Her mother thought it over for a few seconds before she hugged her husband and nodded at her children. “We’ll be fine. Won’t we, dear?”
Colin looked down at his wife and smiled, but when his gaze met Ellen’s, she saw a different story written in their depths. What could she or Jim do? Her mother had apparently made her choice, and she knew the score going forward. Whether Ellen kept her word not to interfere in the future remained to be seen, however.
Neither Jim nor Ellen said another word before they made their way back downstairs.
“God, how infuriating is that woman? I’m so sorry for dragging you out here, away from work.”
“No bother, Sis. We’re just going to have to leave them to get on with their miserable existence. Mum isn’t fooling anyone but herself. She’ll come round in the end, if it’s not too late by then. That’s the last time we intervene, though, right? I’d better get back to work. See you at home later.” He leaned forward and pecked her on the cheek.
Ellen smiled at him before her gaze drifted up to the lounge window of the flat to see Colin staring down at her, with yet another triumphant expression pulled tightly across his ugly face.
________
Sitting on an old milking stool that he’d inherited with the farm, he watched and listened. Both of the girls were asleep when he’d entered the barn and taken up his seat in the corner of the stable where Diane, the new girl, was shackled. Admiring her naked body, he felt his erection quickly spring to life. He let his hand settle on his crotch, then stroked his manhood through the fabric of his jeans. Diane stirred. He doubted she’d heard him—he’d been as quiet as a church mouse since his arrival, just watching and admiring the perfect view.
“Who’s there?” Diane asked.
He almost sniggered but stopped himself before he gave away his presence. His ears pricked up when he heard the straw moving in the adjacent stable.
“Can you hear me?” Diane called out in a hushed voice.
“Yes. Who are you?” the other girl answered.
He could tell both girls were excited to have company, and maybe he’d recognised a sense of relief in their responses to each other, too. He watched and listened with a freakish interest as they continued their communication, their voices never going above hushed whispers.
“My name’s Diane. Yours?”
“Tina. Is he here?”
“No, I don’t think so,” Diane said.
He watched her twist and turn her wrists, trying to get out of her restraints, and noted that he would have to increase the sedative to keep her under control. He had sensed she would be trouble. He would deal with her before she got out of hand.
“Has he raped you?” Tina asked hesitantly.
“More than once, I think. Although I’m not sure. What about you?”
Tina sniffled. “Yes, it’s a daily occurrence. What have we done to deserve this? Do you know him?”
“I don’t think so. Do you?”
Tina sniffled again, and her chains rattled. “I’m not sure. I’m confused most of the time because of the medicine he gives me.”
He raised an eyebrow. So, she thinks she knows me, does she?
Diane gulped before she asked her next question. “What do you think he intends on doing with us? He can’t keep us here indefinitely, can he?”
Tina let out a sigh. “Why not? I can’t see anyone finding this place. There’s no point in us screaming, either, because we’re way out in the sticks.”
He smiled when he saw tears glisten on Diane’s cheeks as Tina’s words sank in. You’re right! No one is going to find you or anyone else I bring here. He rose from the stool, and Diane’s head turned when she heard the movement.
“Why are you doing this?”
He ignored her and went over to adjust the flow of the drip. Within seconds the girl’s head sank to her chest, and she fell back to sleep again. He decided to leave them for the night. He needed his strength for later, when he went out on the prowl again. The idea of having a harem kept prodding him, urging him to quickly capture more girls.
As he left the barn, he heard Tina still trying to communicate with Diane. He chuckled and looked up at the clear night sky. The stars were at their brightest, and somewhere in the distance, he heard a barn owl hoot. Bats circled overhead, adding to the drama of the scene. Maybe I could turn into a vampire and start sucking their blood. He laughed at his own bizarre joke and headed for the car. The time on the dashboard was 10:00 p.m., so he decided to go for a pizza and wait for the next victim to come his way.
CHAPTER TWELVE
“Christ! You look rough.”
“Thanks, mate. Just what a girl wants to hear first thing in the morning.” Ellen glared at Brian and slipped out of her coat. She’d had a very long night. After spending half of it thinking up ways to get rid of the dreaded Colin, she took the other half, telling herself she was being stupid and that her mother would never forgive her if she did anything underhanded towards her husband. He, on the other hand, could do what he liked. She had tossed and turned so much during the night that, at one point, she’d fallen out of bed and ended up on the floor of the spare room. Jim had come in to see if she was all right and ended up spending half an hour telling her to stop worrying and to get some sleep. She’d finally drifted off at five o’clock, only for the alarm to rouse her at seven.
“Dare I ask how your mum is?”
“Still battered and bruised. She ended up going back to the pub to be with him.”
“You’re joking!” Brian’s eyes bulged in disbelief.
“I wish I was, but I’m not. I think Jim and I are more worried about Colin than she is. Christ, you should have seen the way she was fawning all over him, even after the knife incident.”
“Whoa, hang on a minute. I didn’t know about the knife part.”
She fell into her chair, exhausted. “That all happened after I took her home. He was there, waiting for her—us. I went to check around to see if everything was okay, and when I walked back into the lounge, he was holding her hostage, a knife at her throat, nicking the skin.”
“Jesus! What did you do?”
“I told him I would leave if he put the knife down. I left and rang Jim. He came over. We rushed the place and were all geared up to throw the scumbag out, but Mum stopped us.” She threw a pen across the desk. It bounced on the surface, then hit the floor. “She thinks she can change him. She’s in lurve with him.”
“Bloody hell. Well, there’s little you can do then, except be there for her in case things go wrong again.”
“You mean when things go wrong again? I’m not sure I can keep picking up the pieces, Brian, only to have it flung back in my face the way she has. What’s the point in intervening if she isn’t going to kick the bastard out?”
He leaned back and folded his arms across his broad chest, which was inflating and deflating briskly. “I’m so sorry, Ellie. Try not to be too harsh on her, though, eh? She needs to know that she’ll still have your support should things go awry in the future, hon.”
“Sure, she has my support. But it sucks when that support is flung back in your face,” she repeated angrily.
“I understand. Maybe work will help take your mind off things.”
“Yeah, maybe. I guess I better pick up where I left off yesterday.”
“That’s right. You only got to see one of the families.”
“Yeah, plus I want to call at the gym. Any news on the nightclub yet?”
“The manager wasn’t available again. I’ll look into it again today.”
“Christ, anyone would think they have something to hide down there,” Ellen said, reaching for her notepad and pen.
“It does appear that way, doesn’t it?”
“Maybe I’ll pay them a personal visit after I go to the gym.”
The phone rang. Ellen grabbed it before Brian could. “Hello, Worcester Missing Persons Hotline, how may I help you?”
“I’m not sure if you can or
not,” a man said somewhat hesitantly.
Ellen frowned. “Has someone you know gone missing, sir?”
“I’m not sure. Yes… No… Umm, I think so.”
“Okay, let’s start at the beginning. Who are you contacting us about, sir?”
“It’s my wife. She went out with friends last night and didn’t come home.”
“Your wife’s name is?”
“Sorry, Sandy Cox. This is so unusual. She never stays out all night, never.”
Ellen could hear the distress resonating in the man’s voice. Her heart went out to him.
“When did you last see Sandy?”
“Last night. She was going into town with the girls. I said I would drop her into town, but she insisted on getting a cab.”
“When you say ‘town,’ are you talking about Worcester City centre?”
The man let out a heavy breath. “Yes. Shit, why didn’t I take her or pick her up?”
“Don’t worry, sir. We’ll try and find her. I have to ask, have you recently had an argument?”
“No, nothing like that. Please, she’s pregnant. We only just found out. She was out celebrating with the girls. Not drinking alcohol, of course. She wouldn’t do that.”
“Gosh, I’m sorry to hear that. Please try and remain calm. Does your wife go to Gypsy’s nightclub?”
“Yes. That’s where she and her friends planned on going last night. I spoke to her best friend this morning. I thought my wife might have gone home with her last night, but she hadn’t. She told me they went to the nightclub, then went their separate ways afterwards. I’m so worried about her. It doesn’t matter what fee you charge. I just want her back.”
“One more question, Mr. Cox. Did your wife go to any clubs, such as a gym or aerobics class anywhere?”
“Yes. In her lunchtime, she used to go to Jack’s Gym. Up until recently, that is. The doctor advised it would be good to get a little fitter before she fell pregnant. It worked, too. Now this!”
“Is there any reason at all you can think of for her to have taken off? Any debts? Added stress at work?” Ellen had a feeling his answer would be no, especially since Sandy was pregnant and had so much to look forward to.
“Nothing. We’ve done nothing but make plans ever since we found out about the baby.”
“Okay, do you have access to a computer at the moment?”
“Yes. My laptop is right here,” Cox replied, sounding puzzled.
“Is it possible for you to e-mail me a recent photo of Sandy?”
“Ah, I see. Of course. I’ll do it right away.”
Ellen gave him the office e-mail address and stared at her e-mail account, waiting for the woman’s photo to appear—not that it would make much difference. She already had a rough idea what Sandy Cox looked like.
Her fears were realised when she opened the e-mail and saw a stunning blonde smiling out at her from the screen. She clicked her fingers to get Brian’s attention. He left his chair and came over to stand beside her. They looked at each other and shook their heads in dismay.
“I’ve got it now, Mr. Cox. We have an ongoing enquiry similar to this that I need to chase up a few details on today. Can I get back to you later? In the meantime, I’ll start making enquiries. I’m willing to look for your wife at a reduced fee.”
“There’s no need for that. Money isn’t an issue. My wife’s safety is and that of my child. I’m a little confused. Are you saying that other people have gone missing, as in a spate of missing persons in the area?”
“Yes, that’s right. Try not to worry too much. There might be a simple explanation for that. We’ll talk soon.” She hung up before he could question her further. It wasn’t in her make-up to give anyone false expectations, but the man sounded so distraught that she really didn’t want him to worry himself into an early grave.
“What the hell is going on, Ellie?” Brian asked.
She chewed on the end of her pen and then looked up at him. “It’s still a mystery, one that I intend solving. I know I planned on visiting Diane’s relatives this morning. However, I think I’d be better off going to see the gym employees and the manager of the nightclub. This investigation isn’t going to get anywhere without checking out those two places first.”
“Yep, I agree. What do you want me to do?”
She shrugged. “There’s little you can do, except man the phones and pray that another woman doesn’t go missing soon. Looks like Sandy Cox went missing around the witching hour. Maybe I should consider wearing a disguise and laying a trap,” she said thoughtfully.
Brian walked away, slumped into his chair, and scowled as he pointed at her. “No way! No way are you doing that, lady. So get that thought out of your bloody head.”
“Wind your neck in and stop playing the protector. If I have to go undercover to catch this bastard, that’s exactly what I’m going to do. How else are we going to catch him?”
“Let’s see what you dig up today before we go off at a tangent, huh?”
“All righty. I’m off.”
She was halfway out the door when Brian called after her. “Ring me between visits, as usual.”
She saluted him and closed the door behind her. Twenty minutes later, she pulled into the car park at Jack’s Gym. She grabbed files of the missing girls off the passenger’s seat, then made her way into the gym. The girl on reception recognised her and gave her a welcoming smile.
“Hello again. I wondered if either you or the owner could give me some information about a few of your members?”
“I’ll have to check with the boss. Would you like to take a seat? Or go for a wander around the gym if you like, and I’ll catch up with you?”
“Great. Thanks a lot.” Ellen pushed through the glass doors and stepped into the air-conditioned gym. Since it was still early, only three members—all men—were working out. They halted their workout regimes and glanced her way. Each looked her up and down as though she were a tempting steak or breast of chicken. Isn’t that what bodybuilders mostly eat? She tried not to shudder under their gaze and delivered a slight awkward smile.
The men took the hint of her lack of interest and got back to their training. Is this what this place is all about? Is it some kind of cattle market? Do men and women hangout here with the specific intent to get chatted up and asked out? Surely not. Ellen ran the women’s names and their marriage status through her mind. Most, if not all, of the missing women had partners, either in the form of a husband or a boyfriend. Ellen struggled to shove away the fear of intimidation. She didn’t intimidate lightly, but something about being in the midst of an environment so highly charged with testosterone was definitely unnerving.
“Ah, here you are.” The receptionist brushed Ellen’s arm, and she almost ended up in the glowing suspended ceiling. “Sorry.”
“No problem. I was deep in thought. This all seems a little daunting to me. I wouldn’t know where to begin with all the different apparatus and their uses.”
The receptionist smiled. “We have trained instructors to help you there. Before you’re set loose on the equipment, you have to go through an introduction course with one of our instructors. I can schedule a slot for you this week if you like?”
Now that’s an idea. Become a member and snoop while you’re training. Blending in with this lot allows me to see what they’re up to.
“I have to get fit. The trouble is, I sit in an office most of the day. I hope your instructors come with the patience of Job. I’m not a very good listener when it comes to taking orders.” As the instructors at the police academy would no doubt agree.
“They’re saints, believe me. I hated any form of exercise before I came to work here. Now I can’t get enough of it.”
Ellen noted the brunette’s amazingly toned body in her skin-tight Lycra trousers and boob tube. Her abs protruded like steel bars, stretching her tanned skin to capacity. She’s pretty enough. So why hadn’t she gone missing? Wrong hair colour, that’s why, she corrected herself.<
br />
“You can sign me up before I leave. What did your boss say?”
“He wanted to know why?”
“I’m investigating the disappearance of Will Endersbe’s wife. That’s why I came to see him the other day.”
“Ah, yes. She’s a lovely girl. Any idea why she ran off like that?”
Ellen frowned. “Is that what you think?”
“Don’t you?” The receptionist seemed genuinely puzzled and, for some reason, nervous all of a sudden.
“We’re not sure. There doesn’t appear to be any logical reason why Donna would leave the way she did.”
The receptionist gasped, looked over her shoulder, and leaned in to whisper, “So you think she’s been murdered?”
Ellen held up a hand. “Now, hang on a minute. I didn’t say that. What would make you think such a thing?”
“I don’t know, probably watching too many CSI programmes.” She laughed. “What else could it mean?”
“That she’s been abducted. There’s a huge difference between that and being murdered.”
The glass doors opened, and Will Endersbe and his two mates entered the gym. He looked both pleased and anxious about her presence. “Please don’t say anything else while Will is in earshot. I’ll have a quick chat with him and meet you back at reception if that’s okay?”
“See you in a minute.” The receptionist gave Will an awkward smile and set off back to her post.
Will rushed forward. “Have you found her?”
“Not yet. I’m just getting started on the enquiry front, Will. How are you holding up?”
“I’ve been better.”
The two men he was with caught up with them and stared at Ellen, making her feel uncomfortable.
“What do you mean your enquiries have only just started?”
“Any chance we can talk in private?” She turned to the other two men, hoping they would take the hint. They didn’t.
In the end, Will had to spell it out for them. “Give us five, guys. Will you?”
They watched the men walk towards the changing rooms at the end of the gym before either of them spoke again.
Ellen pointed to a nearby wooden bench, where they both sat down. “There’s been other instances where women have gone missing.”
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