you, and then I will secure your wrists together behind your back.”
“Well, here we go,” Janet said, Helen nodding as they
were hugged by their husbands, before Jay took Helen’s arms behind her back and
secured her wrists tightly together. She looked over as he did the same to
Janet, before he doubled over a longer length of rope and passed it round Helen’s
body, pulling it tight under her chest as her arms were forced together by her
sides.
“Okay this is tight,” she said quietly as Jordan
watched the masked robber take the rope round his wife’s body again and again,
forcing her arms against her sides as the bands framed her chest, the
nightdress stretched over it. He then did something behind her, before he
passed the rope under one arm, and around the back of her neck, and under the
other arm.
“Very different,” she said quietly as he tied the
ropes off, and then started to do the same to Janet as Clark looked at her.
“You’re going to kill me, but “
“What?”
He looked at Jordan, and said “remember when we first
met them?”
“The football game? Yeah they were wearing tight
jerseys, hot pants and tight knee length boots, and oh. Yeah. Right.”
Janet looked at Helen as the ropes were pulled tighter
round her chest, before she said “pair of dirty old men, aren’t they?”
“But we love them, right?”
“Right,” Janet said as Jay tied the ropes off, “so
please, come home tomorrow.”
“Don’t worry -your safety is the thing we have
uppermost in our mind,” Clark said as he came over and held Janet, kissing her
as Jordan kissed Helen.
“Right let us join the others.”
“Hey Gran I’m winning,” Astrid said as she looked
over. She was wearing a light pink onesie with darker pink hearts, while Petra
was wearing a purple onesie with stars and planets on the material. She then
looked at Helen, before she said “are Are they going to do that to all of us?”
“Aye, ah’ll dae hat,” Mrs. McPhee said as Lauren and
Clare looked at each other. Lauren was wearing a pink nightdress with elbow
length sleeves, and Clare a blue one with a dotted pattern but both of them had
their wrists tied together in front of themselves.
“So, we had our wrists tied “
“It will be more comfortable for both of you,” Jay
said with a smile, “given you both have to protect something.”
Lauren looked at Jay, before she said “how did you “
“The appointment card in your handbag,” Jay said as
Jordan and Helen looked at their daughter.
“I I only found out this morning,” she said as Chris
said, “You’re having another baby Mum?”
“Yeah I’m six weeks on. Heck of a way to announce it,
right?”
“We’ll celebrate tomorrow,” Helen said as they sat
down and watched Paul throw the two dice. He was wearing a grey striped short
sleeved top and blue shorts, while Chris was wearing a green top and white
patterned shorts.
“For tonight, however, sit down,” Jay said as he
indicated the armchair, “we have to take Jordan and Clark for a drive now.”
“Be brave and behave yourselves,” Jordan said quietly
as Clark nodded. “We can all talk about it in the morning.”
“Good luck,” Janet, said, Clark nodding as they left
the room with Jay. He handed a USB stick to his masked partner, as he said, “thank
you do as he says, you will be left safely secured.”
“Don’t worry, we know why we’re doing this,” Jordan
said as the three men left, Jay nodding as he walked in to hear Chris say “Mayfair
rent please “
Eventually, Chris sighed as he looked at his sister,
and said “I’m out as well.”
“Ahl richt,” Mrs. McPhee said, “both ohf ye stahdn
oop, and put yer hahns behind yer backs.”
Lauren watched as the masked woman took some rope from
a bag and walked behind her children, securing their wrists together before she
used longer ropes to secure their arms tightly to their sides. “Do you have to
do that to them as well,” she said as the ropes were taken under Astrid’s arm
and then round the back of her neck.
“I’ll be all right Mum,” she said as Mrs. McPhee tied
the ropes off, and then said “noo, time tae be quiet. Keep cahlm ahn open yer
moofs.”
Chris looked at Astrid, and then nodded as he opened
his mouth, and she eased the knot in the middle of the rolled up black scarf
between her teeth, pulling the band round his head and tying the ends together
at the base of his neck on top of the rope. She then peeled the end of the roll
of white tape free and wrapped it round his head, covering the cleave gag
before she tore the end free and pressed it down. Astrid swallowed and then she
was gagged in the same way, before they sat down to watch the game progress.
“Well, we’re not going to raise the alarm later,”
Helen said quietly as she moved round, Janet nodding as the game came to an end
with Petra winning. She and Paul then stood up, all of them watching as their
arms and upper bodies were bound in the same way as the other two, and then
they were gagged.
“Ah need tae mahk shure yer mas are jus as tightly
tied,” she then said as she collected two long ropes from the bag, and walked
behind Lauren, carefully taking the rope round her int wo bands that framed her
chest and held them tightly in place, before she did the same to her as
everyone else. She then bound Claire’s arms in the same way, the lower band
sitting under her chest and on top of the bump, as she looked round.
“Time for you all to go to bed,” she said as they all
stood up, the men picking up the bags and following Jay as he went first, the
family next and Mrs. McPhee with them behind them. As they reached the top of
the stairs, Jay opened a door and said “excellent Chris, Paul, you will be in
here.”
The two boys walked in, the girls standing to the side
with their mothers and grandmothers as they lay on their sides on the bed,
looking at each other as Jay and Mrs. McPhee secured their ankles tightly
together, and then their legs below their knees, before they bent their legs
and bound their ankles loosely to the ropes round their chests.
“Watch them,” Jay said quietly, one of the men nodding
as he turned the light off and they left the room, walking down the corridor
and opening another door.
“Ye twa cahn gae in here,” Mrs. McPhee said as Astrid
and Petra walked in, lying on their backs on the double bed as she took ropes
from a bag and secured their ankles together, and then their legs below their
knees, before she tied lengths of rope from their ankles to the foot of the bed
as they wriggled round. One of the men then nodded as she turned the light off,
standing by the side as she closed the door.
“You promise they will be all right?”
“Och aye they will be fihn,” Mrs. McPhee said as they
walked to another bedroom. “Ye twa young ladies will be in here lie doon.”
“We have to trust them,” Janet said quietly, Lauren
nodding as they lay down and watched Jay as he bound Clare’s ankles tightly
together, and then secured them to the foot of the bed before he secured her
legs together below her knees, and then tied her wrists to that band. Walking
round the bed, he did the same to Lauren as Mrs. McPhee said “Keep ah chlose
eye ohn them if they show any signs of distress, cahl me.”
He nodded as Jay said “I need you both to open your mouths the sponges will expand,
but they will also soak the saliva up, so stay still after we tape your mouths.”
“Okay,” Lauren whispered before the compressed sponge
was pushed into her mouth, her cheeks puffing out as Mrs. McPhee peeled a
length of tape from the white roll and pressed it firmly down over her mouth.
Clare was then gagged in the same way, both of them nodding as they wriggled on
the bed.
“Will you both be all right?”
“Yhssmhm,” Lauren said as Jay and Mrs. McPhee took
Helen and Janet by the arm and walked them to the master bedroom. The two women
sat either side of the bed, Helen watching Jay as he knelt down and bound her
ankles tightly together while Mrs. McPhee did the same to Janet.
“Forgive me for a moment,” Jay then said as he folded
back the hem of her nightdress, and then secured her legs together below her
knees. As he folded the hem back, she nodded and then saw him compress the
sponge in his hands.
“Thank you for keeping your word.”
“Our pleasure,” Jay said with a smile, “now, open
wide.” Helen nodded as she felt the sponge expand in her mouth, pressing her
tongue down and her cheeks out as Jay peeled a length of tape from the roll and
pressed it firmly down over her cheeks. He then helped her toile one side as
Mrs. McPhee helped Janet, both women seeing the shape of their lips of the
other under the tape as thy were hogtied.
“Whhlwhtdhdwhdhnh,” Janet said as Jay took out his
phone.
“This is Jay Edwards
“Of course,” he said as he turned the phone and showed
Helen and Janet looking at him, before he put the phone to Helen’s ear.
“I know you can’t talk,” she heard Jordan say, “but we
have done what they asked. Be at peace, and we’ll see you when we see you. I
love you - I love you all.”
Helen nodded as he moved and put the phone to Janet’s
ear before she nodded as well.
“Secure them both and depart with our thanks payment
will be made in the usual way.”
He ended the call and left the room, saying “check
them and the mothers every fifteen minutes” before he and Mrs. McPhee left the
room, turning the light off as they did so.
“Hwdhdthdhht?”
“Hfhhffnhhde,” Helen said to Janet as she felt her
eyes slowly closing
“Hgghddhwhrshthllhr.”
Clare slowly opened her eyes and turned her head to look
at Lauren as she wriggled on the bed.
“Ghdhmhrhnhthuhth. Whtthhmhsht?”
“Hbbhhtthshfhn. Harrhfhnhls?”
“MHHMHMMM!”
Both women looked over as Astrid and Petra jumper in,
the ropes still tied tightly over them as they came and sat either side of the
bed.
“Bhtthehthdduhththbhd?”
“Nhh whhwkhphndchldchm,” Astrid said as she looked at
Lauren. “Shmmhbhghshshthr?”
“Hffhnthhkllhh,” Lauren said as they heard more
sounds, and then saw the boys jumping in as well.
“Hffthtghhnn,” Paul said as he jumped over to sit next
to Petra. Claire nodded as they heard sirens outside, and then the front door
opening as a voice called out “Police!”
“HHPHHPRRRR!”
They loke dot the door as two policemen ran past, and
then two more came in followed by Jordan.
“DHD!”
“Thank god you are all right,” he said as he walked
over. “They left me and Clark tied up in the offices some cleaners found us
this morning. Can you get them free?”
The officers nodded as Janet and Helen came in,
hugging their husbands before they removed the tape and sponges from their
mouths .
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