The Silver Shadows

In the early to mid 1970’s, there were a spate of robberies in family homes in the South of England, attributed to a group who came to be known as The Silver Shadows, due to their usual garb of grey clothing, gloves and masks. One of the first occurrences was in a country house near Canterbury, owned by a local retailer by the name of Hope…

“Come on you two – let’s have a look at you.”

Carol Hope was sitting on her leather sofa, watching the door to the hallway as she rubbed her hands together. She had on a white round necked jumper under a chocolate brown velvet waistcoat, and a matching knee length skirt with a light brown trim on the hem, as well as knee length laced chocolate brown suede boots.

“Patience, dear, I’m sure they will be fine,” her mother Rhona said as she crossed her legs. She was in her early fifties, but was dressed in a style more suited to her daughter, in a grey knee length jersey dress with white leather boots, buckled just below her knee.

“Rhona’s right,” her husband said as he stood by the fireplace, “you really need to stay calm, my… Ah, here they are.”

The door opened to allow their daughters, Lesley and Denise, to come in. Lesley was thirteen years old, and was wearing an orange slip mini dress over a black jumper, white tights and knee length white boots. Denise was two years younger, and had a fringed orange tartan shawl covering her red top with a white collar, orange tights and, like her sister, knee length white leather boots.

“See, I told you they would be ready in time,” their father said as he put his drink down, “now we can…”

“You can kindly all stay where you are, with your hands in the air, and do exactly what we tell you.”

Lesley and Denise turned to see three people standing in the doorway, two men and a woman, wearing grey roll necked sweaters, pants and balaclava masks. The woman was holding a gun, and pointing at them, while the taller of the two men carried a large canvas holdall. As he placed it on the table, he said in a Cockney accent “Right you lot, stand up while we secure your wrists.”

“What is the meaning of this,” Mister Hope said as the slightly smaller man stepped forward, and looked at him. “This is a robbery,” he said quietly, “so, unless you want to be responsible for your family suffering, you do as you’re told, all right?”

“Please, Ron,” Rhona said quietly, “They’re armed, we need to do what they say.”

“Quite right, my dear lady,” the woman said as the taller man guided the wrists of Denise and Lesley behind their backs, and started to tie them together with rope, “so make this easy on everyone, please. Where do you keep your jewellery?”

“I’ll show you, if it makes things easier,” Carol said as she watched her daughters being tied up.

“That will not be necessary,” the smaller man said as he selected a couple of chairs from the dining table, and set them in the centre of the room. “Please, both of you, take a seat here, and allow the youngsters to sit down for a few minutes.”

As Lesley and Denise sat on the couch, Carol and Rhona sat themselves in the wooden chairs, the masked woman staying with Carol’s husband as the two men took more rope from the canvas bag, and arranged the wrists of the two older women behind the chairs. They stared straight ahead as their wrists were secured together, and then tied down to the centre wooden spar of the chair back, before rope was wound around their bodies, arms and the chair back to lock them into place.

“I’m scared Mum,” Lesley said as she started to cry at the sight of her mother and grandmother tied to the chair.

“There there my dear,” the woman said as she looked at her, “I know this is a bit scary, but I promise you that you won’t come to any harm, and neither will they.” As she spoke, the two men knelt by the side of the chairs, tied the ankles of Carol and Rhona tightly together, and then secured them to the nearest front leg to them, taking the rope around the spar as well. They then tied their legs together below their knees, before standing up.

“Now then,” the masked woman said, “your jewellery?”

“All right – in my bedroom, on the dresser, and in the second large drawer.”

“Thank you so much,” the masked woman said as she went to the bag, and took out a wide roll of brown sticking plaster. “Now, kindly put your lips together. Then I’m going to take your daughters next door, while my friends here take your husband into his office, and allow him to open the safe.”

Carol felt the plaster pull on her face and jaw as it was smoothed firmly into place, looking over at her mother as she too received a gag over her lips. She tried moving her jaw around, but the fabric held firm, as she took Lesley and Denise by the arm and said “come with me, girls, into the drawing room.”

As they heard the three intruders moving around, Carol and Rhona looked at each other, too scared to move in case something happened to the girls. After a while, the tall man came back in, and bowed gravely to them as he picked up the canvas bag, leaving without another word.

Some thirty minutes passed before they heard someone sliding along the floor, and the sound of heels coming down hard on the wood. Looking towards the door, they saw Lesley and Denise sliding their way in. Their arms were tied to their sides above and below their chests, and their legs were secured at their ankles and knees, with plaster gags covering their mouths as well.

“Wettnnddnwfu,” Lesley said as they edged closer, and then sat either side of the two older women, their heads resting against their legs as they waited for rescue.

When the police finally arrived, they found Mister Hope in the office, tied and gagged in his chair. The trio escaped with about two thousand pounds worth of jewellery and money.

The Shadows seemed to arrive without warning, wither as a pair or all three of them, and the combination varied from case to case. Two months after the visit to the Hopes, Sharon Black, and her daughter Jackie, received a visit from two of the gang…

“Well, I’m glad that is over with,” Sharon said as she put her bag and keys on the table, and took off her fur coat, “Selfridges was a place of chaos today.”

“True – but at least we got the train back easily enough,” Jackie said as she closed the door. The fourteen year old was wearing a mini dress with long sleeves, a thick red band on the skirt a contrast to the floral print of the rest of the garment, and three buttons at her neck. Her white boots were shining under the harsh light of the bulb in the ceiling.

Sharon was in her mid-thirties, and had dark brown hair as opposed to her daughter’s long strawberry blonde cut. She was wearing a light purple knee length dress over a white blouse, the top of the dress cut like a waistcoat. She kicked off her heels, and sat down in a chair, rubbing her face with her hands as she said “Well, I guess I need to get dinner on the go…”

“Mum?”

She heard the tone of Jackie’s voice, and looked through her hands to see the two men standing there, dressed in grey with stockings pulled down over their heads. The taller of the two had Jackie’s arm in a firm grip in his gloved hand, while the smaller was looking at her.

“Awfully sorry to interrupt you,” he said with a smile, “but I’m afraid we’re robbing you, and you’ve walked in on us. I’m afraid that mean we need to tie both of you up, and ask you not to scream or do anything stupid like that.”

“Please, mum,” Jackie whispered as she looked at the tall man, who remained silent.

“All right, just don’t hurt her,” Sharon said, “What do you want me to do?”

“Splendid,” the man said, “please, stand up and turn around.” He took a bag he was carrying, laid it on the ground and took out a length of rope as Sharon did as he had asked. As she felt her wrists being tied together, she looked at the chair she had been sitting on. IT was a red velvet upholstered armchair, with a deep seat and a high back.

She felt the rope going around her body, as she looked down and saw it being pulled gently but firmly around her arms, forcing them in as the smaller man wound it quickly above and below her chest, pinning her arms into place. “Thank you,” he eventually said as he tied the ropes off, “Please, sit down and make yourself comfortable, but do not sit back – not yet anyway.”

As she sat down, she tried to make out what she could of the two men. They were both thin, and strong, and looked as if they had little hair, and what there was of it was greying. Still, the taller one worried her more, as he stood there silently, not letting go of her daughter.

She barely noticed as the other man tied her ankles tightly together, and then secured her legs above her knees, making sure he cinched both bands between her legs.

“Right,” he said as he moved to one side, “I want your daughter to sit in front of your legs, and put her arms behind her and around them.”

“Just do as he says dear,” Sharon said quietly as the grip on Jackie was finally released, and she sat down, moving her arms as she had been told to and watching as they were crossed and tied together, then tied to the rope around her mother’s legs above her knees. The masked man then tied some rope around her stomach and her mother’s legs, securing them to each other before he moved round and tied her own legs, at her ankles and below her knees, the rope squeaking against her leather boots as he tightened it.

Jackie moved her legs up and down, feeling the rope rubbing against her legs, and then tried to move her wrist, only to hear her mother says “Please, love – it hurts when you do that.”

“Feel free to make yourself more comfortable now- as a pair,” the masked man said, as Sharon shuffled back, Jackie joining her until she felt her mother’s legs press against the chair.

“There we go,” the man said as he stood up, “but I’m sorry to say we must now keep you both quiet. My friend here will take care of that.”

The tall man reached into the bag and took out two large headscarves, which he quickly rolled into bands and tied a knot in the centre of each one. Kneeling down, he eased the knot between Jackie’s teeth and tied the scarf tightly round her head, before standing and doing the same for her mother.

“Enjoy your evening – I’m sure your husband will be home soon,” the man said as they both left, the two women trying to free themselves as soon as they heard the front door close…

On that occasion, it was the two men who visited, but as often or not it was the smaller man and the woman who were reported as breaking in. Whatever the combination, those who fell victim to the gang always commented on how polite, if firm they were.

Take, for example, the case of Bonnie Carson and her ten year old daughter Chase – the Silver Shadows visited them one night in 1976. Although all three broke in, only the two went to take care of them…

“Ninety eight. Ninety nine. One hundred.”

“Thanks mum,” Chase said as she looked at herself fin the small gold mirror. Her mother had just finished combing her long black hair for her, as she stood on the stool in her parent’s bedroom. Her father was downstairs waiting for her wife and daughter to finish getting ready before they went out.

At least, that had been the plan, but they did not know that things were about to change. Chase was wearing a white lace petticoat over her royal blue knee length dress, the sleeves coming to just below her elbows and a peter pan collar at her neck, white socks and white shoes.

Her mother, Bonnie, had a similar dress on, save for the pattern being all over in diamonds, and the skirt coming below her knees. She was not wearing any shoes at the moment, but a pair of sheer stockings was over her legs.

“Well, it’s very important that your hair is well taken care of,” she whispered into her daughter’s ear as she heard some noises from downstairs. “I wonder who that could be,” she said to herself, before turning to Chase and saying “come on now – your dad will be wondering what has happened to us.”

“I don’t think you need to worry about him just now, my dear – please put the comb down and raise your hands.”

Bonnie turned round to see a man and woman standing in the doorway, dressed in a grey jumper and pants, with gloved hands – one of the woman’s pointing a small gun in her direction. They also had grey balaclavas covering their heads, only showing their lips and eyes.

“Sorry if we scared you,” the woman said to Chase, who was gripping her mother’s arm in fright, “but I promise you if you so as we say, everything will be just fine. Both of you, lie down on the bed, and clasp your hands together in front of you.”

“Are you bad people,” Chase said as she looked at them.

“Well, we like to steal things, but we’re not that bad, not really,” the man said “just do as my friend here says and it’ll be a big adventure.”

“And we can stay together?”

“And you can stay together,” the woman said as she motioned to the bed. Bonnie lifted her daughter up and sat her on the bed, before she walked round and sat next to her, then lay down with her head on the fluffed pillows.

“Copy me dear,” she said as she put her hands together on front of her, Chase moving down and doing so as the masked woman straightened the skirts of both of them, and the man took some lengths of cord out of a bag he was carrying.

“Where’s my husband,” Bobbie said as she watched the woman tie her wrists tightly together.

“He is talking to our friend downstairs,” the masked woman said as she passed the rope between her wrists, tightening the binding, and then laid her wrists on her lap, watching as the man bound Chase’s wrists together. They then walked down the bed, and started to tie the ankles of the mother and daughter, making sure it was cinched between their legs before taking the rope down and tying it to the footrest for each of them.

A third layer of rope went around their legs, below Chase’s knees and above Bobbie’s as the mother’s dress was pulled around her legs and then the rope secured in place.

“There now,” the masked man said as he stroked Chase’s hair from her eyes, “Not too bad is it?”

“No,” Chase said as she twisted her wrists round, then watched as a length of rope went down from them to her legs, “but it’s still a bit scary.”

“I know,” the woman said as she took a roll of sticking plaster from the bag, “but think of it is an adventure, like the ones you see in your comics. You read Judy, don’t you?”

“And Bunty,” Chase said as the woman tore a length of plaster from the roll.

“Well then, pretend you’ve been kidnapped from ballet school or something – now, put your lips together and smile for me.”

As she pressed the cloth down over Chase’s lips, the masked man tore a longer length off and pressed it down over her mother’s mouth, before he started to search the drawers and other furniture for any jewellery he could find.

“Right, we’re going to leave now,” the woman said as she stroked their heads, “I’m sure someone will be along eventually.”

They left the door open as Chase snuggled in next to her mother, time passing far too slowly for her liking…

Although the Shadows were known for targeting families, they were not the only people that feel victim to their polite, if restrictive attentions. Three young models from Margate, one night in 1972, were visited by them after a shoot.

“And that’s a wrap – well done girls!”

“Thanks, Jim,” Dawn said as she looked at Fiona and Heather. “What do you say to a night on the town?”

“Sounds good,” Dawn said as she rubbed the back of her head. All three girls were dressed in a similar style – orange Rayon blouses, tartan mini skirts and brown brogues. Dawn had long blonde hair, and was wearing a blue beret, while Heather had her light brown hair under a red woollen beret. Fiona, by contrast, had nothing on her close cropped blonde hair, but was wearing a pair of knee length orange socks.

They climbed into Dawn’s VW Beetle and headed away from the town square to the house they shared on the outskirts of town, courtesy of Fiona’s father, Lord Denby. As they drove onto the driveway, the lights were out and the sun was starting to set, so they ran inside as fast as they could.

Straight into the three masked intruders who were in the front room. All of them wore grey jumpers, pants and gloves, and had gray balaclavas pulled over their heads. One was female – Heather could see that from her body and the red lipstick that adorned her mouth. The others were taller, male, and looked at the trip with a great deal of interest.

“Who… Who are you,” Heather finally said.

The two men looked at each other, before the woman shook her head, whispered “Typical” and then pointed a large revolver at them. “Please,” she said clearly, calmly and coldly, “hands in the air, and shut up. Oh – and while you’re about it, take those hats off. They really do not suit you.”

“Jim thought differently.”

“Then Jim is an idiot,” the woman said, “so get them off. I rather hoped we would be gone before you returned, but such is life – now we have to make sure you cannot raise the alarm.”

“And how do you propose to do that,” Fiona said in a calm, angry voice, “there are three of us, and we are younger than your friends.”

“And yet, I have the gun,” the woman said with a sweet smile, “and I am pointing it at you. Now, unless you want me to show what a good shot I am, put your hands in the air and stand perfectly still, while these two,” she said as she looked over her shoulder, “make you securely comfortable.”

“What do you mean by… Oh,” Dawn said as the taller of the two men gently guided her hands behind her back, and started to use some sort of tape to secure her wrists together. Looking over, she saw that the other man was using a roll of silver tape to secure Fiona’s wrists, as Heather watched at the end of the line.

“I’m sorry that we have to use the tape,” the woman said as she watched, “but it was all we were able to find after we heard the car pull up. Next time, we come better prepared.”

Dawn could have sworn the masked woman looked angrily at the man behind Fiona, and that he seemed to almost cringe, but then he recovered and started to tape Heather’s wrists, while she felt the taller man wrap the silver tape around her arms and chest.

“Now then,” the woman eventually said as the three girls were made to sit side by side on the long green couch, and the two men started to tape their ankles together, “I was most impressed with what we found in your bedrooms – you all showed exquisite taste in jewellery, and I thank you for them.”

“You’re nothing more than a common thief,” Fiona said as she watched her legs been taped above and below her knees.

“Oh, I am not a common thief,” the woman said with a sweet smile. “I respect the nobility of the land, and your father would approve of that. Perhaps I will call him when we leave – show my appreciation by telling him of his daughter’s plight, taped and gagged with her two flatmates while the evil robbers make off with her nice things?”

“You wouldn’t dare…”

“Try me, sweetie,” the masked woman said as she stroked her gloved hand down Fiona’s cheek, and then nodded as the taller of the two men pressed a length of silver tape over her mouth.

“Well, it has been a pleasure to meet all three of you,” the woman said as the two men picked up some bags, the jingling telling all three girls what was in there, “but we must dash. Enjoy the rest of your evening.”

Blowing them a kiss, she walked out, followed by the two men, as all three girls started to try and wriggle free from the tape that held and silenced them…

In 1970, we have the earliest recorded case of the Silver Shadows – this one involving the daughters of Sir Mark Stevenson, the retail magnate, in their flat in the town of Lighton.

It was a cold September day, and Mary Stevenson pulled her brown suede jacket tightly round herself to keep out the chill. She wore a light pink blouse underneath and a matching sleeveless pullover, the large winged collar over the top. The folded blue silk scarf she had tied round her neck also kept some of the chill out, as the ends blew over her chest in the wind.

She had a matching brown suede skirt on, that buttoned up the front, and a pair of high brown soft leather boots, the laces criss-crossing up the front of her legs. Despite that, however, she still felt the keen wind as she turned into the high fenced area that stood in front of the block of flats. She lived in the one on the second floor with her nineteen year old sister Patricia, the two of them studying at the local polytechnic.

“Pat, it’s me,” she called out as she let herself in, dropping her door keys on the phone table and taking off her coat. As she hung it on the old oak coatstand, she listened for a reply, having seen her sister’s long leather coat there as well, but there wasn’t one.

Mary ran her fingers through her long blonde hair before heading to the kitchen, and lighting a gas ring before she filled the kettle and put it on. As the water started to bubble, she opened the jar of Maxwell House and put a spoonful into a brown mug, before putting some milk from the fridge in.

“Do you want a cup of coffee,” she said as she walked into the front room – and then stood still, aghast at the sight of her younger sister sitting in one of the wooden dining chairs, and the masked man and woman standing behind her.

The woman smiled, her red lip s covered by the stocking that was pulled down tightly over her head, as the whistling sound came from the kitchen. “If you will excuse me,” the tall man standing behind her said as he moved noiselessly past Mary, and she heard the whistling slowly die down.

Patricia was staring back at her sister over the large band if green silk that filled her mouth, the scarf pulled tightly between her lips and around her head before the ends had been knotted together under her brown hair. Mary could see the bands of rope encircling her upper body, the white contrasting with the dark burnt orange blouse and brown striped tank top. Joanne’s arms were bent round the chair, and as the masked woman put her hand on her sister’s shoulder Mary could only guess that her wrists were tied together as well.

“You must forgive my man,” the woman finally said, “he despises a disorderly house. Now, my dear, as you see your sister is quite secure, and I hope you will co-operate fully as well – for both your sakes.”

“What do you want,” Mary said quietly as she looked at Patricia’s legs, tied tightly at her ankles over her short black suede boots and below her knees, then pulled to the side and secured to the chair leg so that she looked as if she had been presented in London, rather than trussed by a pair of masked robbers. Her brushed brown leather mini skirt squeaked as she shifted round on the plastic seat cover.

“Well, your jewellery mainly,” the woman said with a sweet smile, “and I am sure you will help me to find it with a minimum of fuss. First, however, allow my man to do his work.”

Mary felt her arms been pulled gently, yet firmly, behind her back and then the rope rubbing over the cuffs of her blouse as they were crossed and secured together. She felt the tightness of the binding, and yet the fact it did not hurt, as her arms were then tied to her sides with ropes above and below her chest. Whoever this man was, he worked quickly, and he knew what he was doing – yet he was infallibly polite, apologising in his Northern brogue when he accidentally brushed against her chest with grey velvet gloved hands.

“Now then, my dear,” the woman said as she took Mary’s arm, and walked her to the bedrooms, “Why don’t you show me where you keep your jewels, and then we won’t have an unseemly mess, will we?”

As they walked out, Patricia looked at the tall man, his head to one side before he said “Would you care for some refreshment?”

“There – I trust that is not too uncomfortable?”

“Not really, given you have tied me up,” Mary said as she raised her legs from her position on the edge of the bed, and looked at the white rope that encircled her ankles, and her legs below her knees. The masked woman had tied them as tightly as her male companion, but had made sure her skirt had been flooded back after she tied her legs together.

“I’ll make you more comfortable in a moment,” the woman said as she gently untied the scarf from around Mary’s neck, and then shook it loose before rolling it diagonally into a thick band, “but before I do so I regret to say I need to make it difficult for you to be heard clearly. Open wide please.”

“I’ll give you this – you both have impeccable manners.”

“Thank you,” the woman said before she pulled the silk band into Mary’s mouth, forcing her tongue down as the young woman closed her lips over the gag, and allowed the bands to be tied round her head, the woman moving her blonde hair out of the way.

“There – lie down and make yourself as comfortable as possible,” she said as Mary lay on her side, looking over her shoulder as her legs were pulled back, and her ankles secured to her chest ropes behind her back. The woman then picked up the bag containing the jewels, but before she could leave Mary called out “ewwntptshnhr.”

“You wish your sister to join you in here?”

Mary nodded as the woman looked at her, and said “Very well then.” She left the room, and a few minutes later the tall man carried Patricia in, the scarf gag replaced by a strip of plaster over her mouth, and placed the chair next to the bed.

“Good evening, ladies,” he said before he left them alone, to try and work out what to do next…

One of the last reported cases involving the Shadows was in 1977, in a house on the outskirts of Dover.

“Whose brilliant idea was it to play strip Ludo,” Dot said as she looked at June and Ruth. She held her arms around herself as she shivered, the thin white minidress offering little protection, even with the lace overlay on the sleeves and front. She also had on a pair of black stockings, held up by a garter belt, and black shoes with a three inch wedge heel.

“You agreed to the rules,” June said as she looked at the black haired girl. She had shoulder length light brown hair, and wore a long sleeved v-necked jumper with a diamond pattern, a pleated checked mini skirt, natural coloured tights and knee length leather boots with a wedge heel. She reached over and took Dot’s hand, as the third flatmate Ruth untied the two parts of the white belt around Dot’s dress, and then slowly pulled down the zip at the back.

Ruth was also wearing knee length black leather boots, these ones with a little cuff over the knee, and black fishnet stockings, the tops barely hidden by her pleated white mini skirt, and finally a blue blouse with white polka dots. Her blonde hair was held back in a ponytail, Dot shivering as her bra was exposed.

“Allow us to help you,” June said as she pulled the sleeves down and watched Dot stand up, the dress falling to the floor as she did so. Stepping out of it, she allowed Ruth to clear it away before she stood up and left the room.

“Back in a minute,” she said, but as she entered the kitchen she saw something there that made her stop, and slowly raise her hands in mute fear.

“What’s keeping her,” June said as she looked at the doorway, “it doesn’t take that long to get another bowl of potato crisps.”

“Can’t I put something on to keep the cold out,” Dot said as she shivered again, “there’s an awful draft in here, as if someone has left the door open.”

“Yeah, it is a little nippy,” June said, but as she went to see what was keeping Ruth the door opened inwards, and she saw two people standing there, a tall man and a slightly smaller woman, dressed in grey with a balaclava over their heads, showing only their eyes and mouths.

“Oh my,” the woman said as she stepped forward, a very real looking pistol in her hand, “I do believe this lady is in need of some help. Will you oblige?”

The tall man stepped forward, picked up a cardigan and handed it to Dot, saying “If you will put this on, I think you will be more comfortable,” as he did so.

“Thank you,” Dot said as she wrapped the cardigan around herself, while the masked woman looked at June. “Did you do this,” she eventually said.

“And if I did?”

“then it is most unladylike, and you need to be taught a lesson,” the woman said as she looked sternly at June. “So you get to come with me. Make sure the young lady is comfortable.”

The tall man inclined his head as the woman grabbed June and marched her out of the room. “With regret,” the masked man said as he took some lengths of rope from his jacket pocket, “I am required to make sure you cannot raise the alarm. Please, stand and put your hands behind your back.”

“Where’s Ruth,” Dot said as she felt her wrists being secured together.

“My friend is looking after her in the kitchen,” the man said quietly, as he quickly but efficiently secured her wrists, and then her arms to her side, ensuring her cardigan remained closed as he did so. “IF you will lie on the couch there,” he then said as he pointed to a leather two seater, “I will secure your legs for you.”

“Very kind and thoughtful,” Dot said as she walked over and sat down, watching as he knelt and bound her ankles together, after removing her shoes, and then her legs below her knees. As he helped her to lie on her side, she said “You are very well mannered for an armed robber.”

“Good manners cost nothing,” he said in that funny accent he had, before he reached into his pocket and took out a roll of sticking plaster. “Alas, I must cut our conversation short – again, accept my apologies.”

“Well, when you put it that way, I sspspsccnn,” Dot said as he pressed the brown fabric firmly over her mouth, turning to look as the woman walked back in.

“Time we weren’t here,” she said quietly, “and take my advice young lady – pick better friends.”

Dot nodded as she watched them walk out, followed by a third, slightly smaller man. After a while, she wriggled round and managed to stand on her feet, hopping out of the room and down towards the kitchen.

Ruth was sat in a kitchen chair, bound tightly to it with bands of rope around her chest, lap and legs, her ankles held to one side in a very lady like manner with the ropes. She also had a brown fabric strip over her mouth, as she tried to indicate a pair of scissors on the table – one Dot had seen as well.

It took her some time to cut through the ropes around her wrist, and then free herself, but eventually she managed to wriggle free of the ropes and remove her gag, Ruth wincing as Dot ungagged her.

“June?”

“They rook her upstairs,” Dot said as she went to work on the ropes, “these are some knots. You’d think a sailor tied them.”

Eventually, however, she freed her friend, and the two of them ran up to the first floor. June was lying on her back on the bed, her ankles and wrists tied to the four corners with stockings as she mewled through the wide strip of Elastoplast covering her mouth.

“What on earth has that woman used on these knots,” Ruth said. Dot reached over, sniffed ad said “Nail varnish, she’s coated them with nail varnish. We’ll have to cut through the stockings to free her.”

Speculation still exists as to the true identity of the Silver Shadows, but one thing was clear. Whoever they were, they had class, manners and breeding – a more upper class of criminal, you might say.

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