Jay Spends the Day
As Jacquie
Christie slowly opened her eyes, she turned her head to see the green digits on
the alarm clock showing it was seven am.
Normally, she would be getting up now, and starting to make some coffee
for her and her mother before her two daughters, Emma and Janna, woke up. But today – today was going to be a very
different day, and she knew that as she looked at each side of her.
Emma was on her
left, wearing her black and white stiped pyjamas, her eyes closed as she
snuggled in with her head. Looking to
her right, she saw Janna with her longer, darker hair, wearing her leopard
print pyjamas. She too was asleep, and
she was glad of that, given what had happened in the early hours of the
morning.
The signs of
which were clear on all three of them – the white rope that held their crossed
wrists together in front of them, and then ran down to the second band holding
their legs together below their knees, and then their ankles. She could also see the white tape over the
mouths of both her daughters, and feel a strip of the same tape tugging at her
own mouth.
As she tried to
speak, the memory of that wake up was still fresh in her mind…
“Mummy, will we all be the same?”
“Ai ye will,” the masked woman with a
Scottish accent had said as she smoothed the tape over Emma’s mouth, and then
tore a second strip off as she walked over.
“Mah friend Jay is talking to yer Grannie, and when ye wake up in the morning ye’ll all hae a very special day, ain’t
that right Mummy?”
Jacquie had nodded as she kissed her older
daughter’s head, and then Janna’s after the tape had been pressed over her
young lips. “I promise you, nothing bad
is going to happen,” she said before her own mouth was covered in tape, and the
light was turned off, the two girls snuggling into her sides as she hummed a
lullaby…
Looking up at
the ceiling, she wondered if Gerry would be in bed yet. Her husband was on a business trip in the US,
but if this was indeed Jay Edwards in their house, was he expecting Gerry to do
something in Seattle for their safety?
The door opened
to her room as Jacquie looked up, and saw the black balaclava masked head of
Jay Edwards look in. He put a gloved
finger to his lips, smiled and nodded before he closed the door again, Jacquie
wondering where he was going now…
“Good morning.”
Amanda Christie
opened her eyes, looked at the masked man standing there with another behind
him, and groaned as she said “Hmhhghhddhtwhssnthdrhm.”
“No, it wasn’t”
the masked man said in his Geordie accent, “and it’s time to start a very
special day Mrs Christie.”
Amanda nodded
as she twisted round, the ropes above and below her chest stretching her red
nightgown over it. She had been the one
to open the door at one that morning, to be confronted by the masked and armed intruders
as they made their way in. Their leader
– the one who was speaking now in his soft Geordie accent – had made her go
into the bedrooms of her granddaughters with the one woman with the group, wake
them, and then take them into the master bedroom, while she had been brought
back to her own room. There, they had
bound and gagged her, and now as the ropes were removed from her legs and she
was allowed to sit up, she wondered what was going to happen.
“In a minute,”
their leader – she had heard him called Jay – said, “you may go and shower, and
then come and dress before we take you down to have breakfast. Your family will join you when they are
ready. Remember what we said – any phone
calls, make them short, and nobody knows we are here.”
Amanda nodded
again as her arms were released, and she stood up, rubbing her arms and wrists
to get the circulation going again as she was escorted to the bathroom, her
dressing gown on her arm. As she walked
in, she peeled the tape from her mouth and looked at herself, remembering what
she had been told…
“In the morning, you will all make calls
to cancel most of your appointments for the day. We know you are expecting guests – they will
join all of you, and you must not give any indication to them of what is
happening.
“If anyone calls, and they ask for the
man of the house, you give the phone to me.
If it is your son, you give the phone to me. Anyone else, you apologise and say they will
be called back.
“If you are expecting any deliveries,
tell us in the morning, and we will handle them. Otherwise, you do as we say, and remember –
we are in charge.”
“Oh, they are
in charge all right,” she whispered to herself before she started the shower,
stripped off, and got in…
“mmmshhttmrnnn?”
“Yshhstsssmme,” Jacquie said as she looked at Emma, the
young girl’s eyes wide open as she twisted on the bed.
“Nddthrrshhttllhhr?”
Jacquie nodded
as the door opened, and the masked women came in with one of the men. “Guid murnin,” she said in her broad accent, “we’re gonna untie wee Emma here first, and let her go to the
toilet an things, then take her doonstaers. Ye and Janna will cum doon
later.”
Jacquie nodded
as the woman untied her older daughter, the ten year old waiting until she as
free before she was helped to stand up, and held the woman’s leather gloved
hand as she walked out. On the other
side, Janna opened her eyes slowly and said “Ghddmhrrnnnmmee.”
“Heluuumyprnsesss,” Jacquie said as she pressed her tape
covered lips on the eight year old’s head.
Whatever was going to happen, she would be brave…
“Are you all
right Emma,” Amanda said as she saw her older granddaughter come into the kitchen. She had changed into a long sleeved black
jumper, a long black leather skirt and high black leather boots.
“I’m all right
Granny,” the girl said as she sat in a chair, raising her arms as the masked
man tied some rope round her waist to make sure she stayed there, and then
walked round, wrapping some rope round her ankles as the soft brown fabric of
her Ugg boots compressed under the tight binding. She was also wearing a mustard coloured
t-shirt with a grey shrug cardigan, a faded denim skirt and dark tights.
“Well, I’m cooking
a hot breakfast for all of us,” her grandmother said as she stood at the stove,
“so have some juice and some cereal – perhaps the man will pass it to you?”
The masked
guard nodded as Emma asked for a glass of orange juice and some cork flakes,
pushing her into the chair and giving her the food as Janna came in. Like her older sister, she was wearing brown
Ugg boots, a pair of dark tights and a denim skirt, but she had on a pink
t-shirt with a black cat on the front.
“Mummy will be
down soon,” she said as she was tied to the chair, and her ankles secured, “may
I have some juice as well please?”
“Of course,”
the man said as Emma and Janna started to eat.
As they did, the Scottish woman came in and said “Ye need tae see Jay.”
“Of course, Mrs
McPhee,” he said as he went off, Amanda looking at her and saying “do you get
some sort of pleasure out of terrorising families.”
“It’s our way,”
Mrs McPhee said with a smile, “although I grant ye, we normally arrive during
the day and stay awl night. This is a
wee bit different.”
“So what will
you do today?”
“Awl in good time,” she said with a smile as Jay Edwards
came in with Jacquie. She had also
showered and dressed, in her case in a black cardigan over a round necked top,
a faded denim skirt, and black knee length leather boots. She sat in a chair, raising her arms as Jay
tied her waist to the chair back, then watching as he knelt and tied her ankles
to the front legs of the chair.
“Are you all
right, Mum,” she said as she poured herself some juice.
“I’m fine – and
the girls seem fine as well,” Amanda replied as she put plates of sausages,
bacon and potato scones on the table, then handed her daughter in law some
coffee and put a cup down herself before she was tied to her chair in the same
way as Jacquie.
“There now,”
Jay said in his soft accent, “so far, so good.
You all got some more sleep, and are having a good breakfast. You’ll need it for today.”
“But you
haven’t said yet why you’re doing this,” Jacquie said quietly as she sipped her
coffee, “so why?”
“Oh, for a
number of reasons – you’ll see soon enough…”
“Arrive in the night and leave during
the day?”
“I know, I know,” Brian
Holderness-Carter said as he sat opposite Mark and Yvonne Williamson, “but
there are a number of reasons why we need you to take the Christie hostage in
this way – and any guests that arrive that day.
I promise, none of the Kidnap Gang know them.”
“For which we are grateful – but they’re
in Australia or the US, and the kids are with their grandmother for a
fortnight,” Mark said as he looked at the files. “The man of the house will be in Seattle – I
know, I asked him to do something for me out there.”
“And he will do again,” Brian said with
a smile, “but we need all parties in one place, secure. Ready for the challenge?”
As they
finished their cooked breakfast, Mrs McPhee collected the plates and put them
in the dishwasher, while one of the men went round, taking the wrists of each
of them behind their backs and tying them together, as Jay looked at them.
“Now – what’s
going to happen is that we will release the girls from the chairs, and they
will go with Mrs McPhee to the front room.
As for you ladies, you will remain here a moment while we have a chat.”
“How will we go
through to the main room,” Janna asked as she swung her legs up and down.
“Why, we’re gonna jump through,” Mrs McPhee said with a smile as they
were both released from the chairs and helped to stand, Emma taking a moment to
get her balance as she did so. “And in thair…”
“What’s going
on? Jacquie?”
“All right Brian,” Yvonne said as she
looked at the family picture, “so we have the Christie family, and the three
sets of guests your intel says will arrive while we are there. Anything else we need to worry about?”
As Brian sat back, he rubbed his chin
and said “one possible unknown – the two girls are good friends with the next
door girl – she’s the same age as Janna.
She does have a habit of popping in unannounced, as does her mother –
she gets on well with Jacquie. I would
be prepared for that.”
“Any other family?”
“Nope – we checked their
background. Shona Harper is in her late
thirties, her daughter Kerry is eight – in the same class as Janna at
school. She’s a single mother – so if
that does happen, they join in…”
“Oh my god,”
Jacqui whispered as she saw the mother and daughter who had come into the
kitchen, “no…”
“Mummy, why do
Emma and Janna have their hands behind their backs, and rope on their legs?”
“Hi Kerry,”
Janna said with a smile, “we’re hostages – are you going to join us?”
“I think she
might,” Shona heard a man say in a Geordie accent as she turned and looked at
the balaclava masked speaker. “May I
know your name?”
“Shona… Jacquie, is this a robbery?”
“It is,”
Jacquie said as she nodded. “I’m so sorry Shona, but I think you’re going to be
kept here as well.”
“Hello Kerry,”
the masked woman said, “I’m Mrs McPhee.”
“You talk
funny,” Kerry said as she looked at her with her friends.
“Aye – cum over
here lassie, let’s get you the same as them and we’ll go and play in the front
room.”
“Please,” Jay
said as he pulled a chair back, “have a seat Shona. You need to stay here with Jacquie and Amanda
for a short while.” As she sat down, he
took a length of rope and pulled her arms round the chair back, securing her
wrists together and to the chair back while Mrs McPhee tied Kerry’s wrists
together behind erhu back.
“That’s snug,”
Kerry said as she wriggled round, while Mrs McPhee knelt down and tied her
ankles together, and her legs below her knees.
“Now you’re
like us,” Emma said with a smile, “ready to jump.”
Kerry nodded as
Mrs McPhee opened the door, as Jay stood up from securing her mother legs
together and to the chair leg. “Are you
coming Mummy?”
“In a few
minutes – you go first,” she said with a smile as Jay took her handbag, removing
a set of door keys and handing them to another masked man. “Go next door – make sure everything is
switched off and the house is secured, and then come back.”
“Jacquie, who is
this?”
“His name’s Jay
Edwards – he and his – friends – hold family hostages while they make the
husband…”
“The wife at
times,” Jay said with a smile. “We
conduct some business with them in return for the safety of their family,
Shona. Mrs McPhee will make sure the
girls are safe, secure, quiet, but unafraid – so remain calm yourself. Amanda – I understand a delivery is due
soon?”
Amanda looked
at the clock and said “yes – some groceries in half an hour. Why?”
“Inform Mrs
McPhee,” Jay said as another man nodded and walked off. “So, we stay here while that happens – but we
need to ensure you cannot raise the alarm either…”
Mrs McPhee put
her finger to her lips as the three girls looked at her and nodded, wriggling
round as the white tape that covered their mouths crinkled when they giggled.
Amanda looked
in and smiled at the three girls as she walked to the front door, opening it
and smiling as the delivery man said “Morning Mrs C – got your weekly order
here.”
“Thanks Jack –
can you leave the bags in the hallway for me?
I have some work been done in the kitchen today.”
“Nothing
serious I hope?”
“No – fitting a
new dishwasher,” Amanda said as he placed a number of bags in the hallway, as
well as a bottle carrier with wine bottles, and then watched as she signed for
the receipt.
“Well, have a
good day,” he said quietly as he went to the van, Amanda waving as she closed
the door – and saw Jay smiling behind it.
“Well done,
Amanda – let’s get these into the kitchen, shall we, and then you can join the
others.”
Two of the
masked men collected the bags as they walked into the kitchen, Jacquie and
Shona watching as Amanda was sat back down, and her wrists secured together
behind her back. Both of the other women
were no longer tied to the chair, but had their arms secured to their sides
with bands of rope framing their chests.
“He didn’t
suspect a thing,” Amanda said as the other two nodded, the white tape keeping
folded cloths in their mouths as gags.
She watched as her legs were secured, and her arms, before she opened
her mouth and was silenced in the same way.
“Swhhthpnnsnww,” Jacquie said as she wriggled round.
“We join the
girls,” Jay said as the three women were helped to stand up, and jumped through
from the kitchen, entering the front room as Emma said “Wrrwsshnnnscubbedeeemmmee.”
“Seehseee,” she said as she saw the three girls sitting side
by side on the couch, their wrists tied behind their backs, their legs and
ankles secured, and white tape over their mouths as they watched the cartoons,
Mrs McPhee smiling as she sat in another chair.
The girls watched as their mothers and grandmother were helped to the
other couch and sat down together.
“Ah’ll sort oot the shopping,” Mrs
McPhee said as she stood up and walked out of the room, the girls giggling as
they twisted round and looked at the other women.
“Hwmmsshlngrrr,” Jacquie said as she looked at Jay.
“Oh,” he said
with a smile, “we’re only just getting started…”
“Well, on their own,” Mark said quietly,
“the Christie family are worth visiting, but it’s you asking us Brian – so what
else is going on?”
“Fair question – it’s more about who
regularly calls to the Christie house on those afternoons – and why only those
visitors…”
“Thar ye go,”
Mrs McPhee said as she put a tray on the low table, with three glasses of milk
and a plate of cookies, and then untied the arms and wrists of the three girls,
before removing their tape gags. “Drink
and eat up.”
“Thank you,”
Kerry said as she picked up a biscuit, “so what else will happen today?”
“Wehl, ye gihrls will play a game
of Sorry before lunch, and then later a game o Hide
and Seek is in order.”
“All three of
us?”
“Not just ye
three…”
Jacquie’s eyes
opened wide as she looked at the clock, and mumbled “hmmmghdd…”
“Indeed,” Jay
said as he started to untie her, “a toilet break for you, and then – if you
three can keep quiet when the time comes – our next guests will arrive…”
“Do I really
have to come today?”
Edie James sighed as she looked out of
the window. Her hair was a darker brown
than her mothers, and was wearing a short black jacket over a long sleeved
black top, jeans and short black Doc Marten boots. She knew her mother’s work was important, but
when it encroached on her weekend…
The car turned
up the driveway and came to a stop outside the house, Edie getting out as her
mother did so on the other side, and walking up to the front door. “Smile Edie,” Hilary said as the door opened,
and she saw Jacquie there.
“Hey – got
those figures for me?”
Jacquie nodded,
and said “yeah – why don’t you and Edie come in for a coffee? I need to get the file from upstairs.”
“Are you okay,
Jac? You look tired,” Hilary said as
they walked in – and then she saw the two masked men, one of them holding a gun
as she said “oh my god – EDIE! RUN!!!”
“MMHHMMMME!”
She turned to
see a third man behind her daughter, his gloved hand over her mouth as Jacquie
said “we’re hostages Hilary – and I’m afraid you and Edie are going to join
us. Isn’t that right Mister Edwards?”
“Yes it is,”
Jay said as Edie tried to talk into his gloved hand, her eyes wide open. “So, remain calm, stay quiet, and slowly raise
your hands in the air…”
“We don’t have
a choice, do we – Edie, we are going to do what they tell us to do,
understand?”
As her daughter
nodded, Jay smiled and said “Excellent – please, dear lady, put your hands behind
your back.”
Edie watched as
Hilary turned to look at Jacquie, while one of the masked men took a length of
rope and crossed her wrists behind her back, securing them tightly
together. “The girls and your mother –
are they all right?”
“Yeah – they’re
in the front room,” Jacquie said quietly, “will they be joining them?”
“While Mrs
McPhee and you prepare some lunch, yes,” Jay said with a smile, “as for you,
young lady, will you remain quiet?”
Edie nodded as Jay removed his hand, and then took her hands behind her
back as well, before he started to bind them together.
“Mummy…”
“It’s all right
Edie,” Hilary said as she turned round, and a masked woman came in. “just do whatever they say.”
“Ahnd this is…”
“Mrs McPhee,
meet Edie James. Would you take her to
join the others please?”
“How… How do you know our names?”
Jay smiled at
Hilary as the man wound the rope tightly round her arms and chest, and said
“all in good time. When her arms are
secured, take her and Mrs Christie into the kitchen – Mrs McPhee will join you
shortly.”
“Mum…”
“It’ll be all
right Edie,” the young girl heard her mother say as Jay walked her into the
front room, where Mrs McPhee was sitting with the other three girls – their
wrists were tied together in front of them, and fresh strips of tape covered
their mouths.
“Hehhllleedeee – wrplhnnnsrreee,”
Emma said as she looked up, and Janna took a card, moving a counter as Edie was
sat in a chair. She watched as Jay knelt
down and secured her ankles together, and then pressed a strip of white tape
over her mouth.
“Mrs McPhee,
would you please go and assist Jacquie with the preparation of lunch,” he said
as Amanda and Shona twisted round, seated next to each other on the two seater
couch.
“So she will call, as usual, that
morning,” Mark said as he looked at the file Brian had handed him, “but what
about the other two?”
“Well, that may need a little creative
thinking,” Brian said with a smile, “on your part Yvonne. The daughter of one of them is a class mate
of Emma’s – perhaps you can persuade her to invite Miss Masterson to come over,
and if she does, her loving mother will be sure to accompany her…”
“So Emma
invited you round for the afternoon, just to watch movies?”
“And talk about
boys,” Blossom Masterson said as her mother looked at her.
“You’re only
ten!”
Joy Masterson just smiled and shook her
head. Her long brown hair was flecked
with grey, and she was wearing a taupe kaftan style dress with blue trim, a long
length of blue silk tied round her waist like a belt as the skirt reached the
floor, and open toed brown sandals.
“Well, with
your father at the golf club all day, at least it means you’re not stuck in the
house doing nothing,” she said as she pulled up outside the front of the
Christie house. “Hmmm – Hilary’s here as
well. I hope this doesn’t mean I get into
a business discussion.”
“It’s your day
off Mum – work isn’t going to be discussed,” Blossom said as they walked up to
the front door, knocked and walked in.
“Hey Emma,”
Blossom called out, “where are you?”
“We’re in the
dining room,” she heard her friend reply, “come and join us – I’ve got a big
surprise to show you.”
“Oh – what
sort…” Blossom walked in and stared at
the dining table, the four girls and five women sat in the chairs, ropes around
their waists. The younger girls had
their ankles and legs tied, the women their ankles tied to the front legs of
the chairs.
“Hi Jacquie,
what’s…” Joy came in behind her
daughter, and whispered “oh my god” as a woman in a boiler suit and black
balaclava came forward.
“And ye whuld be wee Blossom – cum and sit here, dearie, and we’ll
get you secure next to Emma and your mummy.”
“I’m sorry, Joy,”
Jacquie said as the masked men put plates in front of each of them, “we’re been
held hostage, and you’re going to have to do as they say.”
“Who is…”
“Miss Masterson
– Jay Edwards – a pleasure, but please, be seated, the food will be getting
cold.”
“Is he getting
your husband to do something at his company?
In Seattle?”
“I think so,”
Jacquie said quietly as Joy watched the masked woman tie her daughter to the
chair, then secure her legs, before she pushed her in. “We just have to do what they tell us to do.”
“quite right,”
Jay said as one of the other men tied Joy to her chair, “after lunch the kids
will go and play a special game of hide and seek, while we retire to the main
room and make sure none of you - none of you – can raise the alarm.”
“How long have
they been here,” Joy said to Jacquie.
“They came in
the early hours – tied Mum, me and the girls up in bed, and they’ve had us as
hostages ever since. And they just keep
adding – but I can’t call him for another four hours at least.”
“We’ll just
have to be brave for each other,” Hilary said, “it’s going to be a long day…”
“That hurts,” Joy
said quietly as the ropes were pulled tight round her arms and chest. The older women were in the front room,
having finished their lunch, Jacquie and Amanda sitting next to each other on
the smaller couch, while Shona and Hilary were on opposite ends of the longer
couch. They all had their wrists tied
behind their backs, and their arms lashed to their sides with bands of rope
above and below their chest, while their crossed ankles and their legs below
their knees were also secured. Joy was
made to sit between them, and watch as Jay crossed her bare ankles and tied
them tightly together.
“Forgive me,”
he said then as he folded her skirt back, and secured her legs together below
her knees. Strangely, Joy wasn’t afraid
– he had explained what was going to happen, while the masked woman – Mrs
McPhee – had taken the younger girls one by one up the stairs.
“We will not
gag you at this stage,” Jay said as he stood up, “if you all promise to remain
quiet.”
“And what are
the girls doing,” Amanda said as Mrs McPhee brought Blossom in. the young girl had her wrists tied behind her
back, with a length of rope round her waist to keep them there, her ankles tied
together side by side, and her legs tied together below her knees. A rolled up white scarf was tied between her lips
as she looked at the others.
“Hllbhllrhthtmmmee,” she mumbled as Mrs McPhee said “Good –
now, the other girls are all hiding upstairs, so we’re gonna
take ye up tae find them. “You be awl rheet doon here, Jay?”
“Of course we
will,” Jay said as Blossom started to jump round and out of the door, reaching
the bottom of the stairs as Mrs McPhee said “Seet doon and push yerself up.”
Blossom nodded
as she sat on the second step, put her tied feet on the first step and pushed
herself up, as Jay looked at his watch.
“Please,”
Jacquie said quietly, “let me call my husband now…”
“Oh no,” Jay
said with a smile, “timing is everything here.
“Everything…”
As Blossom
managed to get to the top of the stairs, Mrs McPhee smiled as she said “Tak ah moment, and then push yerself
onto yer feet.”
The young girl nodded as she wriggled back and against the wall, and
then pushed herself up as she looked round.
She then started to make short jumps along the hallway before she stopped
by a partially opened door, and pushed it in with her back as Mrs McPhee
watched.
The bathroom
seemed to be empty, with the shower curtain closed round, but Blossom could
hear muffled giggling behind the curtain.
She jumped over and looked at Mrs McPhee, who nodded as she walked in
and pulled the curtain back with her gloved hand.
“Dhmmmm!”
“Hehhlleeddee,” Blossom said as she saw Edie standing there,
twisting round as the dark stain on the scarf that was tied between her lips
grew larger. She jumped over as Mrs
McPhee said “Cum wi us lassie – let’s find the
offers.”
Edie nodded as
she jumped along, and they went into the next door on the other side of the
hallway, which was Amanda’s bedroom. The
bed still was unmade, as Edie and Blossom looked at the rumbled covers, and the
coils of rope to the side. Both looked
at Mrs McPhee, as she said “fer later gahls. Anyone in
here?”
As Blossom
looked round, Edie sat on the bed and swung her legs to and fro,
hitting the base of the bed as she did so, and then she stopped.
“Hsshndrrhhrrr?”
Mrs McPhee
walked over and knelt down, looking under the high wooden bedstead and smiling
as she said “cum on oot Emma.”
Both girls
watched as Emma wriggled out and Mrs McPhee helped her to stand up, smiling
over the cloth as she said “shssnhxt…”
“What the hell
is going on,” Jacquie said as she wriggled round, the other women looking on as
Jay quietly chuckled.
“In a little
while, all will be clear, and you can make a call,” Jay said quietly, “we just
need to wait for one more person.”
“One
more…” Jacquie looked round the room as Joy
blushed, and said “we were due to meet up anyway, so I told her to come here…”
“Told who?”
“Shannon…”
“You mean if we get the Masterson family
there, our final guest will come anyway?”
Brian nodded as he looked at Mark and
Yvonne. “Yup – after all, Shannon is her
sister. They usually get together on the
Saturday, so get Shannon and Blossom to the house…”
“… and Shannon Docherty, and her seven
year old daughter April, will join them.
Once they are there, and you have them secured, then we can proceed with
the full plan. But we really need all
four of those women to be there for this to work – and to protect those who
need to be protected.”
“So we get Sky and Blossom Masterson
involved, and everything else falls into place?”
The
jeep pulled up outside the Christie house as a woman in her late thirties
opened the driver’s door and jumped out.
She was wearing a blue and white striped
top, a pair of denim dungarees over the top, the legs tucked into a long pair
of black Hunter wellingtons.
She pulled the seat forward and waited
as a seven year old girl jumped out, her hair as brown as her mother’s, wearing
a pink jacket over a denim blouse and jeans, the legs of her jeans in a pair of
short black and brown wellingtons.
“I wonder what they’re up to today,
mummy,” she said as they walked to the front door.
“Whatever it is, it’s got to be better
than talking work with your aunt,” Shannon Docherty said as she took her felt
hat off, and opened the door, “come on April.
Joy, are you somewhere with Jacquie?”
“Shannon,” she heard Jacquie call out,
“we’re in the front room, can you and April join us for a few minutes?”
“Sure,” Jacquie
said as she left her hat on the phone table, not noticing the disconnected
wire, and walked in, stopping as she held April and said “oh my god…”
“Mummy – why
are there masked men in the room, and why are Aunt Jacquie and the others tied
up?”
“I’m sorry,”
Jacquie said as she and her mother wriggled on the couch, “you’ve been drawn
into our robbery, so please, don’t do anything stupid.”
“Mummy?”
“Hello April,”
the man standing behind Jacquie said, smiling as she stared at his black masked
head, “my name is Jay. Why don’t you have
a seat with your mummy over there, and both of you keep your hands where I can
see them? Now that you are here, we can
get to business.”
“Jacquie, where
are the girls?”
“Upstairs,”
Jacquie said as Shannon sat with April in front of her, Jay nodding as one of
the other masked men walked behind her and guided her arms behind her back,
“believe it or not, they’re playing a game of hide and seek.”
“Hide and
seek? With who – and that hurts.”
“Mummy, will
they do that to me as well,” April said as she watched the masked man bind her
mother’s wrists behind her back.
“We will, April
– but I promise you, despite what your mother says, it will not hurt – once
they come down, we’re all going to have some drinks and snacks, and then my
friend Mrs McPhee has a very special game for you all to play.”
“A game?”
“Oh yes – and
your mummies will be playing as well.
Why don’t you take your coat off, and you will see in a little while…”
“Carefully, gahls, carefully,” Mrs McPhee said as she watched the five
girls slide down the stairs, one of the other associates waiting at the bottom of
the stairs as each one got to the target, then helping them to stand up and
jump to the sides as the others came down.
They looked at each other and jumped into the front room, Blossom
smiling over her damp gag as she said “Hellhhheprhhll.”
“Hey,” April said
as she wriggled on her mother’s lap, swinging her bound ankles up and down,
“hide and seek?”
“Htwhssfnnn,” Janna said as they sat on the floor in front
of the television, Mrs McPhee smiling as she said “Ahnd
this is April? I’m Mrs McPhee – do ye
want tae watch some cartoons wi
the others?”
“Yes please –
and can I have one of the cloths in my mouth as well? I don’t want to be different?”
“April…”
“Allow your
daughter to do this Shannon,” Jay said as he rolled up a white cloth and gagged
her daughter, before April slipped off her mother’s lap and jumped to be with
the others, while Amanda said “now what are you going to do?”
Jay looked at
the clock, which showed it was three in the afternoon, as he said “Well, I
think you and Jacquie need to accompany me and two of my associates to the
dining room, while Jacquie calls her husband, and then you can prepare some
food for the girls. As for the other
ladies,” he said as he looked at the other men, “one at a time, allow them to
be untied and taken to the toilet, and then get them ready for the last event
of the day…”
He untied
Jacquie and Amanda’s legs as the others watched, and then took them through to
the dining room where they sat in two chairs.
Jay untied Jacquie’s arms, watching as she rubbed her wrists while he
found her mobile phone.
“If we are
right, your husband is about to go into a breakfast meeting. Call him, tell him everyone’s all right, but
to call you on your mobile if he needs to.”
Nodding,
Jacquie took a deep breath and then dialled a number.
“Gerry? It’s Jacquie.
Did you get a good night’s sleep?
“That’s
good. The girls are busy at the moment,
but you can talk to them later.
“Listen –
Gerry, there’s a problem with our landline, so if you need to call me, call
this number. I’ll have my phone next to
me.
“Talk to you
soon, darling,” she said as the call was ended, and she looked at Jay. He looked at his watch for a minute or two,
then smiled as Jacquie’s phone rang.
Swallowing, she picked it up and said “hello?
“Gerry – listen
carefully. The man is telling the truth
– Amanda, me, the girls, and some others are all been held hostage in our house
by the Jay Edwards gang. They haven’t
hurt us, but they need you to do something for them.”
She nodded and
handed Jay the phone, saying “he wants to talk to you.”
“Mr Christie,”
Jay said in his Geordie accent, “your wife is speaking the truth. I am Jay Edwards, and we have you family,
your next door neighbour and her daughter, and three of your wife’s colleagues
with their daughters in our tender care.
I am sure you want them to remain unharmed, yes?
“Good – listen
to my colleagues, do as they say, and all will be well. They have instructions to check in at regular
intervals – if you try to alert the American authorities, or anyone else, they
will contact me and you may regret the consequences.
“Excellent,”
Jay said as he handed the phone back.
“Darling,
please do as they say – we’ll talk to you later.” As the call ended, Jay said “now – let us
prepare some food for the youngsters.”
“This has been
an amazing day Mummy,” Janna said as she finished a slice of pizza. All the girls were sat round the dining
table, tied to the chairs and their legs secured as Amanda and Jacquie served
them food, Mrs McPhee watching with one of the masked men.
“I know – and
we’re going to play one more hostage game before Jay and the other leave us –
isn’t that right Mrs McPhee,” Jacquie said as she looked over.
“Aye – we need tae mak sure ye all stay and cannae raise the alarm for a while, so ye’ll all be taken
to yer mammies and stay in a room with them. They’ll awl be
waiting for ye when ye’ve had enough.”
“I think we’re
all full,” Emma said as she looked round the table, the others nodding in
agreement.
“Okay then –
the first fing we need tae
do is make sure none of ye can call out or make a noise, so I want ye all tae take one last drink.”
The girls
looked round the table as they took a drink, the masked man taking from a bag
clean cloths and strips of white towelling, a knot tied in the middle of each
strip.
“Noo then – wan at a time, open yer
moofs.”
“I’ll go
first,” April said as she opened her mouth, Mrs McPhee putting the folded cloth
in her mouth and then easing the knot between her teeth before she tied the
towelling strip round her head. She made
her way round the table as Amanda said “have you done that to the others?”
“Aye – and
we’ll dae it tae ye as well
later,” Mrs McPhee said as she started to gag Emma, and then looked round. “Can ye talk?”
“Whhchnntreee,” Kerry said as the others giggled.
“Well, now we dae this,” she said as the man produced a large roll of
white micropore tape, and handed it to Mrs McPhee as she wound it tightly round
April’s head. He then walked round as
Mrs McPhee took a roll of silver duct tape, and wound it round April’s head on
top of the white band.
“Oh god – will
they be all right,” Jacquie said.
“Och aye – one mair thing,” Mrs
McPhee said once she had gone round the other girls, she and the masked man
then taking white scarves, folding them and then tying them over the taped
mouths of the girls. “Noo then, all o ye – lean forward while we tie yer wrists behind yer backs, and
then yer arms tae yer sides one last time.”
“And what’s
going to happen to us,” Amanda said as she and her daughter watched all the
girls having their wrists and arms tied tightly.
“The same,” Jay
Edwards said as he came in, “I just talked to my associate, and your husband is
cooperating fully.” Looking at the
masked man, he said quietly “bind their wrists and arms, then when the girls
are ready, we’ll start the final preparations.”
“And then you
will leave us alone,” Jacquie said as she felt the masked man take her hands behind
her back, and the all too familiar now feel of the rope as he tied her wrists
together.
“When all is
completed,” Jay said with a smile as one by the one the girls were released
from the chairs and heled to stand up, twisting round as they looked at each
other.
“Hmmhghhdd,” Joy said as she saw the room to the front door
open, and the girls jump in one by one, Jacquie and Amanda following with Jay
and Mrs McPhee. She was sat on the
floor, her legs bent and rope clearly visible round her ankles, a band round
her waist and her upper legs.
“Sthhtthghrls,” Shannon said as she twisted round, the rope
squeaking on her wellington boots. She
was sat next to her sister, but facing the other way, and the girls could see
the knots on the ropes around her arms and wrists.
“It is,”
Jacquie said quietly as Mrs McPhee looked at April and Blossom. “Gahls – jump over
and sit behind yer mammies.”
The other girls
watched as April jumped over and sat behind Joy, sitting herself down and
smiling as the masked man in the room tied some rope round the mother and
daughter to hold them together. She felt
her mother’s fingers gripping her own as Blossom sat behind Joy, watching as
they were tied together as well as she said “huhhlhhrhthntShhhnnn?” The older woman nodded, the white scarf
covering her own gag as Jay said “watch them,” and the others left the room.
“Swhhssnxt,” Edie said as she looked at Mrs McPhee, the
sound of rope on rubber fading as they jumped along the hallway.
“Oop the stahrs fhrst,” she said as Jay walked up the stairs, watching as
one by one the girls pushed themselves up the stairs, Jacquie and Amanda
walking up with Mrs McPhee before they opened the door to the first bedroom.
“Hmmhghhddd – ehhddeee!”
“Hhhhmhmm,” Edie said as she saw her mother on the
floor. Hilary also had her wrists tied
behind her back, and bands of rope round her arms and chest, with her legs tied
at the ankles and legs. Her ankles had
been pulled back and tied to her chest ropes, and a grey scarf covered the
bands around her head, keeping her quiet.
“Sit doon, lass,” Mrs McPhee said to Edie, the young girl
nodding as she sat down, looking at the way her mother’s jacket had been pulled
to the side by the bands of rope round her chest. The masked woman knelt down and crossed
Edie’s ankles, tying them tightly together and then securing her legs below her
knees before she was helped to lie on her stomach next to her mother, looking
over her shoulder as her own ankles were pulled back and tied to her chest
ropes.
“We’re all
going to be like this, aren’t we?”
“Yes you are,”
Jay said to Amanda, “we need to be sure you are all safe, secure and cannot
raise the alarm until we are safely away.
Check them every fifteen minutes,” he said to one of his associates as
Edie and Hilary rolled onto their sides, their heads on cushions as the group
made their way to Amanda’s bedroom.
Shona rolled
over to look at the door, saying “hfnnkghdduhhllrht”
as she saw Kerry jump in, the white cloth holding her gag in place. Like the other women, she had her wrists
secured behind her back, and bands of rope framing her chest, stretching blouse
as she wriggled round. Her ankles were
secured together with rope, a length running from them to the foot of the bed,
and a further band of rope holding her legs together below her knees.
“Now then
Kerry,” Mrs McPhee said with a smile, “hop oer and
jump on the bed.”
“Hkkhheee,” Kerry said as she jumped over sitting herself on
the bed and watching as Ms McPhee tied her ankles and legs together in the same
way as her mother. She was then helped
to lie down on the bed, watching as her own ankles were tied to the foot of the
bed, and then rolling onto her side as her mother turned to look at her.
“Make sure they
get checked regularly as well,” Jay said, the masked man nodding as Emma and
Janna jumped out of the room, Jacquie and Amanda following as he said “so – to
your room I think, Jacquie.”
“I don’t get it
– why won’t you leave when you have secured and silenced us?”
“Timing is
everything,” Jay said with a smile…
“So, we get the four…”
“Or possibly five,” Yvonne said as she
looked at Mark.
“Or possibly five families hostage, we
get Jacquie’s husband to do some business using one of you contacts Brian – and
then what?”
“Well,” Brian said as he sat back,
“there is a reason why it has to be those four in the same house at the same time,
unable to do anything.”
“And that is,” Mark said as he sat
forward.
“Their company – unbeknownst to Jacquie
Christie or her three co-workers – has been used as a conduit for funnelling
funds to – well, shall we say, unfriendly countries? My seniors want that stopped, but to do so,
we need to raid their office and make sure those four are kept well out of the
way, so that they are not implicated.”
“So, if I hear you right,” Yvonne said
with a smile, “we’re actually the diversion?”
“I prefer to say you are the insurance
policy – once you give the word, we move in, raid the offices and arrest who we
need to arrest – and you get a reasonable payday out of it as well. So, do we have a plan?”
Yvonne and Mark looked at each other,
before Mark said “we have a plan.”
“Ahn there we go – comfy my wee lassies?”
Emma and Janna
looked at each other and nodded as they wriggled on the floor – they had been
helped to lie on their stomachs, while their mother and grandmother were sat on
the bed and their legs secured at the ankles and knees with ropes. Mrs McPhee had then bent Emma’s legs, and
secured her ankles to Janna’s chest ropes, before doing the opposite to her
sister.
“You promise
that’s all you’re going to do,” Jacquie asked as she grunted when Jay and his
associate helped her to lie on her stomach, adjusting her skirt as Amanda was
made to lie next to her.
“I do – but it
is time for you both to be quiet as well.”
“You’ve both beenffrreebrffgrls,” Amanda said as the cloth and knotted
towelling strip was pushed into her mouth, then the two bands of tape wound
round as Jacquie was gagged in the same way.
“Now then,” Jay
said as he pulled Jacquie’s bound ankles back and secured them to Amanda’s
chest ropes, then secured Amanda’s ankles to her daughter’s chest ropes,
“relax, don’t struggle – your husband is making sure you are safe.”
Jacquie nodded
as she squirmed round, the sound of rope and leather from both her and her
mother making her daughters laugh under the cloth and tape as Jay left the
room, and walked downstairs. Taking out
his mobile phone, he dialled a number and waited.
“Go.”
Mrs McPhee
looked over as Jay came in and smiled at Jacquie.
“Your husband
has done as we asked – enjoy the rest of your evening,” he said as Mrs McPhee
waved to Emma and Janna, before they checked the other rooms, walking down and
checking the main room before the group made their way out to the waiting van.
“Thank you
gentlemen,” Jay said as he got behind the wheel, “your compensation will be deposited
soon.”
“And we get
home at a reasonable hour – we should do this more often Jay,” one of the men
said with a smile.
“For once – we
will drop you at the rendezvous,” Jay said as the van drove into the sunset…
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