Care For The
Children
The two men sat
in the grey van, looking up and down the street as people walked by, paying
them no attention at all.
“Another
beautiful day in the neighbourhood “
“Funny - didn’t
know Mister Rodgers lived here “
“No longer, my
friend it is Mrs Rogers that we are paying a visit to today, correct?”
“That is indeed
correct, my friend. So, when shall we go and call?”
“Oh allow her a
few minutes coffee?”
“Coffee “
“Are you sure
they will be all right playing upstairs,” Jennifer said as she closed the door.
“I think so so
long as they don’t gang up on Rik,” Dawn said as she set the tray down and took
a seat. She had long grey hair, and was wearing a black wool sweater, black
leather pants and high heels.
“Jo and Kelly
not gang up on their brother? Especially with your two granddaughters there as
well?”
“You do know
April has a little crush on Rik?”
“Oh yes,”
Jennifer said as she watched Dawn pour the tea into the china cups. She had
shoulder length grey-blonde hair and had a black gilet on over a grey checked
blouse, jeans and white sandshoes.
“So what was it
you wanted to talk to me about,” Jennifer said as she accepted a cup and sat
back.
“You know we
have the AGM for the local WI next week? Lady Bracking has been trying to get
me to sit for the committee again.”
“She does know
you hate doing that sort of thing?”
“If she does,
she not know how to take no for an answer,” Dawn said as she took a sip from
her cup. “I was hoping you would work with me to dissuade her.”
Jennifer slowly
shook her head. “Not a chance,” she finally said, “you will have to accept
gracefully What was that noise?”
Dawn put her
cup down and said “it sounded like it came from the kitchen maybe the window
opened and “ She then looked at the door as it opened and two men came in. They
were identically dressed black leather jackets over rollneck sweaters, pants,
shoes, leather gloves, balaclavas over their heads so only their eyes and lips
were visible.
The only real
difference was one of them stood at least a foot taller than the other, and was
pointing a gun at Dawn and Jennifer, while the other man carried a large canvas
holdall. He put it down and said “please accept our apologies, Mrs Rogers but
this is a robbery, and we ask you and your friend to cooperate with us.”
“It would be
the right and safe thing to do,” the taller man said as he looked at the two
women.
Dawn stared at
them both for a moment, before she said “who are you?”
“Ah my
apologies Dawn may I call you Dawn? I am Mister Tall, and this is my friend and
partner Mister Small. I understand the press refer to us as “
“The Gentlemen
Robbers!”
“Quite correct,”
Mister Small said as he looked at Jennifer. “Our reputation precedes us yet
again, Mister Tall. Ladies, please raise your hands and keep them where we can
see them, while we explain what is going to happen.”
Dawn and
Jennifer looked at each other, and then slowly raised their hands as the two
men looked at them.
“They really
are robbers, Jennifer?”
“I am afraid so
Dawn it looks as if this is not our lucky day.”
“If we could
start with you Dawn,” Mister Tall said as Mister Small put the bag down, and
retrieved a smaller velvet bag, “kindly remove all jewellery, watches and so
on, and place them in the bag, and then please be so kind as to give your
handbag to Mister Small.”
“Listen,”
Jennifer said, “I know you are going to tie us up and gag us but there are five
children upstairs, and sooner or later they are going to find out what is
happening. If you promise not to hurt them in any way, Dawn and I will do
exactly what you tell us to do.”
The two men
looked at each other, before Mister Small said “agreed. Dawn, would you do as
we have asked please?”
Dawn slowly
lowered her hands and removed the jewellery she was wearing, placing it in the
bag before she handed her own handbag over.
“Most kind,”
Mister Small said as he put the bag down, and drew from it a length of white
rope. “Now, if you would be so kind as to slowly put your hands behind your
back?”
“Better do as
he says,” Jennifer whispered as Dawn moved her hands behind her back, Mister
Small moving there as Mister Tall said “now I am sorry, may I call you Jennifer
as well?”
“If you must.”
“I must it
makes things so much easier. I ask you now to do the same thing place your
jewellery in the sack, and then hand me your handbag.”
“Well, at least
you are as polite as the reports say,” Jennifer said as she removed her
jewellery, watching as Dawn had her wrists bound tightly together behind her
back, and then handed her handbag over.
“That’s tight,”
Dawn said quietly as she wriggled her fingers.
“A necessity, I
assure you,” Mister Small said with a smile, “now my friend will -well hello
there!”
Jennifer turned
her head as she saw her grandson and Dawn’s granddaughter standing in the
doorway. Rik has short light brown hair, and was wearing a green t-shirt and
jeans with white socks on his feet. April had her long brown hair pulled back
in a ponytail, and was wearing a yellow t-shirt as well as jeans and socks.
“Gran,” April
said as she looked at Dawn, “why is this man wearing a mask?”
“Well “ Dawn
looked over at Mister Tall as he took Jennifer’s hands behind her back, and
started to secure her wrists together, before she sighed and said “I’m afraid I’m
being robbed April.”
The eleven-year-old
girl held Rik’s hand as she said “robbed? They are robbers?”
“That’s
Correct,” Mister Small said as he walked round and squatted in front of the two
children. “They call me Mister Small.”
“Why?”
“Well, because
I am not as tall as my friend Mister Tall,” Mister Small said with a laugh, the
two children giggling. “Your grandmother is right we are robbers, an as you can
see, we’ve started to tie your grandmothers up. Once Mister Tall has Jennifer
here secured, I will take Dawn for a walk round the house but we do need to
make sure nobody can let anyone know we are here.
“Including you
two.”
Rik smiled as
he felt April squeeze his hand, and then said to Jennifer “does it hurt
Grandma?”
“No, it doesn’t”
Jennifer said as she felt her arms being forced against her sides by the bands
of rope that forced her gilet to the sides. Mister Tall looked over and said “What
is your name son?”
“Rik”
“And the young
lady who likes you?”
Rik blushed as
he said “April.”
Mister Tall
took more ropes from the bag and handed them to Mister Small before he said “I
want you both to let Mister Small here use the ropes to keep your hands behind
your back, and then I want you to sit back-to-back on the floor, all right?”
“Do as he says,
kids,” Dawn said, “they’re not going to hurt you.” Rik and April looked at each
other, and then stood with their hands behind their back, looking at each other
as Mister Small used the ropes to secure their wrists together.
“Don’t be
scared April,” Rik said as he looked at her, “I’ll protect you.”
“Thanks Rik,”
April said with a blush as Mister Small tied the rope off round her wrists.
“Excellent sit
back-to-back please.” The two children sat on the floor in front of a seat,
both their grandmothers watching as Mister Tall bound Jennifer’s ankles tightly
together, while Mister Small wrapped a longer length of rope round both of them
and held them together at their waists and arms.
He then knelt
to the side of April and used more rope to secure her ankles together, as well
as her legs below her knees, before he did the same to Rik. The young boy held
his friend’s hand in his as the ropes got tighter and they could not move.
Mister Small
tied the rope off and stood up, then looked to the door and said “well now and
who do we have here?”
“Jennifer, I
think you need to explain what is happening?”
Jennifer turned
her head to see two more girls standing in the doorway, staring at the scene in
front of them. “Jo, Kelly, come and stand in front of me please.”
The two girls
walked over, Jo with her long brown hair in two pigtails and her older sister
Kelly with short blonde hair, both of them wearing red t-shirts and leggings.
“Grandma,” Jo
said, “why are you and Mrs Rogers tied up and why are Rik and April tied
together.”
“Mrs Rogers is
being robbed by these two gentlemen,” Jennifer said in a calm voice as her
granddaughters looked at each other. “Now, as you can see, they have made sure
that I cannot escape, and they’ve also tied up Rik and April so they are on the
floor.”
“Are they going
to do this to us as well,” Kelly said, “because they scare me.”
“I know we look
scary,” Mister Tall said, “but I assure you, what we do does not hurt. It just
means you won’t be able to move around very easily for a while. Isn’t that
right Dawn?”
Dawn looked at
April and then said “we’ll be all right, and we will all be together. So let
Mister Tall take care of you, girls, and you can sit on the couch.”
“Are you sure
Grandma?”
“I am it’s all
right,” Jennifer said as the girls felt Mister Tall and Mister Small take their
hands behind their backs, and then the ropes holding their wrists together.
They then felt the ropes holding their arms against their sides as April
whispered “I guess you get one over on your sisters now.”
“We get one
over on them together, right?”
“Together? You
mean “
“Yeah want to
go to the pictures some time?”
April blushed
and nodded as Rik squeezed her hand again, then watched as his sisters sat next
to each other and watched Mister Tall bind their ankles and legs together. They
both moved their legs up and down as Mister Tall stood up.
“Now would you
young ones like a drink?”
“Yes please,”
Kelly said quietly as she twisted round.
“Okay Dawn, do
you have any juice cartons?”
“In my cupboard
in the kitchen “
“Then allow me,”
he said as he put the teacups on the tray and carried it out of the room, Dawn
looking at April as she shuffled to the side.
“Are you all
right, April?”
“Yes. Gran,”
she said as Rik watched Mister Small remove the purses and phones from the
handbags of their grandmothers, and put them to one side. He then heard the
sound of water running, and said “what’s happening?”
“Oh Mister Tall
is just washing the teacups. Always best to do them quickly.”
“He’s doing the
dishes?”
“Of course we
are Gentlemen, after all,” Mister Small said as Jennifer shook her head and
laughed. He then stood up as they all heard footsteps on the stairs, and a
seven-year-old girl came into the room. She had curly strawberry blonde hair,
and was wearing light blue t-shirt and denim shorts.
She stopped and
looked round the room, and then opened her mouth only to have it covered by
Mister Small’s gloved hand as Dawn said “Tammy, I know this looks scary, but I
need you not to scream, all right?”
Tammy looked at
her grandmother, the bands of rope framing her chest and then at the others as
she struggled while Mister Small held her. Eventually, she stopped and said in
a quiet voice “phllsdhnnhrtmh.”
“He won’t hurt
you,” Dawn said with a smile, “please, let her speak.” As Mister Small took his
hand away, and held her arm, Tammy said “Granny what’s going on? Why are you
all tied up?”
“Well, we are
all tied up because we are being robbed,” Dawn said, “but there is nothing to
be scared of Tammy “
“He’s wearing a
mask! Granny, he scares me.”
“I know, I
know,” Dawn said as she tried to reassure her granddaughter, but tammy was
starting to cry.
“Hey,” Mister
Small said as he walked round and knelt in front of her, “I know I scared you
when I covered your mouth, and I understand how frightening we look.”
“We?” Tammy
then turned and saw the taller masked man come in with some cartons that had
straws in them. He knelt down and let April take a drink, as he said “hello I’m
Mister Tall.”
“I’m Mister
Small, Tammy now, are you still scared?”
“Yes, I am
Granny, are they going to tie my hands behind my back as well?”
“I think they
are “
“NO no, I don’t
want that to happen to me.”
Dawn looked at
Mister Small, who said “Tell you what Tammy put your hands together in front of
yourself, let me tie them together there with the rope, and tell me how it
feels.”
“Let him do
this, Tammy,” Dawn said as she pushed herself onto her feet and walked over,
kneeling with her while Mister Small bound her small wrists together with the
rope. She looked at the band and moved her hands around, as Mister Small said “now,
will you let me add a rope to keep your arms by your sides, like your
grandmother?”
“Granny?”
“It’s just
another way to stop you moving,” Dawn said, Tammy nodding as Mister Small tied
the rope round her arms and body as well.
“What are you
going to do now,” Tammy said quietly as he tied the ropes off.
“Well, I am
going to take your grandmother upstairs, and Mister Tall “
“I want to stay
with Granny.”
Dawn looked at
Mister Tall as he helped Rik to have a drink, and said “can she?”
“I think that
will be fine,” the masked man replied as Dawn kissed Tammy on the cheek. “But
Jennfier and the others will stay here with me, and hen you come back, we have
to make sure neither of you try to escape.”
“All right,”
Dawns aid as she stood up. “Come with us, Tammy.”
“Well done kid,”
Rik said as they walked out of the room, and April nudged him in the back as
she giggled.
“Now,” the
masked man said as he gave Jo a drink, “we need to make sure you stay quiet
from now on. IT is a regrettable necessity, but one that has to be followed
through “
“Why are they
taking your nice things Granny?”
Dawn looked at
Tammy as they sat on the bed, and said “well, he takes things from people, and
I presume sells them on for money. He’s promised not to take anything that I
truly wish to keep, my wedding rings and the like, but the rest well, it can be
replaced, and your safety and that of the others is far more important than
jewellery.”
She kissed her
granddaughter on the head as Mister Small placed more items into his sack. “Well,
I think that is everything,” he said with a smile, “let’s go back and join the
others.”
“it’s very
quiet,” Dawn said as they walked down the stairs and then when they went in
Tammy whispered “wow “
“Whlhlhthrhh,”
Jennifer said as her lips move dunder the white tape that covered her mouth.
Tammy giggled when she saw her brother blushing as April held his hand, the
tape over his mouth as well over the mouths of everyone in the room.
“Have a seat,
Dawn,” Mister Tall said as he held two lengths of rope in his gloved hands.
Tammy watched as her grandmother sat down, and he knelt by her side, crossing
and binding her ankles tightly together as Mister Small knelt with Tammy.
“Where do you
want to sit?”
“With Granny.”
Mister Small
brushed her hair away from her face as she looked at him, and said “are you
sure?”
“Yes, I want to
be with Granny.”
He nodded as
Mister Tall secured Dawn’s kegs together below her knees, while she said to
Jennifer “Well, quite time is coming.”
“yhhsshhthhss”
Jennifer said as Mister Small helped Tammy to sit on Dawn’s lap, then secured
her ankles and legs while Mister Tall tore a strip of white tape form a roll.
“Tammy Mister
Tall is going to put that over my mouth, and then he is going to put some over
yours. I’ll be with you the whole time, and you will be with me, so let him do
it, and breathe through your nose, all right?”
“All right
Granny,” Tammy said as she flet the rope holding her legs together, Dawn
nodding before Mister Tall pressed the tape down over her mouth. He then tore a
smaller strip off as Tammy rested her head on Dawn’s chest and pressed it
gently over her lips, Dawn pressing her taped lips on her head as she did so.
“Thank you all
for your cooperation,” Mister Small said as he looked round the room, Jo ad
Kelly now lying on their sides with their heads on the armrests as their legs
were stretched out. “Especially you children you are all very brave.”
“The Gentlemen
Robbers bid you adieu,” Mister Tall said with a low bow, “may we never meet
again.”
As they heard
the front door open and close, Dawn watched Jennifer as she started to
struggle, the ropes rubbing on her chest as she saw the sweat on her brow.
Eventually, she stopped and panted through her nose, before she said “Whrrshthk.”
“Ufhhnhk?” Dawn
rubbed her cheek on Tammy’s head as Rik and April watched them.
“Rhkhhnhlrhhlshhtthnhnththr,
khhssshshngeee “
“Nhhnhhh,”
Jennifer mumbled as she looked at Jo and Kelly. The two girls giggled as they
twisted round, Rik blushing as April said “shhtlhshththtm. Hfhhnkuhrbhrfth.”
“Fhkknuh,” Rik
said as they squeezed each other’s hands again
“Mum I tried to
call but OHMYGOD!”
“Shhh,” Dawn
said as she looked at her daughter and then glanced at Tammy, asleep on her
chest, while Rik said “Hllmhmmmwhffbhnrhbbhd.”
“What’s going
on Mum?”
“Chhtmhfhrrhh,”
Jennifer said to her daughter, “hnndhlhsplhnnn “
“A good day’s
work Mister Tall.”
“Indeed Mister
Small the children coped extremely well with the situation they found
themselves in.”
“So, plans for
tonight?”
“Performing in
HMS Pinafore. You?”
“Dinner with a
friend. Let’s go “
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