The Golden Anklet

by Beverly Hansford

  At last the officer stopped writing and passed a sheet of paper and a pen to Bob. ‘I’ll have to ask you to provide us with a statement of your side of the events. Please read this and sign it if you consider it a true account of what happened last evening.’

  Bob did not reply. He read the document. There was not a lot to it, because he had not been able to tell the police very much other than that he had fallen asleep in the car the previous night and had woken up in a playing field early that morning.

  He signed the statement.

  ‘Thank you, sir.’ The police officer took the sheet of paper. He looked at Bob for a few seconds and then spoke again. ‘Just to let you know, sir, that we have alerted the coastguards in the area and the lifeboat has been called out to do a search.’

  ‘I see,’ replied Bob. He felt stunned. So that was the way it was. The police were convinced that he and Jane had gone swimming the previous evening and that there had been some kind of mishap.

  The police officer spoke again. ‘We’ve also contacted Mr Miles Ashington and he verified that you and Miss Carroll were his guests yesterday evening.’

  ‘Thank you.’ Bob uttered the words almost automatically.

  ‘I’m afraid we shall have to ask you to stay here for a while, until the investigation team returns.’

  Bob nodded in reply.

  He was led back to the cell, with an apology from his hosts for having to ask him to wait in there.

  Bob sat alone with his thoughts. He was now extremely worried about Jane. What had happened to her? Another concern was the question of what had happened during the period he could remember nothing about. Had they in fact gone swimming, as the police appeared to think? It seemed too unbelievable to even consider.

  Around midday a police officer brought him a plate of sausages and chips, together with another mug of tea. In spite of everything, Bob suddenly became hungry when he saw the food.

  A little while later he was led back to the interview room. The officer who had taken his statement was sitting at the table, on which now lay two plastic bags. One clearly contained Bob’s clothing, and in the other were Jane’s bag, dress and shoes.

  The police officer addressed Bob. ‘We’ve recovered these personal items from Miss Carroll’s car. We’d like you to check your own items and also verify that the second bag contains the clothing that Miss Carroll was wearing the last time you saw her.’

  Suddenly Bob was overwhelmed with misery. Seeing Jane’s items in a plastic bag brought reality into focus. He sat down quickly on one of the chairs.

  ‘Are you all right, sir?’ asked the police officer.

  Bob nodded. ‘It’s just the shock of seeing my fiancée’s possessions like this.’

  ‘I understand sir,’ replied the police officer.

  Bob said nothing.

  The police officer continued. ‘We’ve also recovered Miss Carroll’s handbag. It was left on a rock close to the sea.’

  He looked at Bob to determine how he received this information. Bob felt too besieged by the questions in his head to even attempt a reply.

  His informant spoke again. Closely studying Bob, he made his summing-up. ‘I’m sorry to have to say this, sir, but from all the evidence we have seen so far, it would appear that at least Miss Carroll went swimming in Dolby Cove last night.’

  ‘But that’s impossible. We would never have done that. Jane must be somewhere.’

  ‘We will continue to make enquiries,’ the officer advised sympathetically. ‘Now, if you wouldn’t mind just looking through these bags, sir…’

  Bob carried out the instruction as if in a dream. He checked the contents of the bags as requested and signed various documents. The police officer gave him back his own items but kept Jane’s clothing and bag. Then Bob was told that he could leave and that he would be contacted if there were any developments or if he was needed again

  With a heavy heart, and carrying his bag of clothing, Bob retreated to the nearby cloakroom. Just to be wearing his own clothes again made him feel a bit more normal.

  When he emerged from the cloakroom and was trying to find his way out of the building a woman police officer told him there was somebody waiting to collect him. She led him out into the entrance hall of the police station. A worried-looking Miles Ashington stood there. As soon as Bob appeared, he rushed over and grasped his hand.

  ‘My dear boy, this is a terrible thing to have happened.’

  Bob was almost too full of emotion to reply. All he got out was a croaky ‘Yes’.

  ‘But what happened?’ Miles asked, looking at him anxiously.

  ‘I wish I knew,’ Bob replied miserably.

  ‘I’ll take you home. I’ve got my car here,’ Miles replied soothingly, taking Bob’s arm to guide him to the exit.

  ‘Thank you,’ was all Bob managed to say.

  He followed Miles out of the building. He was surprised to find himself in bright sunshine. Everywhere he had been in the police station had been away from natural light. Even more of a surprise was to see that the luxurious car that Miles had arrived in was chauffeur-driven. He found himself installed in the back seat with Miles beside him.

  They drove in silence. Bob’s concern about his own predicament had now been replaced by another serious worry. Where was Jane? What had happened to her?

  Chapter 41

  Clarity came to Jane slowly. With it also came the reality that she was still travelling in the boot of the car. She could feel every bump from her cramped position. Had she fainted, or had she just fallen asleep? She was not sure what had happened.

  She tried to shift her position to ease the ache in her limbs, but it was impossible in the confined space. On top of that her wrists now hurt from being tightly tied. Her only consolation was that the feeling of nausea seemed to have gone away. Two questions were uppermost in her brain: who were these people who had abducted her so violently? Where were they taking her?

  How long the rest of the journey took she had no idea, but eventually she was aware of the car slowing down and driving over a bumpy surface. Then it stopped. There was the sound of people getting out of the car, and the next instant the lid of the boot was opened. Babs and Mel peered down at her. Jane looked up at them, pleading with her eyes. It was still dark and they were illuminated by the light in the car boot. Jane was conscious of the two men joining them.

  ‘Get her out.’ It was Babs who issued the order.

  The two men lifted Jane out of the boot and set her on her feet.

  ‘Let’s get her inside quick,’ urged Babs.

  Mel bent down and released the cord around Jane’s ankles. She took Jane’s arm and made her walk. Jane could just make out the outline of a large building in the darkness. She staggered the few steps to it. A door was opened and a light turned on, which dazzled her. She was led along a corridor and up some stairs, stumbling as she went, and then into a room.

  Mel almost pushed her onto a bed. ‘Welcome to the Grand Hotel,’ she mocked.

  Jane made muffled noises, pleading for the gag to be removed.

  ‘I’ll take it off, but if you scream or shout, it goes back on. OK?’

  Jane nodded. It was all she could do.

  Mel removed the gag.

  ‘Thank you,’ responded Jane hoarsely, greatly relieved. Another thing was troubling her. Pinioned behind her back, her arms hurt, and she could feel the cords biting into her wrists. ‘Please untie my hands,’ she pleaded. ‘My wrists are hurting.’

  Mel nodded. ‘OK. But you’ll still have to be secured until that lazy partner of mine fixes the window so that you can’t escape.’

  ‘Who are you? Why are you doing this to me? I’ve never done you any harm.’

  Jane looked at her captor, begging for an answer, but Mel only looked at her for an instant before turning and leaving the room. Jane heard her run down the stairs, and a few minutes later she returned with a pair of handcuffs.

  Jane’s hands were untied and the next instant she
found her left hand tethered to the iron bedstead on which she was lying. At least the pain from the cords on her wrists was beginning to disperse.

  ‘I’ll be back soon.’ And with that Mel left the room, closing the door behind her.

  Jane tried to take in her surroundings. She was lying on a single bed in a small bedroom. A chest of drawers stood against one wall, and a low table against another. A tatty and rather dirty carpet covered part of the floor. The only window had the glass painted over. Morning was now beginning to lighten it.

  Jane lay back on the bed. This was obviously going to be some sort of prison for her. But why? What did her captors want with her? Tethered as she was, she had to remain on the bed. How long were they going to keep her like this? If only she knew what they were planning. It looked as if Mel was now in charge of her. Perhaps eventually she might get some information from her. It was worth a try. The light coming through the window was becoming brighter. It was clearly still early morning, but without her watch it was impossible to know the exact time. It almost sounded as if she was in some sort of farmhouse, because she could hear the clucking of hens and several times a cockerel. There was the distant sound of a meal being consumed. It sounded as if her four captors were all downstairs having breakfast. It must have been at least an hour before things began to go quiet, and then there was the unmistakable sound of a vehicle being driven away somewhere nearby.

  Five minutes later the door was opened and Mel appeared again. She carried a plate of toast and a mug of tea.

  ‘I’ve brought you some breakfast,’ she announced. Then with a grin she added, ‘We won’t starve you.’

  Jane had a greater need. ‘Please, I need a toilet,’ she begged.

  Mel hesitated a second, and then sprang into action. ‘OK. But no tricks. And you’ll have to leave the door open.’ She reached into the pocket of her jeans for the key to Jane’s handcuffs and quickly unlocked them.

  Jane stood up.

  Mel opened the door and Jane was relieved to see that the toilet was almost opposite. She had to use it while Mel stood on the landing close by. Normally she might have been embarrassed, but she was already learning that in captivity modesty is of a lesser importance.

  However, she was not quite prepared for the next encounter. Emerging from the toilet, she found herself being eyed up by one of her male captors, who must have crept up the stairs behind the waiting Mel.

  The intruder gave a low whistle. ‘Hello again, darling,’ he smirked, feasting his eyes on Jane’s scantily clad body.

  The sound made Mel turn round quickly to face him. ‘You, get back downstairs. And get this window fixed,’ she snapped.

  With a sulky look the man disappeared down the stairs.

  Mel led Jane back into her prison. Jane obediently lay back on the bed and held out her hand to be secured again. She felt that there was little else she could do at this stage.

  ‘Don’t worry about Carl. He’s all mouth and nothing else. I can handle him,’ remarked Mel as she fastened the handcuffs again.

  Something else was troubling Jane after the encounter with Carl. Her skimpy underwear had not been intended for public display, but for something completely different. She was now painfully aware of her state of undress.

  ‘Please can I have some clothes to put on?’ she asked hopefully.

  Mel looked at her, almost smiling. ‘Why?’ she asked. ‘You’re not going anywhere.’

  The remark made Jane snap. ‘Look. You abducted me last night, stripped me of my clothes, trussed me like a chicken and brought me here. You won’t tell me why. I’m nearly naked and I’m cold. I want some clothing.’

  Her outburst had the desired effect. Mel looked at her for a second, surprised and shocked. She responded quickly.

  ‘OK. Keep your hair on. I’ll see what I can find.’

  She went across to the chest of drawers and opened one of the drawers. She rummaged for an instant and then pulled out a blanket, which she placed on Jane’s legs.

  ‘I’ll find you something else later.’

  And with that she left the room.

  Jane lay back, surprised at the success of her outburst. She pulled the blanket around herself with her free hand and munched the toast Mel had brought her. It was now cold, like the mug of tea, which was sickly sweet, but she was surprised how much she wanted food.

  It was some time before the door was unlocked and Carl appeared, carrying some tools. He grinned at Jane and she was glad that she had the blanket pulled tightly round her.

  ‘Hello, darling,’ was his greeting.

  Jane made no reply.

  He set to work. It didn’t take long. Two holes were drilled in the window frame, and screws inserted. With a final twist of the screwdriver, he turned to Jane with a smirk. ‘That’ll stop any little birds from flying away.’

  Again, Jane made no reply. It was pretty clear now that Carl was Mel’s partner. Jane guessed that he was probably around the same age as Mel, but his unshaven face and greying hair made him look older.

  Jane watched as Carl collected his tools together. As he turned to leave the room he hesitated at the side of the bed. He glanced at Jane’s tethered hand and then looked at her.

  ‘I could make things better for you, you know.’ He grinned.

  ‘Go to hell.’ Jane’s reaction was automatic.

  Carl shrugged his shoulders. ‘Please yourself,’ he remarked.

  As he was leaving, Mel appeared again. She was carrying a bundle of clothes and a bucket.

  She looked after the departing Carl and then addressed Jane.

  ‘Don’t take any notice of him. He thinks he’s Casanova.’ She sniffed. ‘It takes him all his time to manage it once a week.’

  In normal circumstances Jane might have been amused by the comment, but this situation was too serious.

  Mel put the bucket down on the floor. ‘You can use that when you want a pee,’ she announced. The next instant she threw the bundle of clothes onto the bed, over Jane’s legs. Next she produced the key to the handcuffs and released Jane’s hand. With that she went out of the room, locking the door behind her.

  Jane quickly examined the bundle. It contained a blouse, a thin skirt and a pair of shoes. In a second she was off the bed and trying them on. They were quite clearly second-hand. The once-white blouse was greyish in colour and the skirt had a tear in it. Both were at least one size too big but they were garments and she was glad of their covering. The shoes were too loose. They were well worn and one had a hole in the sole, but at least they were shoes.

  She lay back on the bed again and tried to think things through calmly and logically. What reason would anyone have for abducting her? At first she had considered it to be a kidnap, but she ruled that out. Why were four peopled involved, and why had she been forced to remove her clothing at the seashore? None of it made sense. Her thoughts turned to Bob. Where was he? Had he been abducted too? For what reason? The whole thing was weird and absurd. She wondered whether she had been reported missing. Perhaps the police were already looking for her. In the meantime, what intentions did her captors have towards her? Again and again she asked herself the question. The more she thought about it, the more concerned she became.

  She was now convinced that she was being held on some sort of farm, because again and again she heard animals and the sound of activity outside somewhere below her window. Funny, she thought: Carl didn’t look much like a farmer. If only she could see out of the window, but it had been painted over on the outside. There wasn’t even a crack to look through.

  Sometime later – she guessed around midday – Mel brought her some sausage and mash. As she put the plate down on the table, Jane tackled her again.

  ‘Please tell me what’s going to happen to me. Why are you doing this?’ she pleaded.

  Mel paused and looked at her. Jane thought that yet again she wasn’t going to get an answer.

  She was wrong. Mel suddenly spoke to her almost angrily. ‘Look. Get this. We
are just the middle guys, hired to look after you until the next stage. That’s our job and as much as I know.’

  ‘But why does anybody want to do this to me?’

  Mel shrugged. ‘I expect you’ve upset someone.’

  ‘But I haven’t,’ protested Jane.

  Mel shrugged her shoulders again. ‘Somebody must want you out of the way,’ she remarked almost casually. Jane’s future did not appear to concern her.

  ‘But who? You must know who engaged you to kidnap me,’ said Jane anxiously, desperate for an answer.

  Mel smiled slightly. ‘I value my life too much to tell you that,’ she replied.

  ‘What will happen to me?’ Jane asked, in almost a whisper now.

  Mel shrugged her shoulders again. ‘Who knows? Get rid of you somewhere, I suppose.’

  Mel’s reply struck fear into Jane. What was she hearing? The gravity of her situation was even more apparent. She desperately needed to find out more from Mel while the opportunity was there.

  Her next question voiced the fear that was uppermost in her mind. ‘You mean they’re going to kill me?’ Her voice was hoarse.

  Mel hesitated slightly before replying. ‘I doubt it,’ she observed casually. ‘More likely ship you off somewhere out of the way.’

  ‘But where?’ wailed Jane.

  Before she could receive an answer, Carl called from downstairs.

  ‘Mel! MEL!’

  ‘What’s he want now?’ muttered Mel, preparing to leave Jane. ‘Coming!’ she called back. She spoke over her shoulder to Jane. ‘You ask too many questions.’ And with that she was gone, the key turning in the lock once again.

  Jane was left with her thoughts. Her brief conversation with Mel had produced a greater fear in her. Her ordeal was no kidnap for ransom as she had first feared. It was something more sinister. Clearly her captors were only part of the plan somebody had for her.

  Somehow she had to try and escape. But how could she do that? It was clear that the door was going to be kept locked. Could she overcome Mel in some way? That was difficult. Carl seemed to be around most of the time. Anyway, how would she do it? Hit Mel over the head with something? That was a bit dodgy. She might kill her and then be had up for murder. The window was the only alternative, but Carl had fixed that. Perhaps an opportunity to escape might present itself. She had to be ready to seize any chance that came along.