Jay and the
Reception
“All right,
Brian,” Yvonne Williamson heard her husband Mark say as she came down the
stairs, “send what we need, and we’ll lay plans. It has to be that day?
“I know, but
from what you say, the family are going to be out until later – it means we adjust
timings appropriately.
“Okay – we’ll
be in touch,” Mark said as he put the phone down and looked at his wife. “We have a request to fulfil – open some
wine, I need to grab a file.” Yvonne
nodded as she headed to the kitchen, returning with a bottle of wine and two
glasses as Mark came out of his home office with a manila folder.
“So who does
Brian want us to visit,” she said as they sat in front of the coffee table,
putting the glasses down and opening the bottle of Chardonnay as Mark laid some
photos onto the table.
“The Pithers?”
“Yeah – Brian
is concerned Philip’s office is being used for money laundering,” Mark said as
he looked at one photo, with a white haired man in a smart suit and a blonde
haired woman in a blue dress. “So we -
well, we pay that visit we had planned.
As you know, they have three kids – two girls and a boy. There’s also a live in nanny come
housekeeper, who has two daughters as well.”
Yvonne looked
at the other photos, before she said “so what’s the problem with that weekend?”
“I happen to
know the Pither family are attending Philip’s brother’s wedding that morning –
so they should be back en masse late afternoon.
It means we go earlier that afternoon, secure the house, and then do
what we do so well.”
Nodding, Yvonne
said “Fair point – well, the kids have an invitation to Holderness Manor this
weekend, so we should be good. Who do we
call?”
“How’s it going
in there, girls?”
“Getting my
homework done, Mum,” Carol Drinkwater said as she called back from her seat at
the table, “and Edna is drawing a picture.”
She smiled as she looked at her five year old sister, her long blonde
hair falling in soft curls down her head.
She was wearing a grey pinafore dress over a long sleeved pink blouse,
her legs in pink wool tights and a pair of mid-calf burgundy leather
boots.
Carol was ten
years old, her dark curly hair pulled back in a short ponytail on her
head. Her grey cardigan was over a blue
dress with pink butterflies over it, her feet in a pair of red flat slippers. Looking back down at the book, she started to
write some more of her essay.
Grace
Drinkwater smile and shook her head as she went back to sweeping the floor of
the main room of the Pither home. She
was in her late thirties, her hair the same colour as Grace’s, and she was
wearing a short sleeved yellow top and tan pants, her feet in a pair of black
ankle boots. When her husband had died,
this had been a refuge, a new start for her.
It was a good
job, and she liked the kids - more importantly, they liked Carol and Edna, and
that meant the world to her. Even when
the doorbell rang, and she was not expecting any deliveries.
“Guess Pippa
ordered more clothes,” she said with a sigh as she put the broom to one side,
and then walked to the front door, looking at the figures through the frosted
glass. Opening the door, she smiled and
said “good afternoon, how can I…”
“Good
afternoon, Grace – kindly step back, and remain calm.”
She stared at
the six figures who walked in, the sole woman among them closing the door as
she tried to process what was happening.
They were all wearing blue boiler suits, boots and gloves – as well as
black balaclavas covering their heads so that she could only see their eyes and
mouths.
“Shit,” she
said quietly, “what do you want?”
“To conduct
some business with Mister Philip Pither,” the man who had spoken continued, his
accent a soft North of England one, “Allow me to introduce myself – my name is
Jay Edwards. Perhaps you have heard of
me?”
Grace slowly
nodded – him she had heard of. “So – so,
are you Mrs McPhee?”
“Aye,” the
masked woman said as two of the other men put their canvas bags down on the
floor. “Noo, remain calm, ahn tell me
where yer bairns are.”
“They’re –
they’re in there,” Grace said quietly as she looked to the door to the dining
room, “please, don’t hurt them…”
“We have no
intention of hurting them,” Jay said in his calm, soothing voice as he looked
at Grace, “but we do need to ensure they cannot let the Pithers know what is
going to happen. Mrs McPhee, will you do
the honours?”
“Aye – cum wi
me,” the masked woman said as one of the men picked up a bag and walked with
her, while Jay said “as for you, Grace, kindly put your hands behind your
back…”
Carol looked up
as the door opened, and then stared at the two masked people as they walked in,
the woman smiling as she said “Wuhl hello there – Ah’m Mrs McPhee, and who are
ye twa?”
“Carol… this is Edna,” she said as her sister stared
at the new arrivals, “who are you?
Where’s my mum?”
“Mah friend Jay
is talking tae her,” Mrs McPhee said, “What are ye both doing?”
“Drawing,” Edna
said as she came over and looked.
“It’s lovely –
and ye Carol?”
“Homework – why
are you wearing masks? Are you robbers?”
“Aye, we are –
ahn we’re gonna be here a while, so ah need tae make sure ye cannot dae sum
fings – but we can hae fun doing it. Dae
ye trust me?”
Carol looked at
Edna, and slowly nodded as she said “what are you going to do first?”
“Bind yer legs
while ye both finish what yer doin,” Mrs McPhee said as the masked man put the
bag down, and handed her some lengths of white cord, “so dae ye mind if I pull
yer chairs oot, then push them back again?”
Carol shook her
head as the man pulled her chair back, Mrs McPhee kneeling down and binding her
ankles together, as well as her legs below her knees while Edna watched.
“IT’s all
right,” Carol said as Mrs McPhee stood up, and she lifted her legs up and down,
“it doesn’t hurt Edna, so let her do it.”
“Okay,” the
younger girl said as she watched the masked woman wrap the rope round her ankles
and pull them together, giggling at the squeak as her boots rubbed together while
the rope was tied tightly round them.
Mrs McPhee then tied her legs together below her knees, before she
pushed her chair back in.
“Noo then,” she
said with a smile, “ah need tae make sure ye both stay nice ahnd quiet. So put yer lips together - and when ye’re
done, we go and join yer mum…”
“Hmhghhddd…”
Grace looked to
the doorway as she saw Carol and Edna jump in, both of them with their hands
behind their back and white tape covering their mouths.
“Hllmhhm –
uhrlhkhshswhl?”
She could only
nod as she twisted round on the couch, her wrists held firmly together behind
her back and rope round her arms and upper body. Her legs were also secured together at her
ankles and legs, and white tape covered her mouth as the two girls sat themselves
down either side of her. She leaned over
and pressed her gagged lips on their heads, as Jay said “now then, you can
watch something quietly until the family return. Mrs McPhee, what do you suggest?”
“Ah’ll look,”
the masked woman said as she turned the television on, and looked through the
streaming services until she said “ah fihnk this is guid.”
“Fhknun,” Edna
said as the Paw Patrol movie started, Grace looking at her mother as they
settled back to watch.
“Phone lines
and internet?”
“Disconnected,
Jay – what now?”
“No, we wait
for the Pither family to return….”
“Well, we’re
home again,” Philip Pither said as he drove the SUV up the driveway, and pulled
up outside the front door. He was
wearing a grey suit and a white shirt, a grey patterned tie under the collar,
while Pippa was wearing a blue wrap-round silk dress.
The white
haired man got out of the car, his black leather shoes crunching the gravel, as
Pippa got out on the other side. She
opened the rear doors as their children got carefully out.
Craig was
thirteen years old, and like his father was wearing a suit, shirt and tie. His suit was black, his tie a red, white and green
check, while he wore brown shoes. His
hair was brown, neatly cut.
Twelve year old
Annabelle was next to come out, her long brown hair falling over her
shoulders. She was wearing an ivory
coloured dress, held up by wide shoulder bands, her arms bare. The dress itself was made with layers of silk
and lace, and came down to the floor.
Rowena was nine
years old, and had long blonde hair like her mother. She was wearing the same style of dress as
her sister, with a silk bow tied in her hair.
“Let’s go in, I
want to get changed,” Philip said as they walked to the front door and walked
in, Pippa calling out “Grace, we’re back.”
“Grace? Where
are you,” she asked again as Philip walked into the front room, and then said
“oh my god…”
“What’s wrong
Dad,” Craig said as the children went in, and then Pippa heard Rowena shout
“MUMMY!” She walked in to see Grace and
her daughters sitting on the couch, bound and tape gagged as a masked woman
stood behind them.
“Good
afternoon, Philip – I trust the wedding was a success?”
Pippa turned
her head to see a masked man, like the woman wearing a blue boiler suit, who
was smiling as he said “as you can see, your housekeeper and her daughters are
fine, if secured and silenced. Mrs
McPhee has taken good care of them – and now, we are going to take just as good
care of your children while I have a chat with you and your wife.”
“Mrs
McPhee… Oh my god, you’re Jay Edwards?”
The masked man
nodded, Pippa wondering why she felt his voice was easing her fears, before he
said “now, why don’t you both put your hands behind your back, and allow my
friends to secure your wrists – and then you can stay while we make sure your
children are all secured and quiet.”
“Dad?”
“Don’t worry,”
Craig said as he stood with his sisters, “I’ll protect you both.” He watched as the other two masked men took
lengths of rope out of a bag, and walked behind his parents as Philip said
“look – I want you to do whatever they say.
I’ve heard of them – I don’t want any of you to get hurt.”
As their
parent’s wrists were secured, Mrs McPhee said “look at Grace and Edna – dae
they look afraid?”
Annabelle shook
her head as she saw the smile under the tape covering their lips, and then felt
the rope on her own wrists as the masked lady took her hands behind her back,
and started to secure them together. She
could feel the rope on her bare skin a sit went around and between her arms,
and then was tied off.
“Do as she
says, Rowena – it doesn’t hurt,” she said, her younger sister nodding as her
hands were taken behind her back, while another masked man took Craig’s hands
behind his back and started to bind his wrists together. He looked at his father, who nodded as he
said “it’s all right son – it’s going to be a very different afternoon and
evening for all of us.”
Craig just
nodded as Grace was helped to stand up and hop over to an armchair, while Jay
said “Carol and Edna – shuffle over to the ends of the couch, so your friends
can sit with you.”
“Hkhhmhshthrhdwhrds,”
Grace said as they did that, Annabelle and Rowena walking over and sitting down
as the skirt of their dress raised slightly.
Mrs McPhee knelt down and used white rope to bind their bare ankles
together, their silver slippers now visible, before she folded the skirt of
Annabelle’s dress back and tied her legs together below her knees. She repeated this for Rowena, before Craig
sat in the centre of the couch and watched as the masked woman bound his legs
as well.
“Noo then,” she
said as she picked up a roll of white tape in her gloved hands, “Purse yer lips
fer me.”
“Come with me,”
Jay said as he took Pippa by the arm, another man taking Philip and following
him as they walked into the dining room.
As they sat down on the chairs, Philip watched as the masked man used a
longer rope to bind her to the chair back, as Jay sat down and looked at
Philip.
“Let me guess –
they are your hostages, and you want me to do something for you?”
“Well – yes,”
Jay said with a smile as Philip felt himself being forced to the back of his
chair with rope. “As you said to your
son, this will be a very different day for all of you. In a short while, we will allow Grace to
prepare some supper for all of you, and then one of my friends will go with
you. Do as he says, everything will be fine
here.”
Philip nodded
as he said “all right – I think I know you will take care of them. Pippa?”
“We don’t have
a choice, do we darling? At least we got
to the wedding – they could have called earlier today…”
“that would not
have happened – I had no desire to deprive you of attending the happy
event. And besides – it may have caused
people to try and contact you, and we cannot allow that. So relax – it can be a pleasant experience if
you allow it to be.”
Philip nodded
before he heard muffled laughs, and then saw through the open door the children
jump to the kitchen, the skirts of his daughter’s dresses jumping up and down
as they passed with their mouths covered in tape.
“Getting them
ae drink,” Mrs McPhee said as they passed, Jay nodding as he said “so – what do
they have for supper…”
As Grace set
the plates down in front of everyone, she had to admit it was a sight she had
never in her wildest nightmares thought she would experience. The five children were sat round one end of
the table, ropes round their waists holding them on the chairs, their hands
freed but the tape still covering their mouths, while Philip and Pippa sat in
their chairs, still bound in place.
She sat herself
down, raising her hands to allow Mrs McPhee to wrap the rope round her waist to
keep her there, before Jay said “thank you – those with tape over their mouths
may now remove it, and hand the lengths to Mrs McPhee to dispose of.
“How are you,
Edna,” Grace said as she looked at her younger daughter.
“I’m fine,
Mummy,” she said with a smile, “and I’m not scared. Not at all.”
“None of us
are,” Rowena said as her brother and sister nodded. “Mrs McPhee told us to treat it as a big
game, and that helped. How did we look,
Mum?”
“What do you
mean,” Pippa said as she looked at them.
“When we were
jumping round – how did it look?”
“I have to
admit, it did look as if you were having fun,” Pippa replied as they took a
drink, “and it was funny how your dress moved with you.”
“Well, at least
you’re all happy,” Philip said as he looked round the table, “so eat up – but I
do need to tell you what is going to happen when we have eaten.
“According to
Jay Edwards, the children will be taken up and allowed to get ready for bed, as
will you Grace. When they come down –
well, you are all going to be tied up again.”
“Like before,” Craig
asked as he looked at his father. Philip
looked at Jay who said “actually, we need to really make sure you won’t be able
to move or speak, so it will be tighter – but I promise you, it will not hurt.”
“tighter in
what way,” Carol asked.
“Ye’ll see,”
Mrs McPhee said with a smile.
“So we get to
be bound and gagged,” Annabelle said with a sigh, “and then?”
“Ye can watch
the telly fer a while, but then ye go to yer beds, and we make sure ye stay
there until the morning.”
“I will be going
to do something for them,” Philip continued, “but your mother will also be
allowed to change before I go, and she will watch the television with you and
Grace. Whatever happens, we’ll talk
about it in the morning, all right?”
He looked round
the table as all five of them nodded, before Pippa said “right – let’s talk
about what we can all do tomorrow when we have a chance. How does a trip to the cinema for all of us
sound…”
“Is the
dishwasher loaded, Grace?”
“It is,” the
housekeeper said as she watched the masked men untie her daughters, and allow
them to stand up.
“You can stay
here until they come down,” Jay said as Mrs McPhee took Edna’s hand, and Grace
walked beside Carol. As they left the
room, Grace heard Pippa say “she’s been incredibly brave Philip,” and smiled as
they walked up the stairs.
“Noo then,” Mrs
McPhee said as they reached the top of the stairs, “where do ye girls want to
be tonight – ye room or wi yer mofer.”
“Can we be with
you Mum,” Edna sad as she looked at Grace, smiling as she nodded. “And can we wear matching pyjamas?”
“If you want –
the Hello Kitty ones?”
Both girls
nodded as Mrs McPhee said “yer mum will fetch them while ye wash – and can yer
get some sports socks as well?”
“Why?”
Mrs McPhee just
smiled as the girls went into the bathroom, and she went to their rooms, returning
with two sets of pink pyjamas which she took in. When all three came out, Edna and Carol were
wearing pink tops and shorts, with the Hello Kitty face and red dots printed on
them. The tops had short sleeves with a white
trim, and their shorts came to their knees.
“Ye turn,” Mrs
McPhee said as Grace went into the toilet, carrying a third set of pyjamas with
her, as the girls watched. The masked
woman then said “holds these in yer hands, and make fists wi them.”
She handed each
girl two half white sponges, waiting as they made fists, their fingers sinking
into the sponge before she covered their fists with silver tape, making them
like boxing gloves. They both looked at
each other, before she pulled the white sports socks over the fists, and used
the white tape to secure the tops to their arms.
“Oh my – it
looks as if you are wearing gloves,” Grace said as she came out, wearing the
same style of pyjamas. Her shorts were
shorter, and her top did not have the white trim on the sleeves.
“Yeah – but it
means we can’t use our hands,” Edna giggled as she waved her hands around.
“I think that
might be the point – me as well?”
“You as well,”
Mrs McPhee said as she handed Grace two half sponges, and then tore the end
free of the silver tape. The two girls
watched as she had her hands covered as well, before Mrs McPhee took some rope
from a bag, and guided their mother’s hands behind her back.
“So we get tied
up first,” Carol said as they watched their mother.
“Aye – but
watch carefully,” the masked woman said as she secured the ends, and then
wrapped a longer length of rope round Grace, pulling it tight under her chest
as she felt her arms being forced into her sides.
“That’s – new,”
Carol said quietly as Mrs McPhee wound the rope round their mother, forming the
two bands that framed her chest before she secured the ends behind her
back. The bands were then cinched with
smaller lengths between her arms and body, drawing the bands together as she
did so.
“Mum?”
“It’s – snug
Edna,” Grace eventually said, “but it’ll be all right. Let her do this to you
as well.”
The girls
nodded as Mrs McPhee made sure their arms were as snugly secured as Grace, both
of them twisting round as she said “May I ask a favour?”
“Aye?”
“Don’t gag us
yet – wait until everyone is ready. I
want them to have the chance to talk about how they feel.”
Mrs McPhee
looked at her, and then nodded as she said “Aye – I’ll tell Jay. Cum on – we’ll wait downstairs.”
The quartet
walked down and stood in the dining room, Craig and the other two girls
starting at them as she said “Jay, they want to be able to talk until
later. Nae problem?”
“No problem –
will you untie Craig and take him to get ready?
The girls will come up with me in a few minutes. Would you take Grace and her daughters into
the front room and stay with them?”
“Of course,
Jay,” one of the masked men said as she took the bound Drinkwater family with
him, Mrs McPhee releasing Craig from the chair and then walking upstairs with
him.
“what do you
want me to do,” Craig whispered as they reached his bedroom.
“Cum in,” Mrs
McPhee said as she opened the door, and they walked in. “Ah need ye tae find some pyjamas, and a pair
of white sports socks – then go tae the bathroom and get changed. Ah need yer help wi something.”
Craig nodded as
he removed his jacket and his tie, putting them over the back of a chair before
he opened a drawer and handed the masked woman a pair of sports socks. He then took out a pair of grey pyjamas and
went to the bathroom, one of the masked men outside as Mrs McPhee went to the
girl’s bedrooms.
When he came
out, Craig was wearing a grey t-shirt and shorts, smiling as he saw the girls
come up. “Richt gahls,” Mrs McPhee said
as she handed them each a pair of pink pyjamas with teddy bears on them. “Take these in thair, and hand me oot yer
dresses. Ah’ll put them in yer rooms tae
hang later.”
“Do as she
says,” Craig whispered, the girls nodding as they went into the bathroom. “Mrs McPhee – are you going to tie us the
same way as Grace and Edna?”
“aye – why?”
“I don’t know –
seeing them made me feel a bit…”
“Strange?”
As Craig
nodded, the masked woman smiled. “Tell
ye what – help me wi yer sisters, and then ah’ll take care of ye myself.”
Craig nodded as
the two girls came out, their hair pulled back in a ponytail as they looked at
Craig. “Into here,” Mrs McPhee said as
she indicated Annabelle’s bedroom – the three of them going in as Pippa walked
up.
“Mrs McPhee has
asked me to help,” Craig said as the girls stood there. “Rowena, I will take care of you while Mrs
McPhee takes care of Annabelle.”
“Okay,” the
younger girl said as Mrs McPhee took some sponge balls from the bag, handing
two to Craig. “Make fists wi these in
yer hands,” she said, the girls holding their hands out as they gripped the
sponges, then watching as Mrs McPhee wrapped Annabelle’s fists in the silver
tape.
“Your turn,”
Craig said as he took the tape and wrapped Rowena’s fists. At the same time,
Mrs McPhee pulled a pair of white socks up Annabelle’s arms, tucking the
sleeves of her pyjama jacket under and then wrapping white tape round the sock
top and the sleeve.
“We not going to
be able to use our hands, are we,” Annabelle said as Craig made sure Rowena’s
hands were covered as well.
“No – I don’t
think any of us will,” Craig said as he watched Mrs McPhee take two lengths of
white rope from the bag, and hand one to him.
“Turn round,
girls, and put your hands behind your back.”
“Here we go,”
Rowena said, Annabelle nodding as Mrs McPhee looked at Craig. “Double the rope over, and then cross yer
sister’s wrists behind her back. Then
copy me.”
Craig nodded as
he slowly doubled the rope, and then crossed Rowena’s wrists behind her back,
watching and then copying Mrs McPhee as she wrapped the rope round Annabelle’s
wrists, then fed the ends through the centre loop and pulled them back. As he did so, he saw the way Rowena’s wrists
were pulled together, and then wrapped the rope round them in neat bands.
“Tuck the rope
thru the top band, ahn then separate the ends.”
He did that, and then took the rope between Rowena’s arms to make the
binding tighter, then tied the ends as Mrs McPhee did.
“how doe sit
feel,” he whispered into Rowena’s ear.
“Tight, snug –
but it doesn’t hurt. What about you –
are you all right doing this?”
“I’m, not sure
– but it will be my turn soon,” Craig said as he looked at Annabelle – and then
saw the long length of rope Mrs McPhee handed him.
“Shake it
loose, laddie, then double it over and pass it round her body, then pull it
tight round her tummy.”
Craig nodded as
he passed the rope round Rowena, and then pulled it tight as his sister bit on her
lower lip. “that’s different,” she said
as Craig looked at the masked woman, then took the rope round Rowena’s upper
arms, forcing them against her sides as Annabelle gasped.
He looked over
to see his sister, the two bands of rope growing wider as Her jacket was
stretched, and felt something himself, but he shook his head and concentrated
on making sure his other sister was all right.
He made sure the two bands were neat and tight, before he copied Mrs
McPhee by taking the rope around both bands behind her back, and tying the ends
off.
He then used
smaller lengths to tighten the bands between Rowena’s arms and body, the young girl
twisting round as he tied the last knot.
“Sit doon on
the bed,” Mrs McPhee said, the two girls doing so and watching as Craig gripped
sponge balls in his hands as well.
“How do you
feel,” Rowena said as she saw Annabelle twist round.
“Different – I
mean, it doesn’t hurt, but it is tight,” Annabelle replied, “and I wonder what
else they are going to do. You?”
“It’s like being
hugged all the time – it actually feels nice in a funny way.”
“It does,
doesn’t it – and yeah, it is also exciting, but you know what’s funny?”
“what?”
“I’m not scared
– not scared at all.” Rowena nodded as
they watched Mrs McPhee bind their brother’s arms to his sides in the same way
as them, and then stood up before they walked downstairs.
“Well, here we
are,” Carol said as they walked in, the other three nodding as they took their
places on the couch again. Craig saw
that both Carol and Edna now had bands of rope around their ankles, and their
legs below their knees, and then watched as first his sisters, and then him had
their ankles secured in the same way, followed by their own legs.
“Mum has her
legs free – for some reason,” Edna giggled as they looked at Grace, who nodded
as she squirmed round in the chair.
“There is a
reason – but you do not need to know it,” Jay said with a smile as he came back
in with Pippa. She had changed into a
pair of red and black checked pyjamas, but like all the others she had her
hands behind her back, and bands of rope round her arms and upper body. She sat herself in the second armchair as
Craig looked at her.
“Well, we are
all the same,” she said with a smile, “Craig, are you all right?”
“Sorry, Mum,”
he said quietly, it’s just…”
Pippa and Grace
looked at each other as Craig blushed, before Pippa said “we can talk about
that in the morning, when your dad is here.”
“Talk about
what?”
Pippa looked
over to where Philip was standing in the doorway, wearing a leather jacket over
an open necked shirt and jeans.
“Growing up.”
“Oh –
right. Look, I have to go and do what
they want now, but I wanted to say I’m incredibly proud of you.
“All of you,”
he said as he looked at Grace and her daughters.
“Thank you,”
Grace said as he nodded, and then went out with Jay and one of the masked
men. “You know what to do,” Jay asked,
the man nodding as Philip said “you will keep them safe?”
“Do as he says,
and you have my word,” Philip nodded as the front door was opened, and the two
men stepped out into the darkness. Jay
walked back into the main room to see the girls and Craig watching the television,
while Grace and Pippa talked to each other.
“Let them
talk,” Mrs McPhee said, “ah’ll get sum milk fer them tae have before we make
them quiet.”
“Thank you,”
Edna said as she took her lips away from the metal straw, Mrs McPhee nodding as
she put the glass down on the coffee table.
“Ah need tae make
sure ye stay quiet now,” she said as she folded a white handkerchief, “so ah’ll
put this in yer moof, ahnd then wrap some tape roond yer heid.”
“Okay,” the
young girl said as she opened her mouth wide, feeling the cotton on her tongue
as Mrs McPhee gently pushed the cloth in, then waiting as Edna closed her lips
over it before she wrapped the white tape round her head, Grace watching as she
did so.
“Edna?”
“Hmfhnnhmhm,”
her daughter mumbled as she looked over, while Mrs McPhee gave Rowena a drink
next.
“My turn?”
“Your turn,”
Mrs McPhee said as Pippa watched her gag her youngest daughter. And then made sure the other two girls were
just as quiet. Craig was also watching,
those feelings getting stringer as he watched the tape going round Carol’s head
to silence her.
Mrs McPhee
looked over, and said “you have a crush on her, don’t ye Craig?”
Craig blushed
as he nodded, Grace and Pippa looking at each other as Grace blushed, and then
said “uhrrcuhthswhl.”
“Well,
something we can definitely talk about in the morning,” Pippa said, shaking her
head as Mrs McPhee gagged her son. “So,
will you gag us as well now?”
“Phlshhsss,”
Annabelle said as she looked at Pippa, Jay nodding as he said “we will – but
something else for your mouths.” He
compressed a white sponge and then pushed it gently into Grace’s mouth, her
daughters seeing the way her cheeks pushed out before he wrapped the white tape
round her head.
“We’ll all be
all right, okay?” the children nodded
before Jay gagged Pippa in the same way as Grace, then noticed that both Rowena
and Edna were starting to fall asleep.
“perhaps the
youngest should go up first?”
“Hllghtthh,”
Carol mumbled, Grace nodding as two of the men lifted Rowena and Edna in their
arms, and Mrs McPhee helped Carol to stand up – but not until she kissed Craig
on the cheek with her gagged lips. She
then jumped over and kissed Grace on the cheek, before she followed the masked
intruders to the staircase.
Jay shook his
head, before he left the room, taking out a phone as he said “this is Jay…”
“Shh,
uhfghtschrshhngrs?”
Craig looked at
Annabelle, and said “Dhnttlhfff…”
“Hmnhtlhffhhn –
shlhksuhswhl.”
Craig nodded as
he wriggled round, and then said “Hfhlshfhfnnhhee.”
“Mhtthhh,”
Annabelle said as she twisted round, wondering why the ropes rubbing on her chest
made her feel giddy…
“Good – keep me
posted,” Jay said as he glanced at the clock.
“It’s time, I need you all to stand up, and then come with me.”
Grace and Pippa
stood themselves up as Mrs McPhee helped both Craig and Annabelle to stand up,
the two children looking at each other before they jumped to the door, their
mothers following as Jay led the way.
They then pushed themselves up the stairs before Mrs McPhee opened the
door to Grace’s room.
She saw Edna
and Carol lying on one side of her bed, both of them with their eyes closed as
they faced each other. Lengths of rope
ran from their ankles to the bottom of the bed, Grace nodding as she sat down
and watched one of the masked men cross and bind her ankles together, and then her
legs below her knees. Mrs McPhee then helped
her to lie on her side, looking at her daughters as Jay pulled her ankles back
and secured them to the chest ropes.
“Check them
every fifteen minutes,” Jay said to the masked man, Pippa nodding as they left
the bedroom and turned the light off.
Grace sighed as her eyes slowly closed…
Pippa looked in
at Edna as she lay on her bed, her eyes closed and her chest rising and falling
between the bands of ropes. She nodded
as the door was closed, and then watched as first Annabelle, and then Craig were
helped to lie on their beds, their ankles secured to the foot of the bed with
rope and then the doors closed. She
finally walked into her bedroom, looking round as she sat down and then watched
Jay secure her ankles and legs together.
Lying on her
side, she felt him pull her ankles back and secure them to her chest ropes, as
Mrs McPhee said “they’ll be ahl richt.”
“hknhhh,” she
mumbled as her eyes slowly started to close, Jay and Mrs McPhee leaving the
room and closing the door.
“Check on a
rota,” Jay said as they walked back to the main room, seeing their associates
clear up as they went to the kitchen.
“You went light
with the gags,” Mrs McPhee whispered in her normal voice.
“I did – I
think we’re fine though,” Jay replied as he checked his watch. “Now we wait…”
“Craig?”
As he slowly opened
his eyes, Craig was surprised by three things.
First, there was sunlight coming through the curtains of his room.
Second, he
could hear voices and footsteps, and saw two policemen pass his open door.
And thirdly,
Carol was sitting on the bed, smiling as she said “your dad came home with the
police a little while ago. They freed
us, and they’re freeing your mother and sisters – but I asked if I could free
you.”
“Udhdhd?”
“I did,” Carol
said as she leaned over and kissed his forehead. “We need to talk…”
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