The Ransom

by Irena Nieslony

  “Don, hello, what are you doing all on your own?”

  “Eve, good evening. I did it! I told Betty I wanted a divorce.”

  “My goodness Don, well done,” Eve exclaimed. “What did she say?”

  “First she said she wouldn’t give me a divorce, later she told me to go and see my solicitor. That was last night. She refused to speak to me in the morning; well apart from telling me to find my own place to live. So I went and got a hotel room for a few nights while I’m looking for rooms.”

  “And have you found anywhere?”

  “No, I haven't found anywhere cheap enough. But I’ll look tomorrow. I feel so free, Eve.”

  “I can imagine you do.”

  Jane and Robert came over with the drinks.

  “Are we sitting here?” Jane asked.

  “I would love your company,” Don said cheerfully.

  “Then yes,” Eve said. “You remember Robert, don’t you?”

  “Of course,” Don said, nodding to Robert. “How long are you here for?”

  “Oh, just a few days.”

  “I think I’d better tell you then, seeing as you’re dating Betty’s niece; we’ve split up. I’ve asked for a divorce.”

  “Oh,” Robert said. “Don’t tell Alison I said this, but I don’t know how you stayed with her for as long as you did.”

  Everybody laughed, even Eve, who was half studying the people in the room. There weren’t many again. She looked over at the bar. Jan was on her own that evening, but it didn’t seem to matter as it was so quiet.

  The thought crossed Eve’s mind that Ken and Jan could be the kidnappers. Ken had said they were struggling because of all the extra taxes. They would need money fast to pay them.

  Now where could they have put David? In their cellar? Did they even have a cellar or basement?

  “Earth to Eve, earth to Eve,” she heard Robert say. “You seem miles away.”

  “I’m sorry,” Eve said. “I was thinking about something...very rude of me. What were you saying?”

  “Don has just told me more about him and Betty. I should phone Alison.”

  “Perhaps Betty’s called her already.”

  “I doubt it,” Don said. “At the moment she doesn’t want to tell anyone. She feels embarrassed, or so she says. I expect that when she’s calmed down, she’ll want to shout out to the world how much I’ve wronged her.”

  “Yes, that would be Betty all over,” Eve put in. “Robert, I think you’re right. You should tell Alison. I know Betty and I can’t stand each other, but it must be a difficult time for her and she’d be better off talking to someone close who might calm her down. Goodness knows what she might do if she sits brooding all on her own.”

  Robert nodded and went outside to make the call in private.

  “Oh dear,” Don said. “I’m starting to feel a little guilty about Betty. How will she cope without me?”

  “Don, she’ll cope very well,” Eve exclaimed. “She's suffering from hurt pride now, that's all. I know what I said, but I wasn’t suggesting you go back to her. Betty is a strong woman and she’ll get through it. You deserve to be happy, Don, and you weren’t with Betty, were you?”

  “No, Eve, I haven’t been for a long time, and to tell the truth, I don’t think she’s been happy with me either.”

  “Well, there you go. This is all for the best. Now you’ve both got a chance for some happiness.”

  Jane said nothing. She was thinking how much had changed since she had arrived on Crete the previous December. She had fallen in love with two murderers, but it hadn’t put her off love. It had actually made her a stronger person and she still hoped to find that perfect man. However, she was finding it hard to believe that Don and Betty had really separated, but in a way she was pleased. Don deserved to find a kinder and more caring woman. Jane remembered when Betty had been nasty to her during the Christmas period. Eve had done a wonderful make-over on her, but Betty didn’t like it and was quite cruel. She was always spiteful towards Eve; although Eve could give as good as she took. However, Betty had even managed to alienate David and Jane thought that it served her right.

  Robert came back in and sat down.

  “Well, Alison’s going to try and get over tomorrow or the next day. It’s quiet at work so she thinks she may get a few days leave.”

  “She’s not going to try and reunite me and Betty, is she?” Don gasped in horror.

  “No, of course not. She just wants to be there for Betty.”

  “It’s probably for the best then.”

  “It’ll cost you a fortune to stay in a hotel for too long, Don,” Robert put in.

  Eve said nothing. Under normal circumstances she would have offered Don a room in her house, to hell with what Betty would have said. In fact, Eve knew Betty would have gone crazy if she knew Don was staying with her, her sworn enemy. However, if Don stayed with her, he’d wonder where David was and she didn’t want anyone else to know about the kidnapping.

  “I have an idea,” Jane said, surprising everybody.

  “If you stay in a hotel for just a few nights, then you can move into my house when I’ve gone back to England. It’s up for sale, but I doubt it will go quickly. You’d be doing me a favor – I’m not that happy leaving it without anybody in it. Only thing is that you’d have to agree to prospective buyers being shown round.”

  “Jane, thank you. That’ll suit me down to the ground. You’re a life saver.”

  Eve breathed a sigh of relief. That was one potential problem solved.

  * * * *

  Two hours and a few drinks later, Eve got up to use the loo. She hadn’t eaten a great deal that day and was feeling slightly tipsy. As she approached the ladies, she took a little detour, wondering where the basement was. As she was looking, she bumped into Jan.

  “Can I help you, Eve?”

  “Oh I am sorry,” Eve said quickly, thinking on her feet as usual. “I haven’t eaten much today and I must admit I am a little drunk. Good job you found me, otherwise I could have fallen down your cellar stairs!”

  “Good job we haven’t got a cellar or basement then.”

  Eve laughed and quickly changed the subject.

  “Are you still doing food even though you’re on your own?’

  “Yes, for another half an hour, but only simple things like sandwiches, burgers, and quiche.”

  “Well, I’d better hurry up and order something.”

  Jan smiled, wondering what Eve was up to. She never seemed to succumb to alcohol, even when she’d had a lot more than she’d had this evening.

  Eve went into the ladies and sobered up immediately.

  Well, if Ken and Jan have David, he’s certainly not here. I’m coming to think that whoever’s taken him has put him somewhere where nobody would think of looking. This is getting harder and harder. I don’t think I’m ever going to find him. I’m just going to have to give them the money.

  * * * *

  Meanwhile, David had just woken up. Nobody had come to see him during the day and he was dying of thirst again. The kidnapper had left the bottle of water, but he was gagged and tied up so how on earth he was supposed to drink it, heaven only knew.

  He had slept nearly all day and he actually felt a little better. There had been a couple of incidents when he’d had trouble breathing, but it had been a while since the last one. He thought he would be alright if only he could get a drink of water.

  As if answering his prayers, he heard the key turn in the lock upstairs and he sighed with relief as his kidnapper came downstairs and untied him and took out his gag.

  “Thank goodness,” David said. “I’m dying for a drink of water.”

  “I left you the bottle,” the kidnapper snapped.

  “Oh yes, and how would you suggest I drink from it with my hands tied up and my mouth gagged?

  “Sorry, I wasn’t thinking,” the kidnapper replied, feeling guilty but trying to sound firm.

  He wished his accomplice was doing this
, but she had refused. He hated staring at David like this. He quickly untied him and gave him some food and water and then waited while he went to the bathroom.

  As David got up, he felt a little dodgy on his legs, but he didn’t feel quite as bad as he had that morning, especially as he had now had a drink. What he wouldn’t do for a shot or two of whisky. That would do him the world of good.

  A couple of minutes later, David came out of the bathroom and as he did, his kidnapper seemed lost in thought, his gun pointing downwards.

  It’s now or never, thought David as he lunged towards the other man. He didn’t know where his strength came from, but he kept going, fighting back against the pain.

  The kidnapper didn’t have time to pull his gun up, but struggled with David, trying to push him away so that he could point the gun at him and regain control. However, despite being ill, physically David was a fitter man, having spent many an hour in a keep fit club in Chania. However, he started to flag, his breathing becoming difficult, and the other man seemed to be regaining control. Luckily however, David managed to knock his kidnapper down with what he felt was his last burst of strength and the man hit his head on the concrete wall. He dropped the gun and went out cold.

  David, despite his breathing coming in short bursts, didn’t waste a moment. This was his chance to escape, but there was only one way out of the basement and that was up the stairs. What if the man’s partner was up there? He could take the gun, but would he have the nerve to use it? He didn’t think so, but he could threaten with it. However, whoever was upstairs might be cleverer and more ruthless than him.

  David grabbed the gun. He knew that he had to go and go quickly just in case the man woke up. He hadn’t planned this; it was decided on the spur of the moment and he had to go through with it. It was his only chance.

  David quickly dashed up the stairs, forgetting for that moment how ill he felt, and he listened at the door for a moment. It wasn’t quite shut. He heard nothing so he nervously opened it. Unfortunately, it creaked and he held his breath expecting someone to pounce on him. To his relief, no one did.

  David looked around the room. There was nobody there and he was more than happy when he saw that the key had been left in the door. David shut the door quickly and locked it.

  He looked around, realizing that it was quite a small new house. One of the shutters had been left open and he could tell he was in the sitting room and the front door was ahead. It didn’t look as if anyone lived in the house.

  Worrying that the kidnapper’s accomplice might be outside, David found the kitchen at the back and to his delight, the door wasn’t locked. He put the gun in his pocket, went outside and ran. It was only when he got outside that he realized he should have lifted his kidnapper’s mask, just to confirm his suspicions, but it was too late. It would be stupid to go back now.

  * * * *

  Eve and Robert got back home from The Black Cat reasonably early that night. Robert was quite tired after getting up at the crack of dawn to catch his flight.

  They walked Jane home first, Eve having to do everything in her power not to tell Jane about David. Jane was such a good friend and she’d even helped Eve in her search for the murderer earlier in the summer, but the less people that knew the better. She thought that the kidnappers would be very angry if it became common knowledge.

  “Well, Robert,” Eve said as soon as they got in. “I discovered that Ken and Jan don’t have a basement, so if they’ve kidnapped David, they’re keeping him elsewhere.”

  “Oh I can’t imagine them kidnapping anybody.”

  “Me neither, but business hasn’t been too good and with all the extra taxes they’ve had to pay, they are struggling. They could be desperate.”

  “Well, perhaps,” Robert replied. “Have you completely given up on Joanna?”

  “No, she’s still my number one suspect.”

  “With or without Kevin?”

  “I’m not sure. Could be with him, or she might have another accomplice.”

  “Well, on that note, I think I’ll be off to bed. I feel shattered.”

  “Ok, Robert. Thanks so much for coming over.”

  “It’s a pleasure. Now don’t stay up too long thinking about David.”

  Eve nodded, but she didn’t think she’d sleep much. She thought she’d probably have some awful nightmares so it might be better just to stay up.

  * * * *

  David ran and ran, but suddenly he had to stop. He felt sick and dizzy. His head was spinning and he was wheezing. What was the matter with him? He had felt better, but after the fight and all this running, he was feeling terrible. Perhaps he shouldn’t have escaped, but it had been a golden opportunity which he couldn’t miss.

  He wasn’t quite sure where he was, but he knew he had to keep going, despite feeling ill. He decided it might be better to walk now rather than run. At least now he might make it to a police station.

  However, a few minutes later, his legs felt like jelly and he knew he had to rest. Seeing an olive grove, he went in as far away from the road as possible and lay down, just to rest for a little while.

  Chapter 10

  In the basement where David had been held captive, his kidnapper finally stirred. His head was aching and for a moment he had no idea where he was or what had happened. Eventually it all started coming back and he sat up abruptly, making his head ache even more.

  “Damn,” he said, looking around. “I remember everything. David’s gone. He escaped. She’s going to kill me... But why haven’t the police come? He must have reported his kidnapping.”

  The man took off his mask gingerly, his head hurting with every little touch. After taking off his gloves, he fiddled about in his pocket for his mobile phone. When he finally got it out, he looked at the time.

  “It’s two in the morning. God, I’ve slept solidly. What do I do now,” he said, trying to get up.

  However, his right leg hurt badly. He remembered falling on his knee on that blasted concrete during the fight. Then he noticed something else.

  “The gun, it’s gone. Damn. Well at least I wore gloves so my fingerprints won’t be on it... I’ve got to get out of this awful place before the cops come though.”

  He got up and limped slowly towards the stairs. Reaching them, he crawled up, his whole body aching, especially his head and his knee.

  When he got to the door, he tried the knob, but the door wouldn’t budge. He pushed it as hard as the pain would allow him, but nothing. He sat on the top step and took out his mobile again. Nervously, he dialed the number.

  “Hi, um...I’m sorry but there’s been a problem,” he said, not looking forward to his co-conspirator’s response.

  * * * *

  About half an hour later, David’s kidnapper heard a key in the door. He was relieved, fearing that the police could arrive at any time. He was starting to feel claustrophobic as well and his head and leg still ached badly.

  A woman stood at the door, not looking at all pleased.

  “God I leave you to do the simplest of jobs and you muck it all up,” she said, glaring at him. “Sometimes I think it would be better if I did everything myself. Not to mention that you woke me up in the middle of the night.”

  “It would have been difficult for you to have pulled this off on your own.”

  “Well, we’re not going to pull this off at all now, are we?” she growled. “You’ve let all that money slip through your fingers, I chose an idiot to work with, I really did.”

  “I don’t think David recognized me, if that’s any help. I didn’t ever take the mask off.”

  “He might have recognized your voice though. I think it’s best if you leave the country.”

  “I can’t leave,” he said, incredulously. “You can’t expect me to just pack my bags and go.”

  “David has probably gone to the police already and he may be able to identify you. You could well be arrested. Knowing you, you’ll probably confess all and tell them about me. It’s t
oo great a risk.”

  “I would never do that, hand you over to the police I mean.”

  “You might do if you’re frightened. I don’t trust you.”

  ‘If I leave, they’ll know it was me. It’ll be obvious.”

  “Well, there is one thing that may be in our advantage. You said on the phone that David was ill. Hopefully, he’s so ill that he can’t tell the police anything yet. That will give us a little time. You do know that if you’re caught and you blame me, I shall deny any knowledge of your crazy ideas.”

  The man looked at her, wishing now that he hadn’t been so eager to join forces with this woman, but it was a lot of money and he could certainly have done with it. Now however, that dream was all over.

  “I won’t blame you and I’ll deny I had anything to do with it,” he finally said. “After all, I had a mask on.”

  “With a bit of luck, David has something seriously wrong with him and he won’t make it. He’s probably run very fast to get away from here and that’s made his illness worse.”

  “That would give us a break,” the man said.

  “Apart from not getting the money.”

  She could see her comfortable future slipping away rapidly.

  “Anyway, it’s time you left. I’ll see if I can find out how David is. Then we can make a final decision as to what we can do, though I still think you need to leave Crete.”

  “Let’s see what happens to David Baker first,” he said.

  As he left on his small motorbike, his head really hurt from putting his helmet on.

  That woman is driving me potty, he thought as he drove along. She’s put all the blame on me. If she’d been more thoughtful, she would have come with me at David’s meal times. Then one of us could have stood guard at the top of the stairs, but she wanted me to do all the dirty work. Why on earth did I agree to do this?

  His bike then started spluttering and came to a stop. He had enough petrol; he was certain of that. He had put some in the previous day. All he wanted was to get home, have a bath and decide what to do next. Perhaps she was right. Perhaps he should go back to England, just in case David did know who was under that mask.