The abduction was supposed to be short-lived and simple. I’d read a study on memory triggers that explained that a trigger was something that set off a memory tape or flashback, which effectively took the person back to the event they had forgotten. It could be a sight, a sound, a touch, a smell or even a taste. The more affecting and salient the event, the greater the probability that the memory of that event could be intentionally reactivated.
In this study, a man who had experienced a level of fear during an emotional event akin to what he’d experienced during a traumatic childhood incident had seen it trigger his repressed memories.
I realised that I needed to do two things: one, recreate the fear my wife must have felt when her car crashed through the barrier into the river, and two, provide a powerful-enough emotional cue.
Emily and Daniel are everything to my wife. I knew that if one of them was in danger, their life hanging in the balance and dependent upon her memory returning, it would easily recreate the fear and provide the emotional intensity needed to spark a trigger.
The drive to Sofia’s hotel felt like it was taking forever. I drove even faster, the wheels on the car screeching as I rounded corners, echoing the piercing register of my racing heart.
Something Sarah said to me before I left had hit a nerve. She had mentioned that the abductors might have weapons or links to drug traffickers, and that with no sign of the necklace, they might change their plans. The abduction was never meant to get so out of hand.
I hadn’t ever considered that Don might have taken a weapon when there was no need for one. The thought that he could have made a chill run down my spine. He may have looked harmless but he was of the same ilk as his father, so how different could he really be? I shuddered, realising that the same applied to me.
If Stefano read the newspaper, he would know that the necklace wasn’t just worth a few thousand euros, but 150 million. What if he was in Don’s ear? What if he suggested a real abduction for ransom?
The closer I got to Sofia’s hotel, the sicker I began to feel about the danger I had placed Emily in. I had judged Don purely on his appearance and his desire to study. I saw in Don myself as a young man, and the desperation I carried to break free of the Vele and to make something meaningful of my life. Perhaps I had seen only what I wanted to.
My heart was racing as I considered how foolish I had been. When I conceived this plan, I assured myself that my daughter’s life wouldn’t be put in any danger. She would just be hidden somewhere for a day or two and then I would get the necklace, and she would be freed. No one would ever know the truth. But now I realised how short-sighted I had been. I had treated her life like a bargaining chip for my own gain. As a father, I was meant to protect my daughter, but instead I had done the opposite.
I parked the car outside the hotel and ran to Sofia’s room. I knocked on the door, and before she opened, I took some deep breaths and ran a hand through my hair. In her mind, I was there to see her and collect the phone, so I couldn’t appear so dishevelled.
The door swung open. Sofia was wearing only a black lace bra and matching G-string. ‘Hello, Marco,’ she said with a cheeky grin. I kissed her and held her at the waist like I usually did. ‘Did you miss me?’ she asked.
She was being playful, clearly thinking I was there for sex. I was flooded with relief by the normality of her behaviour, because surely it meant she hadn’t looked at my phone.
‘Always,’ I said, and nibbled the nape of her neck. As I did, I scanned around the room for my phone. It wasn’t on the table or the bed, or on the counter of the tiny kitchenette.
She took my hand and pulled me inside and then led me to the bed. ‘Not tonight, Sofia,’ I said before we had even reached it.
She pouted her lips as if she was deeply offended. ‘Are you upset with me?’
‘Of course not, baby.’ I kissed the back of her hand, my eyes darting around the room. ‘What would make you think that?’
She went to the chair and wrapped a gown around herself, frowning. ‘I dressed up for you in a new lingerie set. I thought you would like it.’
I followed her to the chair and ran my hands under the gown, holding the smooth flesh of her back, then I traced my fingers down to her G-string. She seemed to go rigid at my touch. She was obviously aroused but I didn’t have time for this, not even a quickie. I just wanted my phone and to get out of there. ‘I love them,’ I said. ‘They’re very sexy, but you could make a dishrag look hot.’
‘So, what’s the problem, then?’ She ran a single finger from my chin down my chest.
I gently moved her hand away. ‘I’m just really upset about Emily.’
She got up from the chair and stood behind me now, massaging my shoulders. ‘I understand,’ she said sweetly.
I took one of her hands from my shoulder and kissed it. ‘Do you have my phone? I’d love to stay but I can’t. I just came to see you quickly.’
‘You have to go back now?’ she said, ignoring my question. ‘But you just got here.’ She lay back on the bed, propping herself up on her elbows. ‘Can’t you stay with me a little while? I’m lonely here on my own. I only came all the way to Lake Como to see you.’
This was the first time I had rejected her since our affair began, and it seemed to have made her uncharacteristically needy. ‘I really would love to stay but I should be at the villa in case anything happens.’
‘Just stay a bit longer, please,’ she begged. She undid her gown to reveal her black lace bra and perfect breasts underneath.
She was always very persuasive, using her body like a weapon. I was trying to hide my edginess. I could barely keep myself from pacing. I needed my phone. Now.
‘Okay,’ I said. ‘Could you grab my phone, though? I don’t want to forget it again when I leave.’
She kissed me on the lips and then walked slowly to one of the bedside tables. She opened the drawer and pulled my phone out, then placed it on the table in front of me. I reached my hand for it and she snapped it back, taking my fingers and putting them in her mouth, licking each one while keeping her steely gaze on me. This woman didn’t take no for an answer. In fact, it seemed to enliven her more. ‘If you’re going to stay a bit longer, I want you to relax. No distractions.’
She pushed the phone to the farthest edge of the table and then positioned herself on my lap facing me, her legs dangling over my thighs. She knew how to get me going, but I couldn’t let another minute pass.
‘I just need to go to the bathroom first,’ I said when she started to undo my pants. I lifted her off me and grabbed my phone, placing it in my back pocket. I went into the bathroom and only looked at my phone when I had locked the door behind me. I felt an instant surge of panic when I saw a series of missed calls from Don and three new messages. The first one said, Emily is very scared. I’ve told her I won’t harm her but she is still afraid. How much longer?
I quickly scrolled to the next one, sent an hour later. She’s crying non-stop. This feels like a set-up. If I don’t hear from you, I’ll do what I have to …
I read the last one and felt sick all over. She has seen my face. I need to end this. Now.
My body began to tremble and bile rose up my throat so fast that I vomited into the sink.
I unlocked the bathroom door and ran out. ‘I’m sorry, Sofia, I have to go. I’m not feeling well.’ She stood there, shocked by my hasty exit. I was out the door so fast that I didn’t give her a chance to say a word. When I got inside my car, I quickly dialled Don’s number but there was no answer. I dialled again and again, but it continued to ring out.
I swore as I banged my fist on the steering wheel. I had no choice but to go the farmhouse where Emily was being kept. A sense of raw dread tore through me. My chest tightened. My heart was pounding. My palms were sweaty.
I put the address into the car’s navigation system and sped along the winding roads that snaked around the lake, having to stop often on narrow bends where houses and rock walls jutted out.
<
br /> Thoughts I had been pushing to the back of my mind began to rush forward. And now a horrifying image rose up. I pictured Emily crying and cowering from Don, a gun in his hand. Emily screaming in terror, begging him to spare her life and let her go. Don nearing her and then putting the cold barrel of the gun to her temple.
Oh god, what had I done?
EMILY
He burst into her room without warning. She must have fallen asleep because she hadn’t heard the creak of the stairs as he neared. His eyes looked dark. He was sweating so much that his top was matted to his back.
‘Something isn’t right,’ he blurted as he paced around the room. ‘I still haven’t heard from him. I think he’s setting me up.’
She couldn’t understand why he was telling her all this. What did he want her to say? Clearly, their plan to abduct her in exchange for the necklace was falling apart, and all that was left hanging in the balance was her.
‘So, why don’t you let me go, then?’ The door was locked behind him, or Emily would have attempted to run out.
He kept pacing uneasily. ‘I’ve called and texted him and still, no reply. Not a word,’ he muttered to himself. ‘How much could he really care about you?’
She watched him move, trying to see sense in what he had said. Why would the man behind this care for her at all?
She was worried that in this agitated state he would do something brash. ‘I think you should let me go,’ Emily said calmly. ‘If he’s set you up, you don’t want to get caught with me here.’
He seemed to weigh up what she was saying. ‘You’ve seen my face,’ he said seriously. ‘You can identify me.’
‘I won’t. I promise. You haven’t hurt me. If you let me go, I’ll tell the police your face was always concealed.’
He scratched his head anxiously. ‘What does it matter anyway?’ His tone deflated. ‘I’ll go to jail, just like my father. Just like my father’s father.’ His voice was edged with tears, which surprised her. ‘I will never be a student at university. I will never be more than I am now. The son of a drug dealer. Another forgotten child of the Vele. I was foolish to think I was any different. It’s in my blood.’
Emily felt a strange wave of pity for him. She had never imagined someone like him would have had dreams of studying. He had seemed, from the beginning of her abduction, so unfit for the task. He was kind when he should have been cruel. Patient when he should have lost his temper. But maybe that was all about to change. He was clearly unsettled. She had to calm him down. ‘You can break the cycle. You can make something of your life.’
He laughed. ‘What do you know? You’ve only ever lived a life of privilege. You’ve never had to scavenge through bins for food because your parents spent their last benefit cheque on getting high.’
Emily looked away. ‘You’re right, I haven’t. I’ve been lucky. I’ve come from a stable family and one thing my parents have taught me is that we are the masters of our own destiny. You can shape your own future. You don’t have to be like your father or your grandfather. You can make your own way. But it starts with letting me go, because if the police find you here with me, you’ll never get to do any of the things you want to.’
Emily knew she had to keep him talking to persuade him to free her. She was afraid that in his fragile state he might decide to run off and leave her locked in the room. She would die of starvation before anyone found her. ‘Why did you agree to this?’
He tapped his fingers on his forehead, pressing his eyes closed for a moment and then opening them, audibly exhaling. ‘I wanted to study architecture. My teachers said I was smart enough to get into the course. My parents laughed at the idea. No one in my family has ever gone to university. And they have no money anyway to send me. I tried to find work but it barely covers my share of rent. And then the man came to my father. An old friend. He offered him a large sum of money, enough to pay my tuition for a year. He wanted me to do it instead of my father. It was supposed to be easy. I was meant to keep you here. Bring you food and then let you go when he got the necklace. He told me it would take one or two days, tops. That was it. It happened so quickly that I didn’t have time to think about what I was being asked to do. But this is wrong. I knew it as soon as I saw you running. You’re just a girl, full of light and happiness, not darkened by the cruelty and unfairness of life. Every fibre of my being told me not to go ahead with it. I should have trusted my instincts.’
Emily was trying to take it all in. ‘So, you’ve never done anything like this before?’
He released a pained laugh, one filled with regret and shame. ‘I’ve never even shoplifted before. I was the anomaly in my family. And now I’ll turn out just like them.’
He’d kept her locked up for days and yet she felt pity for him. What was wrong with her? She had to talk him into letting her go, now. Especially because he was becoming increasingly unpredictable. He could do anything. All that stood between her and freedom was the key in his pocket.
‘If you let me leave, you can get away and they might never catch you. But if you keep me here and the police find this place, you will go to jail.’
‘You’ve seen my face,’ he said again, and his eyes seemed to darken. There was a hollowness in them that made Emily’s insides turn. He touched his hand nervously to his back pocket, drawing Emily’s attention to a large bulge at the back of his jeans. Her breaths became short and quick. Her shoulders tensed up. A metallic taste settled at the back of her throat like a lump.
He kept his hand there as if he were deep in thought, his eyes stony and impassive. ‘I’m done. I need to end this.’
He scratched at his hairline like a nervous tic. He was standing side-on now, so she could make out the shape at the back of his jeans more clearly. She drew her breath with the terrifying realisation of what it was … A gun.
‘It’s nearly ten o’clock and this farmhouse is in the middle of woodland. I said I’d keep you safe.’ It was as though he were thinking things through as he spoke. Suddenly, he stilled. ‘He might not keep his word, but I keep mine. I’m going to do what I promised and keep you safe. I’ll let you go but I’m going to drop you near a village so you’re not in the middle of woodland, at night, alone.’
Emily wanted desperately to believe that it was all going to be over. That soon she would be reunited with her mother and father, and brother. So she clung to what he’d said like a life raft.
He wiped the sweat on his forehead. ‘I’m going to the car to get things ready, and then I’ll come back for you, and we’ll leave,’ he said.
There was determination in his movements. He no longer seemed agitated. It was as if making the decision to let her go had lifted the burden. Just as he was about to walk out of the room, he turned to her. ‘When you find out who hired me, I hope you cut him out your life. The way I’ll cut my family out for pushing me to do this.’
Emily was so focused on her imminent freedom that she nearly missed what he said. Was he implying that she knew the man responsible for her abduction? That was impossible.
He stared at her now, his eyes wide and penetrating. ‘And, Emily, I’m so sorry. I never meant for any of this.’
With that, he closed the door behind him. Emily sat for a moment trying to digest that she was finally going to be free, when she realised she hadn’t heard the click of the latch. Had he done it deliberately? Or was he so focused on leaving that he forgot?
Her heart was racing. She had to think quickly. Did she really trust him – this man who had abducted her – enough to get in his car at night in the woodland so he could drop her somewhere near a village? It seemed implausible that the man hired to kidnap her would suddenly be concerned about her wellbeing. What if he’d said all that as an act to keep her calm and he was really planning on taking her out to the remotest part of the woodland to kill her?
The creaks on the stairs had stopped, so she knew he was no longer in the stairwell. She had to decide right now: did she stay and trust him to take her
to safety, or did she try to escape before he returned? She ran through the possibilities, all the while knowing she had mere seconds to decide.
With a shudder, Emily made up her mind. She couldn’t get in the car with him. She had to escape, even if it meant risking her life to do so.
SARAH
It was only when I became a mother that I realised that there was a flipside to the joys of motherhood – heartache. I’m not talking about the stress of having a child who misbehaves or being disappointed with your offspring’s life choices, or having a teenager tell you they hate you. I’m talking about not being able to heal what’s broken. A broken bone. A broken heart. A broken mind.
When Daniel was seven, he fell off a trampoline and broke his arm. I still remember holding him gently in the back seat of the car as Marco sped to the hospital and Daniel screamed at every bump and turn. His cheeks were bright red, his eyes were wide and tears streamed down his face as he cradled the white flesh of his arm. He was the one with a broken bone but I was the one who ached.
When Emily was fourteen, I stumbled across her diaries, in which she wrote almost daily about her crush on a boy. Okay, I’ll be honest, when I say ‘stumbled’, I actively searched her drawers for the diary. She’d been withdrawn and had started moping around, and when I asked her if something was bothering her, I was met with silence. So, when I found her diary, I convinced myself that reading it was the only way I could get a window into the matrix of my teenage daughter’s mind. She went from writing about her lust for him to her devastation that he liked her best friend. Emily was the one with a broken heart, but I was the one who hurt.
If I could have sent my children into the world with a suit of armour so they never felt pain, I would have. All I ever wanted was to protect them and keep them safe. I was a fool to believe that Marco would want the same. So now, how was I going to tell my children that their father was the one to put them in danger in the worst way imaginable?
The Perfect Couple Page 26