It’s Only Business

He sat at the desk in the office, looing again over the five dossiers laid out in front of him on the desk and checking his notes on the pad. The photos on the front of each dossier showed five women, each of them well known, each married to one of five prominent businessmen.

“Boss?”

“Come in,” he said as he looked up, five more men coming in and standing round the table. “We are a go for tomorrow we know all five women are going to be in the one location for one of their regular morning meetings so we go in and get them there. Any questions?”

“What do we use as codenames?”

“Not names numbers. I am Number One you are Two through Six,” he said as he pointed out each of them in turn. “That’s not a mark of seniority just a way of hiding our real names.”

“Work clothes?”

“Casual, but we will use stocking masks. Be here at 9 am for final briefing tomorrow morning, all right?”

All five nodded as he smiled

As Tamsin Greyson walked down the staircase of her house, she had to confess she was looking forward to meeting with the “Coffee clutch” again. She had taken the day off from her investment firm, but still was dressed for the office they all did so, in case they had to go not there later. So, she was wearing a tan jacket and pants with a high collared white blouse under the jacket as well as brown three-inch heel shoes.

Her greying blonde hair was styled and waved, and as she made her way to the kitchen to start the coffee machine, she was feeling good. Her housekeeper had taken the day off, so she had to do this but she wanted to. It was the small things that kept life normal.

The sound of the doorbell ringing made her turn before she walked along the corridor and opened it.

“Hey, you two come on in.”

She stood to one side as the two new arrivals came in. Ulrika Johansen was in her late forties and had styled grey-blonde hair. She was wearing a tailored grey jacket and knee length skirt, a white blouse under the jacket open at the neck, and grey heels.

The other woman was Sandra O’Leary, about the same age but with red hair. She was wearing a black trouser suit and heels, the long jacket coming over her upper legs, and a white silk cowl necked top underneath.

“Got the coffee ready,” Sandra said as she closed the door.

“I have go and sit down, the others should be here soon.”

As they walked into the front room, Tamsin returned to the kitchen, carrying a large tray through with the coffee put, cream, sugar and five cups.

“That will be them now,” she said as she left it on a low coffee table, the doorbell ringing. She turned and walked to the front door, Ulrika shaking her head as she heard her say “come away in.”

The two women who came in were both wearing grey suits with white blouses the younger of the two wore a jacket and skirt, with her strawberry blonde hair cut short, while the older had short grey hair and was wearing a pants suit, round black glasses over her eyes.

“Helena, Jamie welcome. Come sit down, have some coffee, and we will put the world to rights.”

“Don’t mind if we do,” the older woman said as they both sat down, Tamsin sitting in an armchair as she poured coffee into the cups and handed them round. “Now, about that charity fair next Saturday.”

Jamie nodded as she said “well, I think I should “ She then looked at the door as it was thrown open, and six men walked in. Six men dressed in leather jackets and dark pants, six men with leather gloves on their hands and guns in those gloved hands, and six men who had stockings pulled down over their heads, pressing their hair down.

“I don’t know who you are,” Tamsin said as she slowly stood up, “but if you don’t go now, I will call the police.”

“Don’t be stupid lady,” one of them said in a deep voice as he pointed his gun at her, “do we look as if we are taking orders from you. As for calling the police we’ve disconnected the phone, and if any of you ANY OF YOU reach for your mobile phones it will be the last thing you ever do.”

The other five moved round the room to surround the five women, as Ulrika said, “if it’s money you want, we’ll give you it.”

“It is money we want - but you can’t give us it. Your husbands will.”

“Our husbands “ Sandra gasped as she looked round and said, “you’re kidnapping us?”

“Smart so handbags on the floor ladies and raise those hands where we can all see them.”

“We had better do what they say,” Tamsin whispered as she slowly raised her hands, the others following suit as their handbags fell to the floor.

“Good stand up, the rest of you. Two through Six you know what to do.”

Tamsin watched as the other five men moved behind each of the ladies, and then the one behind her pulled her wrists behind her back, before she felt rope rubbing on her wrists as they were secured tightly together. She could see each of her friends had also had their arms pulled behind their backs, as Helena said “Mum, what’s going on?”

“Bunch of men think they can extort money for our safe return is what’s going on, honey,” Jamie said as she glared at the one holding the gun.

“Want me to shut her up, One?”

“Do so, Six,” the armed man said.

“Keep those lips together, sweetheart.”

“Hmmnthuhrssmmthhrt,” Jamie mumbled as the brown sticking plaster was pressed down over her mouth, the other four women soon receiving the same treatment before black sleep masks were pulled down over their eyes.

“Whthrhuhdhhnh,” Sandra said as she twisted her head round.

“Taking you to a place to stay for a while,” One said as each woman was held; by the arm, and forced to walk out of the room, and out of the house. A grey van was parked outside, and they were made to get in the back and sit on the floor, each one turning her head round as four of the men sat with them, and the other two got in the front.

“Move out,” One said, Four nodding as he started the engine and drove off

Jamie heard the crunch of gravel under her feet as she made to step out and walk, then the heels on a wooden floor as she was guided down and they heard a door open. She was taken in and then made to stop as the blindfold was pulled off her head.

All five women were in a large cellar Tamsin looked round and saw no windows but they also saw five beds, as their wrists were untied.

“You can take the plaster off your mouths now,” the one that had been called One said as Ulrika peeled the brown fabric away from her mouth and looked round. “Where are we,” she said quietly.

“Doesn’t matter nobody knows you are here,” One said as Sharon rubbed her wrists. “We’re going to get you to call your husbands and father and explain fi they want you safely returned, they need out pay up and not call the police.”

“And you think they will do this,” Jamie growled.

“Does your husband love you and your daughter?”

She looked at Helena and then slowly nodded as the other five men picked up bags.

“Right go onto the bed, one each, and lie face down.”

They looked at each other and then lay on their stomachs, one on each bed, as Two, Three, Four, Five and Six walked to the side of the bed, and crossed their wrists behind their backs again before the rope went round them it felt softer to Ulrika but was tied just as tightly. She then felt the masked man cross her ankles before they were secured together in the same way, and then her legs below her knees before she was rolled over and made to sit up.

She looked round the room as they each had a longer rope passed round their body and pulled tight, their jackets opening slightly as the rope was taken above and below their chests and forcing their arms against their sides, so that they had to stay there.

One smiled as the five men left the room and said “We’ll talk later” before he left and closed the door, all five women hearing the lock turning as they looked at each other.

“Can you reach any knots,” Sharon said as she looked at Tamsin, who was twisting round.

“No whoever they are, they know what they are doing and he’s right, nobody is going to hear us anyway.”

“Why not?”

“Would they have left us able to talk if we could,” Helena said as she looked at her mother, who was still frowning. Jamie looked over, and then shook her head as she said, “so what do we do?”

“Keep each other’s spirits up,” Ulrika said. “It’s tight, but not too bad I can cope with this.”

“I guess we all can,” Tamsin said. “So, what were we talking about .”

“Thank you,” Helena said as her arms and wrists were released, and she was handed a bag and a bottle of water. Opening the bag up, she looked at the others and then removed the sandwich, unwrapping it and taking a bite before she slowly chewed it. “How did you know “

“That you were Vegan we knew,” Three said as she looked round the room. Each of the woman was eating and drinking from the bottles of water, as One looked round.

“So, what happens now,” Tamsin said quietly.

“Eat, drink,” One said quietly, “and then I need you to make a phone call “

“Eric, this is not a joke,” Jamie said as she looked at Helena, “We have been kidnapped you need to listen to this man and do what he says, give him whatever he wants.

“No police fi you do, there are no guarantees on what might happen.

“All right he’s going to talk to you now,” she said as One took the phone away and said “listen carefully “

“They will pay up, I know they will,” Ulrika said as Sharon was brought back in by Two, jumping before she sat on the bed again. “Better,” Tamsin said as she looked over.

“Yeah better,” her friend replied as One said “Good, that is the correct answer. We’ll send details.” Ending the call, he looked at the five bound women and said “right - lights out. We’ll wake you when it is time.”

The masked men gathered the bags and bottles up and then bound their wrists behind their backs again, the ropes forcing their chests up and out before they were laid on their sides, their heads on thick pillows before the lights were turned off, the door closed and the lock turned, leaving them in total darkness.

“They seriously expect us to sleep Mum,” Helena said as she twisted in the tight bands.

“Mum?”

There was the sound of soft snoring as her eyes slowly closed

The four men got out of their cars, each of them carrying a bag as they looked at each other.

“What did you see when you got home?”

“The front door open, their bags on the floor- and then I got the call.”

“We all got the call if they have harmed them “

“We have to hope they have not.”

They then heard the sound of a van approaching and coming into the clearing from the other side. It stopped in front of the four men, the driver looking at them as a stocking masked man got out and looked at them.

“You got what we asked for?”

“Let us see them first,” one of the men said, watching as the masked man turned and nodded, and then the rear doors were opened. One by one the women were brought out, shuffling as the ropes held their ankles apart, and their knees had a short length between them. Their upper bodies had bands of rope holding their arms against their sides, and brown tape covered their mouths, black sleep masks over their eyes.

“Hriiccc?”

“We’re here,” Eric called back to Jamie as the blindfolds were removed, and they saw each other.

“Bring the bags over, nice and slow, and leave them in the middle,” One said, the four men carrying the bags over and placing them on the ground before they stepped back. He nodded to Three, he and three others walking over and opening the bags, then nodding before they carried the bags out the van and got in.

“Pleasure doing business gentlemen,” One said as he walked back and got into the van, all four men watching as it drove off before they ran over and embraced the five captives, peeling the tape away from their mouths.

“Are you all right,” Tamsin’s husband said as he looked at her. She nodded and then they kissed before he started to untie her.

“Please” she said, “just get us free and get us home “

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