Postby KP Presents » Thu Sep 11, 2014 1:54 am
“Sure – the kids are round at the Cottrell place,” Yvonne said as she opened the door, and showed the visitors into the front room.
“Hello,” Mark said as he stood up, “what brings you two round? I thought this was meant to be a quiet visit?”
“Well that was the plan,” Sarah said as she sat down, “but – well, is there any chance of a drink?”
“Coffee?”
“Something stronger,” Brian said, “you’re going to need it.”
“That does sound serious,” Mark said as he went to pour some whisky into glasses. “What’s happened?”
“Tell me,” Brian said as he accepted a glass, and Sarah took some water, “have you heard of a gang called The Carpetmen?”
Yvonne and Mark looked at each other, before Mark said “they’re not planning to hit somewhere around here are they?”
“That is what Barry Hampton told me yesterday,” Brian said.
“Oh lord,” Yvonne said quietly, “not John or the others, surely?”
“Not as far as Barry can tell – this gang tend to target people who can get what they want physically, and they don’t strip houses as such. No, on this one, I think they’re all safe – and I thank the lord for that.”
“What about Andrew?”
“Nope – based on what this gang does, they’d go for you first, but again you’re an accountant, not their usual target.”
“So who is in the frame?”
“Barry won’t tell me – only that they have a number of houses under surveillance, and he wants them stopped.
“By any means necessary.”
Mark and Yvonne looked at each other, before said “you?”
“Me – they take hostages, and they’ve killed. In itself, that’s our speciality. The problem is they can’t be tipped off about what’s going to happen, and no police backup.”
“Okay,” Mark said as he looked at them, “so why are you coming to us?”
“Because we may need your help,” Brian said. “There is one way of doing this – stage a robbery and get Sarah in that way.”
“But you don’t know what house is going to be hit,” Mark said. “If you’re meaning Jay and friends get into the house first, and subdue the residents for their own safety, that takes time and planning.”
“I know – and we won’t have that time,” Brian said. “Barry reckons even once they spot the van they use, by the time we got there it would be too late to go into the house that way.
“No, the idea would be to stage a robbery of the house next door, and then get Sarah in somehow. That we’d have to figure out at the time – and it will depend on who is in the house next door. But we’re going to need your help.”
“So we have to do this as Jay and friends?”
“That’s right – Jay, Mrs McPhee, Ophelia and friend. Mark, I know it’s asking a lot, and outside what we normally ask you to do, but this is a situation where we’re all improvising.”
“You’re going to go red, aren’t you?”
“Very likely,” Sarah said to Yvonne. “Will you help us?”
Mark looked at Yvonne, who stood up and went to the hallway.
“Where are you going?”
“To call your mother, ask her to come and watch the kids this weekend.”
Barry Hampton walked into the pub and went to the side table, where Brian was having a quiet pint.
“Well?”
“We have a plan in place – but we need your absolute guarantee that we do what we need to do without interference. Whatever happens, we and whoever we ask to help get kept out of this.”
“I know – and you have my word. What do you need?”
“A phone call when you know who they have gone for – and stay well out of the way.”
Saturday morning in Holderness was only marginally quieter than any other day – the main difference been the kids not going to school. Nobody paid much attention to the van with “CarpetRight” printed on the side as it drew up onto the driveway of the large semi-detached house, or the two men in overalls who got out and knocked on the front door.
Anyone passing may have seen the door opened by a middle aged woman in a sweatshirt and jeans, and if they had been very observant they would have seen her eyes widen in fear as one of the men pushed her in, and then two more followed them into the house, before the door closed and the curtains were drawn over the front windows.
As it was, one person did, as he took out a mobile phone, made a call and then walked quickly away from the bus stop he had been waiting at.
“Got it Barry – leave the rest to us.”
“They’ve struck, haven’t they,” Mark said as he looked at the Australian. They, Yvonne and Sarah were sitting in the back of a grey transit van, parked in a supermarket car park.
“Yes – Dennis Cavanaugh, manager of the local pawn shop. He has a wife and two girls, fourteen and seventeen.”
“Dammit,” Sarah said, “then we need to move. Who lives next door?”
“A family called Reeves – mum, dad, three girls all under ten. We need Jay and Mrs McPhee.”
“Well then,” Mark said as he got up, “let’s go to work, and pray we’re not too late.”
“All right girls, let me see how you all look!”
Debbie Reeves was sitting in the front room of her house, smiling as her three daughters walked into the front room. First up was the oldest, ten year old Betsy, her long brown hair brushed back as she paraded in a cream coloured top with a design of brown branches and black birds on it. It was buttoned up the front, with wide sleeves that came to just above her wrists and hung above her knees, while she wore a pair of knee length tan coloured leather boots with a strap at the top.
“Very nice, Betsy,” Debbie said, the girl smiling as the youngest of her daughters, Shirley, came in. Eight years old, she had on a pink t-shirt with a white unicorn on the front, and pink leggings with white polka dots. She also was wearing a pair of Debbie’s boots, black suede with leather soles, that came almost to the top of her legs as she walked round giggling as she shook her head and her long blonde hair flew around.
The last to come in was nine year old Nancy, her blonde hair falling ringlets down her head. She also had a pink t-shirt on, this one with a picture of Dora the Explorer on the front, and white trousers that had a design of multicoloured cup cakes printed on them. Her legs were also in a pair of her mother’s boots, these ones black patent leather with a three inch stack heel, coming over her knees like waders.
“You all look wonderful,” Debbie said as she clapped her hands and stood up. Their mother was wearing a pink sweatshirt and joggers, the legs of the joggers tucked into a pair of knee length burgundy leather boots with a three inch stiletto heel. “I knew this would be a good day for a dress up day.”
Looking out of the window, she saw a grey van pull up outside, and a man get out from behind the driver seat, opening the side door as he did so.
“Right – I’ll go and get some drinks,” Debbie said as she made her way to the kitchen, opening the fridge and taking out a large bottle of orange juice. Placing it on the kitchen table, she went to a cupboard and took out four glasses, pouring the juice in before she returned the bottle to the fridge.
It was as she closed the fridge door and looked round that she saw the four people, two men and two women, standing in her kitchen. All four were wearing blue boiler suits, and had balaclavas pulled down over their heads.
“Good morning, Mrs Reeves,” one of the men said in a Geordie accent as he walked forward, “my name is Jay Edwards, and I need you to stay quiet and calm. My friends and I are going to be staying a little while, and it will be better and safer for you and the girls if you do exactly what we say, all right?”
“Oh god,” Debbie whispered, “I’ve heard of you, but my husband doesn’t work for a bank or a financial place – he’s a plumber.”
“Don’t worry for now about why we are here – just do as we say, and everybody will be all right. Now, we need to make sure everyone in the house knows what’s happening, so why don’t you take me to the girls?”
Debbie wasn’t sure why she trusted Jay, but she nodded as they walked into the front room, the other man putting the glasses of drink on a tray and carrying them through.
“Hello girls,” one of the women said as they entered, her voice Scottish, “please don’t be afraid – we’ve come to visit you for a little while. My name’s Mrs McPhee – what’s yours?”
The three girls looked at the masked strangers, before the oldest said “I’m Betsy, and this is Shirley and Nancy. Who are you?”
“Well, like I said, my name is Mrs McPhee, this is my friend Ophelia, and this is Jay. My other friend doesn’t like us to say his name, so we call him Bob.”
“Why do you have masks on your head,” Nancy said as she looked at them.
“Well, that’s a very good question Nancy,” Jay replied, “why don’t you all sit on the couch, and your mum can sit there, and while you have your drink we can explain what’s going to happen.”
“All right, girls, just do as he says,” Debbie whispered as they took their seats, and the man they called Bob handed the glasses round.
“Make sure the telephones are disconnected,” Jay said, the man nodding as he left the room.
“Now then, my friends and I need to talk to your daddy when he gets home about something very important. When will he get home?”
“Late tonight,” Debbie said, “he’s working on a job out of town.”
“Well then, we’re going to stay for the day,” Jay said, “but because we need to keep him surprised, and also to make sure we know where you are, I’m afraid we’re going to have to keep all four of you here, and you won’t be able to move or speak for a while. We’ll take care of you, let you go to the toilet when you need to, and let you eat – but you need to do what we say.”
“Think of it like a big game,” Mrs McPhee said to the three girls. “Can I ask why you’re all dressed like that?”
“It’s dress up day,” Nancy said, “mum lets us dress up and wear her boots and we have fun together.”
“That’s right,” Debbie said.
“Well then,” Jay said, “Can I make a suggestion? The three lovely pop idols have been kidnapped by a group who want to make them pay a lot of money to be free, and their guardian,” he said as he looked at Debbie,” has been taken hostage with them.”
“That sounds fun,” Betsy said, “not scary at all. Will it hurt?”
“No it won’t,” Mrs McPhee said, “Ophelia and I will take very good care of all of you. Now, finish your drinks, and we can start.”
The girls all sipped their orange juice, as Debbie looked at the masked intruders.
“Now then,” Ophelia said quietly, “I want all three of you to put your hands together in front of you, palm to palm, as if you were praying at church.”
As Debbie watched, the three girls did as Ophelia had asked, while Mrs McPhee took some cord and tied their wrists together, one by one, taking the rope around and between their arms.
“There now,” Mrs McPhee said as all three girls looked at their wrists, “that doesn’t hurt does it?”
“No,” Betsy said with a smile, “now what?”
“Now we tie your ankles together – it may make a funny noise, but it doesn’t hurt any more. We’re also going to tie your legs together below your knees, and then I want all three of you to sit back on the couch.”
As their ankles and legs were secured, Jay turned to Debbie and said “Please cross your wrists in front of you – we’re going to secure you in the same way as the girls. Once that is done, you can all pick a film to watch from your collection.”
“And you promise we won’t be hurt?”
“I promise,” Jay said as Shirley shuffled back, the rope squeaking on her boots, and Ophelia tied her wrists to her knees. Soon, all three girls were sitting on the couch, Betsy’s feet over the edge as they wriggled round, while Debbie’s wrists were tied down to the rope below her knees.
“So what would you like to watch girls,” Mrs McPhee said.
“A Tinkerbell Movie,” Nancy called out, the others nodding in agreement.
“One more thing,” Jay said as Mrs McPhee set up the player, “we need to keep all of you quiet for the film, so we’re going to put some special tape over your mouth. Just keep calm, enjoy the film, and when it’s over we’ll sort you some lunch. All right?”
One by one they had a strip of white tape pressed over their mouths, before the film started. “Mrs McPhee and Ophelia will stay with you,” Jay said before he and Bob walked out of the room.
“Well,” Mark said as they went up the stairs. Brian beckoned him into a room, and then handed him a stethoscope.
“Listen,” he said as Mark removed the balaclava, and put the listening device to the wall.
“Oh god,” he said as his face went white, “are they doing what I think they’re doing? And to who?”
“I think it’s the daughter – and I want them to pay. But we cannot make a move until the husband is sent to do the work. I’ll keep watch at the front from an upstairs window – you keep an eye on the family.”
“And then?”
Brian picked up a small brown canvas bag. “Then we get Sarah in.”