Mother and Daughter Moments 12

To say I’m flabbergasted to find out all these things about my boyfriend would, I think, be the understatement of the century – and were it not for the fact I somehow ended up following in his footsteps, I…

Actually, I don’t know what I’d do, but I’d better start at the beginning. I’m Janna – it’s not my real name, but it’s what I’ve been called in these stories, and I guess it would be both easier and safer to call myself that here as well. And yes, I am the masked woman the papers have started calling The Female Games Player. How I ended up getting that reputation – now that’s a story.

I see he’s already told you about the time he ended up being the Games Player for me and my niece Carol. Well, I was scared out of my wits then, and worried for Carol – and believe me, we have had words on that subject recently – but it also awoke something in me I had not recognised before, a passion I wanted to satisfy.

At first, I thought it was just for taking part in tie-up games, and I do enjoy them, but I still felt there was something else missing. I then realised what it was – the thrill of being part of an actual robbery. So, for my sins, I started to break into people’s houses, when they were out, and steal things.

Yeah, you might say that makes me a bad woman, but I only took things they looked as if they could replace, only what I could carry, and I always picked houses of people who looked as if they could afford it. And then, one day…

The house I picked to visit was one owned by the owner of a gift shop in town. She was in her early sixties, with short grey hair, and was a little smaller than me. I knew she was in her shop that day – I’d popped in to but something, and seen her behind the counter. She’d been wearing a white jacket with a green and purple leaf print on it, over a mustard coloured jumper, white trousers and white sandals with a cork heel. She’d smiled at me and then gone onto the next customer, while I went off and managed to get into her house.

Now, she certainly had a lot of nice jewellery, but I wanted to make sure I only took a few things, so I was taking my time and picking items. I was already in the habit of wearing a black leather jacket, jumper and leggings, with short black felt boots and leather gloves.

You can imagine how shocked I was then, when I heard the front door open and close, and voices downstairs. I quickly pocketed what I could, and was about to leave when I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Looking round, I saw a stocking lying on the bed, and without thinking I picked it up and pulled it over my head, standing behind the door as it opened.

A nine year old girl came in, wearing a patterned smock in peach and brown over a white long sleeved top. She had a string of red beads around her neck, and a yellow head band with a little bow on it over her light brown hair. She was also wearing a pair of bell bottomed jeans, the hems of which were patterned in the same way as her top, and black shoes.

She stopped and looked round the room, and then turned and saw me there. I heard her gasp, which is when I came forward and put my gloved hand over her mouth, with a finger of my other hand to my lips.

“Hmmm,” she said as she looked at me, and I went behind her, one hand on her shoulder and the other on her mouth as I heard more footsteps, and the woman from the shop call out “Annie, did you find it yet?”

I was really thinking on my feet now, as I whispered “Don’t say a word – we’ll surprise your grandmother, all right?” She nodded as we waited, and then the older woman came in.

“Did you… Oh my god,” she said as she saw me holding her granddaughter.

“Please,” I said quietly, “no screaming, no heroics – it would spoil the game Annie and I want you to play with her.”

The woman looked at Annie, who slowly nodded and said “Tsllkkthtmnnnpppr?”

“Please, take your hand away,” she said, so I took my hand from Annie’s mouth as she said “it’s all right Granny – it can be like the man in the paper, the robber who plays games.”

“All right,” I said as I breathed heavily, “I need to make sure you two cannot raise the alarm. Do you have any rope or tape?”

“No,” the older woman said, “the only thing I’ve got is wool.”

“That will have to do – where is it?”

“Downstairs – in the living room.”

“All right,” I said, “let’s all go very quietly, very slowly down the stairs, and then I want you to draw the curtains in the living room.”

So we walked downstairs, my hand on little Annie’s shoulder, and then I watched as her grandmother closed the curtains. I looked around the room, and said “Where is the wool?”

She went to a basket and opened it, taking out a large ball of blue wool. I saw the knitting needles, and so did she, but thankfully her concern for Annie stopped anything stupid, as she handed me the ball of wool.

“Is there a pair of scissors in there as well?”

She nodded and started to move to the basket, but I said “No – Annie, you fetch the scissors. You can watch her and put your hands behind your back.”

I’d only ever tied up Carol when the two of us had played games, so I was shaking a little as I made a loop in the end of the wool, put it over her grandmother’s wrists behind her back, and then pulled it tight, winding it several times around and between her arms and pulling it taut, before I then wound it round her waist.

Annie carried over the scissors and watched as I cut the end off, and then tied it in place, before I helped her grandmother to sit down. “I need to do the same to you now,” I said with a smile under the stocking, “hands behind or in front of you?”

“In front,” she said, so I tied her wrists together, hands palm to palm, in front of her, and then tied them to her tummy with the wool round her waist a swell, tying it off behind her. She then sat next to her grandmother, smiling and giggling as I used more of the wool to tie their ankles side by side, and then their legs together below their knees.

I was running on autopilot by this time, just thinking of how I was going to get away, before Annie said “can I lie with my head on Granny’s lap?”

Her grandmother said “of course you can darling,” so I helped her to lie down, and then went into the kitchen for a moment. I was looking for something to keep them quiet with – and then I found the first aid box, and some strips of wide brown fabric plaster inside.

I took that back into the living room, and told Annie to purse her lips, before I cut a length of the brown plaster and stuck it over her mouth. She giggled a little as I did the same to her grandmother, and then said “Relax – I’ll be back to free you, or someone else will, in a little while.”

I then walked out, and calmly made my way to the nearest tube station. It was only when I got home – having taken off the stocking as quickly as I could – and sat down I started shaking from the adrenaline rush.

And that’s how I started to be the copycat – I realised it worked for me as well as him, and I started doing the same thing. I soon read about my work and his in the papers – but now he’s shown me other things as well, as we practice together…

********

This particular family had come to my attention through my work – the head of the household was a graphic designer, while his wife worked as a freelance artist. A good one too – she had had some works hung at the National Gallery Summer Show, which while a bit of a lottery at least needs a modicum of talent to get into.

The mum was in her late thirties, with chestnut brown hair, as had the nine year old daughter. The eleven year old daughter had light brown hair, but like her mother wore glasses for bad eyesight rather than aesthetic reasons. As I researched them, I realised it would be possible to use that to my advantage when playing the game – a game of guess who’s next…

This was a Wednesday afternoon, during the May week holidays – I knew Daddy was away on business, and Mummy was home alone with the two girls as I drove up to the detached house they lived in. I was casually dressed for once – open necked shirt, chinos, shoes. But I still slipped on my gloves and the stocking over my head, as I picked up my bag and went into the house.

I could hear the mother and one of the girls at the piano, so I decided the right thing to do would be to get the other girl playing first. So I looked in the downstairs room, and then walked upstairs, finding the oldest daughter in her bedroom reading a book. Her long brown hair was held back by a headband, and she wore a crotched purple top over a long striped tunic, knee length lilac leggings, black sports socks and Mary Jane shoes. She also had on a pair of glasses, which I had expected.

Closing the door quietly, I walked up behind her and said “hi.”

She turned round, but before she said anything I put my finger to my lips and said “your mum asked me to come up Maureen.”

“Mum did? Why?”

“She wants to play a game with your sister Flavia and you, but she needs you to be ready so that when they come up, Flavia can see what’s going to happen.”

“What sort of game?”

“You’re going to pretend to be the captives of an archvillain, who is holding you to ransom so that Captain Cleverclogs can come and rescue you.”

Captain Cleverclogs, I should say, was a TV series their father was the designer for. A comedy superhero for kids.

“Oh wow – yeah, Dad would do that. So we’ll really be captives?”

“In a pretend way yes. You won’t be able to move or speak, but you’ll be with Mummy the whole time. All right?”

“And we get to give Flavia a big surprise?”

“You do indeed – but we need to get you ready first. So, I want you to take your glasses off, and leave them on the table, all right?”

I watched as she did so, and then said “What we’re going to do is get you ready for the game first, then I’ll go and fetch Flavia and your mother. So, I want you to stand up for me, and cross your wrists in front of yourself.”

I took a length of rope from my bag, and tied her wrists together in front of her, before I tied the rope around her waist to fix them in position. I then used another length to tie her arms to her stomach, before I asked her to sit on the bed, and secured her crossed ankles as well as her legs below the knees in the same way.

She tried twisting round, and said “wow – I really won’t be able to move much, will I?”

“No I’m afraid not,” I said, “now, I need to keep you quiet. Do you have a clean handkerchief?”

“In the top drawer – why?”

“I’m going to ask you to let me put it in your mouth, and then put some special tape on your mouth that will keep it closed. I’m then going to put a second piece over your eyes, and you have to guess who comes in with me when I come back. All right?”

She nodded and opened her mouth as I put the cloth in, and then taped her lips over. She smiled under the tape as she closed her eyes, and I taped them over as well.

“Now don’t move,” I said as I put the radio by her bed on, and went back downstairs.

The piano playing has stopped, and I could hear some movement in the kitchen, so I looked carefully in the front room. Young Flavia was there, sitting on the couch watching a cartoon on the television. She was wearing a blue cotton dress with a little collar and white lace on the sleeves and skirt, and black slippers.

This time I closed the door behind me, walked over and put my hand over her mouth. As she reached up to pull it off, I whispered “Daddy asked me to get you to help him with a Captain Cleverclogs idea, where the young princess and her family are held hostage. Guess which part he wants you to play?”

“Thyngprnsss” she mumbled under my hand.

“That’s right – but for the story, the princess has to be stopped from crying out and raising the alarm, so I need to make sure that doesn’t happen, all right?”

She nodded as I showed her a second handkerchief I had borrowed from your sister. “All right then – open your mouth as wide as you can, and soon the beautiful princess will not be able to warn anyone of what is happening.”

It was fifteen minutes later when the mummy came in, and saw young Flavia lying on the couch, her mouth and eyes covered with white tape and ropes around her body. She said “Oh my god” and went forward – only to be stopped by me grabbing her and saying “Forgive me my princess – I need to talk to your maid” before I took her outside.

“Don’t struggle or scream,” I whispered after I closed the door, “as far as both your daughters are concerned, they’re helping Daddy by acting out a script idea for the show he works on. For their sake and yours, I need you to play along and pretend you are helping Daddy as well.”

“Whrrruu” she mumbled as she struggled under my hand.

“The papers call me The Games Player, so – will you play?”

She stopped struggling and stayed silent as I took my hand away. “Where’s Maureen?” she eventually said.

“Upstairs – once I have you ready, I’ll take you to see her, but first you need to make sure Flavia believes this is a game, so do exactly what I say.”

She nodded as I opened the door and she walked in. “I’m sorry, your majesty,” she said as she stroked her daughter’s hair, “the evil villain has captured both of us. Be brave – I do not know how much longer I can talk to you.”

“Tsllrrtt,” Flavia mumbled as she wriggled round, her wrists, arms and legs tied exactly like her sister. I guided Mummy’s wrists behind her back, crossed them and started to tie them tightly together, before I passed rope round her arms above and below her chest.

She was wearing a long faded blue dress with a low neckline and long sleeves, black leggings and taupe shoes, with her glasses on, and kept talking quietly to Flavia as I secured her arms.

“Now, I must take the maid to her room, but you will join her there shortly,” I said, “so stay where you are?”

Flavia nodded as I took her mummy back upstairs, and then opened the door to Maureen’s room.

“Can you guess who has come first to check you are all right,” I said as we walked in.

“Mmme?”

“That’s right darling,” she said, “The wicked villain has captured all of us. Be brave – he has promised we will all be together soon.”

“Lrrtmmm – sflfeesf?”

“Yes she is darling – the cruel villain has done to her what he did to you, but she will be with you soon as well.”

She nodded as I took Mummy to the master bedroom, and said “now, your jewels and valuables, if you do not mind?”

For the next few minutes, she told me where to look, and I selected various items, before I sat her on the bed and bound her ankles and legs together.

“It is necessary to silence you now,” I said, “but I will not blindfold you. I must, however, remove these,” and with that I took her glasses from her face, folded them and left them safely on the bedside table.

“Open wide please,” I said as I selected a blue silk square, and folded it before it went into her mouth, and then the tape over her lips. She nodded as she lay down, and watched as I went out of the room, and back downstairs.

Picking Flavia up in my arms, I carried her upstairs, and then opened Maureen’s door.

“Flvee?”

“Mreen? Rutddndslnsdtt?”

“Ysss, Hvngfnn?”

“Hyssss. Whrsmmme?”

“I’m going to take Flavia to her, and then you,” I said as I picked Flavia up, and carried her into the master bedroom, leaving her at one side of Mummy.

“Hlllff,” she said as Flavia cuddled in, and I left, returning with Maureen in my arms. Laying her on the other side of her mother, I checked the ropes again, before saying “Now you must all wait for Captain Cleverclogs to come to the rescue! MWHAHHAHAAHHHHAAAAA!”

The girls giggled and Mummy rolled her eyes as I left, searched the rest of the house, and returned to my car.

The really funny thing? That WAS an episode of the next series…

********

The reason I act as the Games Player, of course, is to make sure the kids are relaxed and not too scared – even if they do realise it’s not really a game, hopefully they play along. There was one very memorable occasion, however, when the roles were somewhat reversed.

I was out in the Norfolk Broads for this particular family – the mother had some work dealings with my firm, which is how I knew she was actually a fairly wealthy woman in her own right. She now worked as a photographer, and a really good one as well.

Anyway, the family lived in a big farmhouse near Cromer. Natasha, the mother, was in her early forties with long dark hair and glasses. Both the girls in the family had long dark hair as well – eleven year old Alex and nine year old Barbara. Dad worked in Kings Lynn, and on this particular holiday afternoon I knew for a fact he had a late meeting at his office – because one of my colleagues was at that meeting.

Pulling up on the road in my car, I could see Natasha hanging out the washing on the large back lawn. She was wearing a multi coloured striped cardigan over a pink top, a long grey skirt and black shoes, and she was obviously engaged in that process. So I decided once I was in the house to start the game with the girls.

So I went to the front door – first pulling the balaclava I had worn as a hat down over my head – and closed it quietly behind me. I could hear some laughter in the front room, so I walked quietly to the door and looked in.

The two girls were sitting playing a board game. Alex was wearing a pink and white leopard skin top with a long grey skirt that had a checked panel by the hem on one side, while Barbara was wearing a long patchwork dress. It had a white top, black midriff, black and pink capped sleeves and upper skirt, and a pink lower skirt with a grey panel on the hem on one side. Both girls were bare foot, and chatted happily away as I closed the door and said “Hello?”

Alex looked at me, and said “oh my – are you a robber?”

“A pretend one,” I said quietly, “your mum asked me to come and play a game with all of you.”

“Mummy? I don’t think she…”

Alex looked at her sister for a minute, and then said “So you want to play a game of hostages with all three of us?”

“Yes, essentially,” I said, wondering just what was happening – the way Alex was talking meant I may have missed something.

At which moment, Natasha walked in, took one look at me and started screaming. I was going to have to do something about it – yeah, it was remote, but someone might hear – but instead Alex came forward and took her mother’s arm.

“It’s all right Mum,” she said quietly, “apparently Dad arranged this as a surprise for all of us. He’s going to pretend to hold us hostage for a little while, and then we’ll be freed. It’s not a real robbery, and he’s not going to hurt us, are you?”

Natasha kept looking at me, and then the girls, as Barbara said “That’s right mummy – it’s just going to be a game. Look, sit down in the rocking chair, and the man will explain what he’s going to do.”

“That’s right,” I said as I tried to get some sort of control back, “just sit down, Natasha, and take deep slow breaths. You’re not going to come to any harm, so long as you play the game.”

As their mother sat in the rocking chair, Alex and Barbara held her hands. “Wh… Wha… What are you going to do,” she eventually said.

“Well, I need to make sure the three of you cannot escape for a little while.” Looking at Alex, I said “I need you and your sister to make sure your mum can’t move first.”

“We’ll do it, and we won’t hurt you mum,” Alex said as I took a roll of silver tape from my bag and tore the end loose. “Put your mum’s arms on the arm rests,” I said, “and then use this tape to tape them down to the wood around her wrists and forearms.”

Alex nodded as she took the tape, Barbara talking to Natasha the whole time as her arms were taped down to the wood. She was slowly calming down, but the look of fear behind her glasses was still genuine.

“Very good,” I said as Alex finished. “Now, Natasha, I need to make sure your two darling daughters have their arms secured as well.” Looking at Barbara, I said “Can you put your arms behind your back, and put the palms of your hands under your elbows.”

“I can do that,” Barbara said, as I then taped her forearms together from wrists to wrist. As she twisted round, Natasha looked over and said “Are you all right, darling?”

“I’m fine mum – are you all right?”

Natasha nodded quietly as I took Barbara over and sat her in a chair. “We need to secure your ankles now,” I said as I gave the tape back to Alex. “Take care of your mother first.”

“It’s all right, Alex,” her mum said as the young girl knelt down and started to tape her mother’s ankles tightly together, “I know you won’t hurt me, not like the other nasty men.”

I heard that, and as Alex stood up I said “Other men?”

“A gang of masked men robbed us a couple of months ago,” Alex whispered. “Barbara was at a friend’s house, but they tied mummy and daddy up as well as me. They weren’t gentle, like you.”

I nodded and said “all right – tape your sister’s ankles together, and then come and stand in front of me.”

So that was it – someone else had robbed them, and being somewhat rougher. I could understand the concern of Natasha now, but as she watched Barbara’s ankles being taped together I realised it was helping her as well.

Alex came over and said “You need to secure me as well, don’t you?” I nodded as I folded her arms behind her back and taped them together like her sister, and then sat her on a couch and taped her ankles together.

I then looked at all three of them, and said “Can I trust you not to call for help while I look round?”

Alex nodded as she looked over, talking to her mother and sister as I searched the house. I didn’t find that much beyond some jewellery – but if they had been robbed recently, that wasn’t surprising.

Coming back, I looked at them and said “Time to be quiet, so I need all three of your to purse your lips and look at me.”

“Please, don’t…”

“It’s all right Mummy,” Alex said “I’ll go first.” She nodded to me as she put her lips together, and I covered them with a length of tape. Barbara was next, and then I lifted her onto Natasha’s lap, her head nestling against her chest as I taped over her mother’s mouth.

Finally, I helped Alex to lie on her side as she watched her mum and sister rocking gently on the chair. “Rusttlscrddmm,” she mumbled under the tape, and then as her mother shook her head I saw her smile.

“Right – enjoy the time together,” I said as I left them alone – and made sure I called the police earlier than usual.

********

There was one time Steve – you don’t mind if I call him Steve, seeing he calls me Janna – recently decided to pay a visit after we had been out on a date. Let me explain.

There were two families he had apparently been looking into playing with for some time – next door neighbours, actually. Their husbands were the owners of very exclusive jewellers in a nearby town, and one night he showed me the information he had collected on them.

One of them was married to a woman called Suzie – long ash blonde hair, not too thin, and they had an eleven year old daughter called Sue. Next door was Patsy, who had long dark hair, and she had an eight year old adopted daughter called Kim.

At any rate, Steve told me he had seen them on shopping trips and the like, so he knew they were reasonably well off. The only question was when he was likely to do it.

And that was how things were left, until a couple of weeks ago, when Steve ad I went for an early meal out at a restaurant in this particular town. We were planning on taking my niece out to a safari park the next day, so we had eaten by eight, and were heading to the car when we passed the jewellers – and saw the two owners inside, with a sign outside saying “Shop Open Until Midnight.”

Steve stopped and looked at me, with a twinkle in his eye as he said “I have some supplies in the car – what do you think?”

“Tonight? Now? Dressed like this?” I was wearing a blue short sleeved dress with a green floral print, and two inch heeled shoes, while Steve was wearing an open necked shirt, jacket and trousers.

“Yeah, dressed like this – I have a couple of stockings and gloves as well. What do you say, Miss Female Games Player?”

I smiled and said “yeah – let’s do it,” as we returned quickly to the car and drove to the two houses. Stepping out, he handed me a stocking and gloves, which I put on, and then we walked up to the house with the lights on, the bag in my hand.

How we were not spotted I will never know, but we stopped at the door as Steve tried the handle, and we let ourselves in. The television was on, and as we looked in we saw both Sue and Kim watching the television. Sue was wearing a pink and black striped top, jeans and brown furry boots, while Kim had on a white jumper, jeans and black Ugg boots.

Steve put his finger to his lips and motioned to the kitchen, and I heard two voices coming from there as well. Coming closer, I nodded and held my breath as he slipped his gun from the bag, counted down from three, and then opened the door before we walked in.

“Good evening,” he said to the two women sitting at the table, “please, no loud noises or screams – we don’t want to scare the girls, do we?”

Suzie stared at the two of us, wearing a blue blouse, jeans and trainers as she started to stand up. As for Patsy, she stared at us as she turned in her chair, and I saw her charcoal grey top with elbow length sleeves, and her jeans tucked into her knee length black leather boots.

“Oh my god,” she finally whispered, “please, don’t…”

“Relax – so long as you and your daughters do what we say, nobody is going to get hurt,” Steve said. “My friend and I are going to play a game with you and your daughters – a game of robbers. Let’s make sure it’s fun for them, all right?”

“A game,” Suzie said, “this isn’t a game, is it?”

“No, this is real – but we need to keep them believing it is a game so that it is not too scary for them, all right? So please, do as we say and this may be a pleasurable experience for you, all right?”

I smiled under the stocking as they both nodded. “Good, then this is what we are going to do. This is your house, correct?”

He looked at Suzie, who nodded as he said “good – then you and I,” he said as he looked at Patsy, “are going to go next door, and we will see what we can find. Just remember that your daughter is here with my friend, so no attempts to raise the alarm or other funny business, all right?”

“All right,” Patsy said as he took some rope from my bag, and then tied Suzie’s wrists together behind her back. “Now, while we’re next door, my friend here will start playing the game with the girls, so that you can join them later, all right? Will you have any problems?”

“No I don’t think I will,” I said as Steve crossed and bound Patsy’s wrists behind her back, and then took her out of the back door. “Now, just tell them this is a game arranged by Daddy, and they’ll be all right if they play along,” I said as I led her into the front room.

“Mum,” Sue said as we came in, and she saw me, “what’s…”

“We’re going to play a game girls,” Suzie said, “a game of robbers.”

“Where’s my mum,” Kim said.

“She has gone with my friend for a minute, but she will be back soon,” I said quietly. “We’re all going to play a game where my friend and I are going to pretend to be robbers, and steal things your mummies like. We need to make sure you all stay in the same place, but we’ll do it in a way where it will be fun, all right?”

Sue looked at the rope around her mum’s waist, and then said “all right – what do you want us to do?”

“Just sit where you are at the moment,” I said as I helped Suzie to sit down next to them, “and keep watching the television. The first thing I need to do is make sure you can’t jump off the couch and run away when my back is turned.”

I put the bag on the floor, and took out two lengths of rope. “Youngest first,” I said as I slipped Kim’s boots off, crossed her ankles and tied them snugly together, taking the rope between her legs as well as keeping it over her jeans.

“There,” I said as I tied it off, “that doesn’t hurt does it?” She shook her head as I shuffled over, removed Sue’s boots and secured her ankles in the same way. I then crossed and tied Suzie’s ankles together as well as she watched.

“The next thing is to do the same to your legs – it makes it even more difficult for you to move,” I said as I tied the legs of each of them together below their knees, making sure the rope went between their legs as well.

“this looks funny,” Kim said as she twisted her legs round.

“Right – now I need to make sure you can’t move your wrists apart,” I said as I took more rope out. “Hands behind or in front.”

“Behind – like Mummy,” Sue said, so I crossed and tied her wrists together behind her back, and then wrapped some rope around her waist.

I did the same to Kim, and then asked “What are you watching anyway?”

“Angelina Ballerina,” Kim said.

“Well, you can keep watching it,” I said as I took more rope out. “I just need to make it extra difficult for Sue’s mummy to move her arms. When that’s done, if you want, I’ll do the same to you.”

So as they watched, I took a longer length of rope and tied it round Suzie’s arms, above and below her chest, and then tied it off behind her back. As I tied the last knot, Steve same back in with Patsy, who was rubbing her wrists.

“Hey mummy – we’re playing robbers,” Kim said as she wriggled on the chair.

“So I see – are you enjoying the game,” Patsy said quietly.

Kim nodded as Steve said “I tell you what Patsy – sit down in the chair and cross your ankles, then once I’ve got you comfy Kim can sit on your lap. Would you like that Kim?”

The little girl nodded as I started to tie Sue’s arms to her sides, like her mother, and Steve tied her mother’s ankles and legs tightly together.

“Right then,” he said as he looked at Kim, “want me to put you on Mummy’s lap?”

She nodded, so Steve picked her up and put her on Patsy’s lap, before saying “Would you like a great bug hug from your mummy?”

“Yes,” she said, as I watched the gentle way he let Patsy hug her, crossing the older woman’s wrists and tying them tightly together before he tied them down the rope around Kim’s legs. He then took more rope and tied their waists together, and well as their bodies so that Kim was resting her head on her mother’s chest.

As they did this, Sue was cuddling into her mother, as they watched.

Steve then looked at Sue, and laid her on her side so her head rested on her mother’s lap.

“Now, why don’t you go and see what you can pretend to steal,” Steve said, “and I’ll make sure these four stay nice and quiet.”

I nodded and went upstairs, searching and finding a lot of nice jewellery, before I came back down in time to see him pressing a strip of white tape over Sue’s mouth. Her mother and Patsy had white tape wrapped tightly round their heads, and from the bulging of their cheeks I guessed he had put sponges inside. Kim was snuggling against her mother, the white tape over her lips holding at my guess a hankie inside, and I presumed Sue had the same.

“Right – relax, and you can start to try and get free whenever you like,” Steve said as we both left, making out way back to the car after we removed the stockings outside the house.

“Thank you,” I said as I kissed him in the car.

“what for?”

“For a wonderful night,” I said as we drove off…

********

On a secure area on my laptop is the research I have done on families I have considered visiting, some of which can sit there for some time before I take action on it. There is one record on there it took me a few months to get round to executing, but it came to mind recently when… But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Vanessa Murdoch is a medal winning show jumper, and married to a senior executive of a city firm. They lived in a farmhouse in the Cotswolds, with their eleven year old daughter Lauren, and by and large they were a wealthy, happy and successful family – the sort of family I like to pay a visit to.

So I spent some time checking their lifestyle, relatives, everything, making sure the risks were minimised – and I had my plan of attack laid out and ready to roll.

Then something happened – a family matter I had to deal with – and it was three months before I was in a position to pay a visit. In that time, I vaguely heard something in the news about a riding accident Vanessa was involved in, but didn’t pay too much attention to it.

Anyway – it was the summer holidays by this time, and I re-checked that Daddy would not be at home on the afternoon I had picked. Satisfied, I drove out to the farm to arrive at about lunchtime, and arrived in time to see a young woman get into her car and drive off. She didn’t look familiar, but I let it pass, pulling the usual stocking down over my head and letting myself in.

I could hear noise from the front room, and also from upstairs. I decided to try and find young Lauren first, and whatever was on in the front room sounded like a drama, so I decided to head upstairs first. Climbing the staircase, I listened at a door and then opened, to see Lauren lying on her bed.

The young girl was wearing a red headband with a flower on it to hold her light brown hair away from her face, and a brightly coloured sleeveless dress that came down to just below her knees, as well as a pair of flat silver slippers. She looked up at me, as I put my fingers to my lips and said “Shhh – I’m here to play a game with you.”

“Oh – what sort of game?”

“Hostages – I’m going to pretend to hold you and your mummy hostage, and then see if you can escape. Does that sound like fun?”

She looked at me and said “I don’t know if Mummy would like to play this game – the doctor said she needed to rest.”

“But that’s the beauty of this game,” I say, “this means you and her will rest, because you won’t be able to do anything else. So, if I get you ready first, do you think Mummy will play then?”

“yeah, I think she will,” Lauren said. “So how do you play hostages?”

“Well, if we start with you, I need to make sure you can’t get off this bed and move around, or let your mum know what’s happening. I promise you it won’t hurt – all right?”

She nodded as I took my rucksack off and opened it. “Can you find a pair of sports socks, Lauren, and put them over your hands please?”

“Okay,” the little girl said as she went to a drawer, took out a pair of white socks and pulled them over her hands. I then asked her to sit on the bed, and cross her wrists in front of her, before I tied them together with some soft rope, and then took the rope around her waist to secure them against her lap.

“That’s tight,” she said as she tried to wriggle her fingers.

“But not too tight, right?”

She shook her head as I then tied some rope around her arms and stomach, to keep them secure, and then got her to sit with her feet on the bed while I tied her ankles together, and then her legs below her knees, folding her skirt back a little first.

“Now then,” I said, “in a minute I’m going to get you to lie down, and then finish tying you, but I need to make sure you stay nice and quiet first. I’ll put something in your mouth, and then put some special tape over your mouth to keep it in there. You need to lie nice and quiet, and keep breathing through your nose, but I’ll be back later with mummy to see you are all right, okay?”

“You’ll get mummy upstairs? You must be strong mister,” Lauren said.

“Oh I am – now open wide.”

As she did so, I put a folded white cloth in her mouth, and then let her get used to that before I pressed a long strip of white tape firmly down over her mouth. She then lay back as I tied her wrists to her ankles, and then to the foot of the bed.

“Now you wait there, and you and Mummy will be together very soon,” I said as I left her on the bed, and headed back downstairs. The program was still playing, so I took a deep breath, opened the doors and said “Good Aft…”

Vanessa Murdoch was sitting there, turning to look at me as I came in. she had her greying blonde hair pinned back, and was wearing a short sleeved brown top with a low neckline and a floral print, blue jeans and shoes. What I was not prepared for was the wheelchair she was sitting in.

She looked me up and down, and then said “Great – a burglar to make my misery complete. Where is Lauren?”

“I have secured her upstairs,” I said quietly as I closed the door, “I told her you and she were going to play a game of Hostages.”

“Oh, so you’re the Games Player are you? I’ve heard about you,” she said as she wheeled her chair round. “So you tie me up, gag me, bring Lauren to me and then rob the place, right?”

“That is the general idea – you pretend it is all a game, and keep her calm that way.”

“Well, at least it adds some excitement to the day,” Vanessa said, and I could see something in her eyes that showed this chair was upsetting her. “Well, unless you are really strong, Lauren will have to come down here, so you’d better start tying me up.”

I stood there looking at her, as she said “is something the matter?”

“May I ask what happened?”

“I fell off a horse and bruised some nerves – I find it difficult to walk at the moment, and have to use this chair most of the time. Why?”

“Well, I have no desire to hurt you even more, so perhaps I will just secure you in the chair…”

“Oh so you think I can’t handle being tied and gagged properly, is that it?”

“I did not say that, but if you have been injured then…”

I saw a fire in her eyes as she said this, and she almost spat at me as she said “How Dare You!!! You’re as bad as everyone else – my husband, the physio, the nurses – they all treat me as if I’m a little child. Tell me, when you tied and gagged Lauren, did you treat her with kid gloves?”

“I treated her as I treat all the children I visit…”

“Exactly – I bet she can’t move or talk up there can she?”

I looked at her, impressed with her passion, and said “no, she can’t.”

“Then treat me as you would all the other women you’ve tied up and gagged and robbed! For pity’s sake I’m not an invalid – for once I wish someone would not treat me like one!!!”

“Well…”

“Go on – do your worst. Don’t go easy on me because of this – in fact, don’t leave me in this at all!” She pushed herself up, clearly in pain, and walked over to a long brown couch, dropping into the seat as she said “Go on – get started.”

“Very well then,” I said as I took some rope from my bag, crossed her wrists behind her back and then tied them tightly together, before I secured them round her waist. I then tied her arms to her side, winding the rope tightly round them above and below her chest, before passing the rope under one arm, up and around the back of her neck, and then under the other arm, securing it all behind her back.

“Thank you,” she said as she wriggled round, “and I’m sorry I shouted. I just get so frustrated at times…”

“I can understand that,” I said as I knelt down, crossed and started to tie her ankles together. “Everyone wants to be treated the right way, after all.”

Once I had her ankles and legs secured, I said “Listen – I am going to rob you, so tell me where your jewels and valuables are. In return, I’ll bring Lauren down and put her on the two seat couch over there, and you can struggle together.”

“There are jewellery boxes on my bedroom furniture, and a safe in the room at the back,” she said as I folded a blue silk scarf.

“Combination?”

She gave me the number, and then opened her mouth so that I could place the scarf inside, closing her lips over it and saying “fnkugnnn” as I pressed the white tape firmly down, her lips showing under it.

“One last thing,” I said as I helped her to slide down the couch, and then roll her over, before I tied her wrists to her ankles as well. Rolling her back, I placed her head on a cushion, and then left her.

I then went back up, and said “Mummy is ready, but wants you to come down, all right?”

Lauren nodded as I untied the rope, lifted her in my arms and then took her down, her eyes wide as she saw her mum lying on the couch. “Urntnnthshr” she said as I gently laid her down, and re-secured the loose rope to that around her knees.

“Nnn- exstdd?”

Lauren nodded as I left them alone, emptied the safe, took her valuables and placed them into my bag, before I looked in on them again, talking to each other through their gags. Leaving them, I made my escape.

Why has this come to mind? I checked the chat room recently, and was surprised to see Lauren there describing her experiences. Apparently her mum is recovering now, and starting to walk again – but insists on having her arms tied when she does this, to help her gain balance.

Also, when she rests, she gets her husband to tie her up and gag her – and sometimes Lauren joins in, so they can ‘be like everyone else.’

Therapeutic benefits of a visit from the Games Player – intriguing…

********

I had planned to visit the family of this particular bank manager for some time – but I knew I needed to take very particular care. Although they had no children of their own, they had adopted two sisters and treated them as their daughters. Both girls had some learning difficulties, but the pictures I had seen of them showed them to be happy, so I knew what was needed was an even more gentle approach than usual.

As it was, I got some help from an unexpected source – but I’ll get to that in a moment. I arrived outside the house and looked up and down the street, satisfying myself nobody was looking, and went round the side of the house, pulling the stocking down over my head and the leather gloves on my hand as I did so.

Five minutes later, I had got into the kitchen – in time for a tall young woman to walk in. She was wearing a light blue fleece with dark blue stripes over an orange t-shirt, black joggers and a pair of tan brown fur boots, with her blonde hair pulled back in a little ponytail.

As she looked at me, I put my finger to my covered lips and said 2Please, no noise.” The gun I showed her emphasised the point, as she slowly nodded.

“Are Mister and Mrs Clark home?”

“No,” she said in a Scandinavian accent, “There is only me and the girls.”

“And you are?”

“Eva – I work for the family.”

“All right Eva,” I said quietly, “I am here to rob the house, which means I need to secure you and the girls and keep you quiet. To make this easier, we’re going to pretend this is a game, and you’re all going to…”

I stopped as I saw an eleven year old girl walk in and look at me. She had light brown hair cut around her face, and wore a pink High School Musical top, blue joggers with multicoloured polka dots, and a pair of light brown Ugg boots.

“Eva, who is this,” she said as she looked at me. I could see the worry in her face, as Eva said “this man is here to help play a game of Kidnap – he’s come to take Lucy and me and you to a special place Kate, and make sure we stay there until mummy and daddy come to rescue us.”

“I like that,” Kate said as she looked at me, “will we be all tied up and gagged?”

“You will,” Eva said, “because the nasty man is going to make me secure you and Lucy first. So I want you to be a very brave girl, because he wants me to tie your hands behind your back before we go and capture Lucy.”

“All right,” she said as she crossed her wrists behind her back, Eva taking the rope I had produced from my rucksack and binding her wrists tightly together.

“Do you play these games often,” I said to Kate as she looked at me.

“If Mum or Dad think we need to,” Kate said as she wriggled her wrists. “Are we going to tell Lucy now?”

“We are – so be very quiet until we get into the room,” Eva said. She then whispered to me “Sometimes their parents do this if they get too upset. They like it, but it is better if I do it, all right?”

I nodded and followed with my rucksack as we went into the front room. A nine year old girl was watching television, and it was obvious as she looked at us she was Lucy.

“Oh is it a time out,” she said as she looked at us. She was wearing a light pink sweatshirt, white pants with a green and pink floral print, and light tan fur ankle boots with tassels.

“Not really,” Kate said, “we’re being kidnapped.”

“That’s nice,” Lucy said as I looked at her.

“Good – your sister is going to sit down while Eva ties your wrists behind your back, and then she will use more rope to secure your arms to your bodies,” I said as Eva looked at me. She moved behind Lucy, the young girl turning and crossing her wrists behind her back before they were secured, and then a longer length of rope used to secure her arms to her sides around her tummy.

Once Kate had the extra length of rope, I said “now she needs to tie your ankles and your legs, so that it is more difficult for you to move.”

I watched, fascinated by how willing the girls were to let the au pair kneel in front of them, and then tie their legs tightly together below their knees, and then their ankles, the rope pulling them together over the fabric of the boots before she passed the rope between their legs.

“Thank you Eva,” I said quietly, “now close the curtains, while I prepare something to keep my little hostages quiet.” I had already decided tape was a bad idea, so I took two black scarves from my rucksack, rolled them into bands and tied knots in the middle, before allowing Eva to ease the silk knots into the mouths of the girls and tie the scarves around their necks.

“Now I need to make sure Eva can’t escape,” I said as I bound the older woman’s wrists behind her back, and wrapped rope around her above and below her chest to hold her arms firmly in place. Kate and Lucy kept talking to each other as I made Eva lie on the couch between them, bound her ankles and legs, and then pushed a folded cloth into her mouth before I used a knotted cleave gag on her as well.

“Now then, you need to stay here until I get your mummy or daddy to free you,” I said as I left them, and searched the rest of the house. When I looked in, they had managed to get into a position where they were sitting next to each other, so I left them like that and left the house – hoping they enjoyed it as a game.

********

Now, I am not one for the fashionistas as a rule, but I do come across them from time to time in my visits, and one mum and daughter I visited in the Sussex downs recently come immediately to mind.

I’d been following mum for a while, as a local businesswoman with a successful line of lingerie shops. Where the money comes from can be fun at times, but I happened to know her partner was away on business, so she was ‘home alone’ as it were with her ten year old daughter Tess.

What I had learned was that Tess had an aunt and cousin staying over for the weekend. While her mum, Trudi, was in her early thirties with long chestnut brown hair, her Aunt Edie was in her early forties, with shorter hair of a similar colour. Her nine year old cousin Jenny had long dark brown hair, while Tess has long blonde hair.

I was watching from my car that morning as Jenny went off with her mother in the car, leaving young Tess at home with her mother, so I decided to press ahead with the visit. I had my trusty rucksack with me, but I decided for once that I was going to take the direct approach. It had been a while since I’d done it, but I was feeling adventurous, so I walked up to the front door and rang the bell.

Trudi very kindly answered it, and I took a look at her in her open necked red blouse, tiger print skirt and open toed brown sandals. But only a little look, before I pushed her back into the house and hand gagged her, looking at her through my stocking mask.

“Not a word, my dear,” I whispered as she stared wide eyed at me. “All I want are your valuables and money, and you won’t get hurt if you and your daughter play a game with me.”

“Whsrrfggmm,” she mumbled.

“Robbers – you need to convince her this is a game you’ve arranged, and get her to play along, understand?”

I smiled as Trudi slowly nodded, so I said “When I take my hand away, stay calm, stay quiet, turn round and put your hands behind your back.”

“You’re the Games Player, aren’t you,” she whispered as I crossed her wrists behind her back, and tied them tightly together with some rope, before I turned her round and looked at her.

“That’s right - so where’s your daughter?”

“Tess… She’s up in her room. Please, do you have to tie her up as well?”

“I do – but we make it a game for her, and she’ll be just fine, all right? Now, you lead the way.”

She led me up the stairs, and then waited as I opened the door and we went into little Tess’s room. The young girl was wearing an orange round necked top with sets of beads around her neck, a pair of pants in the same tiger print as her mother’s skirt, and a pair of gold shoes, while she had a black hair band with a bow holding her hair back.

“Hey mum, what’s – who are you?”

“He’s a friend who has come to play a game of robbers with us, Tess,” Trudi said, “look – he’s already tied my hands behind my back.” She turned round to show Tess her bound wrists.

“Oh my – are you going to do that to me as well,” Tess said.

“Yes – but remember it’s a game, I’m going to pretend to rob your house, and leave you and your mum in here so that you can’t stop me. You won’t be able to move or speak, but it won’t hurt, all right?”

“Does it hurt, mum?”

“No it doesn’t, so he’ll take care of me while you watch, and then you, all right?”

Tess nodded as I took some more rope, and tied Trudi’s arms to her side, the rope going above and below her chest.

“Will you do that to me as well,” she said as I helped her mum to sit on her floor.

“Would you like to be just like Mummy?”

“Yes, I would,” Tess said, lying on her tummy and watching as I crossed and tied her mother’s ankles together, before securing her legs below her knees.

“All right then,” I said as I stood up, Trudi wriggling on the floor, “why don’t you stand up and cross your wrists behind your back, and I’ll soon have you just like mummy.”

And I did as well – wrists crossed and secured behind her back, arms tied tightly to her sides, ankles crossed and tied, and her legs tied together below her knees. She was sitting on the floor next to Trudi, smiling as I opened my bag and looked at them both.

“Now, before I go and pretend to rob your house, I need to make sure you both stay where you are, and are nice and quiet,” I said as I produced two more lengths of rope, two cloths and a roll of white micropore tape. “So be a good girl, and open your mouth as wide as you can – I’ll put this cloth in, some tape over your mouth, and then once Mummy’s quiet I’m going to make sure you stay where you are.

“All right,” Tess said as she nodded and opened her mouth, allowing me to put the cloth in and then press a length of tape over her mouth, and then watching as I did the same to her mother. I then helped her to lie on her tummy, Trudi next to her, and put pillows under their heads before I tied Tess’ ankles to Trudi’s chest ropes, and visa versa.

“Now, stay put, and I’ll look in later,” I said, Trudi watching me as I left them and went to the main bedroom, looking for the valuables she had.

And I made a good haul as well – until, that is, I heard a little voice saying “Who are you?”

I turned to see Tess’ cousin Jenny standing in front of me, wearing a pink dress decorated with little coloured flowers – the sleeves came to her elbows, and a knee length skirt, with brown jelly sandals on her feet.

“Me? I’m playing a game with your aunt and cousin,” I said, “where’s your mummy?”

“She’s downstairs – what sort of game?”

“Would you like to see?”

She nodded, so I took her hand and led her into Tess’ room, Trudi looking up and groaning as she saw Jenny.

“Wow – you’re pretending to be robbed,” she said with her finger to her lips. “Can I play this game with my mummy as well?”

“Nnnnnn,” Trudi said, but Tess nodded as I said “of course you can – we can start playing now if you want. Put your hands behind your back, and once I have you half done we’ll go and surprise your mother.”

So I tied her wrists behind her back, and her arms to her sides like the other two, before I said “Now, open wide, and I’ll make you nice and quiet. Let me talk to your mummy and explain what’s happening, all right?”

She nodded and allowed me to gag her before we walked back down the stairs.

“Jenny, where are you,” I heard her mum call out, so I took Jenny into the front room, sat her on the couch, and tied her ankles and legs together before I put my fingers to my lips and stood by the door.

Edie soon came in, carrying a glass of juice. She stood still, looking at Jenny as she said “Hllmmmplngrbrs.”

“She is,” I said as I took the glass from Edie and placed it on the coffee table. “Jenny has asked to play a game of robbers, like Tess and Trudi. You’re not going to be the odd one out, are you?”

She looked at Jenny, and slowly shook her head as she said “no, I won’t be. We’re going to be together, aren’t we?”

“I have no intention of separating you,” I said quietly as I guided her wrists behind her back and tied them together. She was wearing a pink and red dress, which like Jenny’s came to just above her knees, and a pair of tanned heeled sandals.

“Where are they,” she whispered as she felt me pulling the rope around her arms and chest, securing them to her sides as Jenny swung her legs to and fro.

“Upstairs, quite safe and unharmed – I’m going to finish looking around, and then someone will come and end the game,” I said as I helped her to sit down, and then knelt down, tying her ankles together as well as her legs below her knees. She twisted round as Jenny lay down and rested her head on her mother’s lap.

“Tmtbqtmmm,” she said, as I pushed a cloth in her mouth and then pressed the tape over her lips.

“Right – I’ll make sure the others are fine, and then we’ll let you try and escape,” I said as Jenny nestled in, and I finished my visit.

********

One advantage I have over Steve, lovely man though he is – I am a woman, so I understand a bit more of the mother-daughter dynamic. I was a bit of a rebel in my teenage years, and I guess that still comes through from time to time – and the other day, I paid a visit where I could understand exactly what was going on.

I had seen the redoubtable Eliza Holmes in the local branch of my bank a few times, as the accounts manager, and she was – well, a snob is putting it politely. Always dressed in what she considered smart clothes, she actually was a living embodiment of mutton dressed as lamb. I’m sorry to say, that alone made her a target in my book.

I knew she was married, and had a ten year old daughter called Megan, and I knew where she lived, so I kept watch over it a few times. She had black hair cut to frame her face, while Megan had long light brown hair. As smart as her mother was, Megan was the opposite – the times I saw her, she always had old clothes on.

Anyway, this particular Saturday I had found out her husband was away on a business trip, and Steve was busy elsewhere, so I decided to pay them a visit. I parked some way away, got out of my car, zipped up my leather jacket and put a rucksack over my shoulder, and walked past the large detached house, noting the Saab outside. I walked along, and doubled back, this time sneaking up the side of the house. I paused once I was out of sight of the main road, and pulled on a pair of leather gloves, as well as a stocking down over my head, before I walked slowly round and looked in the back garden.

It was deserted, so I tried the back door, and finding it was unlocked I let myself in. Closing the door, I heard Eliza Holmes call out “Megan, are you getting ready? Lady Holden is expecting us soon.”

“Yeah, mum,” I heard the young girl call down as, from my hiding place by the door, I saw Eliza come down in – well, it was a hideous dress. In itself, as a black knee length dress with short sleeves and a skirt that came to her knees, with a round collar, it was nice. Paired with dark tights and a pair of patent leather heels, it made a classic look.

What made it really bad where the little white bow ties – two on each sleeve, four down the front, a ring under the front neck, and even one on the white belt around her waist. I had to stop myself laughing as she went into the front room, and concentrate on the job at hand – and I thought starting with the daughter would be best.

Walking slowly up the stairs, I could hear pop music coming from a room, so I slowly opened the door and looked in. Megan was standing in front of a mirror, dancing and singing, but she was a total contrast to her mother – a nice one too.

Her long brown hair was up in a knot with a long ponytail, but it was her clothes – she was wearing a pair of knee length black leather boots, strapped at the top, a pair of light pink denim shorts with studs at the pocket and a grey belt, and a black lace vest over a leopard print t-shirt. She had a pearl necklace round her neck, and was putting on lipstick.

And that was when I had my idea for how to play the game for this visit. I watched as the song stopped and then said “Hello Megan.”

She spun round and looked at me, then said quietly “Who are you?”

“I’ve come to play a game with you and mummy,” I said, “and give you a chance to show her you’re more than just a rebel kid. Want to hear what the game is?”

She nodded as I closed the door. “You’re dressed like a pop diva,” I said, “so I’m going to be the nasty woman who kidnaps you and your manageress, and forces the bank to give me lots of money to set you free.”

“That sounds exciting – and mummy is the manageress?”

“That’s right – now, it means as the bad girl I need to tie you and mummy up, and also stop you speaking for a while. Would you be able to do that for me?”

Megan nodded, grinning from ear to ear as she said “Can you do me first?”

“That’s what I was going to do,” I said with a smile, “so I want you to sit down on the bed, and put your hands behind your back for me. I’ll tie your hands and arms, and then we’ll see what happens next.”

Megan nodded and let me guide her arms behind her back, me taking an idea of Steve’s as I folded them so that her elbows rested in the cups of her hands, and then tying her wrists to her elbows, as well as her forearms together in the middle. I then tied her upper arms to her sides by wrapping some rope around them, and pulling it tight.

“All right so far,” I said, Megan nodding as I knelt down and crossed her ankles, the leather squeaking as I pulled the rope tight around them. I then tied her legs together below her knees, and smiled as I stood up.

“Now then,” I started to say, but I heard footsteps coming up the stairs, so I stood behind Megan, my gloved hand over her mouth, and said “Remember to play along – and let me do the talking.”

She nodded as the door opened, Eliza coming in and saying “Megan, are you ready… OH shit, who the hell are you?”

“Well well – so your manager finally turns up,” I said with a smile under the stocking. “I was hoping she’d be here – she can deliver the ransom when they finally rescue her.”

“Ransom? What’s going on? I’m going to…”

“Do exactly what I say or the little diva gets hurt,” I said, Megan nodding and saying “Plssdwhtshsss” under my hand. Eliza looked at me, then slowly raised her hands and said “please, don’t hurt her.”

“She’ll be fine,” I said quietly. “Now, knell down and grab the heels of your shoes with your hands.” Megan watched her mum do this, before I removed my hand and took a small sponge ball out of my rucksack.

“Right, Megan Starr,” I said, “I need to keep you quiet while I talk to the lady over there. Open wide – this won’t hurt, but it will help you stay quiet.”

As she opened her mouth, I compressed the sponge and pushed it in, waiting until she closed her lips before I tore a wide strip of white tape off a roll and pressed it firmly down over her red lips. “Now you lie there, nice and quiet,” I said as I walked over and helped Eliza to stand, “and I’ll take you and your boss lady to the hideout.”

Megan nodded as she lay on the bed, wriggling round while I walked Eliza out of the room. “Kidnap? Rock Star? What are you, the Games Player?”

“Yes – the female one,” I said, “so to keep your daughter calm, you are going to play along while I bind, gag and rob you. Understand?”

She slowly nodded as I pulled her hands behind her back, crossed her wrists and secured them, and then tied rope around her upper body, above and below the waist, making sure her arms were locked into her sides.

“Now, you can tell me where you keep your valuables, and save a mess,” I said quietly, “or I can finish trussing you up, gag you, and trash the place.”

“I’ll tell you,” she said, meekly showing me the cases and boxes in her room, and watching as I emptied them into my rucksack.

“Good – now, I’m taking you downstairs, finishing the job of securing you, and then I’ll bring Megan to you,” I said as I took a sponge ball from my bag. “But first – open wide.”

A few minutes later, I came back into the bedroom, Megan saying “whrssmm” as I did so.

“I’m going to take you to her now, but I had to blindfold her to take her to the hideout, so I need to do the same to you,” I said as I showed her one of her mother’s headscarves. “Sit up and close your eyes.”

Nodding, she sat herself up and stayed still as I folded the brown scarf and tied it over her eyes, making sure she could not see as I picked her up and carried her down the stairs, and into a room at the back of the house. Eliza was lying on her side on a long recliner, her ankles crossed and secured with rope and her legs tied together below her knees. A wide strip of white tape covered her mouth, and a black scarf was tied over her eyes.

“Whsthrrrr,” she called out, as Megan said “Tsmsmm.”

“Well now,” I said as I sat Megan down in a large armchair, and bent her legs so that they sat on the seat, “you two can stay here while I send the ransom demand. Behave, and I’m sure you’ll be free very quickly.”

Looking at them both, I stroked the hair away from their eyes, and left them there, while I made my getaway.

When I told Steve about this later, he smiled and congratulated me, and then dropped a huge surprise – he was going to the States for a couple of weeks, would I like to come along?

Of course I did – and we had some memorable times there as well…

********

I had a very busy Saturday last week, when I visited a stables – I knew the man of the house was away at a race meeting, but I met a few more members of the family than I had expected to.

He had a beautiful wife – late thirties, light brown hair, slim – and three daughters, aged twelve, nine and five. The youngest, according to my researches, routinely spent a Saturday with her grandmother, so I figured that left only mummy and the two girls, Natasha and Helena, to deal with.

When I drove up, and parked a short way away from the main house of the stables, the yard and the area outside the house certainly looked deserted, so I put my rucksack on my back. I had decided to use the beard and balaclava disguise today, and I had parked in a quiet lay-by, so I hopped the fence and made my way over the field, before I found myself in the stable yard.

My plan was to get into the house, and get mum and the two daughters one by one, but that became a moot point when, just as I was about to cross the yard, the back door opened and Mum came out with Natasha, the twelve year old. The young girl was wearing a pink v-necked top with short sleeves, grey riding britches and short boots, while her mother wore a white top and britches, with knee length tan leather riding boots, and a dusky pink cap. Both of them had their hair pulled back in ponytails, and both were heading for the stables.

So I hid and waited until they had gone past, and watched as Natasha went into one of the stalls. Walking up behind her mother, I put my hand over her mouth and pressed the end of my imitation gun into her back.

“Not a word,” I whispered, “you are going to play a little game with your daughters, where a bad man has come to rob the house, and has to keep them out of the way while he does so. You’ve arranged this with your husband, and you’re all going to have fun. Understand?”

She nodded as I removed my hand, and then said “Are you that guy in the papers?”

“That’s me, so you can be assured I will not hurt you. Now, where is the rest of your family?”

“In the main house.”

“Good – now, move your hands behind your back, and when Natasha comes out, tell her this is all part of a game, understand?”

She nodded as I tied her crossed wrists together and then tied some rope around her waist to keep them in place. As I tied the rope off, Natasha came out carrying a cloth, and looked at us.

“This man,” her mum said, “has come to play a big game with all of us Natasha. He’s going to pretend to rob us, and keep us all out of the way while he does so, so I want you to do whatever he says, all right?”

“But what about…”

“Is that all right, Natasha?”

She looked at me and her mother, then smiled and said “yes, mother. So what is the bad man going to do with us?”

“Let’s go back to the house, and up to your mother’s room,” I said quietly. “I’ll make sure you both stay there while I have a look around. But first, Natasha, I want you to stand in front of your mother and put your hands behind your back.”

So I tied the young girl’s wrists behind her back, and then to her waist, before we walked across the yard and into the house, then up the main staircase and into the master bedroom.

“Very nice,” I said, “now, I want both of you to sit on the bed, back to back.”

I watched as they got themselves in position, and then took several lengths of rope from my bag, which I used to tie them together at their chests and waist. Normally, I would have tied them separately, but I knew there was another daughter, and I wanted to make sure they could not move apart.

“Now, before I secure your legs and make sure you stay here while I pretend to rob the place, I need you both to be quiet,” I said as I took two cloths from my bag, and a roll of white tape. “So open wide, and then close your mouths once I put the cloths in.

“Tsxsettngg,” Natasha said as I pushed the cloth into her mouth, and then that of her mother, before pressed strips of the white tape over their lips. I then tied the mother’s ankles tightly together, the rope squeaking on the leather, and then her legs below her knees, before I did the same thing to Natasha.

“Now, you both stay there,” I said as I looked at them, “and I will go and tell Helena about that game.”

“Ulbbsprssd,” Natasha said as she looked at me, her head resting between her mother’s shoulder blades.

“Well, we’ll see – if I have to, I’ll bring her up here,” I said as I closed the door, and left them alone while I headed down the stairs.

So far, as they say, so good, as I carried my rucksack and then looked in some of the downstairs rooms. They seemed empty, but when I went into the main room at the front I got the biggest surprise of all.

Helena was there, sitting on the couch, wearing a grey long sleeved top with a pink design on the front, brown jeans and a pair of white socks, her dark brown hair braided into two pigtails. But her younger sister Caitlyn was also there, her hair in a little pigtail at the top, wearing a similar if smaller top and brown riding britches with no socks.

They were not the only ones in the room – there was a woman in her late fifties there, wearing a light blue polo shirt, khaki riding britches and black socks.

“What the…” she said as she looked at me, and I knew the feeling, so I said “hello – I want you all to sit very quietly for a few minutes. I have something that you all need to hear.”

The older woman looked at me, and got the glimpse of the gun I showed her, before she said “Helena, Caitlyn, listen to this man please.”

I smiled and said “All right – mummy and daddy wanted all of you to play a special family game today, and hired me to play the part of a bad man who robs people. Your mum and Natasha are upstairs, and have already started playing, because part of the game is that I need to make sure you cannot move or speak for a while, just like a real bad man would do. I presume they told you about the game?”

I looked at the older woman, who after a moment nodded and said “my daughter mentioned she might do it, but not when. Are they safe?”

“Perfectly safe, but they both said they wanted all of you to play as well. So, what do you say?”

“Will it hurt,” Helena said as she looked at me.

“No, it won’t hurt – why don’t I show you by taking care of Granny first? If you would kindly look at the girls and put your hands behind your back?”

They watched as I took my rucksack off, retrieved some rope and tied their grandmother’s wrists together, and then passed some rope around her waist.

“He’s right,” she said as she tested the bonds, “it doesn’t hurt.”

“all right – you can do it to me,” Helena said, Caitlyn watching as I tied her sister’s wrists behind her back, and then more rope around her waist.

“I don’t want my hands behind my back,” she said as Helena twisted round, “can I have them in front of me?”

“Of course you can,” I said, so I crossed her wrists in front of her and tied them together, and then tied the rope around her waist so that she could move them a little.

“Now, I need to make sure you can’t jump up and run around,” I said as I looked at them, “so all of you, cross your ankles and keep your legs together.”

I started with Caitlyn this time, the little girl watching as I tied her ankles together, and then her legs below her knees, taking the rope around and between her legs in both places. I then bound her sister’s legs, before finishing with her grandmother.

“Can I sit on Granny’s lap,” Caitlyn said as she moved her legs around, and I looked over at her grandmother, who nodded. “Just let me do something to make sure Granny cannot move her arms, and then I’ll make sure you stay on her lap,” I said, as I tied her arms to her sides, rope above and below her chest, and knotted it off behind her back.

“Is that tight, Gran,” Helena said quietly.

“It’s all right – the man is playing the part very well,” she said as I picked Caitlyn up and sat her on her grandmother’s lap, then used some more rope to hold them together around their waists before I tied one more length of rope from the young girl’s wrists to the band around her legs.

“This really is fun,” Caitlyn said as she looked up, and her granny kissed her forehead.

“Can I have my arms tied like Gran,” Helena said, so I tied her arms in the same way, before lying her down on the couch.

“Right – I am afraid the bad man has to keep you all quiet now,” I said as I produced a cloth and the roll of tape. Tearing a strip off, I said to Helena “put your lips together,” and then smoothed it firmly down over her mouth.

I then knelt in front of Caitlyn and said “this will feel funny, but if you stay still and snuggle into your granny, you’ll get used to it.” She nodded and smiled as I stuck the tape over, and then walked behind their gran.

“I regret to say I need to put a cloth in your mouth first,” I whispered, “so open wide and I’ll make it quick.”

“rullrrtgrn,” Caitlyn said as I pushed the cloth in with one hand, then pressed the tape down with the other.

“Mfnnn,” she said as I turned the television on and put it on a children’s channel, and then left them while I searched the house.

When I returned to the master bedroom, I said to Natasha and her mother “The other two girls are with their gran. Why don’t you start to try to escape, and see who gets free first?”

I had already emptied the safe of their valuables, so as they started to struggle I made my discrete exit, and got the hell out of there…

Return to the Relative Perils index

Return to the main index