Mother and Daughter Moments 14

A year or two back, I was in Nottingham, preparing to visit the home of a local jeweller. He actually lived in a town called Alfreton, but I was working in the city – well, you know how it can be.

I had to take special care on this one, as I happened to know his wife was pregnant. That mean I would need to be prepared to take special care of her, to make sure the baby was not distressed, but I had an idea of how to do that.

Anyway, this was during the Easter holidays, so I was outside the house watching as Daddy dearest drove off. From my research, I knew their eleven year old daughter Debbie was likely to be at home, and the signs were they were there for the morning, so I got out of the car and slipped on my leather gloves, before walking round the side of the house and quietly opening the back door.

I was wearing a black leather jacket, jeans and trainers that day, as well as the usual stocking pulled down over my head, and as I closed the door to I could certainly hear the sounds of talking, so I took a moment to decide where I was going to go first. A question that was answered for me when I heard two people walking towards the kitchen, so I hid behind the door and slipped my gun out of my pocket.

I had expected Debbie and her mother, but what I saw instead was her mother and an older woman, in her late fifties, who I guessed was Debbie’s grandmother. Her mum was wearing a grey wide jumper over a light blue denim blouse, jeans and tan knee length leather boots, as well as a sizable bump, while Granny was wearing a short sleeved top with a paisley pattern and a wrap effect neck, and light blue trousers, the legs tucked into a pair of black leather boots.

“We need to get going soon mum,” the younger woman said as she ran her hair through her long light brown hair, “Abby is…”

That was when she turned and saw me, smiling under the stocking as her mother turned and looked as well. “I’m afraid you’ll need to call and cancel,” I said very quietly and calmly, “you’re going to be tied up with other matters this morning.”

“Oh god,” she said quietly, “who are you?”

“I’m your burglar for today, and I regret to say I’ll be tying you, you and your daughter up. But we don’t want to scare young Debbie too much, so you need to pretend this is part of a game. I won’t cause you any more discomfort than necessary, but I do need you to do this for your own sakes.”

“We need to do as he says, Carol,” the older woman said, “I think he means what he says.”

“He also has a gun,” Carol replied, “so we don’t have a choice, do we Mum?”

“Not really – but do as I ask, and it can be fun for you and your daughter.” I looked at the older woman, and said “What’s your name?”

“It’s Coral.”

“All right, Coral,” I said quietly, “sit down on that chair, very slowly, and put your hands on your head.”

As she did so, I took my rucksack off, stood in front of Carol and said “Call your friend, tell her you can’t make it now, and you’ll call her later.”

While she did that, I took some cord out, guided Coral’s wrists behind her back, crossed them and tied them tightly together with the cord.

“I know, and I’m sorry Abby, but Debbie’s unwell, and I can’t leave her like this,” I heard Carol say as I used more rope to tie her mother’s arms to her sides, under her chest. “I’ll call you later on – bye.”

“Very good,” I said as she ended the call, “now put the phone down, and stand in front of me.” I took some more cord out, and tied her wrists together in front of her, before taking the rope around her waist and tying it off behind her back.

“Stand up, please,” I said to Coral, and then to Carol “tell your daughter this is part of a surprise game, and you want her to play with you and granny. Tell her it won’t hurt her, but she has to do what I say.”

“All right – just don’t hurt us,” she said as we walked in to see Debbie in the front room, reading while the radio was on. The young girl was wearing a purple lace tunic top, with a slip visible underneath, black skinny leg jeans and purple socks with blue moccasins. She looked at her mother and grandmother, with their arms tied, and said “what’s going on Mum?”

“We’re going to play a game of robbers,” Carol said, “the bad man is a friend of mine, and he’s already stopped me and Granny from using our hands. He’s going to stop you as well, okay?”

“So he’s going to tie us up like a real robber?”

“That’s right, but it’s a game…”

“No it’s not.”

I looked at Coral, who said “it’s wrong to lie to children. Debbie, he’s a real robber, but he wants us to think of this as a game, so will you do that for us?”

Debbie looked at me, and said “are you a real robber?”

“Yes I am,” I said quietly, “does that frighten you?”

“A little – but do you promise you won’t hurt us?”

“I have to tie you all up, and stop you calling for help or the police, but that’s all. If you treat it like a game, it won’t be as scary, I promise.”

Debbie nodded as she said “All right – what do you want me to do?”

“I want you to close the curtains across the windows,” I said as I looked over, “and then come and sit next to your granny. I need to make sure your mum is comfortable, and unable to move.”

As Debbie walked over and pulled the curtains over the windows, I indicated that Coral should sit on the long couch, while I helped Carol to sit in a recliner chair. Debbie came back and sat next to her grandmother while I tied her mother’s ankles tightly together with rope, and then her legs below her knees, the band sitting on top of her boots while I took the rope between her legs.

As she tried to move her legs, the rope squeaking on the leather, I helped her to sit forward and put a cushion in the small of her back, and then reclined the chair, putting a second pillow behind her head.

“Now then, young lady,” I said as I looked at Debbie, “hold this for me for a moment.” I gave her a length of the cord to hold, then knelt down and tied her granny’s ankles tightly together, the rope going around and between her legs, before using a third length around her legs below her knees.

“Does seeing this frighten you,” I said as I looked at Debbie.

“A little – does it hurt?”

“No not really,” Coral said as she looked at her, “it’s just a little awkward, that’s all.”

Carol looked over and said “we’ll be all right honey – just do what the man tells you.”

“Now Debbie, cross your wrists in front of you in the same way your granny did.” As she did so, I tied her wrists together, and then passed the rope around her waist to hold them in place.

As I tied her ankles and legs together, she looked at me and said “why haven’t you tied my arms to my sides like mummy and granny?”

“I’m going to,” I said with a smile, “but in a minute. Once I’ve tied this off, I’m going to get you to sit in front of your granny’s legs, all right?”

“Why – oh, I think I can guess,” she said as I helped her slide off the couch and wriggle round. Kneeling next to her, I did indeed tie her forearms to her side at her stomach, and then tied the rope around Coral’s legs, so that her granddaughter was secured to her as well.

“Now then,” I said with a smile, “this is the point where I have to keep you all quiet.” I took three bandanas out of my bag, rolled them into bands and tied knots in the middle, and said “Open wide now.”

“Tffllsfnne,” Debbie said as I tied the cloth into her mouth, the other two agreeing as I cleave gagged them, before saying “Just stay there – the radio is on, and I’ll be back to check you once I have searched the house.”

I left them talking – well, mumbling to each other while I searched the house and found several valuable items, which I placed in my bag. Coming back down, I was amused to see that Debbie had managed to push the knot out of her mouth, and when she saw me she giggled, saying “Not good enough, mister burglar.”

“I can do better,” I said as I replaced the scarf, and then took my roll of white micropore tape out, wrapping it round her head to cover the cleave gag and keep it in place. I did the same for Coral, but when I said to Carol “Will you behave and keep that in,” she nodded, so I put the tape away, and closed my rucksack.

“I’ll let someone know about your predicament,” I said as I left them, all three trying to free themselves from the ropes…

********

Recently, I had the chance to combine the way I used to work, back when I started, with the more considered approach I take now to my visits. I had been planning for a while to visit the family of a bank manager in a nearby town – he had a very pretty wife and two daughters, aged ten and eleven. Naturally, I had made sure I was not related, nor was Janna, in any way personal or business wise to the family. In fact, I had planned to visit later this particular week, but as I dropped Janna off to head into the city to do some shopping, I saw them standing at the station entrance.

The mum, Elaine, was wearing a long dusky pink coat with a black scarf round her neck, blue jeans and knee length tan leather boots, her brown hair pulled back in a ponytail that hung over her shoulder. She kissed her husband and waved him off, before she got back into her car and drove off, the two girls sitting in the back.

Well, I decided to seize the moment, and followed them back to their house on the outskirts of town. The entrance was a gated one, so I parked a little way back up the road, collected my rucksack from the back, and walked to the house, climbing over the wall at the rear and making my way across the garden.

Pausing only to put on the stocking mask and my black leather gloves, I used a lock pick to open the old wooden back door, and slipped in, closing the door behind me. I could see the coat hanging up on a coatstand in the hallway, so I took a moment to consider what I would do first.

“All right you two,” I then heard Elaine say, “if you are going to be fashion models, then I guess I need to make sure you look the part.” I watched as she headed up the stairs, her v-necked blue jumper now visible, and sneaked along the corridor, looking into the front room. There were her two daughters, walking around and looking out of the window.

Yvette was the older girl at eleven, and was wearing a green dress with a black waist and collar. The dress had a mosaic pattern on it, and the sleeves came to a little way above her wrists. She was also wearing a pair of black leggings, her light brown hair falling down her back.

Linda, the ten year old, was wearing a black dress with a faux leather top. The sleeves came to her elbows. The layered skirt came to her knees, but she was also wearing a pair of purple leggings and matching jelly sandals, her dark hair falling loosely as well.

Both girls turned at the same time, and looked at me as I said “so these are the two famous models I’ve been asked to help prepare for a shoot by their mother?”

“Who are you? Are you a robber,” Linda asked.

“Not really – but your mother asked if I’d come today, when you told her you wanted to play his game. I’m going to pretend to kidnap you and your makeup artist, and hold you all for ransom. Would you both like to play that game?”

“Yes please,” Yvette said as I slipped my rucksack off. “Good,” I said quietly, “then this is what I need you both to do for me…”

“All right, you two – I have my make up kit, and now I…”

As Elaine came in, she saw her two daughters standing in front of her, beaming broadly with their hands behind their backs. She looked at them wondering what was going on until she felt my hand over her mouth, and heard me say “Well, well – it appears your makeup artist had arrived a little too early. I guess she’ll have to come with both of you, won’t she?”

“Yes she will,” Yvette said as she and her sister nodded and smiled, Elaine looking at me and saying “whstggnnnn?”

“This is a game of kidnap, which you helped set up, remember?”

She looked at her daughters, and then slowly nodded as I said “Good – now, I am going to take my hand away, and I want you to very carefully set your make up case on the coffee table. Then your two young charges are going to stand in front of you while you do their makeup, as you were going to. Once that is done, I’m going to make sure you can’t raise the alarm while I send the ransom demand.”

“See,” Linda said as she turned round and showed her mother how I had already crossed and tied her wrists tightly together behind her back, “he’s already started with us, and it doesn’t hurt.”

As I took my hand away, she turned and looked at me before whispering “You’re him, aren’t you?”

“that’s right – so just keep pretending this is a game, and they won’t get scared, and then they won’t hurt themselves.”

Nodding, she turned around and said “all right, ladies – let’s just do as the masked man said. Come and stand in front of me.”

The two girls walked quickly over and stood in front of their mother as she started to use blusher, eye shadow and lipstick on their faces, while I watched from the side, smiling as she kept talking to them and explaining what she was doing.

After a little while, they turned and smiled at me. Elaine had done a very good job on them, as they said “Don’t we look beautiful.”

“You both look like super models,” I said with a smile as I took some more rope from my rucksack, “so now you get to walk round the living room while I start to make sure the makeup lady cannot get free.” Walking over, I stood behind Elaine and moved her hands behind her back, crossing and securing her wrists together before I used a longer length of rope to tie her arms to her side, going as always above and below her chest, and then under her arms and around the back of her neck.

“All right models,” I then said quietly, “come back over here and stand in front of your mum for a minute. I need to secure your arms to your sides, and then I want you both to sit on the floor, back to back.”

I used two lengths of rope in double figure of eights to secure their lower arms to their stomachs, and then helped them to sit on the floor, while I used another length of rope to tie their upper bodies together. I then tied their ankles together as they stretched their legs out in front of themselves, as well as their legs below their knees.

“Mummy’s turn now,” I said as I went over to Elaine, and pulled the rope tightly round her ankles, the girls giggling as they heard the squeak of rope on leather. I made sure the rope went between her legs, as I had done with the girls, and then tied her legs together below her knees as well, before going back to my rucksack and taking out three large headscarves, one black, one green, and one blue.

They watched as I rolled them into bands, and then tied a knot in the middle of each band, before using the blue one on Elaine, the knot sitting in her mouth as I tied the band around her head.

“Tsllrrtgrlsjststclm,” she mumbled as I used the other two scarves on Yvette and Linda, and then helped Elaine to lie down, a cushion under her head.

“Now, you need to wait here while I make the ransom demand – don’t go anywhere.”

I left them in the room while I searched the house, coming back and smiling as I found they had hardly moved. “the good news is the ransom has been paid,” I said, “but the bad news is you must stay here until they come to collect you. Be brave – it won’t be very long.”

And it wasn’t – I called the police ten minutes after leaving…

********

I guess I’ve had my fair share of strange encounters by now, but this recent one – even my boyfriend would have been hard pressed to explain this one.

I’d had my eye on a particular family for a little while – some months in fact, ever since I read about the mum and dad’s wedding. He had two daughters already from his first marriage, but they had seemed happy in the picture I had seen – the two girls, eleven and ten, with mum and dad. The girls, like their new mum, had long brown hair, and they seemed glad to have a mum again.

Well, I’d done some research since then, and I had been waiting for the right opportunity. Then, a few weeks ago, I saw them in a shopping centre in town, and I decided this would be as good a time as any.

They were even dressed identically, wearing beige dresses with a red and dark brown floral print. Mum had a short sleeved dress, while the girls had long sleeved dresses with white leggings underneath. All three were also wearing knee length brown leather boots.

They looked a happy family, but I could see their mum was worried about something, and the girls looked as if they had been angry as well. I followed them to the car park, and listened as their mum said “All right – let’s go home and you can get this over with.”

I watched as they drove off, and then went to my own car. I knew where they lived, so I took a short cut and was parked a little way down the road when they stopped in their driveway, and got out, the girls running in and their mother following them in. I allowed them a few minutes.

I was about to get to work when my mobile phone went off. I had clean forgotten I had agreed to take my niece to a swimming lesson, but my sister had called to remind me. So I drove off – the visit could wait for a few hours.

It was just over two hours later when I came back, and got out of the car, zipping up my black leather jacket as I fetched my rucksack from the back of the car. I looked up and down the street, and then slipped into the driveway, walking round the side of the detached house and letting myself in at the kitchen door.

I could hear voices in the room at the front of the house, and as I pulled the stocking down over my head and walked along I realised it was the two girls talking, but I couldn’t hear their mother. I figured she was elsewhere in the house, so I decided to find her first and explain the situation to her.

Before I started, however, I heard one of the girls saying “Our Wicked Stepmother has been punished in her cell for two hours now."

The other girl – the younger one, I guessed – then said "After one more hour, then the Wicked Stepmother will be gone and mum will be back."

Well, that was strange – at the time, I figured they were playing some sort of game and their mum was upstairs, so I made my way up the staircase and opened the door to what turned out to be the master bedroom. There was nobody inside, so I closed that door and checked all the other rooms – the girls’ bedrooms, the bathroom, a study and a spare bedroom, but there was no sign of their mother in any of them.

I reckoned she must have been downstairs, so I went back to the parent’s room, and placed my rucksack on the bed. Pulling down on my leather gloves, I decided I may as well get to work, and started to search for valuables.

I managed to find a few interesting pieces, and place them in my bag, but soon I had searched everywhere for the moment. If there was a safe in there, I’d ask mummy later, so I picked up my bag and put my hand on the door handle.

That was when I heard it, a soft whimper coming from somewhere. I froze, turning my head as I heard the sound again. It seemed to be coming from the large wardrobe, and – there it was again. A very definite moan. Turning round, I put my hand on the wardrobe door and pulled it open, stepping back as I stifled a gasp.

The mother was in the wardrobe, her eyes closed as she knelt on the wardrobe floor. She was wearing a black body stocking with elbow length sleeves, and black pantyhose, and she was very, very securely bound. Her arms were behind her back, her hands clenched into fists while they were secured together at the wrists and elbows, the ropes biting into her flesh as they went around and between her limbs. Her wrists were raised high above her back, a length of the white rope securing them to the bar from which clothes would normally hang, and forcing her to remain bent over as she kneeled.

A second length of rope went from her bound ankles to the bar, keeping her feet off the floor, while there were bands of rope around her legs, both below and above her knees, as well as around her thighs. Each band had the rope going between her legs as well, while a scarf was pulled between her lips, holding her long brown hair to her head. As she opened her eyes and turned to look at me, I could see the edge of another cloth sticking out from her lips.

“HMGDDD” she called out as she saw me there, in my black leather jacket, leggings and knee length boots, and the stocking over my head. She started to try and struggle, but for my part I was wondering if I was the only visitor they had call that night.

“Stop struggling,” I said as I leaned over and untied the scarf, easing it from her mouth and then talking out the folded white cloth that had been held inside, “who did this to you? Has someone already robbed you?”

“No,” she gasped as she looked at me, “but are you robbing us?”

“I am,” I said as I looked at the ropes, “but this is ridiculously tight. I have to tie you up, but I can be less cruel.” I reached up and was about to untie her ankles, when she said “No – no, don’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“I agreed to this punishment.”

I knelt down and looked at her, and then said “Start at the beginning, Mrs Coulson. Why are you in this position? Did your daughters do this to you?”

“Yes – but I agreed to it. You see, when I married their father I was very aware of being seen as the Evil Stepmother. I also knew I was likely to make some mistakes, so I came to an agreement that if I did anything wrong, I would be the Evil Stepmother, and have to pay some sort of penalty.”

“That still doesn’t explain all this,” I said as I looked at her.

“Let me… Let me finish,” she gasped. “Last Wednesday, I was in the front room when they came in, Jacqueline and Caroline. They both had on party dresses, and asked if I could take them to a friend’s house for a party.

“Well, I had not been told about a party by them, so I said they could not go. They said they had told their father a few days ago, but he hadn’t told me, and he usually tells me everything, so I put my foot down and said no. They looked at each other, and sat down, frowning at me as I looked at them.

“My husband got back a short while later, and when he saw them sitting there he asked why they weren’t at the party. Jacqueline said I had refused to take them, and said it was because I did not know there was a party. He looked at me, and then said he was so, so sorry. He had forgotten to tell me about it, so the girls left with him to go to the party.”

“So an honest mistake was made,” I said quietly, “but this?”

“Remember I said I was to pay a penalty as the Evil Stepmother? Well, up till now it’s been minor things, but even though my husband told me it wasn’t my fault, I still felt as if I had made a major mistake. So I said they should decide what a suitable punishment should be for the Evil Stepmother. I had already agreed to do whatever they wanted – and this is what they wanted.”

“But this is surely too much – how long did you agree to be like this?”

“Three hours – please, you must leave me like this, or they will never forgive me, and I will never forgive myself.”

I knelt there looking at her for a few minutes, and then said “Very well – open wide, I’ll regag you and leave you now.”

“Thank you,” she whispered as she opened her mouth, but before I could put the gag back in the door opened, and I heard one of the girls say “Not long now, Evil Step… Who are you?”

I stood up and looked round to see the two girls standing there. The older girl was wearing a short sleeved purple dress with lighter polka dots, the skirt of which came down to her knees, while her younger sister was wearing a pink vest top with blue butterflies on the front, and candy striped shorts. They both also had on black felt mid-calf boots.

She looked at me, as I smiled and said “Well, your mum had booked me to come and play a very special game earlier this week, but she told me about what happened on Wednesday, and it slipped her mind to tell you about this.”

“That’s right Jacqueline,” their stepmother said as she looked at the older girl, “I’m sorry, but this was more important. I wanted us to play a game of robbers, but – well…”

“Robbers? That’s cool,” the young girl, who I presumed was Caroline, said as she looked at me. “So what are you going to do?”

“Well, your Evil Stepmother needs to finish her punishment, but while she doers that I have to make sure neither of you can stop me from robbing you. So, both of you, sit on the bed with your hands on your heads. I need to make sure this lady cannot talk for a while.”

I pushed the cloth back into their stepmother’s mouth, and then tied the gag back between her lips, before I stood up and walked over to the bed. It was a large brass bed, and I smiled as I opened my rucksack, and took out more lengths of rope.

“All right then,” I said as I took two lengths of rope, “I want you both to kneel on the bed facing each other, and cross your wrists behind your backs.”

“Will this hurt,” Caroline said as she looked at me.

“No – you won’t be able to move, but it will not hurt,” I said as I wrapped the rope around Jacqueline’s wrists, taking it between her arms as well, and then tied the rope around her waist. As I did the same to Caroline, her older sister tried to move her wrists, and then said “I really can’t move them, and it really doesn’t hurt. IT’s actually comfortable.”

Caroline nodded as I took some more rope, and tied her arms to her sides, making sure they were held to her stomach, and then did the same to Jacqueline. “Right then” I said as I went back to my bag, “you can sit next to each other, and I will make sure you cannot move your legs apart.”

They sat on the bed and watched as I tied their ankles tightly together, the felt compressed around their ankles as the rope held them snugly together, and then their legs below their knees, the two girls giggling as I failed to stop tickling them.

“Right,” I said as I tied off the last rope, “once your mum is back with us, she will join you, and I will finish off tying you both up. For now, however, you need to keep an eye on the clock and tell me when time is up, understood?”

The two girls nodded as I watched all three of them, and then finally Jacqueline said “Time up – the Evil Stepmother can go now.”

I went over to the wardrobe and untied the rope holding her ankles up, hearing her sigh of relief as I slowly lowered her feet to the floor of the wardrobe, and then untying her legs. I then released her arms, saying “I think the Evil Stepmother really has to go for your mother to come back,” before I helped her to stand up and walked her out of the room, allowing her to remove her own gag.

“I also think you would appreciate a toilet break,” I said as I opened the bathroom door, waiting until she had done what she needed to do and then came back out.

“Thank you,” she whispered, “now what?”

“Cross your wrists behind your back again,” I said as I held up some of the rope, “I’ll try to be gentle.”

Ten minutes later, the girls cheered as I brought their mother back in, her arms secured behind her back and ropes around her upper body above and below her chest, keeping them firmly in place.

“Hey, mum’s back,” Caroline said as I closed the door, “the Evil Stepmother has gone again.”

“I’m glad she’s gone,” their mum said as I helped Jacqueline to sit round and then she sat between her daughters, watching as I tied her ankles tightly together and then her legs below her knees, “I don’t like it when she comes and frightens both of you.”

“Well, we’re really glad she’s gone as well,” Jacqueline said, “because it means you get to play this fun game with us as well.”

“All right then,” I said as I tied the rope between her legs, “I need to get each of you, in turn, to lie down and roll over, so that I can really make sure you can’t move. Caroline, you go first.”

I watched as she shuffled down the bed, lay down and then rolled over, allowing me to pull her ankles back and tie them to the rope around her arms. I did the same to Jacqueline, who said “thank you, lady robber,” before their mother lay down and rolled over, allowing me to do the same to her.

“I also have to keep you quiet,” I said as I took three hankies from a drawer, “so open wide and let me put these in your mouth. I’m then going to use a special tape to keep them in there.”

“Do me first,” their mum said, so I stuffed the cloth in her mouth and then wound the white micropore tape round her head, sealing her lips.

“Sssssntsbd,” she said as she looked at Jacqueline.

“I see that mum – you’re the best,” she said before she opened her mouth and let me gag her, and then I took care of Jacqueline. Both girls shuffled to their sides and snuggled against their mother as I left them in the room – stopping only to open the safe with the combination she had given me and empty it before I left the house.

********

Now, I have mentioned before that there have been the odd occasions when, for one reason or another, my timing of my visits can go somewhat awry.

That happened when I took my eye off the ball a little for one recent visit. This was to the family of the head of a local law firm, who I had noticed with her family at a local event. His wife had long dark hair, and was a tall, thin woman, while their eleven year old daughter had light brown hair. The photo I had seen showed the mother in her jewellery, their daughter looked so cute, and – well, I did my research, and realised it would be a good house to visit.

Now, this particular time I had planned to visit on the Friday night, because I knew her husband was going away to a weekend conference. I was going to call the police once I was safely away, so I did not think there was going to be a problem.

At the last minute, however, I had to change my plans when I was called to an emergency job, but I figured it would be acceptable to call early the next morning instead. They had a Saturday routine of going shopping at about ten, so I figured they would be up and about by nine – enough time to pay a visit, play the game, and get away before anyone realised they had not gone out as usual. Even then, chances were the neighbours would think they were just late going out.

So at quarter to nine, I parked outside the house and got out, walking up to the side of the house with my rucksack before I stopped to pull the stocking down over my head, and put on a pair of leather gloves. Looking into the back garden, I saw it was clear, so I walked round and worked on the lock on the kitchen door, opening it and slipping inside.

I could hear talking in the front of the house, and was wondering what my first move was going to be when I heard someone coming towards the kitchen. So I stood behind the door and watched as it opened and a young girl came in, with long blonde hair and wearing a long sleeved Hello Kitty pink nightdress.

Two things struck me as she went to the fridge and opened it. One was the red nail polish on her finger and toe nails. The other was this was not Tanya Burlow, the daughter of the house.

As she looked in the fridge, I heard another young girl call out “Bobbi, can you bring us a bottle as well?”

“Sure Lyla,” she called back as she picked up three small bottles of orange juice, and went back out of the kitchen. What I had obviously walked into was a sleepover of some type, and I silently gave thanks I had plenty of tape and cords with me this time. I had the feeling at least three girls were going to play a game of hostage with me.

So I walked slowly down the corridor, and looked in the front room. The curtains were still closed, but there were three eleven year old girls in the room. The second girl was wearing a pair of pink checked pyjama bottoms, and a pink top with white sleeves and a penguin family on the front. I presumed this was Lyla, because sitting between the two was Tanya, wearing a pair of white pyjamas with black cuffs and collar, and a black fern pattern on them. Her hair was platted into two pigtails – and it was her who noticed me standing in the doorway.

“Oh my goodness,” she said as the other two looked at me, “are you a robber? Is that why you have that stocking over your head?”

“Well, I’m pretending to be a robber” I said as I closed the door behind me. “Your mum wanted this as a special surprise for your sleepover, is she around?”

“She’s not up yet,” Tanya said, “but she’ll wake up soon. We sat up until late.”

“Well, how about we start to play the game before she comes down? IF you want to play, it’s going to mean you won’t be able to use your hands or move, or even speak for a little while, but when I give the signal, then you can see who can move the fastest after that.”

“I don’t know,” Bobbi said, “will it hurt?”

“No it won’t – here, let me show you.” Taking my rucksack off, I opened it and took out three lengths of soft cord, giving them one each to hold. “Does that feel as if it will hurt you?”

“no, it doesn’t,” Tanya said, “so what are you going to do?”

“Well,” I said as I took the cords back, “all three of you stand with your backs to me, and put your hands behind your back. I’m going to tie them together behind your back, and then I want you to sit on the couch when I’ve done that.”

So I knelt down, and one by one crossed their wrists behind their backs and secured them together, before they walked over and sat on the couch. Lyla was first, and then Tanya joined her, the two girls talking as Bobbi had her wrists tied and then walked over.

“Now then,” I said quietly, “I need to so the same thing to your ankles, so why don’t you sit back, cross your ankles, and I’ll do that for you.” So again I took my time securing their ankles together, before I stood up and looked at them.

“There, does that hurt?”

“No it doesn’t,” Tanya said, “is that all you’re going to do?”

“Oh no I’ve not finished yet,” I said as I heard the sound of someone on the stairs, “but I think your mum is coming down now, so you three be nice and quiet, and we’ll give her a big surprise, all right?”

As they nodded, I stood behind the door and watched as it opened, Tanya’s mother came in. Her dark hair was gathered up and held in place with pins, and she was wearing a vest top and shorts, in the same style as Tanya.

“Morning girls, how are you...” She stopped and stared at all three of them, as I walked up behind her and said “Hello, Mrs Burlow, you’re just in time to join in with the sleepover tie-up game you paid me to come and play with Tanya and the other girls.”

“Tie...”

“that’s right, mum,” Tanya said, “we started before you came down. We’re having fun!”

She turned and looked at me, before I said “Girls, do you mind if I take Tanya’s mother out into the hallway for a few minutes?”

“Just... Just stay there girls,” she said as I took her by the arm and led her out, closing the door behind them.

“Who are you?”

“They call me the Games Player, Mrs Burlow – have you heard of me?”

She slowly nodded as I said “Good – then you know we’re going to pretend this is a game so that the girls don’t get scared. I’m going to secure you the same way as them, before I search this house, and then I’ll make it a challenge for you all to get free.”

“And you won’t hurt us?”

“Apart from tying you up and gagging you, no – and I’ll make it so that the gags don’t hurt either. Your job is to play along and make sure they do as they’re told, all right?”

As she nodded, I took some cord from my pocket and said “good – please, cross your wrists behind your back now.”

I secured her wrists together, and then we walked back in, the girls watching as she sat in a recliner chair and I secured her ankles together, as well as her legs below her knees, taking the rope between her legs in both bands.

“Wow – are you going to do that to us as well,” Bobbi said. I nodded as I walked over and tied their legs together below their knees as well, and then looked at them.

“Now, the bad robber has to go and search the house – I’m going to put the television on, but I also need you to stop talking for a little while. I’m going to put a strip of tape over your mouths, and I need you to sit still and watch the television until I come back, when I will bring some drinks. So put your lips together please.”

As they did so, I tore strips of white tape from the roll of micropore and sealed their lips together, and then left then in the room as I went and searched the rest of the house.

When I came back into the room a few minutes later, they were where I had left them, Mrs Burlow nodding as I put the juice boxes on the coffee table. Removing the tape gags from the three girls, I allowed them to have a drink each, before I took more rope from the bag.

“Now, I need to go in a few minutes, but before I do that I’m going to set a challenge for all three of you. I’m going to have all three of you lie on the floor, after I tie your arms to your sides, and then your mum is going to lie on the couch.”

I lifted Tanya off the couch and sat her on the floor, before I tied her arms tightly to her sides, the rope around her tummy and her arms below her elbows, and then helped her to lie down with a pillow under her head. One her friends were lying next to her, I helped her mother to hop over to the couch and lie on her side, but not before I used rope around her body above and below her chest to secure her arms to her sides.

“Now, before I go I need to make sure you need to keep really quiet, so I’m going to put a little cloth in your mouths and then put fresh tape over your mouths. I’ll show you on your mum first.” I turned and said “open your mouth, please,” Mrs Burlow nodding as she allowed me to push the cloth into her mouth and then smoothing a long, wide strip of the tape over her mouth.

I used her father’s hankies on the three girls, and then sealed their mouths, before I said “now, try and see who can get free first. The game’s over when someone comes to set you free.”

I nodded as I watched the mother start to twist round, and left them to their game while I made my getaway...

********

The news programs and social commentators like to talk about the rise of the tweenager – but really there’s nothing new in that in my experience. Most young girls like to dress in the same way as their mothers, but also put their own stamp in it. When we were in the states recently, Steve had to spend a day in consultation on business, which left me to enjoy the pleasures of the local mall. Which, at ten thirty in the morning, were somewhat limited.

So I took myself to the outer parts of the mall, and was sitting having a coffee when this woman in her early thirties walked past. She was wearing a blue denim jacket over a white t-shirt with peach stripes, blue jeans and a pair of baggy knee length brown leather boots. Her brown hair was pulled back and held in a ponytail with a small scarf, and she was carrying a number of small bags clearly from a jeweller.

With her was a twelve year old girl, wearing a brown leather jacket over what looked like a denim one piece outfit, with shorts and a top. The sleeves of a pale blue top were sticking out under the cuffs of her jacket, which matched in colour the knee length leather boots she was wearing, a pair of grey leggings covering her upper legs. She had a long string of beads round her neck, and a pair of sunglasses perched on her head.

They sat at a table just along from mine, and I watched carefully as they talked rather loudly about the kid’s upcoming junior prom and what she might like to wear. Anyway, they intrigued me, and I was at a bit of a loose end for the day anyway, so I ran through a mental checklist in my mind of what was in the rucksack in the rental car. As they got up to leave, I followed them, managing to hear the address as they hailed a cab.

Five minutes later, I was in the car heading to the address, getting there before them and watching as they walked into a detached whitewashed house. I allowed them time to get into the house, and get settled, while I got out and zipped up my own leather jacket. Taking the rucksack out, I pulled the rolled up hat over my head, and walked calmly and quietly up to the front door. It was still only about one in the afternoon, so the chances in this neighbourhood were high the husband was not home. And if he was, I had my little friend in my pocket as well.

Opening the outer screen door, I paused for a moment and pulled the rim of my hat down, covering my head so that only my eyes and mouth were showing, and then knocked on the inner door with my gloved hands. I took several deep breaths to calm myself, before the door was opened by mummy dearest.

She barely had time to register who I was before I pushed her back inside, covering her mouth with my gloved hand as I looked at her. That was when I realised something I had not noticed before – with her jacket off, I could see the small bump in her stomach.

“I’m going to take my hand away,” I said quietly, “provided you stay calm and do not raise your voice, understand?”

She nodded, her eyes wide as she saw me draw the starting pistol from my pocket, enough to give her the impression it was the real thing. As I took my hand away, I whispered “What’s your name?”

“Jjjjjj...”

“Slow down, take a deep breath – what’s your name?”

“It’s Jennifer – please, please, don’t hurt me or...” She looked down at her bump and then back at me.

“Do as I say, and you won’t be hurt,” I said quietly. “All I want is your money and valuables, and make sure you can’t raise the alarm. Where’s your daughter?”

“Kel? She’s out in the yard – why?”

“I need to make sure she can’t raise the alarm either, but I don’t want her or you to be scared, so we’re going to pretend we’re playing a game your husband has organised. Understand?”

“A Game?”

“Yes, a game,” I said quietly, “and we can start playing right now - Let’s go into your front room, and I want you to draw the curtains closed.”

As we walked in, and she walked to the windows, I watched her draw the blinds down while I looked at the furniture. There was a rocking chair with nice comfortable cushions, so as she turned back I took my rucksack off and opened it.

“Come here please Jennifer,” I said as I drew out a length of white cord, “and cross your wrists in front of you.”

As she did this, I tied her wrists tightly together, taking the rope between her arms as usual, and keeping the knot out of reach of her fingers, before tying a length of rope around her waist to keep them in position.

“All right,” I said as I took her arm, “call your daughter in please.”

She swallowed as she shouted “Kelly, can you come in for a few minutes please?”

We listened to the sound of boots on the wooden floor, before the girl came in and took off her glasses. “What is it mom... Oh my god...”

“It’s all right, Kelly,” Jennifer said, “Dad apparently hired this young actress to play the part of a robber so that we could play a game of COPS. She’s going to do what a real robber would do, but she’s not going to hurt us.”

“That’s right, Kelly,” I said, “after all, with a little brother or sister on the way, I don’t want you or your mum to be upset as we play, all right?”

She looked at her mother and then nodded slowly as I said “Good – could you take your jacket off please?”

As she did so, I saw underneath her denim outfit had short capped sleeves, and the light blue sleeves were part of a jumper she was wearing underneath – well, the denim could only really be described as a romper suit.

“Thank you,” I said as she put the jacket and her glasses on a chair, “now, the robber needs to make sure you stay where you both are, while they have a look round. Kelly, I want you to turn round and out your hands behind your back for me – I need to tie your arms first.”

Her mum watched as I crossed and tied her wrists together, and then took some rope round her waist, locking them against her back, before I used a longer length of rope to tie her arms to her sides.

“I was scared this would hurt, but it doesn’t” Kelly then said as I told her to sit on a Turkish couch, and then helped Jennifer to sit in the rocking chair. I tied her ankles to the front legs of the chair, resting the soles of her boots on the rocker, and then secured her legs just below her knees to where the arms connected to the seat. I then walked back over, kneeling down as I tied Kelly’s ankles tightly together, and then her legs below her knees.

“I need to take these off you,” I said as I lifted the beads over her head and placed them on the table, “but they will be safe there.” Walking back to her mother, I used a longer length of rope to secure her to the chair back, weaving it around her and through the slats in the back, but taking great care to make sure her bump was not constricted in any way.

As I was doing this, Kelly was trying to move her legs, the leather squeaking as her boots rubbed against each other.

“There now,” I said as I tied the rope off, “that should keep you both secure while I search the house.” Looking at Kelly, I then took another length of rope and said “at lease, once I have done this – lie down please.”

Kelly lay on the recliner, her head on the arm as she watched me secure the rope from her ankles to the other leg at the front. I then looked at them and said “I need to keep you quiet now.”

“We’ll keep quiet, I promise,” Jennifer said, but Kelly looked at her and said “she has to mom – it’s part of the game.”

From the bag, I took out two bandanas, black with a white print, and rolled them into bands, tying a knot in the middle before I eased the knot of one of them into Jennifer’s mouth, tying the band around her head so that it stayed in place. As I gagged Kelly, I took the ends round and pressed her long brown hair against her neck as I secured them.

“Now, I’m going to pretend to look round – stay still,” I said as I left them, the radio playing while I searched the house. There were a lot of nice things there, which I helped myself to, before going back to hear a lot of squeaking leather.

Looking in, I saw they hadn’t moved, but were trying to get free. “Good luck – I’ll be somewhere if you get free and find me,” I said as I closed the door on them, and left the house.

Steve was very pleased with what I had when we met up – and then he told me of a plan for that Sunday...

********

Before we get to the biggest day of our American trip, I wanted to share a little tale of you, of how much girls like to be their mothers.

As part of my job, I sometimes have to do contract work for people who work in government, and this particular day I had to visit the home of a worker at the Philippines embassy, to advise on some software we were supplying. I normally don’t do home visits, but this was the only time he could meet, so we sat round his kitchen table to discuss details.

I could see on a shelf unit there pictures of him with his wife and daughter attending functions. The both had dark hair – the girl was aged about eleven by my reckoning, and wore party dresses, while her mother was in formal gowns, but I was struck with the fact the dresses were of similar designs, if different cuts. The one for the mother was more adult, but definitely similar.

Anyway, business conducted, I stayed and talked for a little while, when he mentioned he would have to go on a business trip that Friday, and he would miss his family. I commiserated with him on that fact – at the same time as figuring that I could pay a visit to the house that Saturday as well.

So, come the Saturday morning, I was parked in the next street, checking my rucksack before I stepped out and locked the car. Walking briskly down the road, I turned into the driveway of the house, and tried the front door handle. The door opened quietly, so I slipped in and pulled the stocking down over my head with my gloved hands, listening to see what noise there was.

I didn’t have to wait long before I saw the girl walk out of the front room. She was wearing a poncho style silk top, with a round neck and the material sewn under her arms to make a short capped sleeve while it came to her waist, and to her knees at the front and back. The top itself had a red/brown/cream ethnic design on it, and she also had on a pair of blue leggings, with a little flap fastened up at the legs.

She was barefoot on the wooden floor, and her black hair was pinned up in a bun at the top of her head. I waited until she was out of the room before I moved in, closed the curtains and waited behind the door for her return.

When she came in, she stopped and looked at the windows, allowing me the opportunity to come up behind her and put my hand over her mouth, holding her as she reached up and grabbed my hand.

“May, is something wrong,” I heard her mother say, and then she came into the room, stopping as she saw us. Apart from the fact she had her back hair cut around her face, she was identical to her daughter in terms of dress and look.

“Don’t panic,” I said quietly, “your husband was informed when he left for his trip that the embassy was going to send someone to do a security test on your house, by pretending to be a burglar. If you treat this as a game, then it won’t be so bad. Do you understand?”

The woman looked at me, and then at her daughter before she swallowed and said “May, this is like a game, understand?”

“Yssmma,” she mumbled under my hand.

“Good – now, I’m going to let you go, and I want you to sit with your mother on the couch, with your hands on your head, all right?”

“Come and sit with me, May,” her mother said as I let the girl go, and they both sat on a long couch, hugging each other before they put their hands on their heads.”

“Thank you,” I said as I removed my rucksack from my back, and opened it up. “Now, as part of the exercise I am afraid I need to make sure neither of you can move or speak for a while. Be calm – I will be gentle.”

“Mamma, did you know this was going to happen?”

“No,” her mother said as she looked at me, “but it would not be the first time your father’s employers have surprised us like this.” She watched as I took some rope out, and said to her, “I need you to turn and put your hands behind your back for me.”

The two started to talk quietly in their own language as I secured the mother’s wrists together behind her back, taking the rope around and between them, and then started to wrap a longer length of rope around her upper body, taking it above and below her chest and pulling tight with each band, and then passing it under one arm, around the back of her neck and under her other arm, before tying it off behind her back.

As I did this, young May was staring at her mother, talking and listening as her mother nodded. Once I had tied the last know off, I took another length of rope and said “all right May, your turn – can you put your hands together in front of you for me?”

“No.”

I looked at her again as she said “I want to be exactly like mamma – we dress the same, and I want to be the same as her.”

I looked at her mother, who nodded and said “it is all right – I understand.”

“Very well then – turn and put your hands behind your back, May.”

She smiled as she did so, and I secured her wrists and arms in the same way as her mother. Once I had done so, she smiled and wriggled round, saying “this is exciting” to her mother. She nodded, and then looked at me.

“We need to go up to mamma and pappa’s bedroom now,” I said as I helped them both to stand up, and collected my rucksack, before I walked behind them up to the master bedroom. Once inside, I said “both of you, sit on the bed please, and I will finish making sure you cannot move or speak.”

“Can I be first this time mamma,” May said, her mother nodding in agreement as I took some more rope, crossed her ankles and tied them tightly together, before securing her legs below her knees. She watched as I did the same to her mother, and then helped them both to lie down and roll over.

Once I had bent their ankles back, I secured them to each other’s chest ropes, before I went to the wardrobe and took out two headscarves, one large black and gold scarf and one medium sized red one. Rolling them both into bands, I tied knots in each one and then held the rd one in front of May’s mouth.

“Open wide – this will help keep you quiet while I do what I have been asked to do,” I said, May nodding as she allowed me to place the knot in her mouth and tie the band around her head. I did the same with the larger scarf to her mother, before I opened a drawer and took out two airline sleep masks.

“I also need to be sure you can’t see for a while,” I said as I used them to blindfold both of them, and then started my search of the room, checking their ropes once I had found the jewellery and other items before I left to search the rest of the house.

Once I had completed the search, I came back in and removed the blindfolds, before releasing them from the hogtie. Rolling May onto her side, I re-tied her ankles to her chest ropes, and then tied her mother’s ankles to the foot of the bed.

I watched as May shuffled over and laid her head on her mother’s shoulder, before I said “An embassy official will call to evaluate soon. For now, enjoy the situation.”

Closing the door, I hightailed it out of there, and called the embassy once I was safely away. I do keep my promises, after all.

********

“That is a big house,” Jenna said to me as we sat in the car, looking at what could only really be described as a farmhouse. We were a few miles out of the city we were staying in, looking at the residence of a local entrepreneur. His name was Dwight Millhouse the Third, and my research into him had shown he was a very wealthy man. This was our last day in the area, before we drove back to the airport, but that was not until three o’clock that afternoon, and it was only nine am now.

“Here he comes,” Jenna said as we both saw the Cadillac drive down from the building, and we ducked down as he drove past. We had spent a few days off and on casing the joint, as they say over here, and I knew his wife Darlene and his twelve year old daughter Dee would be home. We also knew his wife’s sister Barbie – yes, Barbie – was visiting with her daughter, eleven year old Holly.

“Got everything,” I said to Janna as we straightened up, and she nodded as she indicated the two rucksacks in the back seat. So we both got out, putting on our sunglasses as well as our leather gloves, and took a rucksack each as we walked up to the house itself.

Rather than take the front door, we decided to make our way round the side, but before we got to their back yard Janna held her hand up and motioned to me to be quiet. I looked in the same direction as her as I saw two young girls come out of the house.

Dee I recognised from the photos in the local press – she had on a pink floral top with a bolero style cardigan, white and pink striped leggings, and pink trainers, her long brown hair loose about her head. The other girl had short cut black hair, and was wearing a white smock top with coloured spots over a long sleeved black top, blue cut off jeans and sandals.

“Holly?”

I nodded as we watched them walk down to a wooden cabin at the foot of the yard, and go inside. Janna turned and looked at me, before she said “Girls first or mums first?”

“Girls,” I said as I pulled the stocking down over my head, Janna doing the same, and we checked the coast was clear before we walked quickly down to the cabin, and let ourselves in.

“Hello girls,” I said as they both turned to look at us, Janna closing the door, “sorry to interrupt, but we’re here for a special surprise game organised by your pops, Dee.”

“A surprise game, what sort of surprise game?”

“Well, he asked us to pretend to be robbers, and come here today to show you and your moms what it is like if a robber comes.” I was using a terrible American accent at the time, and I know Janna was cringing, but hey – when in Rome and all that...

“You’re robbers?”

“Pretend ones, yes,” Janna said, “but we’re going to start the game with both of you. We need to start to make sure you can’t raise the alarm, and then we’ll go and surprise your moms, and they can play along as well, all right?”

“So what are you going to do to us?”

“Well, the real game starts once we go back into the house,” I said as I took two plastic zip ties from the bag I was carrying, “but for now, can you put your hands behind your back and we’ll secure your wrists together? I’ll be gentle.”

The two girls nodded to each other as they allowed me to secure their wrists behind their back, and Janna said “now, we’re going to go into the house, and you tell your mums the two bad robbers caught you outside, and told you to come in with them. Then follow our lead, all right?”

They both nodded as we walked back up to the main house – and then into the front room, where Darlene and Barbie were sitting drinking coffee. Darlene was wearing a lime green wrap round top over a black long sleeved jumper, and denim jeans with the legs rolled up to her knees, her brown hair held back in a pony tail. Barbie had wavy chestnut brown hair, and was wearing a peach top with a round neck and a flecked white pattern, as well as jeans. Both women were barefoot.

“Mom,” Dee said, “these two bad robbers caught us outside and made us come in. I think they want to rob the place.”

“You want to...”

“that’s right, Mrs Millhouse,” I said, “but it’s a game – your husband arranged it with us.”

“MY HUS... Oh, oh right,” she said as she sat down, “I understand now.”

“Good – now, both of you need to put your hands behind your backs, while my friend here makes sure you cannot move your arms for a while.”

“Dar, what’s going on,” Barbie said as Janna pulled her arms behind her back and started to her wrists together with rope, while Darlene slowly raised her hands.

“I’ll explain in a minute,” she then said by way of reply while Janna secured her wrists behind her back, and then started to wrap rope around her upper body, pulling her arms into her sides as it went above and below her chest.

“Now then little ladies,” I said to Dee and Holly, “do you think you can both lie on your tummies? I need to make sure you two cannot move for a while.”

I watched as they both lay down, and then I crossed their ankles before I started to tie them together with rope, and then secured their legs below their knees. I then cut their zip ties away, but replaced them with rope around their wrists, before I helped them to sit up and bound their arms in the same way as their mothers.

As they sat up, they saw that Janna had bound their mother’s arms tightly into their sides.

“Now then,” I said quietly, “I need to take your moms on a little walk round the house, and then make sure they can’t run away. Once I’ve done that, we’ll take you up to...”

“Coooeee – Darlene, are you in there?”

“Not a word,” I whispered as I covered the mouths of both Dee and Holly with my leather gloved hands, Janna taking up position by the door. We watched as it opened and a blonde haired woman came in, wearing a brown silk top with a floral print and elbow length sleeves, and a pair of jeans as well as ankle boots. With her was a nine year old girl, wearing a knee length sleeves dress with a country print and a red ribbon in her hair.

“Dar, what’s – oh sweet lord, is this a robbery?”

“A robbery game, yes,” Janna said as she stepped out, and pushed the gun in her hand into the new arrival’s back, “and you and your daughter are going to play as well, aren’t they Darlene?”

Darlene nodded as she said “please play with us, Charlotte – you too Casey.”

“Does it hurt,” the little girl said as she took her mother’s hand.”

“No,” Dee said as she looked up, “come and sit down with me and Holly, and we’ll keep each other company.”

Ten minutes later, little Casey was with the other two girls, twisting at the rope holding her arms to her side, as I made the three mothers stand up.

“Let’s go and walk round the house,” I said as we went up the stairs, and into one of the bedrooms.

“All right,” I said as I closed the door and looked at them, “as you doubtless worked out, this really is a robbery, but for the sake of your girls you need to pretend it is a game – to keep them calm. I’m going to make sure one of you stays in each of these rooms, and your daughter will be brought up to be with you before we go. My friend will keep her company until then.”

Looking at the large double bed, I said “all three of you, sit on the bed.” Once they were sitting, I slipped off my bag and took out more rope, securing the ankles and legs of Charlotte as she watched me, and then taking out a cloth as well as a rolled and knotted headscarf.

“Open wide,” I said as I stood in front of her, waiting until she opened her mouth before I pushed the cloth in and then the knot of silk, before I tied the band tightly round her head. As the other two women stood up, I helped Charlotte to lie down, and then tied her ankles to her chest ropes as she lay on her side.

“Any valuables in here,” I said as I looked at Darlene, who nodded to the wardrobe. A is looked in, I said “come over here” to both of them, and waited until they walked over and knelt down before getting the combination to the safe inside.

“Wait there,” I said to the bound and gagged woman as I then took the other two into another bedroom, securing and gagging Barbie on the bed there, and then Darlene in the master bedroom, before searching all the rooms and taking what I could find.

Heading downstairs, I saw Janna talking with the three girls.

“Right,” I said quietly, “we’re going to take you up to your moms, one at a time, but before we do that we need to makes sure that you can’t talk very clearly. My friend here has three bandanas, which have been rolled up and have a knot tied in the middle. We’re going to ask each of you to open your mouth as wide as you can, and then she’ll tie one of the bandanas around your head with the knot in your mouth. Your moms all have one each as well, so you’ll be just like them, all right?”

They all nodded as Janna gagged them, and then I carried Casey up, smiling under the stocking as she shuffled over and snuggled against her mother, Charlotte resting her cheek on her daughter.

Holly was next, smiling over her gag as she looked at her mother, and then Dee – who indicated I had to secure her legs as I had her mother. Something I did as carefully as possible, before we searched the lower floor and then made our escape.

********

Often I can use the way the people I visit are dressed to help make the experience less frightening. Case in point – I was in a small town near the South coast, doing some final checks on a visit I was going to make to the family of a local estate agent. His wife was in her late thirties, tall and statuesque with long black hair, while their fifteen year old daughter had curly blonde hair. As I looked at them on the Friday night, they were walking back into their house, both wearing leggings and smock tops with short fur boots.

Daddy was working late, as he did every Friday night, so I knew I had a few hours to make sure I found everything. I gave them enough time to prepare for dinner, and then sneaked around the side of the house, letting myself into the kitchen.

The first thing I noticed was the music playing, it was fifties rockabilly music, and I figured the family were fans. Just how big a set of fans they were I had no idea, until I heard the click of heels on the wooden floor, and I hid behind the kitchen door as the mum came in.

She was wearing a purple knee length dress, made of wool and cut with a square neckline, but it hugged every part of her body. Her legs were enclosed in a pair of dark silk stockings, but it was her feet – they sat in a pair of impossibly high stiletto heels, at least six inches in length. They were actually, I realised, black ankle boots, but the way the uppers were constructed made them look like a pair of fifties high heels.

Anyway, I was there for a reason, so as she came in I grabbed her from behind, my gloved hand over her mouth and my other arm round her waist. She almost pushed me over as she fell against me, but I braced myself as I said “Don’t struggle – I’m not going to hurt you so long as you do as I say, all right?”

I smiled under my stocking mask as she nodded, and I said “good – now, we don’t want to scare your daughter, do we?”

She shook her head again as I said “now, I’ll take my hand away, and I want you to listen quietly. All right?”

Another nod, as I removed my hand and said “now, I’m here to rob you, but I don’t want your daughter – what is her name anyway?”

“Joanie,” she whispered.

“Well, we don’t want Joanie to get scared, so we’re going to tell her I’m here to play a game of robbers – by the way, nice dress. Are you all into fifties’ styles?”

“Yes we are,” she whispered back. “What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to make sure you both play along, but I need you to keep pretending it’s a game. I won’t hurt either of you, but I will tie you both up and gag you. So, very slowly, put your hands behind your back.”

“All right – just don’t hurt us,” she whispered, as I took some cord from my pocket and tied her wrists together.

“Let’s go,” I said quietly as we walked into the front room – and I saw her mum was not the only one dressed up. Joanie was wearing a short sleeved white blouse, with a little pink bow tie at the collar – and it was tight, showing her young body off. She also had a pink scarf with black polka dots tied as a band in her hair, the knot at the top of her head, a short pink tiered skirt and black shoes with white short socks.

“What’s going on Mom,” she said in a fake American accent.

“We’re going to play a game of robbers, Fifties style,” her mother said. “this bad man is going to pretend to rub us, and he needs to make sure we can’t raise the alarm, so do what he says Joanie, all right?”

“Please don’t hurt me,” she said as she looked at me, but she was smiling, so I knew she was going to play along

“All right,” I said as I helped her mother to sit on the floor, “I need you, Joanie, “to kneel down with your back to me, and put your hands behind your back.”

As she did so, I took my rucksack off, and took more cord out, tying her wrists tightly together behind her back as she flexed her fingers. I then helped her to sit next to her mother on the floor, and tied her ankles tightly together, before saying “now, I need to keep you two quiet while I pretend to look for your jewellery.” From my bag, I took two thin strips of white cloth and two handkerchiefs, before I said “open wide Joanie.”

“It’s all right, Joanie, he’ll do the same to me,” her mother said as I pushed a folded hankie into her mouth, and then used the white cloth to cleave gag her, loving the way she mumbled “tsslrrtmmmntscrd” as I gagged her mother.

“Now, you two don’t move,” I said as I looked at them, and then left them n the front room. No I didn’t tie her mother’s legs at that point – something told me they were more than willing to play along.

I searched the rooms, finding a few nice pieces, and put them in my rucksack before I went back into the front room. Joanie and her mother were now lying on their backs, looking up at me as I came in and smiled.

“Hmgmddurrbk,” he mother said as she looked up at me, her black hair covering one eye as Joanie looked up.

“I am – but I need to make sure neither of you can raise the alarm as part of the game now, so I need to secure you even more.” Kneeling down by Joanie, I crossed her mother’s ankles and tied them tightly together, and then secured her legs together below her knees.

“Whruddngntths,” Joanie said as I tied her legs together below her knees as well, and then helped them to sit side by side in front of me.

“The robber would make sure he had time to get away in the fifties as well as now,” I said as I took some more rope from my bag, and tied her arms to her sides, wrapping it above and below her chest and making sure it was nice and snug. I did the same to her mother, and then lifted Joanie up, laying her down on the couch before I helped her mother to sit in a chair.

“Now, a little extra silence,” I said as I took out a roll of sticking plaster, and tore two strips off, putting one over each of their mouths, before I said “Well, you can try and escape now. I’ll wait outside as if I am leaving you and making an escape.”

Which, of course, I did – but I saw them on the ‘fan board’ a while later. Apparently she got two of her friends to dress up and play hostage with her mother’s help...

********

It was a large, detached house in the outskirts of York, wherein lived a leading fashion designer, Mandy Dehart, and her adopted daughter Celeste. I had selected it based on some recent magazine articles, showing the amazing range of jewellery she had amassed.

I know, I know – and yes, avarice had a part to play in it. The thing was, I knew she and her daughter would be out on the day I visited, which meant if I was lucky, nobody would be around.

I never trust to luck, however – well, not in that way, so as I opened the back door and came in, I still had a stocking pulled down over my head, and I had supplies in my rucksack.

A fact for which I was grateful, because when I closed the door I heard a young female voice behind me say “who are you?”

I turned to see an eight year old girl, her brown hair cut in a bob, wearing a sleeveless yellow dress and purple slippers, looking at me.

“Who are you talking to Sue,” another woman said, so I put my hand on the young girl’s shoulder, and put my finger to my lips, as an older woman walked in. She was wearing a black ethnic print top, with elbow length sleeves, blue shorts and sandals, with a yellow bad necklace round her neck. She looked at me, staring silently as I said “I came round to play a game with the fine ladies who work here, Sue, but what are you and your mother doing here?”

“I’m the cleaner,” the older woman said, “what are you going to do with us?”

“Well, why don’t you play the game as well,” I said with a smile.

“I like games,” Sue said, “what do you call this one?”

“Well, I pretend to be a robber, and make sure nobody can stop me from stealing nice things,” I said as I looked at Sue, “so what I would like you and your mum to do is come into the front room with me.”

“And it won’t hurt?”

“no – you won’t be able to move or talk openly for a while, but you won’t be hurt, I promise. In fact, your mummy is going to be keeping you safe.”

She looked at me and nodded as she took Sue’s hand. “Come on Sue, we’ll play the game with the man,” she said as we walked through.

“Now, let’s start with you Sue,” I said as I took my rucksack off, and took out a roll of duct tape. “Can you put your hands together in front of your tummy?”

She nodded as I taped her wrists together, and then taped her arms to her side, before they both sat down and I taped their ankles, as well as their legs below their knees.

“Now,” I said, “I’m going to ask mummy to lie on her side, and then you lie on front of her, so that she can cuddle you.”

So I watched as her mother lay down, and Sue cuddled in front of her, her mother wrapping her arms round her and watching as I typed her wrists together, and then taped them to Sue’s.

“Now, I need to keep you both quiet,” I said as I tore a strip off the roll of tape. “Can you make a smile for me?”

As Sue did so, I smoothed the tape over her mouth, and then taped over her mother’s mouth as well. “Now, you wait here while I see if...”

Which, naturally enough, was when I heard the front door open. I motioned to them to be quiet as I stood behind the door, and a twelve year old girl came in. She was dark skinned, with an afro hair do, and wore a white t-shirt with a floral pattern, a long skirt with a chintz print, and a pair of black fabric boots.

“Hello Mrs Dale, what’s...” She stopped as she saw them taped on the couch, and then gasped as I put my hand over her mouth.

“So this is the Celeste,” I said to the mother, who nodded as I said “well, Celeste, I’m here to play a game with you and your mother. Your cleaner and her daughter are already playing, and now it’s your turn, so I want you to stay nice and quiet, and do what I tell you, all right?”

She slowly nodded, and as I removed my hand she said “What sort of game? Robbery?”

“That’s right,” I said, “so put your hands behind your back please.”

As she did so, I took some rope out of my rucksack and bound them tightly together, Celeste taking to Sue and her mother the whole time. I realised she knew this wasn’t a game, but was pretending it was to keep Sue calm. That took a lot of bravery on her part.

Once I had her wrists secured, I said “I need to go and play the game with Celeste and her mother now, so I’m going to put the television on, and let you both watch it.”

SO I did just that, and took Celeste by the arm as we walked into the kitchen. Mandy Dehart was at the sink, filling the kettle, her long dark hair pulled back in a ponytail, and wearing a black crochet jacket over a pale blue vest and Capri pants, her feet in a pair of black sandals. She looked at Celeste, then at me, before she said “where are they?”

“They’re in the front room, taped and gagged,” Celeste said. “I think this is the Games Player, mother.”

Mandy nodded as she said “so we are going to be tied up as well?”

“With regret, yes. You were very brave there, Celeste.”

“Will it hurt?”

“No,” I said as I took out more rope, and tied Celeste’s arms to her sides, taking the rope above and below her chest. “Now, so long as you do as I ask, Mandy, we will all be fine. I suggest we go quietly up to your bedroom, and I will make you both comfortable.”

She nodded as we walked up the stairs, and Celeste sat on the bed, watching as I took her mother’s arms behind her back and tied her wrists together, and then tied the rope around her upper body as I had done to Celeste.

“Now, it will help if you tell me where your jewels are,” I said quietly.

“I agree,” Mandy said as she told me her hiding places, allowing me to select some items. Not all, but some.

“Good – now I need to make you both comfortable,” I said as I took more rope, and tied Mandy’s ankles together, as well as her legs below her knees, taking the rope between her legs as I did so. I then tied Celeste’s ankles together, before wrapping her skirt round her legs and securing them below her knees as well.

“Lie down,” I said, watching as they settled down before I taped their mouths over, and made my exit...

********

I was having a short vacation up in the North of Scotland, and as I walked round a little Victorian market I saw a mother walking round with her eleven year old daughter. The woman looked like she was in her late thirties, with chestnut brown hair that fell down her head and neck, and was wearing a short sleeved brown dress with a floral print and a thin brown belt, dark tights and knee length tan leather boots.

Her daughter had short black hair, and was wearing a pair of black framed glasses as she looked at some jewellery. She was wearing a dress with a white lace pattern, embossed on black leather which was visible at the sides and on the short sleeves. A pair of black leggings, and back ankle boots with little studs on the inside, completed her outfit.

I watched for a while as they picked a few items, admiring their taste as well as their ability to pay, before they walked out of the arcade. This was a small town, with only one car park, so I followed them until they walked back and got into a Toyota. I walked back to my own car, and followed them from a distance, before they pulled up in front of a cottage and walked in.

Like Steve, I now had a bag with me most of the time if the need arises, so I pulled up and waited, wearing a white sweater, jeans and short boots. After a few moments, I got out, zipping up my fleece as I pulled on some short leather gloves.

I removed my large clutch bag from the back of the car, and walked up to the house, reaching for something in my pocket as I went round the side. Finding it, I pulled it down over my head before I tried the back door, and walked in – I could have picked the lock, but I got lucky. As I did so, I stood behind the kitchen door and waited for a moment, catching my breath as I listened for any noise. Eventually, I slipped into the corridor and walked down to the front room.

Looking in, I could see the older woman sitting watching television, her ankles crossed as she rested her legs on a little stool. It was an old film on the television, so I smiled as I slipped in, stood behind her for a moment, and then said “this is a real classic.”

“Yes it is,” she said, and then she stiffened – so I picked that moment to put my gloved hand over her mouth, showed her my gun, and said quietly “please, no screaming, no struggling. Remain calm, and this can be a pleasant experience.”

She struggled under my grip, but then slowly nodded as I said “I’m going to remove my hand. Say nothing except to answer me, understand?”

She nodded again as I took my hand away, and said “what’s your name?”

“Kerry – who are you?”

“Not important – now, your daughter’s name is...”

“Amelia – oh God, please don’t...”

“Hush – listen very carefully, Kerry. At some point, your daughter will come in. When she does, you tell her that this is a game of Robbers that you and your husband have arranged, and I’m just an actress. When that time comes, make it convincing, understand?”

Kerry slowly nodded as I said “Good – now keep your hands on top of your head. I need to make sure you cannot move your legs for a while.”

She watched as I put down my bag, opening it to take out a length of rope, and then binding her crossed ankles tightly together, the rope going around and between her legs, before I tied the rope around the stool she was resting her feet on. I then took a second length of rope and tied her legs tightly together below her knees, making sure I kept her skirt in place.

As I stood up, I could hear footsteps coming quickly down the stairs, so I stood behind the door, saying “remember what I said” as the door opened and Amelia came in.

“Can I get a drink mum,” she said as she came in and then stopped. “Mum, what happened to your legs.”

“Amelia,” Kerry said as I closed the door, “your dad and I wanted to surprise you with a very special game tonight. We asked this woman to come and pretend to be a burglar, to do what a burglar would do, but not steal anything – just so that you and I could pretend to be her hostages.”

Amelia looked at me, with the stocking covering my head, and said “wow – she looks just like a burglar would. Did she do that to your legs?”

“I did,” I said quietly, “and I’m going to do something very similar to you, but you need to play along as well, all right?”

“Okay,” Amelia said as she looked at me, “what do I need to do?”

“Well, I want to make sure you and your mummy can’t move your arms for a while, so put your hands behind your back, and I’ll use some rope to tie your wrists together.”

“Will it hurt?”

“No – here, hold this and I’ll do your mother first,” I said as I gave Amelia a length of rope to hold, and then walked round, guiding Kerry’s wrists together behind her back and then securing them together with more rope.

“Does it hurt, Mum?”

“No it doesn’t, darling,” Kerry said, “so let the lady take care of you as well.”

I walked behind the young girl, crossed her wrists and took the rope, securing them together before I tied some rope round her waist. “I like your dress by the way,” I said as I made sure her wrists were held firmly against her back, and then tied another length round her lower arms and stomach.

“Thanks – I really can’t move my arms now,” she said as she tried to twist them round.

“Nope – go and sit next to your mum.” As she went over I used a longer length of rope to bind Kerry’s arms tightly to her sides, taking the rope above and below her chest, and then tied it off.

“Now, Amelia, do you see how there is rope around your mum’s ankles and legs?”

As she nodded, I took two more length of rope from the bag, and said “I need to do the same to your now – so sit back, and put your ankles together.”

Kerry watched as her daughter sat back next to her, and then they both watched me as I tied her ankles together, keeping the rope tight over her ankles boots as well, and passing the rope between her legs to keep them together. I then tied her legs together below her knees as well, making sure I folded the skirt of her dress back when I was done.

“There – not too bad, is it,” I said as I looked at both of them, waiting as they both wriggled round and then nodded.

“Right – Amelia, I want you to lie down and rest your head on your mum’s lap, looking at her. Can you do that?”

“Yeah,” she said as she let herself fall to her side, and then turned so she was looking at her mum, while I pulled her ankles back and tied them to the rope around her stomach. “Why did you do that," she said as she looked over her shoulder.

“To make sure you bath stay where you are,” I said with a smile as I looked in the bag. “Now, the nasty robber has to make sure neither of you can call for help, so I’m going to put something into your mouths, and then some special tape to stop you moving your lips. Can you open your mouth for me?”

Amelia opened her mouth, waiting as I pushed the wadded up ankle sock in and then closing her lips over it before I did the same to Kerry. Strips of white micropore tape were then smoothed down over their lips, the shape visible for both of them as I turned the television up.

“Don’t move until I come back down,” I said as I left the room and searched the house, returning to find Amelia had simply rolled over, and was watching the television with her mother.

“Good – now, I’m going to pretend to leave,” I said quietly, “and you can try to escape if you want. When does your father get home?”

Amelia looked at her mother, and Kerry looked at the clock before she said “twhress.”

“All right – just stay safe, all right?”

Both of them nodded as I left them to have fun, and drove off with a sizable haul of jewellery.

Return to the Relative Perils index

Return to the main index