Never Say Goodbye

August

Carol looked down as the black clad man was wrapping white rope round her ankles, securing them together as he took care not to hurt her. She then turned to look at the older woman sitting next to her, before she said “are you all right Mum?”

“I think so, Carol – they have not really hurt us, have they?”

“My dear Elaine, when we say we desire to not cause you any physical harm, we are men of our words,” the masked man said as he looked at them. He was wearing a black leather jacket over a dark sweater, dark pants, dark shoes, black gloves – and a black balaclava that covered his head, only his eyes and mouth showing.

They had arrived an hour ago, surprising her and her daughter as they sat talking and drinking some red wine as they enjoyed the late summer afternoon in their home. She was a woman in her early forties, with long strawberry blonde hair, and was wearing a light blue blouse and denim skirt, as well as light blue deck shoes. Her twenty year old daughter Carol was also wearing a blouse -her one a light peach colour, over a white t-shirt, blue jeans and white deck shoes.

The two men had been polite from the moment they introduced themselves – they had said they were Mister Tall and Mister Small – names Elaine had recognised from reports in the press.

The Gentlemen Robbers was the name they used – and they had certainly been gentlemen, even as they had ensured both her and Carol had their wrists secured together behind their backs, and ropes that held their arms tightly to their sides.

They had then been invited to side by side on the couch, their half emptied glasses of wine on the coffee table as the smaller of the two had left the room. Mister Tall had then employed more rope to secure Elaine’s ankles, as well as her legs below her knees – but she had been calm, accepting the situation as he had shown her every courtesy.

Mister Tall nodded as he cinched the binding between Carol’s ankles, and then took another length of rope before he passed it round her legs below her knees, forcing them together.

“I am grateful you have not done anything other than bind us,” Carol said quietly as she watched the way her jeans were covered by the bands, before the masked intruder took the rope between her legs and tied the end sat the back of her limbs. She twisted her legs round as Mister Tall stood up, and said quietly “there – now, with regret, I have to ensure neither of you can raise the alarm, but I assure you it is as comfortable as the ropes.”

“But how are we to get free?”

“I leave that to your imagination,” Mister Tall said as he produced from the holdall the ropes had been in a wide roll of white tape, both of them hearing the sound as he peeled and tore away a length of tape. He then looked at Elaine as he said “please, purse your lips.”

Carol watched as she smoothed the tape down over her mother’s mouth with is gloved hands, the tape forming to the curves of her jaw and face before she turned and the shape of her lips was visible.

“Mum?”

“Htllbhhlrht,” Elaine mumbled as Carol turned and looked at Mister Tall, and then felt the tape tugging on her skin as she was gagged in the same way. The two women looked at each other, as Mister Tall said “there – now, excuse me for a moment as I look to the downstairs office.”

He walked out of the room as Carol and Elaine looked at each other.

“Wthsshhdnhmhm?”

“Nhddhnwhchndh,” Elaine said as she tried to move, but the ropes were too tight, the tape held firm – and she had to admit, she was not scared, and she trusted the two intruders.

“Whthstthth?”

Both women looked at each other as they heard an alarm go off, and then they saw Mister Tall walk into the room, looking out of the window as Mister Small came into the room from upstairs.

“What has happened,” the smaller of the two men said, “I was just about to crack the safe, and…”

“I fear we must depart,” Mister Tall said quietly as he quickly put the leftover materials from the binding into the bag and picked it up, the two masked men leaving Elaine and Carol as they stared at each other. They then heard the sirens approaching as they both struggled, wondering what was going on as they heard raised voices.

“IS anyone in here?”

“HLPHHSSS,” Elaine called out as she saw two policemen come in, one of them saying “shit” as the other one spoke into the radio.

“Sarge – two bound and gagged women in the house next door….”

“And nothing has been taken?”

“No,” Elaine said as she and Carol sat with the detective. They had both been released, but a check had shown the safes upstairs and downstairs were unopened, nothing had been taken. “they heard the alarm for next door, and just left.”

“What happened, anyway,” Carol asked quietly.

“False alarm – but… How well do you know your neighbours?”

“The family – hardly. Why?”

“Well, as I said, it was a false alarm, and you are at least both unharmed. You were lucky they left to avoid meeting us. One day, we may meet them.” She stood up and said “if anything comes to mind, give me a call.”

Elaine looked at the card and said “thank you, DS Wayne” before she stood up and showed the female detective out…

February

The two men watched from the front of the transit van as the two women walked past. The older of the two was wearing a dark blue checked jacket over a purple top, and a pair of jeans with the legs tucked into a pair of black knee length boots. The younger had on a red tartan shawl over a beige leather biker’s jacket, the jacket itself over a dark blue short dress, and knee length leather boots in the same shade of brown as the jacket.

“Some unfinished business to ensure is taken care of?”

“Indeed – what did you find out about the house next door?”

“It stands empty for the moment – it was actually employed ay the police at the time to house a family under witness protection, but they have been moved on.”

“So no interruptions?”

“Not this time – shall we?”

“I enjoyed that walk,” Carol said as she removed her shawl and put it over the stair banister, “after last month, I think we needed that time together.”

“Indeed,” Elaine said with a smile as she removed her jacket and hung it up. “Fancy some coffee?”

“I’ll make it – you go and sit down,” Carol said as she made her way to the kitchen, Elaine nodding as she went into the front room. The young woman smiled as she filled the kettle and plugged it in, before she heard the door to the rear of the house open.

“That was locked,” she whispered before she turned round – and then her eyes opened wide as she saw two men walk in, dressed in black including the balaclavas covering their heads, the smaller of the two carrying a large bag while the taller pointed a handgun at her.

“Hello, Carol,” the taller of the two men said with a smile, “we have unfinished matters of business that we wish to address – why don’t you finish making the coffees, and we can explain them together to your mother?”

Elaine looked up from her seat as Carol came in, setting the tray down and then standing there looking at her mother.

“Carol – is something wrong?”

“That would rather depend on your definition, Elaine.”

The male voice made her look behind her daughter, her eyes widening as she said quietly “oh no – not again?”

“And it is a pleasure for us both to renew the acquaintance,” Mister Tall said as he and Mister Small came into the room. “Carol, sit with your mother and have your coffee – as soon as both of you have handed your purses and mobile phones to my friend Mister Small here.”

“They… They just walked in,” Carole said as she sat and held her mother’s hands, then handed her handbag over to Mister Small, Elaine doing the same.

“Well, we both know what’s coming,” Elaine said quietly as she nodded, “so I guess we should not be that scared. You will allow us to finish our coffee?”

“Of course,” Mister Tall said, “and we also wish to offer you our condolences in your recent loss.”

“Is this why you came back now,” Carol said quietly as she held her mug.

“No,” Mister Small said quietly as he set his bag down, and opened it, “it is a mere coincidence. Forgive me, but as my friend Mister Tall will be asking your mother to accompany him, I wish to take this opportunity to ensure you stay in the seat.”

“start as you mean to go on?”

“Precisely,” Mister Small said with a smile as he doubled a length of rope over, and knelt by Carol’s side, wrapping the rope round her ankles and pulling them together as he started to bind them.

“It feels – different from last time,” Carol said before she sipped her coffee.

“As I recall, you were wearing jeans and deck shoes when we last visited,” Mister Small said as he took the rope between her legs and secured the ends, “this time, your ankles are covered, so it will feel different – but just as secure, I assure you.”

Carol looked at her legs, the white band on the brown leather, and nodded as Mister Small withdrew a second length of rope, doubled it over, and then began to secure her legs together below her knees.

“Just like last time,” Elaine said quietly as she finished her coffee, and put her mug down. “So I presume you wish me to stand and put my hands behind my back?”

“If you would be so kind,” Mister Tall said with a smile as he watched the older woman stand up, turning and looking at her daughter with a raised eyebrow as the masked man put the gun down, selected more rope from the bag, and then stood behind Elaine.

“Are we going to be left together like last time?”

“I can see no compelling reason why not,” Mister Tall said as he cinched and completed the binding, and then selected a longer length of rope before he doubled it over, and wrapped it round Elaine’s body before he pulled it tight under her chest.

“Perhaps the alarm will go off again next door?”

“In the empty house,” Mister Small said as he stood up, “I think not.”

“Why not?”

“Possibly,” the smaller man said with a smile, “because I ensured it was disabled before we came here?”

Elaine and Carol looked at each other as Mister Tall continued to bind the arms of the older woman, Elaine feeling the material of her top stretching over her chest as it was forced up and out, before her masked binder fed the rope under her right arm, took it up and around the back of her neck under her strawberry blonde hair, and then under the other arm.

“Now, as I recall, on our last visit, my friend Mister Small was attempting to open the safe upstairs when we had to leave earlier than planned,” Mister Tall said with a smile. “So this time, we take a different approach. If you will come with me, Elaine, my friend will ensure Carol is comfortable before he looks in the downstairs office.”

“I have a choice?”

“There is always a choice in life, Elaine,” Mister Tall said with a smile, “but sometimes, the options are limited. Shall we?”

“I’ll be fine Mum,” Carol said as Mister Tall took her by the arm and they both walked to the staircase, Mister Small smiling as he fetched two lengths of rope from the bag, one longer than the other. “My turn?”

“Your turn, Carol – kindly lean forward, and put your hands behind your back.”

The young woman nodded as he walked behind the couch, and leaned forward, controlling her breathing as she felt the rope round her wrists, drawing them together. She could feel the tension increasing with each pass before the rope was secured, and then straightened up as Mister Small doubled over the longer length of rope.

“Comfortable?”

“As much as can be expected,” Carol said quietly as the rope went round her upper body and was pulled tight around her. She tried to twist her legs, hearing the squeak of leather on leather, but as she did so she could also hear the rope rubbing on her leather jacket, the front opening more with each pass as her own chest was forced out.

Her eyes were fixed on her chest as Mister Small took the rope under each arm and round the back of her own neck, lifting her longer hair out of the way, before he secured the ends and walked in front of Carol. She wriggled round, and said “okay – I’m staying here. And I am going to be quiet as well?”

“It is a requirement – but be assured, your mother will be in the same position,” Mister Small said as he compressed a small red sponge ball in his gloved hand. “So, if you would be so good as to open your mouth nice and wide.”

Carol nodded as she dd this, feeling the sponge expand inside as Mister Small pushed the ball in, and then she closed her lips over it before she felt the white tape pressed down over her mouth.

“Now, let me put the radio on,” he said as the music started playing, “while I see about that downstairs office we were unable to visit last time.”

Carol nodded as he left her alone, and she tried to twist round, tried to find a knot, a way of getting loose – but all that happened was she started to feel hot, and no success.

“Ushshwhl?”

Carol looked to the door to see her mother standing there, the shape of her lips visible under the white tape that covered her jaw as she was escorted back into the room by Mister Tall. She sat down, the two looking at each to her as the masked man fetched two more lengths of rope, and crossed Elaine’s ankles before he started to bind them together.

He then secured her legs together below her knees, the white band clear visible above the black boots and over the blue denim, before Mister Tall took the rope between her legs and then tied it off.

“Ah – and how was the safe upstairs,” Mister Small said as he came in.

“Enlightening – and rather emptier now. And you?”

“Some things we can make use of,” Mister Small said as he put a smaller bag into the holdall, and then picked up the coffee cups.

“Whhhruhthkhnthm,” Elaine mumbled.

“To wash them, of course – we were unable to take care of your wine glasses last time, so consider this an additional penance.”

“We do hate to leave a mess,” Mister Tall said as the two women looked at each other. “Just as we hate to leave business unfinished. So if you will allow us this small indulgence, we shall depart, and make sure the authorities are informed of your predicament in due course.”

“Fhrrhfhthfhl,” Elaine said as Carol nodded.

“well, as we said then and now, we have no desire to cause you any more distress than necessary – Mister Small?”

“We are done,” the smaller masked man said as he came in and picked up the bag.

“Excellent,” Mister Tall said as he looked at Elaine and Carol. “In which case, the Gentlemen Robbers, if somewhat belatedly, wish you adieu – may we never meet again.”

Carol watched, feeling how much the sponge in her mouth had absorbed saliva, as the two men bowed and left her and her mother to the sound of the radio, and their twists and moans…

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