SWITCHED: The man who lost his body but kept his mind.

by Bernard Gallivan

  With this other woman sitting waiting in the wings, his best opportunity to get at Sinclair might be spoilt. This was an unexpected complication but he was determined to find a way to deal with it. He was now on a high and he felt that no task was too difficult for him. After all the many problems he had experienced in this dimension, he was now convinced his luck had finally changed. He was on the crest of a wave. On the way home to Jeannie, he stopped off at a large electronics components shop where he purchased yet more essential items. With no time to lose; he was determined to be ready for all eventualities.

  That evening, while Jeannie sat watching him, Zachary put together the little circuit he hoped would help him open Sinclair’s safe. Not having a suitable combination lock on which to test his device, he could only hope he had recalled the circuit correctly. And once again, Jeannie was surprised that her husband could do such a thing. Her love for Zak had always been uncritical and unswerving – except for the little recent hiccup – but now it was fuelled by a growing admiration for him, an admiration she expressed in the only way she knew. As far as Zachary was concerned, it was wonderful to be so completely loved by such a woman and he was desperate to hold on to her and to keep her safe. It also made him realize just how shallow his love for Jenny had been.

  While it was great to know so much about his enemy, the knowledge didn't bring him any nearer to Sinclair’s safe and it was Jeannie who made the breakthrough suggestion. At the time, they were lying quietly together on their bed trying to regain their strength after yet another noisy bout of lovemaking. Impressed with the way Zak had been able to alter his appearance so completely, she asked him if he could do the same to her.

  ‘Why would you want me to do that? You already look absolutely ravishing. Believe me, Jeannie, any further improvement and you’d definitely have to carry a government health warning.’

  Jeannie giggled. ‘You do say the nicest things Zak, but let’s be serious for a minute.’

  ‘I am being serious,’ Zachary said beginning to warm to the subject.

  Recognising the signs, Jeannie sat up. She had something important to say.

  ‘The thing is,’ she said, ‘I want to help you get the better of Connor bleed’n Sinclair but his men know what I look like. If you could change my appearance so that his two heavies couldn’t recognise me, I might be able to help.’

  ‘I’m not sure how you could do that, dear,’ Zachary said gently. He knew how frustrating it must be for Jeannie but the last thing he wanted was to place her in any danger.

  ‘You’re going to have a problem getting into Sinclair’s house, aren’t you?’

  ‘Yes, I suppose I will,’ he said cautiously.

  ‘Well I might be able to help. I can’t guarantee it, of course. But I just might be able to get you in.’

  ‘And how would you manage that?’

  ‘Now don’t get angry with me, Zak,’ she said, taking a big breath. ‘I was thinking of going to the races at Epsom tomorrow and picking Sinclair up. You said he’s a bit of a ladies’ man, so I reckon I might be able to manage that, don’t you?’

  Zachary was completely bowled over by the suggestion. One part of him immediately wanted to reject Jeannie’s offer, while another part had to agree that if anyone could pick Sinclair up, it was Jeannie.

  Before he could object, Jeannie hurried on. ‘The thing is, I don’t want anyone to recognise me so I’d need you to alter my appearance a bit; not too much but enough to fool Sinclair’s heavies if either of them happens to be there with their boss.’

  ‘Then what?’ he said heavily.

  ‘I’d try to wangle an invite back to his house and while he’s trying to get into my knickers I’ll spike his drink. That’s when you come in and open up his safe. What do you think?’

  ‘It stinks,’ Zachary said.

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Well, for a start, Sinclair’s got a girl friend living in Virginia Water, or had you forgotten? With his wife out of the country, it’s a pretty safe bet they’ll get together over the next few days.’

  ‘Yes, but what if something happens to stop Miss Virginia Water from keeping her appointment with her fancy man?’ Jeannie said darkly.

  ‘Like what?’ Zachary said.

  ‘Like someone going over there first thing in the morning to make sure she’ll be tied up for the day,’ Jeannie said with a smile.

  ‘All right, just for a minute, let’s suppose I could keep Miss Virginia Water occupied for the day, what about you? I’m not about to let you risk your neck, or any other part of your anatomy, come to that.’

  ‘Don’t worry about me. I’ll be all right. You should know by now that I can take care of myself. In any case, he won’t be the first bloke I’ve had to deal with.’ Seeing the look of concern remain on Zak’s face, she shrugged and said, ‘But if you really are worried, I could take one of those personal attack alarms with me. Then, if he comes on too strong, I’ll set it off. By that time, you should be waiting just outside the house so, if you hear it, beat the bloody door down and come in. Okay?’

  Jeannie seemed to have thought of everything and as it was quite clearly their best chance to get back at Sinclair, eventually, though reluctantly, Zachary agreed to go along with the plan, if only to see how it developed. Over the next few hours, Jeannie, with Zachary’s help, changed her appearance. She was such a natural beauty, almost any change tended to mar the special character of that beauty. Her looks would be the bait so Zachary realized he should only make subtle changes. He lightened her lovely dark brown hair and piled it up high on her head. He also lightened her wonderfully lustrous complexion and, after applying a different colour lipstick and mascara, a different woman gradually emerged. After selecting a low-cut dress and an impossibly tall pair of high-heel shoes, the transformation was complete. The woman who emerged was a bit tarty in appearance but she was definitely a head-turner. He was also confident that no one who knew his Jeannie would recognise her while she looked as she did now. This then would be her disguise the following day.

  He did not like the idea of kidnapping Sinclair’s lover or even of detaining her against her will in her own house and, while helping Jeannie to change her appearance and he toyed with the idea of simply waiting to see if she turned up at the racecourse. If she didn’t, that would eliminate an unnecessary and possibly dangerous complication. On the other hand, if she did, there was a good chance she would later return to the Sinclair home to spend the night there, or even the complete weekend while the man’s wife was safely out of the way. Her presence in the house would definitely spoil the plan. After carefully weighing the pros and cons, reluctantly he came to the conclusion that it was up to him to think of a way to stop Sinclair’s lover going to the races the following day.

  Not knowing when Sinclair’s girl friend might start for the races, always assuming it was her intention to attend, after putting on his tried and tested disguise and filling his rucksack with the various essential items he expected he might need, Zachary set off early the next morning, leaving his lovely wife to enjoy a few extra hours lie in while he attended to Ms Virginia, as he and Jeannie had come to call the unknown woman. They also agreed that, later in the morning, Jeannie would hire a car for a couple of days. As well as taking her to the races, the car was important to their plan for another reason. Should Jeanie be successful in attracting Sinclair, it would help to keep the man at arms’ length until after he and Jeannie had entered what was beginning to look like the lion’s den. It also gave Jeannie a degree of independence, should things go wrong.

  Zachary arrived in Virginia Water at 9 0’clock and after parking his motorcycle in a side street and with his rucksack slung from a shoulder, he walked the final hundred or so yards. His heart was pounding as he entered her short driveway. It took a big effort of will to give the impression of being relaxed as he walked up to her front door. A small nameplate proclaimed her name to be V Crossley. Taking a deep breath, he pressed the front door bell. The die was cas
t.

  While waiting for someone to answer, he wondered briefly what the “V” stood for. What a coincidence it would be if her name really proved to be Virginia. He had only caught a brief glimpse of her the previous day since Sinclair’s back had mostly obscured her so he really had no idea what the woman looked like. Without warning, the door opened a few inches and part of a face and an eye peered out at him. He also noticed that a substantial chain secured the door.

  ‘What do you want,’ a hard, suspicious voice demanded.

  ‘I’ve got a special delivery for a V Crossley from Goldmans the Jewellers,’ he said, holding up a small, but intriguing-looking, brown cardboard package; something else he had prepared the previous evening.

  The woman’s eye continued to scrutinise him through the crack and he could almost hear her brain calculating the risk of opening the door against the chance of losing a very valuable gift. He knew he looked like an inoffensive old man who was unlikely to pose any threat, and, in the end, as it usually does, greed won. The door closed briefly and Zachary heard the woman remove the chain. When she opened it again, he stepped forward and gave it a hard shove, pushing the woman back into her hallway. She gave a cry, half of fear and half of anger. Ignoring her protest, Zachary stepped briskly over the threshold, slamming the door closed behind him as he did so. His action had only taken a couple of seconds but even as he turned to face her, he could see she was just about to launch herself at him. Fortunately, in the few seconds it had taken her to release the chain, he had replaced the brown paper package with an evil looking Bowie Knife, which he now proceeded to wave in her face. The mere sight of the weapon made her pause.

  Crouched, half in fear and half in anger, she demanded, ‘Who are you and what do you want?’

  She was in her mid thirties, Zak guessed. It was also clear that his ring on the doorbell had brought her from her bed. Her hair was tousled and she was wearing a dressing gown and slippers. He also noticed she was not wearing makeup and that, underneath the ravages of the night, there lurked a smart, attractive woman.

  ‘As for the ‘who’ that will have to remain a secret; as to the “what”, I mean you no harm but I do need your cooperation. If I don’t get it, it will be both unpleasant and painful for you. On the other hand, if you are sensible, in less than 24 hours I shall be gone; you will have come to no harm; and you will be able to continue with your life. So, what do you choose?’

  ‘I own nothing of value so, if you intend robbing me, you’ll be wasting your time,’ she spat at him.

  ‘I can assure you, the only thing I want from you is your time. Now, do you want to go back upstairs to change or are you happy wearing what you’ve got on? I should warn you, I shall have to be with you at all times while you change to make sure you don’t try to escape.’

  ‘In that case, I’ll wear what I’ve got on.’

  ‘A sensible choice if I may say so.’

  He could see that even if he was not winning the woman’s trust, already she was less afraid of him. That was good. The more relaxed she was, the easier would be both their days.

  ‘Now, as we’ll be together for some time, perhaps we should introduce ourselves. You may call me Bill and what’s your name, Valerie, Vanessa, or what?’

  ‘You were right first time,’ she admitted grudgingly. ‘It’s Valerie.’

  ‘Excellent. Now Valerie, let me reassure you once again, it isn’t my intention to hurt you in any way, as long as you cooperate and are sensible, of course.’

  Valerie stared unsmilingly at him, an unfathomable look in her eyes. For some reason, her gaze unsettled him.

  Shaking off his disquiet, he said, ‘Now, I want us both to go back upstairs where I intend tying you to the bed.’ Noting the look of alarm that leapt to her face, he hastened to reassure her once again. ‘You have my word that I won’t interfere with you in any way. I simply need to make the house secure but I can’t leave you free to get up to mischief, can I?’

  He tried smiling but again was met with a frozen expression. He shrugged. ‘If you don’t believe me, tough but we are still going back up to the bedroom and I will tie you to the bed. Now, get moving.

  Grateful that he had thought to bring it, Zachary once again waggled the knife. Reluctantly, Valerie turned and went up the stairs. Once in the bedroom he made her lie on the bed. He could see she still did not trust his motives. Quickly, he tied her hands and feet together with the strong cords he had brought in his rucksack and then, with her lying diagonally across the bed, he securely tied the ends of the cords to the bedposts. When he was happy with his work, he opened the drawers in her bedside table while Valerie watched his every move. By now she was convinced he was nothing more than a common thief. Ignoring the jewels and trinkets he saw there, he eventually found what he was looking for; handkerchiefs. Because they were ladies handkerchiefs, he stuffed four of them into her mouth before binding them into position with the bandage he had brought with him for that purpose.

  ‘I won’t be long, Valerie and if you struggle and try to release yourself while I’m away, not only will you hurt yourself, I’ll be obliged to tie you even more securely when I return. I suggest you just lie here quietly.’ With these words, he hurried from the room.

  Over the next ten minutes he made sure that all the windows and doors were securely closed and locked. He also removed and hid all the keys. He did the same with the telephones, including the ones in the bedroom, the sitting room and the downstairs hall. He also removed from view any object that might assist Valerie or might be turned into a weapon by her should she somehow escape from her bindings.

  Going back to the bedroom, Zachary was about to remove the gag from Valerie’s mouth when he heard a car pull into her drive. Immediately, he froze. In all his planning, it had never occurred to him that someone might call to take her to the races. As he looked into Valerie’s eyes, he detected a complacent satisfaction. She had been expecting her visitor all along.

  ‘Don’t make a sound or it will go badly for you, believe me,’ he hissed into her ear; his anxiety making him speak more fiercely than he intended.

  Going across to the window he pulled back one of the closed curtains the tiniest fraction and saw someone he knew well getting out of the car. Limping up the short driveway was none other than Mr Muscles, Leo Snell who Sinclair had sent to pick up Valerie and take her to the Races. He could have kicked himself. Why hadn’t he thought of that? Moments later, Leo rang the door bell. Zachary hurried back to the bed and pulling out his knife, he stuck it under Valerie’s chin.

  ‘Don’t make a sound,’ he said. The grim look he gave her persuaded Valerie that he was deadly serious and the smile faded from her eyes.

  To give him his due, Leo was persistent. He kept ringing and knocking on Valerie’s door for a good five minutes before he finally went back to his car where he sat waiting for a further fifteen minutes. Having waited what he considered was a suitable length of time, he once again resumed his attack on Valerie’s door. Finally, in frustration, he returned to his car and Zachary saw him ringing someone on his mobile phone. That would be Sinclair, he guessed.

  Hanging up, Leo once more knocked on the door and still getting no reply, he began going around the house trying to look in the windows. Eventually, after a whole hour had elapsed, he got back into his car and drove away.

  Removing the gag from her mouth, Zachary said, ‘You never told me someone was coming to call. Who was he and what did he want?’ He decided not to reveal that he recognised the man or that he had already guessed why Leo Snell had called.

  ‘You never asked,’ Valerie said defiantly.

  ‘What did he want?’ Zachary repeated.

  ‘How should I know, I don’t even know who it was, do I?’

  ‘He was a very big man. I’d say he looked a bit like a weightlifter. He had close-cropped hair and was driving a flashy sports car; a Mercedes, I think.’

  Valerie shrugged and said, ‘I don’t know any weightlifters or any
one answering to that description.’

  He knew she was lying but he dared not challenge her. What now concerned him was that he might not have seen the last of Leo Snell. There was a good chance he would return again later in the morning. He probably thought Valerie was out shopping or was visiting friends and had forgotten the time. Zachary took the opportunity of the brief respite to bring Valerie a cup of tea and some hot, buttered toast. As he explained to her, it was not his intention to cause her harm and starving her to death was not part of his plan. It was also clear that, by this time, Valerie was feeling much more relaxed. Zachary had already proved he did not intend stealing from her and nor had he made any attempt to molest her. She was now convinced that, as he had claimed at the outset, all he wanted from her was her time, but for what purpose she had not yet fathomed.

  Because he was expecting a return visit from Leo, Zachary was not at all surprised when, almost exactly an hour later, the hulking fellow reappeared in Valerie’s front drive. By that time, Zachary had, once more, securely tied and gagged Valerie. Leo went through the same routine of ringing the bell and banging on the door with his fist. Then he did another quick tour around the house. Shaking his head in frustration, he went back to his car to ring his boss a second time. After speaking for a few moments, he hung up and drove away. It was at this stage that Zachary rang Jeannie.

  Chapter 19

  Zachary

  While Zachary was dealing with Ms. Virginia, and the unexpected problem Leo Snell was causing, Jeannie had also been busy. First thing after breakfast, she went down to the local car-hire shop where she hired a small runabout for the next two days. The man serving her, a thirty year old with an eye for the ladies, chatted Jeannie up shamelessly but she was used to such attention and turned his advances away with a laugh. She did turn his interest to her advantage, however, when she persuaded him to give her the best deal he had offered anyone in weeks. He looked longingly after her when, eventually, she drove away. He hoped he would again be on duty when she returned the car.