Mother and Daughter Moments 9

I had been looking at this particular family for a while now, having seen the father of the house in the papers as they followed the takeover dealings of the company he was the financial officer for. Rather unusually for me, he didn’t have any daughters, but he had a twelve year old son. Well, I have been known to visit families like that as well, if the rewards were great enough – and what I learned of his personal payoff told me the rewards were great enough.

I had the opportunity to learn a little more when, in my professional capacity, I actually had to have a meeting with the father at our offices – they had commissioned us to do some design work for the new company logo. As we were talking, his mobile phone went off – normally, I’d frown at it, but he said it was important, so I tried not to show I was listening, as he told his wife he had booked the tickets for the show in London his son wanted to see, as well as a hotel room for that Saturday.

Well, that made things easier, but then it got very interesting when I heard him say that it would be alright if her niece and a friend came over for the night. Suddenly, it was turning into a perfect visit for me – but I was careful not to show it as we resumed our meeting.

So, come the Saturday, and I arrived at the old house at about 7 pm. It stood in a walled garden, which was perfect for my purposes as I could see some lights on upstairs, and a light on in the room downstairs.

I checked my supplies, and put my rucksack on my back as I made my way up the garden path. As I stepped into the alcove for the door, I pulled the stocking down over my head, and then the balaclava I had worn rolled up down so that only my eyes were visible.

The door had an old fashioned handle, and as I pushed it down I was pleased to see the door opened without any noise at all, so I slipped inside and closed it behind me. I could hear two separate sets of noise – one giggling and laughing upstairs, the other the sound of the television downstairs. Thinking to myself for a moment, I decided to go for downstairs first.

Opening the door, I looked in to see the mother sitting in an armchair – or rather the top of her head, with her blonde hair, as she sat laughing at the television show.

She wasn’t laughing a few minutes later, as I grabbed her from behind, my gloved hand over her mouth as I showed her my gun. “Just calm down and keep quiet,” I said as she looked at my hand, “if you do as I say, you and the girls upstairs get to have an experience they will never forget, all right?”

“PLSSNNNN”

“Not that sort of experience,” I said quietly, “They’re going to think they’re playing a game, and they get to tell their friends what happened, while you know you kept them safe by agreeing to play the game. Now do you understand?”

I felt her nod under my hand before I let it go and said “All right – here’s what’s going to happen. I’m going to tie you up and gag you, then leave you here to enjoy the television while I go upstairs. I’ll tell the girls I’m here to play a game, and you’ve already started, so will they join in? I’m sure they’ll say yes, so when I’m done there, and I’ve searched the place for anything I can take, I’ll take you up to them to play the game as well. Understand?”

“Yes,” she whispered, “I’ll do what you ask, if you promise not to hurt them.”

“I promise I won’t – now stand up, and put your hands behind your back. Don’t look round – I will tell you when you can see me.”

Slowly, the blonde haired woman stood up and stared straight ahead, letting her arms hang by her side. She was about five foot eight, and was wearing a round necked blue top, black pants and knee length black leather boots. Smiling, I moved her hands behind her back and held her wrists together as I slipped my rucksack off and fished out a length of rope.

Fifteen minutes later, I was tying off the rope that I had pulled around her upper body, holding her arms to her side as it sat above and below her chest. Her wrists were crossed and secured together, as well as to her waist with rope around that.

“All right – you might as well be comfortable,” I said as I tugged the rope and tied one last knot, “go and lie on the couch.”

She walked over and sat down, looking at me before she lay down and placed her feet on the far arm of the couch, her head on the other. She watched as I tied her ankles tightly together, the rope squeaking as it rubbed the leather, and then secured her legs below her knees.

“Now then,” I said as I looked in the bag, taking out a folded cloth and a roll of wide white tape, “I need to keep you quiet before I go upstairs. You’re going to stay on the couch, aren’t you, or the kids may find out this is not a game?”

She got what I was implying, nodding before she allowed me to push the cloth in and then tape over her lips. “Enjoy the show,” I said as I turned up the television, picked up the rucksack and then walked up the staircase.

The first thing that struck me was I could hear four voices behind the bedroom door, and I was secretly glad I had brought more than enough supplies. What I was not prepared for was the shock when I opened the door, and walked in, saying “hello girls – I’ve come to…”

“… PLAY A GAME WITH US!!!”

I stopped for a moment and closed the door as I realised, somehow, I had managed to rob once more a house where the girls knew me. “All right,” I said quietly, “I see we meet again – so whose house is this?”

“My Aunt Roberta’s,” Violet said from her perch on the bed. She was wearing a short sleeved pink top with a ribbed front, faded blue bellbottom jeans and bare feet. Next to her was Evey, wearing a red tiered dress with a blue denim jacket over it, grey tights with white stars and a pair of mid-length black leather boots.

Sitting on the floor in front of the bed was Ivy and Paula. Ivy was wearing a faded Mickey Mouse vest top, denim shorts and a pair of black footless leggings, with a pair of sandals on her feet. Finally, Paula was wearing a blue cap sleeved smock top and a pair of jeans, with a pair of black shoes.

“Wow,” Evey said, “This is great. We were going to play a game of spin the bottle, but now we can all play a tie-up game together. Can we get a really tough tie?”

Well, they all knew the drill, so I said “Yeah – but let’s make it more interesting. Split up into pairs, and one of you can tie the other up. So what’s it going to be?”

“I want to be tied first,” Ivy said, while Violet looked like she wanted to tie, so I handed her two sponges, a pair of socks and some tape, giving the same to Paula as Evey held her hands out. I watched as they made the two girl’s hands into useless white balls, and then handed them each a length of rope, watching and correcting them as they started to tie the two girls up.

After a few minutes, they had their wrists crossed and tied together behind their backs, Paula having removed Evey’s jacket first, and they started to tie their arms to their sides with ropes, moving on then to tie another length around their upper arms and shoulders. Once that was tied off, the two girls sat on the bed and watched as their ankles and legs were tied together.

“Very good job, girls,” I said as I checked their knots. “Now, Violet heads or tails?”

“Heads,” she said as I tossed a coin in the air, slapped it down on the back of my hand and looked at it. “Sorry,” I said, “it’s tails. Paula?”

“Hands out, Violet,” she said as she took two sponges from me, a big smile on her face. For a girl I had only met once, she had taken to this like a duck to water, as she bound Violet’s upper body up very tightly.

“We want to say thank you,” Violet said as she sat on the floor, and stretched her legs out, watching as Paula tied her bare ankles together, and then her legs, “but where’s Aunt Roberta?”

“She’s watching the television downstairs,” I said as I took two more sponges out, and gave them to Paula to hold, before I wrapped her fist in duct tape. “Once I’ve finished here, I’ll do my search, and then I’ll get her to come up and see you’re all alright before I take her to her bedroom. Then you can race to see who is going to be first to rescue her, all right?”

“Sounds fun,” Evey said as I started to bind Paula’s arms together and to her body, listening to the other girls giggling and talking to each other. Once I had her arms secured, I helped her to sit next to Violet and secured her legs as well, making sure she was comfortable before I stood up.

“Well, I think you can guess what’s coming next,” I said as I looked at them. “Would you all like the full works?”

I got four enthusiastic nods as I took four hankies out, and pushed them gently into their mouths, one each, then used four long thin scarves as cleave gags to keep the hankies in place. Once that was done, I took a roll of the white micropore tape from my rucksack, and wrapped it round their heads, further muffling their voices before I took out four cheap bandanas I had picked up at a thrift store, folded them into bands and tied them tightly over their mouths as well.

“Now sit still,” I said as I looked at them, “and when I come back, I’ll make sure it’s really difficult for you to get free.”

“Lllrrt,” they chorused back to me as I left them in the room and started my search of the rooms. Once I was satisfied, I went down the stairs again, smiling at Roberta as I walked in. She had not moved at all, as I said “Well done – now I want you to come upstairs with me, and you can see the girls are all right.”

I helped her to stand up and then held her arm as she half shuffled, half hopped to the stairs and then pushed herself up backwards, before standing again at the top as I took her to the bedroom.

“Hhllntrbrte,” Violet said as she looked at her aunt from the bed. Roberta looked at all four of them, and said “Rugrdssllrrt?” All four of them nodded as she looked at their gagged heads, and then turned to me.

“Bdwhrmgng?”

“Your room,” I said, “I’ll be back in a little while to say goodbye girls.” I made Roberta jump to the master bedroom, and lie down on the bed, before I pulled her legs back and tied them to her chest ropes, and wound the white tape round her head as well.

“I’m sure someone will free you soon – perhaps one of the girls,” I said as I closed the door, and walked back to the room. I then moved Violet and Paula so that they were sitting back to back, and tied their upper bodies tightly together with rope around their stomachs and shoulders. As for Evey and Ivy, I helped them to slide down and lie on their sides before placing then in fairly loose hogties.

“Right,” I said as I looked at them from the doorway, “Aunt Roberta seems to think one of you cannot free her. See if you can prove her wrong – but I’ll call the police in an hour or two, all right?”

They nodded to me to show they understood, as I left them alone.

And no – I did not visit them again, but there is a sequel to this. I had a call from Jay Edwards, who asked me how my career was coming along, and then said he had read about some of my visits – from the point of view of the kids.

I wondered how he had managed to do this, until he texted me a URL. When I looked at it, I discovered the four girls had created a site where those I visit can share their experiences. As I sat there, reading about some of the stories, I realised two things.

Firstly, an awful lot of the girls – and the mothers – I visited have played the games afterwards. Secondly, a few had come on to talk about more traumatic experiences – and the community there had supported them as well. Somehow, I was doing some good…

********

Of course, it can be difficult at time to persuade the young people I visit to treat what I do as a game, and when that happens, as I said before, I do have to rely on their mothers persuading them, or else it becomes a more everyday robbery, and the fear level increases. That in itself can take a surprising turn from time to time.

A couple of years back now, I was visiting a stately home and was about to leave when I found myself walking behind two people – a forty year old woman and her daughter, who would have been about twelve. As tends to happen in the open air, they were talking rather more loudly than they realised, and I could hear their conversation.

“I wish Dad could have been here to see this.”

“I know dear, but he is away on business at the moment. Perhaps we can come here with him another day.”

“But it’s so unfair – we never see much of him nowadays. I wish he hadn’t got that promotion.”

“Well, it has brought more money in dear – and he did buy you that necklace last time.”

“I know – but I want him to be home more often. I miss him.”

“Me too, honey, me too.”

I watched them get into a Volvo as I got into my car, and reversed out, joining the queue to leave the home a few cars behind them, and then following them from a distance. All the talk of new jewellery had peaked my interest, and it sounded as if Daddy would not be home when they got back.

I followed them to a thatched cottage in a little village on the road to town, and parked out of sight as I saw them get out. Mother had reddish brown hair cut short, and was wearing a red dress, the skirt of which came to her knees and a belt tied around her waist. A pair of brown suede knee length boots competed her outfit.

As for her daughter, she had on a Chinese style floral print jacket, bell bottom jeans and a pair of brown sandals, with a tan leather shoulder bag. I watched them as they walked into the house, and a light went on one side of the door, the curtains closing.

Getting out of my car, I walked to the boot, took out my bag and found a new stocking to pull down over my head, and made my way up to the front door, pulling said stocking down before I put my gloves on, and tried the door handle. It turned easily, and I let myself in, listening to see if anyone had heard me.

Well, nobody had, but as soon as I closed the door I heard a soft “No…” and I turned to see the mother standing there, a dish towel in her hand. I reached into my pocket, took out the imitation gun and pointed it at her, my finger to my covered lips as I walked into the kitchen.

“Keep calm, don’t scream,” I said as I closed the door for a moment, “I’m only here to rob you, that’s all. I promise you, I’m not going to hurt you or your daughter, all right?”

She nodded, struck dumb with fear as I said “What’s your name?”

“Fffffff Fiona.”

“All right, Fiona,” I said with a smile, “here’s the deal. I am going to rob you, and I am going to make sure neither you nor your daughter can raise the alarm, but I don’t want her to be too scared, so I need your help.”

“How?”

“I need you to tell her this is a game, and that…”

“That won’t work – she won’t believe you or me.”

“Why not?”

“This isn’t the first time we’ve been robbed – the men who robbed us that time said it was a game as well, but it wasn’t and – well, she heard my screams. We need to do this another way – if you let me take the lead, I promise you I’ll keep her calm.”

Well, it was a bit unusual, but something in the way she talked told me she was telling the truth, so I said “all right – but no tricks or funny moves, all right? I need to make sure you are both secure and out of the way.”

“There won’t be,” Fiona said as she walked out of the room, me following as we went into the room the light had been on in. As we walked in, the girl took one look at me and said “no” as she shrank back.

“Listen to me, Elaine,” Fiona said quietly, “this man has broken in, he is going to rob us, and he is going to have to stop us from raising the alarm. But I’ve asked him to let me talk to you, and I want you to listen to me, all right?”

Elaine looked at us and nodded as her mum sat next to her.

“Now, what’s going to happen is I am going to tie my legs, and then tie you up in the same way, and then I will gag myself, and then you. Only then will I tie your hands, and arms, and then he will do the same to me. He has promised he will not harm us, but he insists this must happen, so I need you to be brave for me, all right?”

Elaine slowly nodded as her mother swept her hair away from her face. “All right then,” Fiona said as she looked at me, “What first?”

“You need to tie her ankles together, and then her legs below the knees, with rope, so here are two lengths for you. Make sure you leave enough to go between your legs as well.” I handed Fiona two lengths of white rope, and watched as she leaned forward and tightly bound her own ankles together, Elaine watching as she pulled it tight, and then tied her legs together below her knees.

“there,” she said as she looked at Elaine. “now, be a brave girl and swing your legs up onto my lap.” As her daughter did so, I watched as she carefully bound her ankles side by side, and then her knees, before saying “Does that feel bad?”

“No mummy, but it’s scary,” Elaine said as she swung her feet back down. “I know dear – but I’m here with you,” Fiona said as I handed her two folded clothes.

“Put one in your own mouth,” I said, “and then I will give you a length of tape to smooth over your lips.” Fiona nodded, opened her mouth and put a cloth in, before closing it and saying “Sundsffneedusntt?”

Elaine giggled a little at that, as I tore a long strip of the micropore tape from the roll and handed it to Fiona. She winked at her daughter, and then pressed it down over her mouth, smoothing it into place before she said “ffnnffnnrrnwe?”

Elaine nodded as her mother picked up the second cloth, and then opened her mouth to allow Fiona to put it on. “Testsfneet,” she said as Fiona took the roll of tape from me, tore a length off, and then pressed it over her daughter’s mouth.

“nwwtenrnd,” she said as she twirled her finger, and Elaine slowly shuffled round on her bottom. “Cross and tie her wrists together behind her back,” I said as I handed her some more rope, smiling as she did as I asked, and then tied some rope around her waist to hold her arms there, as well as around her body and forearms.

“Uccnswhmnw,” Fiona said as Elaine turned herself round again, watching as I bound her mother’s wrists together behind her back, and then tied rope around her waist and her upper arm.

“Are you still scared, Elaine,” I said as I tied the last knot off. She thought for a moment, then said “Ntffmmshr” as she shuffled over to sit next to Fiona. I left them there as I searched the rest of the house, and then checked them before I left, Fiona nodding and saying “Fnkuuvreemsh” before I promised to call the police after a while.

******

This post was found on the board I discovered some time ago…

MollyMalone:

Hi – my name is Molly, and I found this place after a friend told me about it. Has everyone here really met the same man?

ViTheFirst:

Welcome Molly – and yeah, we’ve all met the man at least once. Want to tell us your story?

MollyMalone:

All right – here goes.

My name’s Molly, and I’m nine years old. I live with my parents and my big sister Gina in a house outside Leeds. This happened a couple of weeks ago, when Daddy had to go into Manchester on business, and we went shopping with Mum to the shopping centre in the middle of town. It was a training day, so we all had on casual clothes. Mummy was wearing a green checked blouse with black leggings and a pair of muddy brown leather boots that came halfway up to her knees, while Gina had on a striped jumper over a blue blouse, red jeans and trainers.

As for me, I had on a dusky pink top that came down my legs a bit, and had a black cat face on it, my favourite black leggings which have little stars below the knees, and black furry boots. We all also had heavy coats on, and we – well, we did what we always do, did some shopping, looked in some stores, and then headed home at about two o’clock. We took our coats off, and while Molly and I went in to watch television Mummy went upstairs to put away the clothes we had bought.

Well, we were so absorbed in the film that was on we didn’t hear anything, until Mummy came in with him.

IvyTheTerrible:

Hi Molly – welcome. Can you tell us what he looked like – we know he has different disguises.

MollyMalone:

Yeah – he was dressed like a normal guy, except he had something pulled over his head that looked like one of Mummy’s tights. He also had black leather gloves on.

Anyway, Mummy told us that he was a friend that she had asked to come and play a special game with us, while Daddy was away. She said he was going to pretend to be a robber, and make sure that all three of us stayed in the same place while he had a look round. She then told him who Gina was and who I was.

I know Gina was scared, but then he said not to be afraid, and to think of it as being like doing something for drama or English at school – living out the story. Mummy nodded at that, so I decided he was telling the truth – because Mummy said so.

Anyway, he said that he was going to start by making sure we could not move. Gina asked what that meant, so he said he was going to arrange it so that none of us could move our arms or legs very easily, but it would not hurt. He then said he would show us on Mummy, as he took off a rucksack and stood behind her, taking her hands behind her back.

Gina and I watched him, wondering what he was doing, until he told Mummy to turn round. As he did so, we saw that Mummy had her wrists crossed, and some sort of rope held them together behind her back, as she wriggled her fingers.

I asked her if it hurt, and she shook her head, saying that it wasn’t uncomfortable at all. She then sat down on the big red couch, while saying that we should take our turn now. I watched as he tied Gina’s wrists first, and helped her to sit next to Mummy, before he started with me.

ViTheFirst:

I know how sacred I was when that happened to me – how did you feel?”

MollyMalone:

I guess I was a little scared, as I felt the rope around my wrist and they were pressed together, but Mummy was smiling and kept talking to me, so I relaxed – and she was right. It was comfortable, if a little strange.

Anyway, he then took some more rope, and said he wanted to make sure Gina and me could not move our arms very much, so he wrapped it around my arms and tummy – and when he had finished, my arms were locked in place. He then told me to sit in the other chair, and as I pushed myself up he did the same to Gina.

When it came to Mummy, however, he said as she was older he needed to make doubly sure she could not move her arms, so he tied two bands for her, one around her tummy and the other around her shoulders.

We watched her wriggle around, and then she said we were in trouble now. The man smiled – I saw it under that funny mask, and then he said he had to make sure we could not walk around or get in the way. He started with Mummy, telling her to cross her ankles and then wrapping the rope around them. I watched, and I was fascinated as he passed it a few times round, then took it between her legs and tied it off behind her legs. He did the same to Gina, but with me he first took my boots off, and then made them stay together side by side rather than crossing them.

He then used the rope to tie my legs together, below my knees, taking it between my legs as well. He then stroked my hair away from my eyes, and asked if I was all right.

IvyTheTerrible:

How did you feel Molly?

MollyMalone:

I was worried that it would hurt, but it didn’t – I just could not move my legs apart. I guess I could have got off the char and hopped about, but as he did the same to Gina and Mummy I decided just to sit back and see what happened next.

He helped Gina to sit on the floor, and then helped Mummy to lie down so that we could all watch the television, and then said he was going to go and have a look round the house, and he would be back in a few minutes.

We all watched him walk out, and then Gina asked Mummy if she was all right. Mummy nodded, wriggling her arms and legs a little bit, and then said she was fine. He sat back and watched the film for a while, singing along a bit to one of the songs before he came back in. He checked the ropes on all of us, and then said it was time for the next part of the game.

As he explained it, he had to make sure we could not shout when he pretended to leave, so he was going to do something to make it difficult for us to talk. Gina was worried again, but he promised it would be fine, and said he would do it to Mummy first.

I saw he had a cloth in his hand, and we both watched as Mummy opened her mouth and allowed him to put it inside. As she closed her lips, he then took a roll of wide white tape out of his rucksack, and tore a long strip free. It made a funny noise as it did so – all squelchy and rough at the same time – but we watched as he gently pressed it over Mummy’s mouth and chin.

When he was done, we could see the shape of Mummy’s lips, but she could only mumble as she tried to talk to us. He then knelt next to me and said very quietly “Open your mouth for me, Molly.” I saw he had one of Daddy’s big hankies folded in his hand, so I nodded and opened my mouth, waiting for him to put the cloth in.

It tasted funny, a little flowery, but as I closed my mouth as Mummy had I felt it pressing down on my tongue. I watched as he pulled another length of the tape free, and then smoothed it down over my mouth, pressing it gently onto my skin.

It may have been gentle, but I could feel it sticking to my face, and it seemed to form to the shape of it as he smoothed it down. I then tried to open my mouth, but couldn’t – it was as if some skin had covered it. He told me just to breath in and out through my nose, and then he went and did the same to Gina as I sat back.

A new cartoon was starting on the television as he stood up, and said he was going to hide outside for a while. We were to relax, and enjoy the show, so I leaned back, my feet hanging over the edge of the seat, and watched Gina and Mummy as the show went on.

After a little while, Mummy – who was lying on her side with her head on the arm of the chair – started to try and wriggle round. I got the feeling she was trying to get the ropes off her, as Gina started to do the same, so I joined in as well, but I soon found out it was no good – and I got tired as well. I guess I fell asleep after that.

ViTheFirst:

So who found all of you? Did you manage to get free or get the tape off your mouth.?

MollyMalone:

I didn’t, but I woke up when Dad came in and said “what the…” I saw Mummy had managed to get some of the sticky tape away from her mouth, as Daddy took the rest away and then pulled the cloth out, hugging her and then hugging and kissing both of us as he removed the ropes and gags. That’s when we found out it really had been a robbery – but am I wrong for enjoying it as a game?

CPC2:

No you’re not, Molly – we all feel something the same, which is why we are here.

********

There have been a few occasions when I have been over in Ireland and had the opportunity to play a few games. This particular time I was in Dublin, and saw a mum with her two daughters in one of the parks in the city centre. She would have been in her early thirties, and was wearing a red cardigan over a white top, a fawn knee length skirt, white tights and knee length fawn leather boots.

This was in the early summer, and her two girls were eating ice creams as they walked along. One would have been ten, and the other nine – the ten year kid had blonde hair, the younger girl light brown hair with a pink hairband. Both were similarly dressed in pale blue leggings with white flowers on them, a long sleeved white top and a pink smock top over that. The only real difference was in the pattern on the smock top – the older girl had lighter pink hearts, the younger a design on the front. Both also had on socks and deck shoes – pink for the older girl, blue for the younger.

Anyway, they were walking through the park, and I had a business meeting – but as they passed me their mother dropped her purse, and as I picked it up I got a look at her driving licence – they lived just off the city centre. I resolved then to pay them a visit when I had some spare time later that day…

Their house turned out to be a three storey terraced townhouse, but it was a quiet street, so nobody really paid much attention to a man with a rucksack on his back as he walked down, and then stepped up to the front door. I debated whether to knock or just go in, but as I tried the door handle it opened silently, so I slipped in and pulled the balaclava down over my head.

It was silent inside, but as I moved down the corridor I could hear the kids in the kitchen.

“Orla, what do you want to drink?”

“Lemonade please Daria – and some biscuits as well. We need to give mummy some time to get free.”

Okay, that had me intrigued, as I walked into the front room and looked at their mother. She looked at me, and would have said something if it wasn’t for two things – the white wool scarf pulled over my mouth, and the finger to my lips as I showed her my gun.

“Not a word,” I whispered as I walked over to the chair she was sitting in, and looked at the ropework of the two girls. They had tied her wrists to the side of the chair back, and done a good job – they even took the rope between her arm and the chair. A length of rope was around her waist, holding her to the chair, as well as around her lap, while her ankles were tied together over her boots.

“Play this game often,” I whispered as I looked at her, her eyes wide as she stared back at me. “Don’t worry – I’m going to get your delightfully skilled daughters to play the game with you as well – but I’ll make sure they really can’t move. A little revenge never hurts, no?”

She shook her head as I continued “Oh don’t worry – I won’t hurt them. I just need them to stay with you while I rob the place – now, say nothing, and follow my lead.”

I had heard the sound of footsteps in the hallway, so I stood behind the door and waited as they came in. The younger girl came in and looked at her mother, before saying “Mum hasn’t even tried yet Orla.”

“Don’t worry, Darla – we’ll have plenty of time to watch the prisoner now.”

“Oh I agree,” I said as I closed the door, “but you see, she knew this was going to happen, so she asked me to come and help.”

“Who are you,” Darla said as she looked at me.

“Me? I’m the burglar who found the two masterminds who kidnapped the President’s wife, so I have to make sure they don’t go anywhere while I alert the Garda to where they are.”

Orla looked at me, before saying “Is this true mummy?”

Their mother nodded slowly, her eyes fixed on me the whole time as I said “So, I need to keep you two in one place. I can see you’ve tied the wife up, but have you ever been tied up before?”

Both of them shook their heads, as I slipped my rucksack off. “Well, I can tell you it won’t hurt, but you need to do what I tell you, all right?”

“What are you going to do,” Darla said as I took some rope out. “You’ll see – both of you, sit on the floor and put your hands in front of you as if you were in the chapel.”

“Like this,” Orla said as she knelt down and held her hands up together in prayer, Darla doing the same. “That’s right,” I said as I took one length of rope and tied the wrists together, taking the rope around and between them and then tying it off at the back of her wrists. I did the same for Darla, before saying “There – that’s not too uncomfortable, is it?”

“No – it’s quite nice actually,” Orla said as she moved her arms round.

“Good – now, why don’t you both sit on your bottoms for me, and stretch your legs out? Then I can do the same to your ankles, and also to your knees.”

“Why our knees?”

“You’ll see,” I said to Darla as the girls sat against a chair, watching their mum as I tied their ankles, as well as their legs below and above their knees, tightly together with more rope.

“Ruubfllrrt,” their mum said as I tied the last rope off, both of them nodding and smiling as I said “Now, Orla, bend your legs for me.” As she did that, I tied a length of rope between her wrists, and then tied them down to her knees, as she said “Wow – I really can’t move too much now.”

“No, and that’s the idea,” I said as I did the same for Darla, and then watched them both try to wriggle round. “Now, I have to make sure you cannot try to escape or raise the alarm. Give me a minute.”

I went into the hallway, and returned with two woollen scarves, which I used to blindfold the two young girls. “Don’t move,” I said as I walked over to their mother, and whispered “Just nod or shake your head. Is your husband coming home tonight?”

She gave a little nod, watching as I took some rope and tied her legs together below her knees, and then used a second length to tie her ankles to the front leg of the chair.

“Good – I’m going to make sure you are more secure, and then that none of you can raise the alarm, before I rob you. Do you believe I will not hurt them or you?”

She nodded again as I stood up, and started to lash her chest and arms to the chair back with more rope. “Good,” I said as I did this, “In a moment, I’m going to remove the scarf and replace your gag, and then I will use the scarf to blindfold you as well.”

She nodded to show she understood, as I went to my bag and found the roll of white micropore tape and some clean cotton rags. Untying the scarf, I allowed her to catch her breath before I pushed a folded rag into her mouth, and covered it with a wide strip of the tape, before blindfolding her as well.

“Right,” I then said out loud as the two girls turned their heads towards me, “I need to make sure you cannot speak for a while. I’m going to ask you to open wide, and you’ll feel a cloth on your tongue. Just relax and close your lips, and then I’ll put some special tape over your lips to keep them held together.

“Will it hurt?”

“No Darla it won’t hurt, but you won’t be able to talk for a while. So calm yourselves, and open wide.” I made sure both the girls were gagged properly, before I said “Well, I am a pretend robber, so I’m going to see what I can find to pretend to take. Don’t move now.”

She had some very nice pieces of jewellery as well – but before I left, I made sure they all were still well secured, and promised the Garda would be there soon – or their dad, whichever came first.

********

Okay, this one was one of those early impulse tales – but it was quite amusing when it happened, and it was one of those rare occasions when I had to deal with a son as well.

I was walking through Hampstead Heath when I saw this eleven year old walking with her mum and dad. She had blonde hair platted in a pigtail that went down her back, and was wearign a black and white checked jacket and skirt. The jacket had short sleeves, and two large buttons on the back with a vent to the bottom, whle the skirt was half pleated. I could see the pink top she had on underneath the jacket, as well as the short black leather boots she was wearing.

Her mum was also wearing boots – in her case, tight knee length ones with a cuff below her knees. They went over the legs of her jeans, while her black jacket covered a v-necked jumper. Her hair was light brown – which meant her daughter took after Daddy, who was wearing a brown leather jacket and pants.

Anyway, these were the days when I’d follow them home and watch for a while, so I was delighted to see daddy come out a little while later and drive off – which gave me the opportunity to sneak up to the front door, pulling a stocking down over my head, and let myself in.

Mummy was sitting in the front room, but she saw me as I came in, so I had to force her onto her back on the recliner she was sitting in with my gloved hand over her mouth, as I whispered “Don’t scream – I’m not going to hurt you, but you’re going to play a game of robbers with me.”

“Whttt?”

“Your daughter will come in in a minute, and we’re all going to play a game of robbers – all right?”

I showed her my fake gun, but as with so many others she thought it was real, as her girl came in and said “What’s this man doing, Mummy?”

I took my hand away as she said “It’s all right, Kay – he’s come to play a game of robbers with us. So why don’t you have a seat in the big chair, and listen to what he says.”

“Hello Kay,” I said as I took my hand to my pocket, and took out some rope, “Would you like to hear a funny noise?”

“Sure – what?”

“Watch,” I said as I tied her mother’s ankles tightly together with some rope, taking the rope between her legs as well. “Now listen as Mummy tries to move her legs.”

She watched as her mum tried to move her legs apart, only to giggle as she heard the squeak of leather rubbing on leather. “That is funny,” she said, “Can I do that?”

“If you let me do what I did to your mummy, yes.”

She sat back and watched as I tied he rankles tightly together, and then giggled as she rubbed her own legs.

“It’s even funnier when I do this,” I then said as I tied her mother’s legs together below her knees, and did the same to Kay. They both looked at each other and started laughing as they rubbed their boots together.

“Now, Kay, I need to…”

“KAY!! BETH!! !! WHAT’S GOING ON!!”

I turned and smiled at the two new arrivals. One was a woman in her early forties, dressed in a grey pinafore dress over a black jumper, black leggings and flat shoes. The other was a twelve year old lad, who wore a blue and white t-shirt and jeans, and he was staring at the woman’s legs.

“Hi Aunt Ruth! Hi Andrew! This man is playing a game of robbers with us?”

“A game?” The older woman, Ruth, looked at me as I smiled and showed her the gun. “That’s right, a game – and you’re just in time to join in. Andrew – you’re going to play as well, all right?”

I was just grateful I had a lot of rope in my pocket, as Andrew slowly turned to me and said “Play what?”

“Oh God,” he mother said as she slowly raised her hands. “Please, don’t hurt us.”

“It’s just a game, Ruth,” Beth said as she looked at Kay, then at her. “Just sit down and do what he tells you.”

“Not me – Andrew,” I said as I handed him a length of rope. “Do what I tell you.” I instructed him on how to tie his mother’s ankles tightly together as she sat on the floor, watching with a face that told how much she was struggling to control her fear.

He did a good job of it as well – and actually seemed to be enjoying it when he tied her legs together, lifting her skirt up and then replacing it.

“Well done,” I said, “now, watch what I do with your Aunt Beth. Sit up, please, and put your hands behind your back.” He came and watched as I crossed and tied her wrists tightly together, and then tied some rope round her waist to keep her hands locked in place.

“Think you can do the same thing for your mother?”

Andrew nodded as she knelt down, his mother leaning forward and allowing him to do that while I tied Kay’s wrists together behind her back – and then realised I had a slight problem.

“Come with me,” I said to Andrew as we went into the kitchen, and I found two new coils of washing line.

“Thanks.”

“For what,” I said as I cut the rope into lengths.

“I’ve always wondered what it would be like to tie my mum up – now I know.”

I smiled and said “Your turn then – turn round and put your hands behind your own back.”

When we went back through, I had Andrew’s wrists bound tightly behind his back, and then to his waist.

“Sit next to your mother,” I said, and as he did so I tied Kay’s arms to her side with rope around her body, cinched at each side. I then tied rope around Beth’s body, before doing the same to Ruth.

After I tied Andrew’s ankles and legs together, I tied his arms into place as well, before I said “Right – I need to make sure you all stay quiet now, while I go and pretend to look for things.” I had also picked up a clean tea towel n the kitchen and cut it into four squares, as well as picking up a roll of duct tape.

“Won’t it mean we can’t breathe,” Kay said as she looked at me.

“No – you can breathe through your nose. Watch your mum first,” I said as I pushed a piece of cloth into her open mouth, and then pressed several strips of tape over her lips.

Beth nodded and said “tsslrrkee,” watching as I gagged Kay, then Ruth and finally Andrew. He actually smiled as I taped his mouth over, before I said ”Don’t move” and went to search the house.

When I came back, I saw that Kay had slipped off the chair and sat next to her aunt and cousin.

“I have an idea,” I said as I helped Ruth to stand and jump over to the chair. Sitting Kay and Andrew back to back, I tied their waists together with the last length of rope, and then went into the hallway, returning with four long woollen scarves.

“Blndkfflds?”

I nodded to Andrew and did him first, tying the scarf over his eyes and ears, before doing the same to the others. “Thanks for playing,” I said as I left them there to try and escape…

********

This particular visit had been very carefully planned, so that I was watching the detached house for some time. I’d seen them all leave earlier – Dad to work, Mum and daughter somewhere, and ten minutes ago I’d seen the fifteen year old son head off to his football practice and game in another car. So when Mum and daughter came back and walked into the house, I allowed them a little while to get settled before I got out of my car and walked up to the house, making my way to the back of it.

There were a set of large glass doors at the back, and as I stood to the side and looked through them I could see, much to my surprise, that they were getting ready for a party. There was a banner that said “Happy 11^th Birthday Millie”, which Mum was attaching to the wall. She was wearing a grey sweater and jeans, but as she got down and turned round I saw it was a v-necked sweater over a dark pink top.

Of Millie, at first, there was no sign, but then I saw her walk in. She had obviously decided to change early for her party – it was still only noon. She had put on a brown sleeveless dress with white flowers on it, that had a little lace trim at her knees, and brown shoes with a little kitten heel.

Well, I decided to continue – I figured there was time for me to play first. As Millie started to put up some balloons, I made my way to the kitchen door and let myself in, pulling the stocking down over my head first.

A couple of minutes later, in walks Mum, as she looks at the food laid out on the kitchen work surfaces. So I surprised her, the gloved hand over her mouth and the other arm round her waist, as I said “Surprise – don’t scream, we don’t want to scare Millie on her birthday, do we?”

I felt her shake her head as I saw a cardboard box on the floor, and had an idea. “Got any leftover present paper and ribbons?”

She nodded again as he eyes went to one side of the room, and I saw a small pile of presents with some paper and ribbon beside them.

“Good – if I take my hand away, do you promise not to scream?”

Another nod, and as I did so she said “who are you?”

“A robber – but I need you to pretend I’ve come to play a special birthday game. You can start by picking the box up, putting it on the table, and then putting in it whatever I give you.”

She picked up the box, looking at me as she did so, and I took my rucksack from my back, smiling…

“Millie? We have a surprise early guest.”

The eleven year old girl turned and smiled as I walked in, carrying the box wrapped in paper and tied with a big ribbon. Her mum was with me, her hands behind her back as she smiled at her daughter.

“Nice mask,” she said as she looked at me, “you look like a bad guy on a TV show.”

“That’s the idea,” I said as I squatted down and put the box on the floor, smiling at her. “I brought a very special present for you Millie – would you like to open it now?”

“Can I Mum?”

I watched as her mother nodded and smiled, looking at me as she knelt down and tore open the paper, pulling the ribbon to the side.

“What are these,” she said as she held up the coils of rope, sponges, socks and tape.

“It’s a collection of very special toys,” I said, “one you can have lots of fun with again and again. Would you like me to show you?”

“Can you?”

“Of course I can – but I need a volunteer. Perhaps your mum can do that for us?”

I looked at her as she nodded, and I took a chair from the dining table, setting it in the middle of the room before I cut the zip tie from her wrists.

“Now Millie, the game I’m going to show you is a game where I have to make it as difficult as I can for you to move, and then you see how long it take you to get free. To make it fair, we have to do something to your hands.” I took two sponges from the box, and handed them to her mother, Millie watching as she made fists which I covered with silver tape. I then took a pair of socks, pulled them over her hands and taped them to her jumper.

“They look funny Mum,” Millie said with a giggle, “how do they feel?”

“Quite nice, actually,” Mum said as I sat her down, and took her arms around the back of the chair. Millie came round and watched as I crossed her wrists and tied them tightly together with rope, and then to the chair back.

“I see what you mean – you can’t move your hands at all, can you mum? Does it hurt?”

“No it doesn’t” her mum said as I wrapped some rope around her waist, pulling her back against the chair, and then knelt down in front of her and tied her ankles together, followed by her legs below her knees. Millie watched as her mum tried to move her legs, and then shook her head.

“I’m not going to walk away either,” she said as I tied some more rope around her upper body and the chair back, fixing her in place.

“That’s the idea,” I said as I looked at Millie. “What do you think?”

“It looks like more than I’ve seen on the television,” she said as she walked round her mother.

“Television programs never show how much fun it really can be,” I said with a smile. “The question is, Millie, what do you think it looks like?”

I watched her as she smiled at her mother, then shook her head so that her brown curly hair shook as well. “It looks really fun – can I have a go as well?”

“Of course you can,” I said as I took two more sponges out of the bag. “Hold these for me, Millie.”

Ten minutes later, she was sitting in a chair next to her mum, smiling as she watched me tie her legs together below her knees. I had fed her hands through the gaps in the chair back before tying her wrists together, and not added any rope around her chest, but otherwise she was tied exactly the same way as her mother. The only other difference was that her feet were hanging over the seat, while I had pulled her mother’s bound ankles back and tied them to a rung underneath.

“There – we’re ready to start the game proper, but I also need to make sure you cannot help each other out by talking. So…”

“Wait a minute,” Millie said as she twisted round, “How long will the game last?”

“Until one of you gets free or someone comes in.”

“Well, you’re going to have to finish getting the house ready for my party, if we can’t do it. Will you do that for me?”

She smiled, and I nodded – of course I could do that for her, as I finished hanging the decorations where her mother said to, then brought the food through and laid it out. I even brought her presents through and put them by the table, and cleared some of the mess up.

“Thank you,” Millie said, “but how will you stop us talking?”

“I’ll show you,” I said as I looked in the box. “Mum first, then you, all right?”

Mum nodded as well, as I gave them both the full treatment – a folded cloth in their mouths, a knotted strip of towel, the white tape around their heads, and then a folded black scarf over each of their mouths.

“Ussnffneee,” Mum said when Millie tried to speak, and she at least laughed at this.

“Now, I’m going to blindfold you both for a few minutes,” I said as I put a sleep mask over the eyes of each of them, “so that you can prepare yourselves for the game to start. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

That gave me the opportunity to do a thorough search for jewellery and money, before I went back into the room.

“Fnkku – cnwsrtrt,” Millie said as I removed the blindfolds.

“Yes you can,” I said with a smile, “I’m going to go and make sure the other guests get in if they come back before Daddy. Happy birthday, Millie.”

“FNKU!” she called over as I left the room – and then the house…

********

Last week, I had decided to do something I hadn’t done for some time – surprise a mother and daughter where I knew there were no men at home. I’d done my research on Holly Shuman, a successful lawyer who ran a fairly large practice in this particular town, and her nine year old daughter Beatrice. Her husband had left some years before, which made her success all the more remarkable – she had built up the business and her daughter alone.

It almost seemed a pity to me that I had to relief her of some of her gains, but as a professional I have to put those feelings behind me. So it was, on this bright and breezy Sunday morning, I pulled up outside the house. My researches suggested she and Beatrice would leave for their church by ten – this morning, I was going to invite them to stay at home.

The car was still outside, which I took as a good sign, as I got out of my car and collected my rucksack. As a barrister, I felt the simple nylon stocking disguise would do – chances were Holly would have heard of me, and I had no problems with that.

The front door was unlocked, and I let myself quietly in, listening as I heard the sound of a television playing. Looking in the front room, however, I saw that it was empty, as was the kitchen – which suggested the television was on upstairs. The clock said nine thirty, so I presumed they were getting ready, and when I heard footsteps coming down the stairs I hid, thinking Mummy was coming in the kitchen.

Well, she was, but she wasn’t dressed for church. Holly was wearing a fetching pair of red cotton pyjamas with picture of cupcakes on them, and blue slippers, as she walked to the sink and put two bowls in. Only when she turned round and saw me there did she realise she wasn’t alone.

“Please, don’t scream,” I said as I showed her my gun, “All I want to do is take your valuables, and play a game with you and your daughter.”

She looked at me, and then said quietly “My goodness – I thought you were some sort of urban myth, but you’re real, aren’t you?”

“Oh I am very real, Holly,” I said with a smile, “so I must ask you if you will help me to make this a game for your charming daughter.”

“What do you intend to do with us?”

Now there she had me. “I had presumed you would be going to church, and therefore dressed – a change of plan?”

“Heh,” she said, “Bea and I were having a pyjama day – not getting dressed, staying in bed until late, watching films. I guess that just got changed…”

“Not necessarily – if you will play along with me,” I said with a smile. “Now, I need you to do exactly what I say, all right?”

She nodded slowly, as I took her by the arm and asked her to take me to her daughter. We walked up the stairs and into what I presumed was the master bedroom. Bea was on the double bed, looking at us as we came in and saying “Mum, who’s the man with the mask on?”

“Hello Bea,” I said quietly, “I’ve come to help you and mum enjoy your pyjama day, by playing a game to make sure you both stay in bed.”

Unlike her mum’s curly dark brown hair, Bea had light brown hair pulled back in a pigtail. She was wearing a pale blue round necked top with long sleeves, a pair of blue pyjama bottoms with pictures of mice on them, white ankle socks and big blue slippers.

“So this game means we can’t get out of the bed?”

“That’s right – I’ll make sure you’re both nice and comfortable in here, next to each other. For a little part of the game, you won’t be able to see each other, but you will be able to talk. Then I’m going to make it so that you can’t talk to each other, and you can watch the films in silence after that.”

“Why can’t we talk to each other?”

“That way,” Holly said to Bea, “we can’t spoil the film for each other, all right?”

Bea looked at her mum, and then said “If you say so Mum – what do we do?”

“You keep watching the film for a few minutes – I want to start by making sure your mum can’t use her hands to move around.” Taking the rucksack from my back, I remove a length of rope and took Holly’s arms behind her, crossing and securing her wrists tightly together and keeping the rope over the cuffs of her top.

Bea turned and watched, pausing the film as I secured her mother’s wrists more firmly with some rope around her waist, and then tied her arms to her side with rope above and below her chest. “Are you going to do that to me,” she asked, with a hint of concern as I tied her mother’s chest ropes off.

“No – for one thing, I’m giving you control of the remote,” I said as I looked at her. “But I am going to make sure you cannot move your hands and arms too much. Mum is going to sit next to you now, and I want you to put your hands together in prayer for a minute.”

“But we’re not going to church today, Mum promised.”

“And you’re not – trust me,” I said quietly as Holly sat back on the bed. Bea put the remote down, and as she placed her palms together I tied her wrists with rope next to each other, and then tied her arms to her stomach with rope around her forearms.

“There now – can you still use the remote like that?”

I watched as Bea picked up the remote and stopped the film. “Yeah – I can – and Mum can’t. This is great,” she said as she looked at both of us. “What’s next?”

“Well, right now you can both get off this bed, and I need to make that much more difficult, so I’m going to make sure your ankles and legs are secured together like your wrist and arms. Watch.” I started with Bea this time, crossing and tying her ankles tightly together with rope around and between her legs, keeping it over the cuffs of her bottoms. I then did the same with her legs below her knees, before I tied her wrists to the leg binding.

“Do you think you can stay like that for a while,” I said, and smiled as Bea nodded. I then tied her mother’s ankles and legs together, and then for a final touch tied rope between their ankles as well.

“Right – now I think you can’t get off the bed very easily, right?”

Bea pulled her legs to the side, laughing as her mother’s legs went with her. “No – we can’t,” she said.

“All right then – pick a film you both want to watch, and then turn on the Audio Description.

“Why?”

“Because, Bea,” I said as I saw two sleep masks in a drawer, “I’m going to blindfold both of you while I go and get you both a drink, all right?”

“Oh – that sounds fun,” she said, so she put Entangled on, and selected the audio description, and then they both sat back as I put the sleep masks over their eyes.

They giggled and talked to each other as Bea turned the volume up – which allowed me to carefully and quietly search the room, finding jewellery and money and placing it in my bag before replacing any boxes and closing and drawers or doors. Once I was satisfied I had searched everywhere, I left them alone and searched the rest of the house, before going to the kitchen and finding two cartons of juice.

When I came back in, I removed Bea’s sleep mask and said “You can pause the film and turn off the audio description now – I won’t be putting the mask back on.”

“Thanks – it’s fun to listen but I prefer to watch,” she said as I put the straw in the box, and held it for her to drink, before removing the blindfold from Holly and allowing her to drink as well.

“Now then,” I said quietly, “I need to take care of a few things, so it’s time for the next part of the game, where I make it difficult for you to talk to each other. I’m going to put cloth in your mouths, and then cover them with some special tape. It means you can try to talk to each other, but it will sound funny.”

“How?”

I took a bandana from my bag, folded it into a pad and said “Listen to Mum say ‘Hello Beatrice’.” Once Holly had said it, I told her to open her mouth, and put the scarf in, and then told her to say it again.

“Hlleelbetris.”

“You’re right, that is funny,” she said as I took a roll of white micropore tape from my bag, tore a little but off and stuck it to Bea’s arm. “Does that hurt?”

She shook her head and watched as I tore a longer strip off, and smoothed it over her mother’s mouth. “Hhllbshrs” she mumbled as I said “Would you like to be able to sound like that?”

“Yeah,” Bea said with a big grin, and I could see the shape of her mother’s lips in a smile as I pushed a handkerchief into her daughter’s mouth, and then smoothed the tape over her face.

“Right – you may start the film, and enjoy the rest of the morning. I’ll be back later to free you both.”

I watched as they cuddled up and watched the film, while I collected my bag and left them alone. Naturally, I called the police once I had got far enough away…

********

Often, I get the most enjoyment out of the simplest of situations. A year or two after I had started this career, I had got to the point where I would take some things in a bag with me, but I still liked to act on the spur of the moment. Of course, that meant I tended to always have that rucksack with me when I went out, sometimes on my back, sometimes in the car if I was visiting a shopping area or something like that.

This was a particularly hot summer’s day, and I was in a more up-market part of Leeds when I saw this particular woman coming out of a jewellers, carrying a bag that indicated she had picked up a purchase. She was wearing a sleeveless sun dress, pale pink with mustard coloured spots, and brown leggings, the bottoms of which were over her heels under her sandals.

With her was a nine year old girl, wearing the same style of dress but with leopard print leggings and sandshoes. She had long dark brown hair, like her mother, as they walked hand in hand down the street.

Well, I was curious to see what she had bought in such a high class boutique, and what else she may have at home, so I followed them as they walked out of the shopping area, into a high class street lined with elm trees, and then into a detached house. I like detached houses – it gives me the chance to sneak round the side and get in the back door.

This is exactly what I did, as I opened the back door and walked into the kitchen, pulling my scarf up over my mouth as I did so. Smiling underneath, I slowly walked down the corridor and looked in the front room. No sign of either of them – but I could hear footsteps behind me, so I hid behind the door and waited.

Mummy did indeed come in, so when I grabbed her and put my gloved hand over her mouth it came as a complete surprise to her.

“Hush,” I whispered into her ear, “I’m not going to hurt you or your daughter. All I want is to take your valuables and play a little game with both of you. Nod if you understand.”

She struggled a little, and then nodded slowly. “Good – I’m going to take my hand away, and I want you to keep nice and quiet, and put your hands behind your back.”

She nodded again as I removed my hand, and crossed her wrists behind her back, securing them together with some rope from my jacket pocket.

“What’s your name,” I asked quietly as I passed the rope between her wrists, and pulled it tight.

“Eve.”

“And your daughter’s name?”

“Cissy.”

“All right, Eve,” I said as I passed some more rope around her waist to lock her wrists against her back, “Where is Cissy?”

“She’s up in her bedroom – please, I’ll tell you where things are, but don’t hurt her…”

“I’m not going to hurt her, Eve, but I need to make sure she cannot raise the alarm for you. So we’re going to pretend you’re playing a game, and get her to play along, all right?”

“But she’s…”

“Let’s go,” I said quietly as I took her arm and walked her up the stairs. As we walked into her daughter’s room, however, I saw what she was trying to say. There was another girl there, wearing a white top with ruffed arm holes and white leggings. She had shoulder length brown hair, and I saw the two of them were reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

“Hello, Cissy,” I said as I stood holding her mother’s arm, “who’s your friend?”

“I’m Jade,” she said as she looked up, “Who are you?”

“Me? I’m here to play a game with Cissy and her mother. Would you like to play too?”

“What sort of game?”

Looking at the book, I said “Would all three of you like to do a caterpillar race?”

“What’s that,” Cissy said as her mother looked at me.

“I’ll make sure the only way the three of you can move is as if you were a caterpillar, and then the first one to get from this room to Mummy’s room is the winner. Does that sound like fun?”

The two girls nodded enthusiastically as I said “Good – now the way I make sure you can only move like a caterpillar is to use some rope to tie your arms and legs so tightly you can’t move them. IT won’t hurt, but it makes everything equal, all right?”

“IS that right Mummy,” Cissy said as she looked at Eve. Her mother nodded and said “See – he’s started with me already.”

The two girls got off the bed and looked at her wrists, before Jade said “All right – do me first.”

So I took my rucksack off, got out some more rope, and then I bound first Jade’s, then Cissy’s hands behind their backs and to their arms. I then used some more rope to tie their arms at their stomachs and shoulders, making sure they were well secured in place, before Mummy got some rope above and below her chest.

“Right,” I said as they all twisted round, “all three of you, lie down on the mat here, and I’ll get you all nice and ready for the race.”

I watched as they sat down, lay on their backs and rolled over, their bare feet raised slightly as I started to tie their ankles together, side by side, and then their legs below their knees, making sure the bands were tightly cinched.

“He’s right, mum,” Cissy said as I tied off the ropes on her legs, “The only way we can move now is if we’re wriggly worms.”

“I like this,” Jade said as well as she raised her legs up and down, “so when do we start?”

“Well, give me a minute and I’ll tell you when to start,” I said as I looked at Eve, “but you must promise to keep silent until I say to go.”

The two girls nodded, much to my satisfaction as I went to the master bedroom, and saw her jewellery box. “GO!” I shouted out, and as I heard their giggles I quickly began to collect as much jewellery as I could. I had just enough time before Cissy’s head appeared at the doorway, and she shouted “I won!”

“Well done,” I said as I picked her up and lay her on her mother’s bed, helping Eve to lie next to her and then Jade. “That was fun wasn’t it?”

The two girls nodded, as I said “I have another game we can play – it’s called escape.”

“How do you play that,” they said as Eve looked again at me.

“Well, the idea is to see who can wriggle free from these ropes first – but you can’t talk to each other, so I need to do something to your mouths that will make it difficult for you to talk. Don’t worry, like the ropes it won’t hurt, but it makes it more fun.”

“Let me show you first girls,” Eve said, so I took a clean handkerchief from my bag, folded it and put it into her open mouth. I only had some silver duct tape with me, so I tore three strips off and pressed them one by one over her lips.

“Ssstsfnn,” she mumbled as the two girls looked at her, and then allowed me to gag them as well.

“Right – I’m going to make a drink for you downstairs, so first person to come downstairs gets first choice,” I said as I waved to all three of them, and left the room. I did make the drinks as well – I just didn’t stick around to see who won…

********

I need to do a little preamble to this one. Remember that chat room I told you about, the one where the girls I visit get together? A couple of months back, I logged on to see this exchange.

ViTheFirst
I don’t see why you find it such a difficult thing to believe, Suzanne. I can tell you these things really happened to me.

ScepticSuzie
Everything I read about when it comes to robbery tells me that it’s a scary thing, but you say it became a game for you? No, I’m sorry, if these things really happened to you, you would be petrified and you certainly would not make light of it.

IvyTheTerrible
Unless it actually happens to you, Suzanne, then how can you say whether or not we are telling the truth? Perhaps if he calls on you, you can come back and tell us about it, but until then don’t call us liars.

ScepticSuzie
If such a thing really did happen to me, I’d be too terrified to talk about it…

Well, I of course knew the truth, so I had a little chuckle to myself, shut that search window down, and got back to the research I was meant to be doing for an upcoming visit.

A few days after that visit, I went back to the chat room to see if there were any new postings. One immediately caught my eye, with the title of “I’m so sorry!” I clicked on it, and the following came up.

ScepticSuzie
Hi – this is Suzanne again. Can I get my username changed?

IvyTheTerrible
We can take care of that for you – but why?

ScepticSuzie
Because I was wrong – I accused you all of making these stories up, and now – now I know you’re all telling the truth.

I had a school English project to look at stories of robberies, and it was while I was surfing the web that I found this place. I’m eleven, and as I read the stories here, I was both fascinated and also unsure how it could be true. A robber who makes it a game? All the other places I found talked about how terrifying it was.

Wendy, my nine year old sister, believed these were true, but I just did not see how it could be. Until yesterday.

IvyTheTerrible
What happened yesterday, Suzanne?

ScepticSuzie
It happened to me – the robber called at my house, and I know now it’s all real – what you say is all true! I am really, really sorry I didn’t believe you…

ViTheFirst
Hi Suzanne – why don’t you start at the beginning, tell us what happened?

ScepticSuzie
Well, Dad was away all weekend at a course, and we were expecting him back at about six, so Mum took us for a trip to the cinema. It was about three o’clock when we got back home. I had on a white t-shirt with strawberries on the front, black leggings and long grey felt boots, while Wendy had on a long sleeved white top with flowers on it, a black skirt, tights and brown ankle furry boots. As for Mum, she was wearing a brown and white striped dress with a thin light blue belt, a cardigan of the same colour, and knee length tan leather boots.

Anyway, we got into the house, and I went up to the toilet while Wendy went into the front room, and Mum went into the kitchen. I had the bathroom door closed, so I didn’t hear anything at all, as I flushed and washed my hands, but when I came downstairs I heard Mum and Wendy talking to someone in the front room. I walked in – and Mum was standing in front of this man, talking to Wendy and saying “that’s right – he’s come to play a game of Robbers with us.”

ViTheFirst
Now that sounds familiar! What did he look like?

ScepticSuzie
He looked just the way you describe him – tall, thin, with a stocking pulled down over his head. He already had Mum’s wrists tied tightly together behind her back, and I saw the white rope sitting on top of her belt.

He then looked at me, and smiled as he said “Hello Suzanne – Wendy’s right, I’ve come to play a game of robbers with you and your mum Jenny. You want to play, don’t you?”

Mum said “Of course she does, don’t you Suzanne,” nodding as she looked at me, but I was unable to say anything. All I could think of was that the robber really existed, and he was in our house!

You see, even though I thought they were just stories, they way you described what happened to you made me wonder what it must really be like – and now it was going to happen to me!

Eventually, I said “Oh my god – it’s you isn’t it? I’ve seen stories of you on the web, but I never thought…”

“Yes, that’s me, Suzanne,” he said with a smile. “Why don’t we all go upstairs and we can start to play the game, all right?”

“Can we Mum,” Wendy said, so when Mum nodded I played along, and we all went upstairs, stopping Mum and Dad’s bedroom. “Now then,” he said as he looked to the bed, “can I trust both of you to sit quietly while I show you on Mummy what’s going to happen?”

We both nodded and watched as he used some more rope to tie Mum’s arms tightly to her sides, taking the rope around her tummy and shoulders, and tightening it under her arms. He then walked her round and helped her to sit on the bed, before he tied her ankles tightly together, and then her legs below her knees.

“Does that hurt, Jenny,” he said, and we both looked at Mum as she twisted round, her boots making a funny squeaking noise. Eventually she shook her head and said “no – but I’m not going anywhere.”

“That’s right – now, I also need to make sure you all keep quiet, so that you can’t help each other. I’ll show you on Mum, and then I’ll take you both through to another room and get you ready there.”

“Can we come back to be with Mummy?”

“Of course you can – just give me a few minutes,” he said as he stood between us and Mummy, doing some things. When he had finished, Mum had a folded yellow scarf tied tightly over her mouth, and she could hardly say or make any noise as he helped her to lie on her side, then tied her ankles to the foot of the bed and her chest ropes to the top.

“they just help Mum to stay on the bed,” he said as he picked up his rucksack, Mum watching as he took us through to his room.

“Right then,” he said, “Ready to play?”

“Can I ask something,” I said as I looked at him and Wendy.

“Of course you can Suzanne – what is it?”

“I’ll play on one condition – you teach me how to tie up and gag someone like the other girls on that story site described. Wendy can be the model, but don’t tell Mum.”

“And why should I do that?”

“Because I really want to know how you do it and what it feels like – does that sound strange?”

“Not really,” he said as he took some rope from his bag.

IvyTheTerrible
That’s what I did as well – I got him to teach me how to do it, and now I have great fun with my friends. What happened next?

ScepticSuzie
He crossed and tied Wendy’s wrists behind her back, showing me how he doubled over the rope, pulled it tight and then between her arms, before untying the rope and letting me do it. I needed a couple of goes, but I managed it in the end to his satisfaction. It felt really strange and really good fun as well. He then talked me through how to use the rope to secure her arms to her sides around her waist and around her tummy, letting me pull the ropes and tie them off.

I asked him why he didn’t use the same ropes as he used on Mum, but he said those were for older girls, and for me and Wendy what he was showing me was enough. He did show me how to tie rope around her upper arms, and then use two small lengths to make sure it was nice and tight as well.

Wendy was giggling through all this, as she found herself unable to move, so she sat on the bed and watched as I took her boots off – the man said it meant I could tie her ankles more tightly, and then tied her ankles together in the same way I had tied her wrists. The final bit of rope went around her legs below her knees, as she sat with her back against the head of the bed and stretched her legs out.

He then tested the ropes, and said I had done a very good job for a first timer.

He then walked me through the four parts of the gag – the folded hankie first, then one of my bandanas folded into a band and a knot tied in the middle, which sat between her teeth. He then gave me a roll of this funny white tape, and I wound it round Wendy’s head.

ViTheFirst
I love that tape – it holds nice and firm, but doesn’t stick to the hair. You were very lucky – you go the four part gag. What did he get to tie over Wendy’s taped mouth?

ScepticSuzie
He took a black scarf from his bag, and showed me how to fold it into a wide band and tie it tightly over the white band. Wendy was as happy as a new born lamb, and probably would have slipped off if she could.

“Are you all right,” I said as I stared at her, and she just nodded before trying to say something.

“Your turn,” the man then said, but I think I surprised him when I said “Can I tie my own legs – for practice?” I certainly surprised myself, but I sat next to Wendy. She watched as I bent my legs and tied my own ankles tightly together side by side, remembering to take the rope between my legs as well, and then tied my legs together below my knees.

Once I was satisfied, I took the hankie he offered me and put it in my mouth, feeling the cotton no my tongue as I rolled up and knotted another bandana – a black one this time – and put the knot in my mouth. IT tasted funny as I tied the band tightly round my head, and then tried to move my tongue – making Wendy and the man laugh as I said something about “Igsssicntspknw.”

“Only when you wrap this round your head,” he said as he handed me the roll of white tape. It made a really funny noise as I peeled it off the roll, but it didn’t pull on my skin, and it felt really nice going round my head.

Finally, he handed me a red silk square, which I folded into a band and tied over my mouth, covering the white band. Once I had it really tightly tied and knotted, he checked it, and then tied my wrists behind my back, and my hands to my side.

“Now, you two stay there,” he said, “I need to check your mum, and then I’ll take you both through to her all right?”

We both nodded as he left us on the bed, looking round before we started to try to talk to each other.

IvyTheTerrible
I guess that’s when he took any jewellery from your mum Suzanne, right?

ScepticSuzie
That’s right – about fifteen minutes later, he came back and carried Wendy off, and then returned for me. When I was carried into Mum and Dad’s room, he laid me next to Mum, Wendy on the other side, and then checked all our ropes. He then told us he was going to leave us to try and get free – but we all knew there was no chance of that. IT was about five by then, so we just cuddled in with each other until Dad came back.

ViTheFirst
I’ll bet he was surprised to see all three of you on the bed like that!

ScepticSuzie
He sure was. The police came, and we talked to Mum and Dad about it later, but I knew I owed you girls a huge huge apology – so here it is. I’m sorry.

IvyTheTerrible
IT’s all right Suzanne – it’s always hard to believe until it happens to you. Welcome to the group, Suzanne – what do you want your new name to be?

ScepticSuzie
Can I be SilentSuzie from now on please? Wendy and I have played a game since then, and I love it when I can’t talk…

As I read the rest of the thread, I could not stop myself from smiling. I had no idea that the family I had visited was that of this girl, but she did a very good recollection of it – except for three things.

Her name was Gillian, not Suzanne. Her sister was called Sally, not Wendy, and her mother wasn’t Jenny, it was Norma. Still, she had the foresight to change the names, and keep it right throughout – very clever…

********

When I do some visits abroad, such as in the US, it’s a mixture of pleasure and fear I have these days. Pleasure in the fact they are more spontaneous, much more like the early days – but also fear, in the sense that if something does happen, I need to react quickly, or else it can have very real consequences.

Case in point – I was in New York a couple of months ago, and as is usual with these things I went for a walk in Central Park on the Sunday. I came across this skateboard park, and sat down to watch as a woman with her daughter – she looked to be about 11 – came over.

They were dark skinned, and the mother had her hair braided and hanging in dreadlocks over her left cheek – the right side of her head was shaven. She had on a light blue top, grey cargo pants and grey trainers. As for her daughter, her hair hung in dreadlocks down the back of her head, and the rest of her hair was cut short. She had on a grey v-necked top, pink leopard skin leggings and black trainers.

Now, any other family I would have just watched as the daughter went on her skateboard, but there was something about this one that attracted my attention – probably the solid gold bracelets I could see both of them wearing, and the large diamond ring the mother was wearing.

At any rate, I felt in my pocket, and found the nylon stocking I carried from such situations, as well as the pair of thin leather gloves. So when they left the park, I followed them as well, realising they were heading for the more up-market side of town, before they made their way into a brownstone.

Looking from side to side, I pulled on my gloves and then hopped up the stairs. It only took me a moment with a pair of nail files to get the door open, and slip inside, closing the door before I pulled the stocking over my head.

Now, when I do these visits, I have to use whatever may be to hand to make sure the family play along – which means I have to go and find Mummy first. I could hear noises upstairs, so I made my way quietly up and saw her in a room, straightening a duvet on a bed.

Taking a deep breath, I walked in and grabbed her, my arm round her waist and my hand over her mouth, as I said “Not a word – I’m not going to hurt you or your daughter, but you need to do exactly what I say all right?”

“Httthllru?”

“Someone who likes to play games – and I’m going to play one with you and you little girl. You won’t be harmed or hurt, and if you play along, it won’t be such a horrible time for her. Nod if you understand.”

I waited as she thought about it, and then slowly nodded her head. “Good – I’m going to take my hand away, and I want you to tell me your name.”

As I removed my hand, she said “Glenda. You’re not going to hurt me or Stella?”

“Not if you do as I say – we’re going to make it a game for her, where we pretend I’m robbing you.”

“But you are going to rob me!”

“I know that, you know that – but does Stella need to know that right now?”

Glenda turned and looked at me, before saying “all right – but we stay together.”

“Of course – now, take off you rings, earrings and bracelets, and put them in this bag, please.”

I held out a small canvas bag and watched as she dropped the jewellery in.

“Thank you – now, do you have some tape or rope in the house?”

“Well, we have some in the utility room, why?”

“I think you know why, Glenda. Whose room is this?”

“This is Stella’s room?”

“All right – we need to stop at your room first, and pick up a couple of things that we can use to keep you quiet. You walk in front of me, all right?”

So we went to her room, collected a couple of scarves, and then we went downstairs. Stella was in the kitchen, fixing herself a drink, as we came in and she saw my nylon covered head.

“He’s going to play a game of robbers with us,” Glenda said with a smile, “so let’s pretend he is a real robber, all right? Like on the television.”

“That’s right,” I said as I looked at Stella, “but we need to start by making sure you and Mummy can’t shout out and raise the alarm, and then we’re going to go into the utility room.” I let go of Glenda, who walked over and gave Stella a hug as I rolled two red bandanas up and tied a knot in each of them.

“Now then,” I said as I handed then one each, “I want you to put the knots in your mouths, and then tie the band tightly round your heads. Then we’ll head into the utility room, all right?”

“If you were a real robber, you’d have a gun.”

“I do, Stella,” I said as I showed her the handle in my pocket. “Now, let’s play the game, and then you can see how long you can sit still for.”

“Watch me,” Glenda said as she gagged herself, and then helped Stella, allowing the girl to put the cotton know into her mouth and then tying it tightly round her head.

“All right then – where is your utility room?”

Glenda took her daughter’s hand and we walked into the cellar, me picking up a pair of scissors from a utensil holder as I did so. As we went into the cellar, I saw some coils of washing line on a shelf, so I said “All right then – both of you stand still. I’m going to arrange it so your mummy cannot move her arms, Stella, and then I will do the same to you, all right?”

Stella nodded and watched as I crossed and tied Glenda’s wrists together behind her back, and then tied her arms to her side, the rope around her stomach and shoulders. Once this was done, I did the same to Stella, the rope sitting over her grey jumper.

There was a large bean bag next to the washing machine, big enough for both of them, so I got them to sit down on it before I crossed and tied their ankles together, and then connected them with a length of cord. I then tied Stella’s legs together below her knees, taking the rope around and between her legs, before I did the same to Glenda.

“There now,” I said with a smile as I stood up, “Now, I’m going to leave you for a few minutes while I pretend to rob you. You both stay here, and – oh, I almost forgot.”

I picked up a roll of duct tape, and tore off several strips, smoothing them over their mouths to reinforce the gag. I then said “stay there now – I’ll be back” and left them there, while I went back up the stairs…

And walked straight into a thirteen year old girl who was in the kitchen. She had long dark hair and dark skin, and was wearing a leather jacket over a purple top, a grey checked skirt, dark patterned tights and baggy black leather boots.

She took one look at me, and shouted “MUM! STELLA!!” I heard the muffled sounds from behind me, but then I saw the girl turn and start to run out.

“Oh no you don’t” I said as I grabbed her, and pulled her back against me, my hand over her mouth. My goodness, she struggled and kicked and screamed into my gloved hand, the heels of her boots hitting my shins.

“Listen,” I whispered, “I have a gun in my pocket, do you really want me to get it out and hurt you?”

“Whrhrsmsmsfmllee?”

“They’re safe downstairs – your sister thinks this is a game, and it’s keeping her calm, but if you keep screaming she’s going to get scared, and start struggling herself. She has a gag – do you want her to choke?”

That made her stop as she said “Uwldnnttt.”

“I would – do you want that to happen?”

I felt her shake her head, and said “What’s your name?” Taking my hand away I heard her whisper “Natasha.”

“All right – keep quiet,” I said as I walked her back into the kitchen. “It’s all right – Natasha is going to play as well, but she’s going to play up here, all right?”

“Llrlrrttt,” I heard Glenda call up, based on the slightly deeper muffled response. There was still a scarf – a yellow silk square – on the table, so I wadded it up and pushed it into Natasha’s mouth, before I said “Your room – now.”

I pushed her in front of me and walked her up to another bedroom, where I made her sit down and take her boots and jacket off. “Have you got any scarves or belts in here,” I said – I was really thinking on my feet now.

“Lookoverthr,” she mumbled as she pointed to a wardrobe. She rubbed her bare arms as I took two belts from the wardrobe, and used one on her ankles, the second one on her legs below her knees. I then used a long red chiffon scarf as a cleave gag, wrapping it twice round her head to force the other scarf in, before I made her lie back, and used two more scarves to tie her wrists to the headboard.

“I’m truly sorry you were treated this way,” I said as I stroked her head, “but I can’t have a nasty incident on my conscience, and I don’t think you can either. I’ll tell your mother and sister you are up here.”

She nodded as I went off and searched the house, and then went back to the utility room. “Natasha said she wants to stay in her room,” I said as I looked at Stella, “in fact, she challenged you to get free and find her before she comes to find you.”

“Hgggffnn,” Stella said, nodding as she looked at her mother. Glenda nodded as well, as I said “she’s fine – but cannot come down here right now. Good luck.”

I left them there, and got out as far and as fast as I could…

********

One of the most unusual visits I ever made involved not just a mother and daughter, but her au pair and daughter – and the fact they were dressed almost identically.

Last Summer, I had chosen to visit the home of a noted restaurant owner on a Midlands town. He had a couple of businesses, and lived in a large gated off house with his wife and twelve year old daughter. His wife had auburn hair cut into a bob, while his daughter had light brown hair.

Now, in order to get into the house, I would need to pick a time not only when he was not around, but one when I could trick my way in. So I drove up in a ‘borrowed’ van, and rang the intercom at the front of the gate.

“Yes?”

“Delivery for a Mrs Joan Ruscombe. Can I come through?”

“Hold on,” I heard the voice say, and then the gate swung open. I was in, and I drove the van up to the front door, the gate swinging shut behind it. I took a few minutes to put on my false beard, glasses and balaclava, and put a cap on my head, before I walked up to the front door and knocked on it, a parcel in my hand.

The door was opened by the mother, Joan Ruscombe, wearing a white roll necked sweater, dark blue jeans and black Argyle socks.

“Where do I need to sign,” she said as she took the parcel.

“One moment,” I said as I reached into my pocket, and then took out my gun, walking Joan slowly back into the house and closing the door behind myself. “Not a word,” I said as I looked at her, “and everyone will be just fine. Understood?”

“Oh my god,” she said as she looked at me, “what are you going to do?”

“Where’s Katie, your daughter?”

“She’s watching television in the front room, why?”

“You and her are going to play a game – carry the parcel in for me, and just follow my lead.” She nodded and did as I asked, and I saw Katie sitting at one end of a long white couch. Katie was dressed exactly like her mother, save for little zips at the cuffs of her jeans.

“Oh no,” she said as she saw my masked face, “Mum, is this a robber?”

“In a way,” I said quietly, “I’m a pretend one, sent by your dad to show you what to do if a real robber came. I just surprised your mother, and now I need to play a game where the two of you can’t move or speak for a while. All right?”

“He’s right dear,” Joan said as she looked at Katie, “he’s only going to pretend to rob us, so we need to do what he says.”

“All right – but you won’t hurt us, will you?”

“No I won’t” I said, “but your mum needs to put that box down now, and open it up.”

As Joan did, she saw I had ropes, tape and cloths inside, and she looked at me, knowing what was coming.

“Now, a real robber needs to keep you both secured, so I want you both to sit on the couch, and put your hands out in front of you, all right?”

“All right,” Katie said as Joan sat next to her, both of them watching as I tied their wrists together, hands palm to palm, and then secured their ankles and their legs below the knees in the same way, the rope going around and between their limbs.

“Right then,” I said as I looked at them, “I want you both to sit back to back on the couch, and bend your knees through your arms.”

I watched as they both did that, Joan watching as I tied a short length of rope from her wrists to her ankles, and then did the same for Katie. Her head when she leaned back rested between Joan’s shoulder blades, so I decided to bind their bodies together at their waists and then under Joan’s chest, which went around Katie’s upper body.

“There,” I said as I looked at both of them, “now I need to make sure neither of you can raise the alarm like a real robber would. Katie, open your mouth please.”

As she opened it wide, I pushed a folded piece of towelling cloth in, and then took a wide roll of blue micropore tape from the box, tearing off a long strip and then smoothing it over her lips and jaw.

“Try and say something,” I then said with a smile as I smoothed the tape down. Katie looked past me, and said “Hllmmlng.”

“What have you done to Mrs Joan and Miss Katie?”

I turned to see a young Asian woman standing in the doorway, a six year old girl holding her hand. Bizarre as it was to see Joan and Katie similarly dressed, both the new arrivals were wearing a white t-shirt, pale blue cardigan, blue jeans and knee length light brown leather boots.

“Hello,” I said as I stood up, and showed the older woman my gun, “and who are you?”

“Mei Ling is our au pair,” Joan said quietly, “and this is her daughter, Su.”

“Hello Su,” I said as I squatted down and looked at her, “I’m playing a game with Joan and Katie. Would you like to play the game as well with your mummy?”

“What’s it called,” she said in a quiet voice.

“Robbers – I’ll make sure you and your mummy can’t move or talk for a little while, and then when I give the signal you see who can get free first. Want to play?”

“All right,” she said as he put her finger to her mouth, and I looked at her mother.

“Why don’t you take a seat there,” I said as I pointed to a white armchair, “and let Su sit on your lap. I’ll make you both very comfortable.”

And so I did – I started by tying Mei’s ankles and legs tightly together, and then let Su sit across her lap, tying her ankles together as well and then her legs below her knees. I then tied her wrists together in front of her, and her arms to her side, before her mum gave her a big hug and I tied her arms around her daughter, so that Su had her head resting on Mei’s chest.

“Be back in a minute,” I said as I picked up another sponge and the tape, and gagged Joan, then did the same for Mei. As for Su, I just stuck a length of tape firmly over her mouth, and then left them as I went to search for valuables.

When I got back thirty minutes later, Su was fast asleep, the other three looking at me. “You can try to escape now,” I said as I left them, placing a call to the husband an hour later to say I had collected take away from his house, and left a tip…

********

I was visiting a client in a country manor a few years back when I saw this thirty year old woman with her twelve year old daughter call at the house, and talk to the housekeeper.

“She’s one of my tenants,” the client said to me when I asked him about it, “her husband is an author, and they’ve just moved to the estate from the city. I think they’re trying to adjust to the country life – they come up from time to time to ask about local shops and the best place to go for supplies.”

I looked at the older woman, who was wearing a black Fair Isle patterned sweater with a red wool scarf round her neck, blue jeans and knee length black fabric boots with a cuff running from the front to the back of her legs. Her daughter was wearing a red cardigan over a white top, jeans and her own knee length black suede boots, and a black hat that had a white flower on her head.

“So they’ve taken one of your cottages,” I said as I watched them walking down the road.

“Yes – Roselea cottage. Anyway, I think we’re done here.”

I had to agree – and I also felt I had a new family to pay a visit to…

I parked a little way down from the cottage, and watched as a middle aged man came out, got into an old car and drove off. Smiling, I took my jacket off as well as my tie, and put an old jumper on – followed by my nylon stocking over my head.

Getting out of the car in the dimming light, I walked up to the cottage and knocked on the front door. Out here in the country, there was little or no point in trying to disguise who you were.

I heard footsteps approaching, and took the fake pistol I used out of my pocket, taking a deep breath as the door opened and Mum stood there. She got ten seconds to see me before I walked in and closed the door behind me, my finger to my lips.

“Quiet now,” I whispered, “we’re going to play a game of robbers with your daughter, all right?”

“Whhhhh….”

“Don’t worry, all you have to do is play along, do what I say, and I promise you, you and your daughter will not be hurt. But I do need to keep you out of the way, and that means you will be bound and gagged. Trust me; it is not as bad as it sounds. Where is your daughter?”

She pointed to the front room, where I had already seen the lights were on. “All right, let’s go in,” I said as I took her arm and we walked into the room. The younger girl was sat on a chair, her legs tucked under herself and her brown hair falling over her shoulders and back.

“Oh my….” She said as she saw us come in.

“Hey there,” I said with a smile, “I’m here to play a game of robbers with you and your mummy while your daddy is out. I’m pretending to be a robber, and I need to keep you and Mummy in here while I pretend to have a look round, all right.”

She looked at us, before she said “How are you going to make sure we stay in here?”

I looked at the seat she was sitting in – it had two seats, and looked perfect for her to sit in.

“I’ll show you,” I said as I took my rucksack off, “Sit with your legs up on the seat, and cross your ankles for me, all right? I’ll then fix it so you can’t get off very easily, and then I’ll do the same to mummy.”

“All right,” she said, crossing her legs and watching as I took some thin cord from my bag and tied her ankles tightly together, the white clearly visible over the dusty black fabric. I then tied her legs together below her knees, the rope sitting on top of her boots as she looked at me taking the rope between her legs.

“You’re right,” she said as she looked at me, “I’m not going anywhere. Where will Mummy sit?”

I saw a wooden chair which I brought over and set next to the couch, and invited her mother to sit down, before I tied her ankles and her knees to the front legs of the chair.

“I’m not going anywhere now,” she said as she smiled at her daughter, “so what now?”

“Watch what I do to Mummy,” I said quietly as I made her mother put her arms around the chair back, and tied her wrists tightly together, securing them down to the chair back. I then tied her arms to the chair back, and wrapped some rope around her waist and the chair as well, to secure her in place.

I then knelt behind the girl, and crossed and tied her wrists together, then secured them to her waist, before I tied some rope around her waist, then her arms and stomach, before she lay down and bent her legs to get comfortable.

“Right then,” I said as I looked at the two of them, and folded a couple of bandanas up, “I’m going to put these in your mouths, and then leave you while I have a look round the cottage. Don’t move, but feel free to try and talk to each other.”

“Gtttt,” the daughter said as I put the folded scarf in her mouth, the ends sticking out as I did the same to her mother, and then left them alone while I had a look round.

The nice thing about moving from the city to the country, for someone like me, is jewellery is often not well hidden yet – which is what I was counting on, if truth be told. I had a nice haul when I came in, and produced from my bag a roll of brown sticking plaster.

“Right,” I said as I looked at the both, “I need to put a strip of this material over your mouth to keep you nice and quiet.”

“Nndddntthr,” mummy said as she looked at me and shook her head.

“Why not?”

“Shhhsslrjik.”

I looked at the little girl, who was indeed afraid of the idea of putting that tape over her mouth. I nodded, and untied the scarf from around her mother’s neck before I stuck a strip of the brown fabric over her mouth. I then used the scarf as an over the mouth gag for the young girl, wrapping it round twice before tying it off.

“Right,” I said, “Stay there for ten minutes, then try and get free. Me or daddy will be here to free you soon.”

You have to be aware of allergies in this line of work – and I really did not want to hurt her…

********

I had to spend a month in Seattle recently, doing some training courses for my company, and that gave me time to do a little research if I decided to pay a visit while I was out there. Now, it’s not as easy as you might think to do that, especially on the North West coast of the US of A, but there was one family that caught my eye.

Daddy was the manager of one of the branch offices I was doing the course for, and he invited me to have dinner with him in a restaurant one night. He brought his family – Dee his wife, and his two daughters, Bunny and Ursula. Bunny was twelve, and looked a lot like her father, while ten year old Ursula definitely took after her mother.

It was a pleasant enough evening, the food was good, and the discussion stimulating – especially when they talked about their possessions. I know, I know – a red rag to a bull and all that.

Anyway, I knew he was in the branch on the following Saturday, and I had nothing in particular planned, so I obtained some supplies – amazing what you can pick up in Wal-Mart and nobody bats an eyelid – and found myself early on the Saturday morning watching their house in an estate near the shore.

Daddy drove off as I expected him to, so I waited a few minutes to see if any of the rest of the family was going to go out. I had already decided to go for the simple disguise – mainly because at least I can get the stocking mask off in a minute when I leave – and had it rolled up under my woollen cap.

A short while later, I saw Dee come out of the house and open the trunk of their station wagon. She had her light brown hair brushed either side of her face, and was wearing a red hooded top over something purple – I caught a glimpse by the top of the zip – blue jeans and knee length black soft leather boots.

It looked as if they were heading off for a walk or a picnic, as she put a couple of rucksacks in the back, so I decided it was probably time I stepped in and changed their plans. Locking the car behind me, I hoisted my rucksack on my back and walked down the street, whistling as I did so.

Dee went back into the house as I walked towards the car, so I turned quickly and ducked to the side, pulling the stocking down over my head as I did so.

Dee came out with another bag – which gave me the opportunity to slip into the house and then into the front room. Bunny was sitting there, in a purple hooded jacket over a white top, a white Alice band holding her hair back. She was pulling on a pair of brown felt boots over her jeans, so I waited until she had straightened up before I hand gagged her.

“Not a sound,” I whispered into her ear as she tried to pull my hand away, “you and I are going to play a little game with your mother and your sister, all right?”

“Bunny, have you seen…” Dee stopped in the doorway as she saw me standing behind her daughter, my gloved hand over her mouth and the stocking pulled down over my head.

“Hello Dee,” I said in a Scottish accent, “now, no screaming, no funny stuff, just close the front door and that door for a moment, and listen to what I have to say.”

I felt Bunny nod her head under my hand, as Dee slowly left the room and then came back. “Who are you?” she said as she closed the door.

“A robber – but I don’t want to cause you or your family undue stress, especially young Ursula. Where is she?”

“Upstairs – she’ll be down in a minute.”

“All right – when she comes down, you will tell her that this is a game you and your husband planned as a surprise for her and Bunny here, and you’re going to play at being held hostage at home. Make it a game, and she’ll cope better with what’s going to happen. In return, you have my word no harm will come to any of you, understand?”

“I understand,” Dee said slowly, especially when she saw me take the handle of a gun from my pocket.

“Good – do you understand Bunny?”

She nodded as I heard footsteps running to the room. “Ready Mum,” Ursula said as she ran in, wearing a white fleece over a black polo shirt, jeans and mid length black leather boots.

“Ursula,” her mum said as I let go of Bunny’s mouth, “we’re going to have a different day today. We’re going to play a game of hostages, and this man is going to help us play, all right?”

She looked at my stocking covered head, and said “will it hurt?”

“No – but you will stay in one place for a while,” I said as I looked at her. “Now, why don’t the three of you decide where that place will be?”

“Why don’t we go into the cellar,” Dee said, “we can all watch the television down there – if that’s all right?”

“I have no objections – but please, leave al your cell phones and handbags up here,” I said as I looked at them. Dee nodded as Bunny stood up, and we all walked down to their cellar. As we went in, I could see why she suggested it – it was a home entertainment centre in one place.

“All right,” I said quietly, “who wants to be the first to be secured?”

“Do me,” Dee said as I slipped the rucksack off. “The girls can decide what we watch, and there’s only one way out, so you can stand between them and it.”

“Very well then,” I said as I took some rope from the bag, “put your hands behind your back, and you can watch them as well.”

Dee nodded as I crossed and tied her wrists tightly together behind her back with thin cord, keeping it over the cuffs of her jacket and wrapping it around and between her arms. I then selected a longer length of slightly thicker rope, and stated to bind her arms to her sides, taking the rope above and below her chest as they were forced against her body.

“Does it have to be so tight,” she said as I pulled the rope one last time behind her back, before I tied it off.

“Yes – it Hurst more if it is not,” I said as Bunny switched on the television, and Ursula picked up the remote control.

“How can we use that if our hands are tied behind our backs,” she said as Dee sat down, and I started to tie Bunny’s wrists together with more cord.

“I’m not going to tie your wrists behind your back,” I said quietly as I secured her sister’s wrists to her back with some rope around her waist, and then used a double figure of eight around her arms and stomach. “Start the film, and then sit down in that recliner over there.”

As she did that, I sat Bunny next to her mother, and knelt in front of them, crossing and binding the ankles of each of them tightly together, and then their legs below their knees. I then ran some rope from their ankles to the corner of the leather seat, so they were tethered there as well.

“Now, as for you young lady, sit up a minute while I tie your arms to your sides.” I secured Ursula’s upper arms to her chest, using small lengths of cord to tighten the band under her arms, and then had her lean back in the recliner while I tied her wrists tightly together in front of her, hands palm to palm. Crossing and tying her ankles together, I then secured her legs above and below her knees, and tied her wrists to the top band of rope as well.

Handing her the remote, I smiled as she showed she could work the player, while I said “I’ll be back once I’ve made sure the house is secure.” The film was starting as I left them down there, and searched the house for whatever I could find.

When I returned a few minutes later, I could hear the squeak of the younger daughter’s boots as she tried to move her legs. “All right then,” I said as I looked in my bag, “I need to make sure my hostages cannot raise the alarm, so one by one, open your mouths as wide as you can.”

“Why?”

“So that I can put these in – they’ll help you keep quiet,” I said as I showed Bunny three small green sponges. I pushed them into their open mouths one by one, and then tied a chiffon scarf between each of their lips to keep the sponge in place – I’d found them in the master bedroom. From the bag, I then took a wide roll of white medical tape, and pressed a layer over each of their mouths to add to the quietness.

As Ursula started to laugh at the film, Dee looked closely at me.

“Rescue will come soon, if you are patient,” I said as I left them to enjoy their morning, and went back to my car, pulling the stocking off as I did so.

I saw that Bunny joined the “fan club” recently – apparently she and some friends had a themed sleepover recently, where her dad played the role of the kidnapper. Glad I gave her some ideas…

********

My most recent visit was also out in the country, on the outskirts of Newcastle. I had been researching one of the leading politicians in the area – a man with a large personal fortune, who lived in the leafy suburb of Jesmond. He had a very attractive wife in her late thirties, and one ten year old daughter.

On the day I decided to visit, I knew he was away all day on “constituency business” as they put it. How much was genuine listening to the public, and how much a ceremony at the local Masonic Hall is a point for discussion, but hey – not my problem.

I’d watched them as they went out for a walk in Jesmond Dene. Rebecca, the mother, was wearing a pink top with a brown long sleeved thermal top under it, and blue fingerless gloves. She had a wide brown belt loosely fastened around the top of her jeans, and the legs were tucked into dark brown over the knee leather boots.

She also had her mother with her, a former news reader called Pearl, who had greying hair cut into a bob. She wore a dark grey fur lined jerkin over a light lilac top, jeans and brown ankles boots, and had a purple scarf round her neck as well as purple and cream striped woollen gloves.

And then there was the daughter, Elaine. She had on a light purple hooded fleece, bell bottomed jeans with black boots visible under the cuffs, white gloves and a multicoloured striped hat and scarf.

As they headed out for a walk, I smiled and started to ensure my kit was ready, before I got out of the car and walked down the street, turning into their walled off drive as I took a set of lock picks from my pocket.

I smiled as half an hour later, I heard the front door open. It had actually taken me twenty minutes to get in the back door, so I was sitting in the kitchen, the balaclava over my glasses and my false beard as I heard Rebecca say “I’m going to nip down to the shops – we’ll sort out lunch when I get back.”

“Why don’t you go into the front room, Elaine,” I heard her grandmother say as the door closed, “and I’ll get us both a drink.”

As she came in, however, I picked up my gun and pointed it at her, my finger to my lips as I indicated she should close the door. “Nice and quiet,” I said with a smile in my Scottish accent, “do you know who I am?”

“I think so,” Pearl said quietly, “oh God, you’re not going to hurt us are you?”

“Have the reports ever said I have hurt anyone,” I said as I stood up. “But no – I’m relying on you, and then your daughter, to help young Elaine think this is all a big game. Will you do that for me?”

“All right,” Pearl said, “What do you want me to do?”

“Let’s go and join her – just tell her I’m a friend of her mum and dad’s, who agreed to come and play this game with them.”

She nodded and walked with me into the main room, where Elaine was kneeling in front of the television, putting a DVD into the player.

“Wow Gran,” she said as she looked at us, “who’s the masked man?”

“Mum and Dad invited him to come and play a game of robbers with us,” Pearl said quietly.

“Really? As in the Inspector Gadget cartoons? Does this mean I’m Penny?”

“If you want,” I said with a smile. “I’m going to ask Granny to bring a couple of chairs in from the dining room with me – You start the film, and then you can both watch it together.”

As Elaine watched, I took Pearl through the opening to the dining table, and picked one chair up in my gloved hands. She did the same and we carried them through to the front, setting them down in front of the television as the young girl took her hat and scarf off, her blonde hair falling down.

“No,” I said as she started to take her gloves off, “keep them on – both of you. Now I want both of you to sit in the chairs, and then I want you, Elaine, to lean forward and put your hands behind you.”

As she did so, I guided her wrists and arms between the support slats in the chair back, and then crossed and tied her wrists together with rope. “Shuffle back into the chair,” I said, and once she was comfortable I tied her wrist down to the chair back, before I secured her arms and chest to the chair back by winding some rope around her and between the chair slats, securing it down to where the back met the chair seat.

“That’s snug,” Elaine said with a smile as I guided her grandmother’s arms around the chair back, before crossing and tying her wrists together, and then to the chair back. I then secured her to the chair in the same way as Elaine, before I walked round to the front and said “Can you cross your ankles for me, Elaine?”

Her feet were hanging a few inches above the ground, but she did as I asked, watching as I tied her ankles tightly together, taking the rope around and between them. I then tied her legs together below her knees, and finished off with a length of rope around her lap, holding her down to the chair seat.

“Now, I need to take care of Granny,” I said as I guided Pearl’s left leg against the chair seat, tying her ankle and her leg below the knee I place as they both watched the trailers on the DVD. I soon had her other leg secured, as well as her waist to the chair. Elaine was swinging her bound legs to and fro as the film started, and I heard a car pulling up outside.

“Now, both of you stay nice and quiet,” I said as I looked at them, “and we’ll give Mum a big surprise, all right?”

Pearl looked at Elaine and nodded as they watched the film, while I stood by the door, smiling as I heard the door open.

“You both watching the television,” I heard Rebecca say as she came in, stopping in shock as she saw her mother and daughter tied tightly to the dining table chairs.

“Who did this to you,” she said as she came in, Elaine smiling as she said “Your friend who came to play the game of robbers.”

“My friend,” she said as I put my gloved hand over her mouth. “That’s right,” I said as I held her, “Isn’t it Pearl?”

Pearl nodded slowly as she said “That’s right – it’s a game you arranged with Steve, Rebecca.”

“Now,” I said as I looked at both of them, “Mum has to come with me for a few minutes, while she pretends to help me find her valuables. You two can stay here and watch the television, if you promise not to shout or scream for help.”

“We promise,” Elaine said as I walked Rebecca out of the room, and closed the door behind us.

“A game,” she said as I removed my hand.

“Yes – as far as Elaine is concerned. As far as you are concerned,” I said as I showed her the gun, “we’re going to get your jewels and valuables. Shall we?”

She silently nodded as we walked up the stairs, and into her bedroom, where I bound her wrist together behind her back and tied her arms tightly to her sides, the rope going above and below her chest as I did so.

“Now,” I said as I looked at her, “we do this the easy way or the hard way. You can tell me where everything is, I take it, and we’re downstairs in about fifteen minutes and I finish securing you down there with your mother and daughter – or you don’t, I finish tying you up up here, and you stay and watch as I ransack the room. Which would you prefer?”

Twenty minutes later, Elaine looked at Rebecca as we came back in and said “Wow Mum – you’ve really gone for the game.”

Her mother nodded, the knotted headscarf in her mouth keeping a sponge in there making it difficult for her to say anything. Instead, she nodded as I helped her to lie on the couch, placing a pillow on the armrest by the other two for her head, and then tightly bound her ankles and legs together.

“Are we going to have that as well,” Pearl said as she looked at Rebecca.

“Oh yes – you all have to play the game,” I said as I put a pillow case in my bag, and took out two sponge balls. “Open wide, and le the sponge fill your mouths.”

“All right,” Pearl said as she allowed me to put the sponge in her mouth, closing her lips and saying “tsslrrtleen” as the young girl allowed me to do the same.

Taking a triangular headscarf I had found upstairs, I rolled it into a band, tied a knot in it and then used that as a cleave gag for Elaine. Pearl got the folded and knotted headscarf I had brought down with me, as the three of them tried to talk to each other.

As they did so, I said “Rescue will come soon,” before picking up my bag and making my way out…

********

Saturday mornings, in village halls up and down the country, seems to be the time for dance classes. This particular Saturday wasn’t an exception, as the mums came and collected their little darlings from their teacher. One of the mums had brown hair cut in a bob, and was wearing a black leather jacket over a purple top, black leggings and a pair of black heels.

Her daughter looked to be about eleven, and had on a grey sparkly top, a deep purple ra-ra skirt, white patterned tights and light pink shoes. Her hair was cut in the same way as her mother’s but she used a white Alice band with a little flower on it to hold it back. They set off to walk home without a care in the world – the one difference this weekend being I was following them.

I’d been watching them for a few weeks now, making sure I had their routine memorised. Daddy was on his usual Saturday trip with the rugby club, so I knew they would be alone at home, and ready to play a game if I asked.

Their house was ten minutes walk away, but in this particular area those ten minutes meant a leafy avenue with plenty of room between the houses – enough for me to be able to watch them go into the front of the house, and then sneak round to let myself in the back door.

I smiled as I heard the mum say “Come in the front room when you’re finished,” and pulled my stocking down over my head, looking into the room from the side. She had taken her shoes and jacket off, and I could see now her top had a main cap sleeved body, and a front part that billowed out slightly before going to the sides and attached to the back. Very classy.

She then saw me, and was going to scream when I walked in, my gun towards her, and said “Please – so long as you do as I say, you and your charming daughter will not come to any harm.”

“What are you going to do, rob us?” she whispered.

“I am – but it need not be an unpleasant or scary experience, if you do what I say and play along with it being a game. Please, take a chair from the dining table and set it in the middle of the floor.”

“All right,” she whispered again as she took a chair over, and then sat down on it as I took my rucksack off, and drew four lengths of cord out. “Sit down, with your hands on your head, and when your daughter comes in tell her this is a big game, understand?”

Nodding, she watched as I moved her left leg against the front leg of the chair, and tied her ankle and knee to the wooden leg. It was while I was securing her right leg that her daughter came in and said “What’s the man doing Mummy?”

“He… He’s making sure I can watch without running away while you show me what you learnt in Dance Class today, Tricia,” she said with a smile before looking at me.

“That’s right,” I said as I looked at the young girl, “and then you and your mummy are going to play a very special game – one you’ll like. All right?”

“Is that right Mummy – he looks like a man in a comic book who robs people.”

“It’s all right, Tricia, he’s just playing a part. Now, what did you do today?”

“We learned some new moves – want to see them?”

Mummy nodded, and as Tricia showed her the new dance steps I lashed her body to the chair back with rope winding around her and the wooden slats. When she had finished, Mummy clapped her hands and said “You clever, clever girl – come and give me a bug hug.”

Tricia ran up and let her mummy embrace her, as I said “Well done Tricia – now, what we’re going to do is…”

“Tammy? What’s going on?”

I turned suddenly to see a tall, long haired woman look at me through her glasses. She was wearing a grey round necked top with a bead necklace, a striped skirt with a wide brown leather belt around her waist, dark tights and knee length dark brown leather boots.

Standing next to her was an eight year old girl, her fair hair pulled back in a ponytail by a little red band. She had on a black dress with elbow length sleeves and a dark silk petticoat on the top, striped leggings and short wellington boots with little multicoloured hearts on the wet rubber.

“Oh god – Laura, please, don’t say anything. Let him talk to you.”

“Hello Laura,” I said as I looked at her, and then her daughter. “And what’s your name?”

“I’m Sammy,” she said as she put her finger to her mouth and twisted round, “who are you?”

“He’s playing a game with me and mummy, Aunt Laura,” Tricia said with a smile, “will you and Sammy play too?”

“What sort of game,” Laura said as she looked at Tammy.

“Well, Tricia was doing a recital for us, and I was making sure her mummy did not go anywhere and miss a second. Why don’t you and Sammy be part of the audience as well? You see, I’m going to pretend to kidnap Tricia who is the famous dancer, and hold her for ransom with her private audience.”

“Coo – that sounds exciting,” Tricia said, “why don’t you sit down with Sammy, Aunt Laura?”

“Can we Mum,” Sammy said, so the two of them sat on the couch, Laura helping her daughter to take her wellington boots off.

“I need to make sure you stay a captive audience like your Aunt Tammy, Sammy,” I said as I knelt in front of her. “Can you put your hands together like this, palm to palm, in front of you?”

As she did this, her mum watched as I made sure her wrists were tied together in front of her, and then tied down to some rope around her legs below her knees, before I tied her ankles together. I did the same to Laura, making sure her wrists and ankles were tied snugly and securely, as well as her legs.

“all right, Tricia,” I said as I looked at her, “go ahead and do your recital for your aunt and cousin. I need to make sure Mummy’s arms are nice and secured as well.” So as she danced, I guided Tricia’s arms behind the chair back, crossed and tied her wrists tightly together, and then secured her arms to the chair back where they crossed.

“Wonderful,” they all called out as Tricia finished, and she gave a little curtsey.

“Now, you can see I already captured your audience – which means all I have to do is capture you now.”

“I want to be next to Sammy.”

“All right then – I need to ask Aunt Laura to slide off the couch and sit on the floor please.”

As Laura slid herself off and sat with her knees bent, Tricia jumped onto the couch and watched as I tied her wrists, legs and ankles in the same way as her cousin.

“I also need to stop you all from calling out and letting the people looking for you know where you are – so I need you two to be very brave and open your mouths for me.”

Tricia and Sammy nodded and opened their mouths, allowing me to put a folded piece of cloth in before they closed their lips, and I stuck a strip of brown fabric plaster over their mouths.

“Now I’m going to do the same to your mums,” I said as I knelt next to Laura – only I put a sponge ball into her mouth and covered her lips with a wide strip of flesh coloured microfoam tape. Tammy got the same thing, making Tricia giggle and say “mmmsgtnmf” as she looked at her.

“Now, I need to send a ransom message, so just sit quietly,” I said as I left the room, and quickly searched the house, pocketing what I could find. When I went back in, they hadn’t moved – well, Laura had moved over to sit beside Tammy, but that was all.”

“All right,” I said, “I’m off to collect the ransom. See if you can free each other, and if not someone will come and tell you when the game is over, all right?”

They all nodded as I made my exit…

Return to the Relative Perils index

Return to the main index