She woke and looked in to his eyes, she saw compassion and pity. She loathed him for it and tried to wriggle free but hadn’t the strength,
“What is your name?” She croaked.
“I am known as Caius.”
*
London, Hammersmith - 2000
Sir Clive was mightily inconvenienced by Joan's death,
“Dash it all, now I shall have to find a new one...” He stood at her bedside, Eve beside him, “...What the devil happened to her anyway?”
“We think she must have surprised a burglar.”
“Ah, I see.” He swallowed the explanation and Eve planted a seed,
“Not the sort of thing you want to make the newspaper is it?”
“Good lord no! That wouldn't do at all, dashed paparazzi all over the place!” Eve smiled,
“Poking their noses in and asking questions.”
“Bloody intolerable!”
Sir Clive used his connections to have Joan's death certified as Natural Causes and arranged a quiet funeral in the local authority cemetery.
The twins would get to wear black dresses, and the whole affair would vanish without a trace.
*
London, Windsor - 2000
Susan and Walther sat quietly in her living room. Since they had returned from the house in Hammersmith Susan had been quietly going crazy. Walther watched her helplessly as she wandered from room to room, she tidied things and put laundry in the machine, she made coffee and sandwiches, but she refused to speak about the shooting or her husband. Finally, she broke down. Walther heard a small crash from the kitchen followed by some muffled whimpering, he quickly ran to the kitchen and found her kneeling on the floor with her head in her hands, the remains of a coffee cup were scattered on the floor in front of her, with a face contorted with grief she spat out the words,
“Richard’s mug.” She sobbed for several minutes before either of them spoke, eventually the spasm was over,
“What are we going to do?” she asked in a strengthening waver. Walther eased her onto a stool,
“My guess is that Eve has another safe house somewhere, we have to find it. Richard may be held there.” he was reluctant to say he really thought, that Richard was already dead. Susan seemed to think on that for a few moments then uttered,
“Is it true what they say about killing? That the second one’s always easier?” Walther frowned and suggested she lie down for a while, he led her to the bottom of the stairs. She climbed them without a word.
*
Sir Clive's House in the Countryside - 2000
Richard had been exploring his cell, the iron bed was heavy but he could drag it backwards and forwards which meant that he could reach all four corners of the room. He tugged the wardrobe away from the wall slightly and saw the outline of tiny wooden door,
“How fucking creepy is that.” He muttered to himself, then shook his head at the craziness of his situation. After carefully pushing the wardrobe back to its original position he dragged himself across the room and examined the bedroom door. It was locked and very solidly made. He turned away with a grunt, and was staring out of the window again when the twins returned chattering as usual,
“We're sorry we can't stay for very long, we had to go to London to-”
“-And now we’ve got to catch up with our chores.” Richard noticed that they were wearing a lot of make-up and that their short dresses were not the kind of style you’d expect for doing ‘chores’.
“I want to go to the toilet!” He announced firmly. The infantile women looked at the buckets and then at him,
“Go ahead…” They announced, “…we’re not shy.” They giggled.
“Well I bloody well am!…” He roared, “…I'm not shitting in front of an audience! I'm not a bloody animal. And I want a shave and a shower!” He was testing them to see how far he could go. At first they looked a little defiant, then crestfallen, then after their customary pause said,
“Shy? We hadn’t thought of that.” Without another word to each other, Emm stepped forward and handcuffed his right wrist to the top of the bed while Pip unlocked the ankle cuff from the bed and attached it to her own ankle, then they spoke,
“We will let you use the bathroom if you promise not to try to run away.”
“You have to give us your word!” Richard duly promised and Emm freed his wrist. Pip then skipped lightly towards the door forgetting that she was shackled to Richard and fell over. There followed a strange little ritual where Emm helped Pip to get up asking her if she was all right and making a terrible fuss about nothing. Pip looked as if she was about to cry before Richard realised that he was also supposed to offer some kind of comfort to her,
“Would you like me to kiss it better?” He offered sarcastically. The effect was immediate; she lifted her leg and showed him a little red mark on her knee,
“Yes please…” She murmured in a forlorn voice, “…It hurts.” Richard noticed that her legs had recently been shaven and the scent of perfume. He solemnly kissed her knee. When he looked up he saw Pip grinning at Emm with a triumphant look on her face, Emm did not look pleased at all.
“Is it all better now?” Richard asked, oozing false concern. Emm was the one who answered,
“Yes I think you are quite all right now, aren’t you Philippa?” They exchanged glances with each other and led Richard out of the room.
“Shyness is nice.” Pip declared with a broad smile.
A Roadside Camp, Southern England - 2000
Tsuba stood in the trees out of sight of the lay-by. After a bow to the tree, he climbed it. Settled high in the boughs he looked beyond the trees to the town, from a pocket he removed a small notebook, after ruffling through for a moment he nodded and climbed back down the tree.
“I'll follow you and make a heaven out of hell, and I'll die by your hand which I love so well.”
His face betrayed little emotion as he returned to the lay-by, collecting firewood on his way.
*
Sir Clive's House in the Countryside - 2000
The twins were peering around the bathroom door, their eyes more saucer-like than ever. Richard had stripped down to his boxers and finished using the toilet, but didn't have time to protest as they tiptoed in and locked the door. Emm carried a small safety razor and some shaving cream; Pip had a small bundle of clothes that she placed on a small cupboard behind the door. There was a small stool in a corner, Emm placed it in front of the basin, draped a towel over it and sat Richard down,
“Shave first? Or hair wash?” She asked, her face flushed with excitement.
“I don't need any help shaving, I'm a big boy now and have been doing it myself-” The girls silenced him by each placing a finger on his lips, explaining,
“You're not allowed to have anything sharp. The Mistress would kill us, or worse...” They shuddered, “...she says you might turn it into a weapon to kill us and escape...” They nodded to each other, “...And so we've decided to wash your hair first, then shave you...” Emm licked her lips, “...and finish you off with a good scrubbing.” They giggled, adding a little apologetically,
“You have become a little smelly.” Despite feeling very silly at first Richard went along with the surreal operation; it felt good to be pampered even if it was by a pair of lunatics.
“Quite handsome, don’t you think Pip?” Emm had finished shaving Richard's beard off and they both paused to study at him.
“Now stand up, let’s get you washed.” Emm’s voice had taken on a husky tone as he stood up between the girls, he was at least six inches taller than they, Richard was also starting to feel a little uncomfortable, somehow the top buttons of the girls cotton dresses had somehow come undone, and they had spilled water down their fronts, he could see the outlines of their breasts and feel them as they pressed close to him, they seemed to be taking a long time washing him down, and then it was too late, Emm yanked his boxers down,
“Oh Pip look!” Emm spoke softly, their ha
nds stopped moving,
“Oooh.” They nodded, wide-eyed. Richard looked down at their faces glowing with anticipation. It finally dawned on him what he was supposed to do. Being trapped in a bathroom with two psychotic sex-maniacs was not Richard's ideal foreplay, he thought of Susan but that made things worse,
“I'm sorry, I can't do this.” He tried to break away but they pressed closer against him, stroking and kissing, dropping to their knees,
“No! I can't do this!” The evidence was before their eyes, he definitely wasn't up for it. The twins rose as one and left the bathroom,
“Call us when you've finished.” They were very unhappy.
*
Cairo's bedroom was a grubby shambles. Once upon a time it had been decorated for a child, possibly fifty years earlier that child had grown up and left. And the room had never been touched since. She had lots of shelf space, two chests, a cupboard and a wardrobe. And the floor. It looked as if a giant had picked up the room and shaken it so that everything had fallen over or tilted on the skew, or on to the floor itself.
From the window-seat she gazed for a while at the dusty, cobweb-strewn mobiles hanging from the ceiling, Victorian glass fairies danced in the late afternoon sunlight. With a gentle sigh she stood up and skittered across the room, effortlessly avoiding the randomly strewn toys, books and other abandoned artefacts. She reached the secret door neatly concealed within the panelling below the dado rail. She pressed the hidden lever and had to stoop slightly to enter the dark passage beyond.
*
London, The Gas Lamp Inn - 2000
In the bar of The Gas Lamp Inn, Eve forced a smile as the man they had arranged to meet lumbered across to join them. Franco wouldn’t even try to be polite to the big man, he detested him and suffered his company only because of his loyalty to Eve. Smokey Dick pulled up a chair with a curt nod to Franco and threw himself down onto it, growling in a thick phlegmy voice,
“Long time no see, princess!” He always referred to Eve as princess. Franco slitted his eyes and clenched his fists. Eve replied in a friendly but business-like tone,
“Yes Dick, a long time, but let's not waste any more time with any idle chat, I have a job for you. There's a woman I want you to, er, see to.” Eve had hooked him instantly at the mention of ‘woman’ and ‘see to’. Franco could see his depraved mind working, he watched as Dick's mouth watered while he rubbed his greasy palms together.
“How old?” Dick asked.
“Young. And pretty.” Eve replied. Franco felt a wave of pity for Susan. Dick let smoke waft out his mouth as he spoke,
“When?” He asked.
“Now.” She stated simply. There was a pause while Dick drank and blew out more smoke. Franco promised himself that one day he would snuff-out Smokey Dick. Dick coughed and cleared his throat before asking,
“Is ’e coming?” He demanded wagging a thick smoke-stained finger at Franco. Franco responded before Eve,
“Yes. I will drive, I do not think I will be needed to administer the punishment.” Franco stared dagger-eyed at Dick while he spoke. Eve felt the tension between the two men, it was like a physical thing to her and it felt so good. The excitement and hunger was growing within her more and more as the minutes passed, a frenzy was coming on and she craved for satisfaction, the kind of satisfaction she only knew one way to achieve.
*
London, Windsor - 2000
Walther sat in an armchair in the living room, it was dark outside and the house was quiet, he hoped that Susan would sleep for a while, he wanted time to think. He gazed absently around the room and noticed that the answer phone had a message waiting to be played, although strictly-speaking, he had no right to do it, he reasoned that it might be an important message and should be heard as soon as possible. He toyed with the idea of calling Susan down to hear it but in the end he decided to leave her in bed, it turned out to be a message from Cyndy asking about her wages and if she should bother to turn up for work on Monday morning as there was no office left?
Walther fell back into the armchair to continue his deliberations on their next move.
He drifted into a light sleep and was startled awake by the front door bell. He rose stiffly from the chair and made his way to the door, Susan was at the top of the stairs in her dressing gown and called down to him to put the security chain on before opening the door. It was too late, as soon as Walther had turned the latch the door burst inwards catching him above his left eye, blood poured into it immediately blinding him, he never saw the set of brass knuckles coming towards him on the bulging fist of Smokey Dick, Susan squealed in horror as Dick smashed Walther's face, he was down and out but Dick didn't stop, he pummelled on Walther’s chest and stomach until he lay still. Susan ran down the stairs screaming at Dick,
“Get off him you bastard! Leave him alone!” Dick flew out a swift backhand and knocked her flying into the wall, he stood up and waved his bloodied metal-stud fist in front of her face, behind him Eve had come in quietly and closed the door,
“Check the rest of the house!” She ordered as she reached between her legs for the slim dagger and held it at Susan's throat,
“Any trouble from you and I'll cut out your tongue! And then I'll give you to him to play with!” She laughed as she waved towards Dick. Susan was too terrified to speak.
“No one else here!” Dick called down from the top of the stairs, roughly the same spot that Susan had been in. Eve led them into the living room where she tied Susan’s hands behind her back, Smokey Dick stood in front of her, she noticed that he was breathing hard and his lips were wet, his hands were shaking, suddenly he reached out and tore the front of her dressing gown apart, he started crudely groping over her body with his hard coarse hands. Mumbling and dribbling he rubbed the front of his jeans. Susan fell backwards as Eve yanked her by the hair, she was bundled onto the dining table as Dick spread her legs.
“Hold her steady!...” Eve commanded as she held the knife to Susan’s face, “…Something to remember us by…” she purred as she slid the point into the soft flesh of Susan’s cheek,
“Ess…” She worked the tip with swift precision,
“Ell…” Susan's terror cranking her lust,
“Yew…” she finished the last letter with a shiver of pleasure,
“Tee…” and leaned back to admire her handiwork, “…Here, take a look!” She produced a small make up mirror and held it in front of Susan’s face, through the blood she could make out the word SLUT carved across her left cheek. The sight of her ravaged face triggered Susan into a frenzy, she kicked at Dick and bucked up and down to try to get free, it was no use, Dick was a very strong man and the more she struggled the more he liked it. He pulled her closer to him and prepared to enter her, Susan spat and swore and cried all at once, she felt his hardness against her, and closed her eyes in anguish.
And then all three of them heard the doorbell. They froze for a second and at long last Susan found her scream, she screamed for her life until Eve punched her in the face,
“Quiet or I’ll slit your throat.” Dick hurriedly yanked up his jeans and headed for the door. They heard a girl’s voice calling through the letterbox,
“Richard! Susan! are you in there? Oh my god!” It was Cyndy at the door and as she peered through the letterbox she saw Walther’s smashed face and then Dick making straight for the door, she stepped back and reached quickly into her handbag and set off a personal attack alarm, the door flew open and Dick made a grab for her, Cyndy was too quick for him, and sent a spray of Mace straight into his face followed instantly by a powerful kick to the groin. Dick bellowed,
“Fucking bitch!” And fell backwards into the house. Susan rolled off the table and managed to get to her feet quickly expecting another attack. Eve had vanished, Susan looked quickly around the room and then heard Cyndy shouting for help outside, with her hands still tied behind her back she gingerly made her way into the hall, she saw Dick stagger backwards before righting himself and racing
out of the house at a shambling run. Cyndy was shouting for help and banging on all the neighbours doors, then when she saw Susan she gasped, stopped shouting and ran to her with her arms outstretched,
“Oh my god, oh my god! What’s he done to you!?” Cyndy burst into a flood of hysterical tears. Susan stood pressed against her unable to speak, then she remembered Walther,
“We must call an ambulance!” She ran back inside with Cyndy close behind. The neighbours had started gathering outside, one of them, a casual friend, came into the house to help. Dick had run off, Eve had vanished, Susan passed out.
*
Sir Clive's House in the Countryside - 1999
Cairo's feline nocturnal wanderings had always been restricted to the confines of the house, it was at the height of the previous summer that she discovered a way out into the eerily beautiful garden.
Late one evening she had stood out on the balcony of one of the sealed upstairs rooms, staring at the stars and listening to the many small noises coming up from the garden and nearby woods. A small movement noticed from the corner of her eye made her turn and look down. A tiny field mouse scampered along the balcony rail and jumped off into the dark. Cairo's curiosity was aroused and she peered over the rail, she realised for the first time that the large tree that grew close to the house had stretched a thick bough that brushed the wall just below the balcony. She looked for the mouse but it had gone, with only the slightest hesitation Cairo climbed up over the balcony and put her weight on the bough, still holding on to the rail she jumped up and down to test its strength, it was solid. She thought for a while about trying to climb down to the ground but could see that the branches and twigs were too densely interwoven for her to get through. Undeterred she climbed back onto the balcony and scampered into her warren of secret passages. Her destination was the kitchen, once there she borrowed the key to Anjelica's store cupboard which was located at the end of a bleak corridor at the back of the house. The cupboard was in reality a small room, chock-full of every kind of never-to-be-thrown-away 'useful thing’ you could think of, she found a small saw and a few yards of rope, and then couldn't resist pulling open the drawers of a huge cupboard. In the second drawer down she saw a penknife, she grabbed it immediately, drawn to the carved mother-of-pearl handle,
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