I felt hot breath on my neck.
'Silence!' A voice whispered in a tone dripping with menace. I recognised it at once as belonging to Carlos, his great hand wrapped about my face. My arms were trapped at my sides as they were encircled in a steel embrace.
'I don't want to hurt you but I will if you fight me! Do you understand?'
My eyes must have been as wide as saucers, I nodded slowly. Carlos then started to drag me out of the kitchen. He had been waiting. It was a trap!
Fearful images flooded through my mind. Liberty had been seemingly so close and yet?
'If you don't want the top of your head removed by a nine millimetre bullet, I suggest you let her go!'
Andrea suddenly appeared in my line of vision. She was standing in a stance familiar from countless films and television series. She was crouched, legs bent and spread slightly and she was holding her gun in a two handed grip. The muzzle of the gun was lined at a point probably right between the eyes of the large man who held me. Carlos being a foot taller than me was suddenly an easy target.
I felt his other hand grip the back of my neck.
'I'll snap her neck!' He hissed at Andrea.
'Not before I blow your stupid brains out, now let her go and take three steps back! Do it!'
Carlos' grip on my neck relaxed slightly as he pondered his options.
'You have three seconds!'
Carlos did not move.
'One!'
I heard him take a deep breath.
'Two!'
Suddenly his hand was removed from my face and the fearful grip on my neck vanished. I was free. I rushed forward and got behind Andrea.
'Angela, go down stairs and see to Barbara, I'll take care of things up here'.
I needed no prompting and turned and made for the cellar.
Forty five minutes later, it was a completely different scenario. I was seated on Barbara's comfy sofa in the lounge sipping a vodka and tonic which was very generous on the vodka front. Barbara sat next to me nursing a large brandy.
Andrea sat across from us in an easy chair, one booted leg crossed over the other. She had abstained from the offer of alcohol and opted instead for the British staple of a cup of tea. True, it usually cured most ills but recent events had made me crave for something stronger.
'Where's Carlos?' I asked nervously.
'Trussed up like a turkey in the cellar with my handcuffs and all that rope that was down there, I've gagged him too'. Andrea told me.
'How did you manage all that? He is rather a large person?'
Andrea's eyes twinkled. 'A swift kick in the balls does wonders for a mans co-operation'.
I found myself smiling, I would have loved to been a witness.
'I think Andrea really hurt him'. Barbara said.
'Don't waste any sympathy on him'. Andrea advised us.
I took another sip of my drink and looked about me. I was still uneasy. I wanted to be away from this place.
'Excuse me for asking?' I addressed Andrea. 'But why aren't we making a move out of here?'
'All in good time'. Andrea smiled at me.
'There's no rush'. Barbara told me.
I turned to look at Barbara. I was more than a little puzzled.
'I thought you'd be keen to get out of here and back to London and safety'.
'This is my home'. Barbara replied.
'I know but others have invaded it and I've been held here against my will-just as you have been'.
Barbara then reached out and patted me on the thigh. 'Don't worry'.
'I am sorry but I think I have every reason to worry, the woman that kidnapped us is planning on returning and soon'.
'And I'm here to take care of things'. Andrea said.
I did not like the situation that was developing one little bit.
'Shouldn't you be calling in some assistance?' I quizzed her.
'Like who?' Andrea grinned.
'Look is this a bloody game? The local Police of course?' I was never really one to show temper in anything but these were exceptional circumstances.
'Now why would I want them spoiling things?' Andrea purred at me.
'I don't understand? Crimes have been committed and I want to go home, you're a Police officer for heavens sake!'
Andrea then laughed and to my surprise Barbara did too.
'You showed me identification?' I narrowed my eyes at Andrea. 'You're part of Inter-what is it called? Interpol!'
Andrea reached inside a jacket pocket and drew out the small wallet. She tossed it over to me. I caught it, nearly spilling my drink in the process.
I looked at the identification in the wallet. It was from Interpol but the photograph was not of Andrea Calder and her name was nowhere to be found on it.
'Something I picked up from a previous job, it can be useful'. Andrea said.
My hands were trembling. I put my glass and the wallet down on the small table in front of me.
'Who are you?'
'A friend of mine'. I heard Barbara say.
I turned to her.
'Barbara, what is happening?'
'Something that has been fraught with complication but now everything seems to be coming together very nicely. Dear Angela, you know you're not really supposed to be here, you were meant to be Sabrina'.
'You were kidnapped? Bound and gagged with me!'
'True, I was really kidnapped and I had endure all that goes with being a kidnap victim. You have to understand it was part of the game'.
'The Ransom Game'. Angela informed me with humour in her voice.
'A game where some big money is involved'. Barbara continued. 'You see my friend and I want both the Tate sisters. Naughty Paula and the pampered Sabrina'.
My eyebrows were knitted together and my mind was racing. What was I really involved with?
'We know that Sir Norman Tate will pay just about anything regarding a ransom for his darling Sabrina, after all he is the fourth richest man in Britain. Regarding Paula, she has made quite a few enemies in her illegal ventures and they are quite prepared to pay substantial sums to have Paula in their possession. One such person is quite high up in the new Russian Parliament. Paula will be bringing Sabrina to us, correcting her first mistake but in line to make the worst one of her life'.
I shook my head, I could not believe my ill fortune. All I had wanted was a week of luxury taking care of Sabrina's home while she took a shopping holiday in Europe. It had all started on a Friday at nine in the evening when I had entered Sabrina's North London pad and a cloth reeking with chloroform had been jammed over my face.
I looked at Andrea. She was enjoying everything.
'Who are you?' I asked her.
'An opportunist'. She smiled. 'I've bestowed my services on many dishonourable parties, Ulster Loyalists-you may tell by my accent-and just about every party that has ever used the term 'Mafia', yes-I'm a lady of many parts'.
I looked back at Barbara.
'I liked you, I trusted you'.
Barbara shrugged.
'Angela, I'm a lawyer, what do you expect?'
I breathed deeply.
'So what becomes of me?'
'You're very pretty'. Andrea told me. 'That is always a useful commodity'.
I only had one option open to me. I was surprised by the speed with which I moved. I shot up from the sofa. Andrea rose with me. I threw my drink in her face and struck Barbara hard on the side of the head with a blow from my elbow. I was then rushing for the back door and freedom.
I nearly made it to the door before Andrea tackled me and brought me down hard onto the tiles. The wind was knocked out of me. I was rolled over onto my back and felt the cold muzzle of Andrea's gun jammed up into my throat.
I then looked up and saw Barbara standing over me.
'What shall we do with her?' She asked Andrea.
'I think we should tie her up and gag her'. Andrea replied.
'That sounds like a good idea'. Barbara smiled as I was the dragged up to my feet.
'Open wide, that is an order'. Andrea told me.
I narrowed my eyes and opened my mouth to accept the cloth packing. At least the cloth was clean but I could not help but retch as the large, folded wad of fabric was stuffed forcibly into my mouth.
Andrea then bound a long strip of white cloth, knotted in the centre over my open mouth to hold the packing in place and secured it tightly at the nape of my neck under my hair. The cloth was tight, uncomfortable and bisected my cheeks but that was not the end of it.
Barbara folded over a large section of white cloth into a long rectangle. She drew this over the lower part of my face, covering the gag and adding to it. She tied it off.
'I think that this will keep young Angela quiet for the rest of her time here'. She smiled at Andrea.
Half my face was wrapped in cloth but my eyes heaped contempt on my two captors.
'Keep that up darling and I'll blindfold you too'. Andrea told me.
'Indeed!' Barbara added. 'How about we use this?' She held up the black nylon scarf. 'I've this tied about my mouth since we got here'.
'Ummmph! Mmmmph!' I shook my head frantically and then cast my eyes down. I had absolutely no desire to be blindfolded.
'I think she does want to be a good girl after all'. Barbara then said and then she and Andrea both laughed.
I was back in the lounge but all the previous comforts were now being denied me. Instead of residing on the comfortable sofa I was now sat in one of the rather ornate but very solid straight backed wooden chairs that Barbara seemed to think added aesthetic quality to the room.
My arms had been drawn behind the chair and my already sore wrists were bound to one of the cross pieces. This time the knots were well out of reach. My elbows were secured together but not too brutally. Several tight turns of rope about my middle made me fast to the chair.
I sat cross legged in the chair, my ankles crossed and bound almost in my lap. My feet were now bare. Further bindings leading down and under the seat of the chair held my legs and thighs in place. It was an uncomfortable and effective way of tying me. My crossed lower limbs were already becoming numb and there was no way I could move the chair. Even tipping the chair over looked to be near impossible to achieve.
I kept my head down, not wanting any more of Andrea's unkind attentions.
I was angry and confused by the recent betrayal. I was in a situation where I could trust nobody and I had no allies.
I did not want to be a cry-baby but the events of last ninety minutes were suddenly too much for me to handle without some release valve. My ropes and gags denied me the luxury of thrashing about or screaming and shouting. All I could do was turn on the waterworks.
Tears trickled from my eyes and wet the cloth of gags about my face.
'Silly little bitch'. Andrea displayed not one iota of sympathy for me.
'Andrea! You can be so cruel sometimes?' I felt Barbara's hands on my shoulders. 'It's not her fault she's here, it's Paula's incompetence. I'm surprised she was able to kidnap me and get me here but then again I gave her enough pointers. Talking of Paula? Did you get Carlos to make the call?'
'When it came down to making the call or losing his balls, he acted up a storm. Paula is on her way back with sister Sabrina in the boot of the car. She thinks Carlos has me tied up with you and her in the cellar'.
'Good!' Barbara squeezed my shoulders with obvious delight. 'What about your customers? Are they coming here?'
Andrea shook her head.
'Too risky. They're flying into the airport at Welshpool in a French registered twin engine Cessna. The aircraft will be fuelled for the round trip. They give us the money, we give them Paula and maybe your little friend as a sweetener. Deal concluded then we can turn our full attention to Sabrina's ransom'.
All of these terrible woman's words filled me with considerable dread.
'What about Carlos?'
'Indeed-what about him?'
I took no comfort from the fact that Carlos' future seemed as bleak as mine.
I sneaked a look at the window across the room. The sun was starting it's descent down over the rolling hills.
A sudden crashing noise came from down below.
'What was that?' Barbara exclaimed.
Andrea drew her gun.
'That ape Carlos, I'll go and see that he's behaving'. She then left the room.
Barbara stood by the chair in which I sat bound. I felt her long fingers stroking my hair. I would not look at her.
'I like you Angela, I really do, you were a real little pal to me when Paula was holding us prisoner but I don't really have room for friends in my life-just business associates. Money is my first love. You're something of a liability
to Andrea and I. Do you know she wants to give you to some nasty Russian men? I don't think that's very nice but you do know too much. Practicality takes preference in this enterprise, so even though I don't like Andrea's plans for you, I'm going to have to go along with them'.
I was bound and gagged but I would not look at her.
There was then another crashing sound and I heard Andrea cry out.