The multi-story car park was full on the lower levels and so I drove up to the top floor, which was almost deserted.
I removed the pushchair from the boot and after unfolding it, wheeled it round to the side of the car. I was at the rear door about to lift Matthew out of his car seat when a rather scruffy young man strolled across to me from nowhere.
'Got the time, lidy?'
Lucy was by my side by now, having let herself out of the car. I looked at my wrist, only to find I'd left my watch on Vanessa's kitchen windowsill.
'Sorry, I don't appear... hang on though,' I said, leaning over to look in at the car's dashboard clock.
In a split second he'd grabbed my arm, pulling me back. Then I noticed the knife held at Lucy's throat. I gulped, a cold sweat of fear breaking out all over me as I realised the horror of what was happening. Lucy was standing still with two huge, petrified eyes gazing at me, a look of sheer terror on her little face, her breathing fast and shallow.
'All right, Lucy darling,' I said slowly to stop her shrieking out, which I feared she might do at any moment. God knows what the man would do with the knife if she did. 'Do just as the man says.' Lucy closed her eyes, cringing away from him.
Dear God, what should I do now? What will he do next?
The young man turned to me, still keeping the knife pointing at Lucy. I quickly glanced around; terror slicing through me. Not a soul about, unbelievable for a Saturday!
'Git back in, lidy. You too kid,' he said in a strong cockney accent. The hand holding the car door had dirty fingernails. In a split second I found myself noting all I could about him, from his long, lank, greasy blond hair and pointed features, down to his torn jeans and scuffed, muddy shoes. I reckoned he was about nineteen or twenty. He smelt of sweat, cooking fat and stale cigarettes.
'Please don't hurt the children,' I pleaded, as I belted Matthew up in his car seat again. 'Don't be frightened sweetheart, I whispered to him. He was grizzling at not being taken out of it after all. 'Don't fight darling, please, we must do exactly as the man says.'
Matt looked at me, a confused look in his eyes, 'Wanna get out, Ann-bel! Wanna get out!' Then he started to yell.
'Shh, in a minute...shh, there's a good boy,' I whispered, having feared this might happen. The poor little fellow hadn't a clue what was going on. Neither did I, other than I knew we were being car-jacked at knife point.
As Matthew continued to yell, Lucy got back in next to him and tried to pacify him. 'Shh Matt, we've got to do what Annabel says. Don't cry, I'm here,' she said, kissing him.
Matt carried on yelling. Throughout all this the man was wielding the knife threateningly. It was now pointing into my chest. 'Come on, lidy, git a move on! Git in the bloody car and drive, or else! Shud up, brat!' he shouted back at Matt.
He heaved himself into the passenger seat, pointing the knife at my ribs. Hunched over the steering wheel I tried the starter. All it did was grind futilely and it took several attempts before it fired. As Matt was still crying, my nerves were in tatters. I grated the gears and, swearing under my breath, I put the car into reverse. Matt's cries had now tailed off into little whimpers.
'Bloody 'ell, lidy! What the bleedin'...'
'S..sorry, I...I'm not too familiar with this car,’ I stammered.
Another car had now driven up the ramp onto our level. I considered screaming out to them but they went way over to the other side. The knife was still pointing at me.
As I started reversing out of the parking spot, I realised the push chair was still standing beside the car.
'The pushchair!' I said.
'Leave it. Git going!'
As I straightened up the car, I tried to press the centre of the driving wheel where I expected the horn to be, but nothing sounded. Damn, it might just have alerted those other people. Even if the man ended up stabbing me, he might run off. Then at least the children would be all right. But if he's desperate enough he might slash or stab them too. I couldn't risk that. If only I could think straight. I was so scared for the children. I had to do what was safest for them.
As we drove back down and out of the car park, I was instructed to head out of town. Again I tried the horn but still it wouldn't sound. Outside, everyone was too pre-occupied to notice us despite my panic-stricken face.
I glanced at the children in my rear-view mirror. Both were staring straight ahead, wide-eyed and sobbing silently, Lucy's frightened little face pressed up close to Matthew. Suddenly Matt wailed. ‘Want Mummy, where's Mummy?’
'Shud up brat! She's driving.'
'No! Want my Mummy!'
I then explained that I was not their mother. 'Their mother's ill and I'm just looking after them today.'
'Well can't you shut the bloody kid up some 'ow?'
'Lucy, will you give Matt some of those Smarties,' I suggested, remembering they'd brought a couple of tubes with them. I was desperate now myself for him to stop howling.
We were almost out of town now and my main fear was that the man must definitely have a sexual motive, otherwise why hadn't he grabbed my bag when he had the chance and taken off? And if he only wanted the car, then why hadn't he simply taken the keys off me and driven away?
I was in a state of utter panic now, trying hard to think logically. I needed a plan of action, but what could I do? I tried to weigh up our options. The man's heavy breathing beside me plus the combination of his sweaty BO and my terror was beginning to make me feel quite nauseous.
Stay as calm as possible, I kept telling myself, because I knew my life and the two children's were at stake. I thought of Maria, and how she must have felt when she had been kidnapped in Milan. I thought of Vanessa, oblivious to all this lying at home in bed, and Rowley enjoying his rugger game. All this flashed through my mind in seconds.
Suddenly I remembered we needed petrol. I tapped the petrol gauge, drawing the man's attention to it. 'I want petrol, we'll run out soon,' I said, urgently.
'Shit,' he grunted under his breath. 'OK, pull in at the next garage. There's one up 'ere on the left. And I warn you don't do nuffink silly, you 'ear? Just git filled up, pay 'em and git off again, sharp.'
I wasn't too familiar with the road and where exactly we were. Suddenly we passed the park.
'Swings, Ann-bel! Look, swings!' yelled Matt, pointing as we went by.
'Can't stop just yet, darling. Later! Petrol first.' The knifepoint dug once more through my coat into my ribs.
Lucy caught my eye in the rear-view mirror. I smiled at her as reassuringly as I could. Bless her heart, she was my precious godchild; I owed it to her and her little brother to see us all safely out of this horrific predicament. Her huge, blue eyes continued to stare hard at me as she handed out Smarties to her brother. At least he'd quietened down now. I glanced sideways towards the man without moving my head. He really was most unsavoury looking; spotty and pock marked with a thin, mean mouth.
Resting the knife briefly on the dashboard and dragging a squashed pack of cigarettes from his dirty navy anorak pocket, he took one and lit it with the car lighter. How I wanted to shove that lighter right into his face! No chance. He quickly took up the knife again.
I contemplated briefly what he might end up doing to the children and me if sex was indeed his motive. I imagined him raping me in front of the children in some field or wood somewhere and it horrified me. Oh God, what then might he do to these two sweet children? Somehow, God knows how, I had to find a way for us to escape from him.
CHAPTER 30
I followed the curve of the road still in a state of panic. What could I do? How I could save us from this fiend? I prayed the garage wouldn't be too far off. Suddenly the red and green logo of Mercers Garage loomed up on our left and I drove in.
Thank God! Perhaps I can do something to save us here? I could feel the hidden knife still digging in me as the petrol pump attendant came forward.
'Fill 'er up,' my scruffy assailant said through a small open gap in the window. Quickly he wound up
the window again. But before it was shut, Matt called out, 'Wanna wee-wee, wanna wee-wee!'
'Shud up kid,' the man grunted.
'Wanna wee- wee, Ann-bel, now!’
Matthew kept on about going to the toilet.
'Bloody kid,' my assailant growled, and picking up my bag, which was at his feet, he thrust it at me. 'When he’s done, pay 'im, an' quick about it.' I unwound my window more and handed the attendant a note. Enough to cover the amount indicated on the petrol pump gauge.
'Oh, not on account then, madam?'
'No,' I said, shaking my head. I felt the knife-point, under the cover of the man's arm, dig into my ribs again.
'And keep the change,' said my assailant sharply. But Matt kept on about wanting a wee-wee. I was trying to think how to alert the attendant to my predicament when he put his head to the window again.
'Why don't you take the little lad to the toilet here, madam?' he said, pointing to the WC sign on the wall beside the office.
'Yes! I wanna go there!' yelled Matt. I could see Lucy's petrified eyes getting larger and larger in the rear-view mirror. Something told me this might possibly be our chance. I gave her a flickering smile and a tiny nod. She was a bright kid and so hopefully she would take the initiative.
'Yes, and I wanna go too!' shouted Lucy loudly.
'Shit,' the man spat under his breath, leaning over me and winding up the window again. 'Right, we'll all bloody well go! And no funny business, or else,' he mumbled at me.
I tried to catch the pump attendant's eye. Surely he could see how scared I was, how out of place this man looked with us. But he gave no indication. The ruffian came round and stood close to me while I got the kiddies out of the car. He could still draw the knife from his pocket at any moment to stab me, or the kids. So for the moment I mustn’t do anything to annoy him. Maybe soon there'd be a chance.
Outside the WC, I suddenly saw my only hope to save the children at least; if not myself. The attendant had come back out of the office again and was looking towards us. I tried to catch his eye again but the kidnapper had his hand firmly on my arm, the other hand I knew was on the knife in his pocket, ready to draw. Somehow I had to get the kids to safety.
The garage attendant was still watching us. He'd obviously recognised the car and the children and was perhaps concerned for us after all. I glanced at him desperately. The grip on my arm tightened and I opened my eyes wide briefly to show my fear. The kids looked up at me. Any moment Matt might call something out to him. I couldn't risk that. Right, here goes!
I opened the WC door and shoved them both in hard, pulling the door shut. This produced a loud wail from Matthew. Lucy must have fallen on top of him inside. The wailing continued.
At that point the attendant came briskly across. 'Excuse me, er... can I...' he began. Distracted, my assailant turned towards him. It just allowed me time to push the WC door open again and slide in myself. I then locked it.
'Help us, please!' I shouted. 'He's got a knife!'
Confusion then must have broken out on the forecourt. A load of scuffling and grunting could be heard, running footsteps and then silence. Next a car started up. Damn! In panic I'd stupidly left the keys in the ignition.
I waited a moment then gingerly unlocked the door. Just outside the petrol attendant was picking himself up off the ground holding his arm. Vanessa's car had gone and so had our assailant. He had obviously lashed out with his knife at the attendant before running off, using the car to get away.
'Ann-bel, please. Wanna wee-wee!' wailed Matt.
'All right, Matt, just a minute please. Are you OK?' I asked the attendant, as he inspected his arm.
'I think so. It's only a bit of a cut. These sleeves are pretty thick. He only just caught me with the knife. Are you and the kids all right?'
'Yes, we're okay, thanks.'
'Afraid he's taken off with the car though!'
'I know. Like an idiot I left the keys in! I say, I think you're bleeding badly. Let me take a look.' Blood was dripping off the man's hand now. At that point Matt set up another wail, 'Wanna wee-wee!'
'Look, you see to him, before there's another sort of accident. I'm Bob by the way, and this can wait. I'll take this young lady into my office while I phone the police.'
'Lucy, will you be all right, or do you really want to go to the toilet too?' I asked, but Lucy was already by Bob's side.
'No I'll go with him,' she replied.
'Are you sure you're OK?' I asked Bob again.
Once again Bob assured me that he was and that I should go ahead and see to Matt. He then took Lucy into the office with him, where Matt and I joined them later.
Bob looked up from the phone, nodding to me.
'Right, Inspector, I'll keep 'em here till you come.' He replaced the receiver, gripping his injured arm. 'I knew there was something odd. You see I know Vanessa and Rowley quite well. They're regulars and a short while before you came in, Vanessa phoned to explain you would be calling for petrol and that it was to go on their account...'
'I see. So when I paid cash you were sort of alerted I suppose? Thank God, and thank you!' I said, helping him off with his jacket. 'You know, you really should get that looked at.'
It seemed to be a deepish cut but he went to a cupboard and pulled out a first aid box.
He shook his head. 'No need, I'll be fine, honestly. It looks far worse than it is.' He then grinned at the children. 'I know these two little monsters quite well, don't I?' He ruffled Matt’s hair while I sorted a bandage out for him. 'This young man nearly always wants to use the toilet ... does it almost every time Vanessa comes in with him. Bit of a habit, isn't it, laddie? I've kinda come to expect it so, naturally, I suggested you should let him go here.'
Lucy's head bobbed up between us as I finished bandaging his arm for him. 'And I thought if I said I wanted to go too it might help us. And it did, didn't it, Annabel?' she said.
'You were marvellous, both of you. You completely saved the day!'
'I'd expected you’d be on your own with the kids too,' said Bob. 'And I could see that nasty piece of work was hardly the sort of passenger you'd be giving a friendly lift to. You were also looking rather frightened...'
'I was, petrified actually!'
Bob gave the children packets of potato crisps while we waited for the police. Fortunately I'd held on to my handbag when I left the car. Of course I was concerned about the theft of the car but there was little I could do about that now. Better the man took that, I reasoned, than harm the children and me. Thoughts of what could have happened to us horrified me and I realised what a lucky escape we'd probably all had.
The police arrived, and after giving them a statement and full description of the man, they drove the children and me back home to Vanessa's. Matt was thrilled to bits to be riding in a real police car. As we were getting in, Bob said he would call Vanessa for me to warn her. I thanked him. I didn't want her to be too shocked when we rolled up minus her car and with the police.
That evening, after the police had taken another statement with all the car details from Vanessa, and Matt and Lucy had elaborated again about the 'nasty man' in the car with us, I managed to rustle up a basic mediocre spaghetti bolognaise with the mince I'd left thawing earlier.
On the whole, the meal wasn't bad considering I'd not after all, been able to get the fresh pasta and special extra ingredients I'd wanted. Although I didn't have much appetite, the children loved it. Rowley was so hungry when he came in that despite his shock at hearing about the abduction and the theft of Vanessa's car he too managed to wolf down a huge plateful.
'Clever old Bob, eh, coming to the rescue! Good for him,' he said. 'What a frightful experience for you though, Annabel. Not exactly what you'd bargained for when you came here for the weekend, I’d say? Thank God, you're all okay though. A maniac like that might have been capable of doing anything!'
'Well it was lucky really that Vanessa had phoned the garage before we got there,' I said, smiling as Va
nessa came through. She was looking much better for her afternoon rest, despite all the drama that had taken place.
'Wise move, Vanessa. It probably saved the day, really,' asserted Rowley, putting his arm around her.
'No Daddy, it was Matt and me. We saved the day. We did, didn't we, Annabel?' retorted Lucy, her eyes bright with excitement from talking about it.
'You certainly did, darling,’ said Rowley and Vanessa in unison.
‘Yes, it was all your clever thinking,' I said, holding my hand out to Lucy
'It was us wanting to use the toilet that got us away from him, wasn’t it?' she butted in again.
I nodded, hugging her to me. The closeness between us now was simply wonderful and I revelled in the happy warm satisfied glow it gave me. I felt so proud of her, but above all I was astounded at my lack of concern during the crisis for my own personal safety. Throughout the whole ghastly nightmare, uppermost in my mind had been the children’s safety. Had I been forced to, I know I would have risked my own life for them to escape. Realising how precious they'd become cast a completely new dimension on what life and life's values were all about. Somehow I felt a totally different person.
*
For the rest of the weekend, and for days after I'd arrived back in London, I found myself constantly re-living the terrifying ordeal of that afternoon and, had things gone differently, how close we'd come to tragedy. Suppose I hadn't been able to push the children into the toilet - suppose I hadn't been able to get in there myself! The horrors of what might have taken place didn't bear thinking about.
Life and people, especially those who were close and precious to me, such as my own family and these two darling children, had suddenly become more important to me than anything else now: more important than even my business. That was nothing compared to the love I had for these very special people.
Two days later the police recovered the car on the other side of Staines. So the man had only used it then to get away? Once more it convinced me that he may have had a sexual motive for the abduction and an icy chill went through me. I prayed the police would catch him before he accosted another woman. The careful description I had given the police would, I hoped, lead to an early arrest. I hated the thought of him still roaming free.
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