12:15 pm

Georgina and Wendy entered the village. A sign at the side of the road read: 'Welcome to Muddleton Morton'. They were a little late. This place had been a lot harder to find than she had first imagined. They had also made one unplanned stop at a motorway service station. Wendy needed to go to the toilet and they had stopped for a bite to eat afterwards.
At first the road into the village was straight with a few scattered cottages hidden behind tall hedges, they then came upon the village proper and circled the green. The telephone box was there and so was the 'Shoulder of Mutton' public house. This was just how Davina had described the place the night before. Now all they had to do was carry on for about three-quarters of a mile out of the village and they would come to a lay-by on the left and adjacent to the riverbank. Hopefully Davina and Tracy would be waiting there for them.
Georgina slowed the car right down. She did not want to be seen as speeding. At the far end of the village green was parked a police patrol car. Slowly she circled the green and crept past the police car. There were four officers inside which she thought to be unusual. Normally a patrol car such as this would be used by two officers only. She should know, she was one herself. This set alarm bells ringing. They were obviously waiting to meet someone and not out on patrol. Could it be that Inspector Hawkins was on his way here? He could have sent word ahead and asked for a party to meet him.
As Georgina departed the village and leaving the police car behind, she speeded up a little.
"We've got to be quick!" she told Wendy. "It might not be long before that little lot back there are storming all over Cuckoo Cottage."
About three-quarters of a mile out of the village Georgina came to a lay-by. The trouble was, no-one was there. She parked up anyway and looked around.
"Is this the place?" asked Wendy looking slightly bemused.
Georgina looked at the clock on the dashboard. The time was now well after twelve o'clock. She started to become a little worried.
"I think so," she replied with a furrowed brow. "The girl's said they would be parked here and waiting for us."
"Perhaps we've not gone far enough. Perhaps there's another pull-in a little further on," suggested Wendy.
Georgina doubted it, but re-started the engine anyway. It would do no harm to move down the road a little more to investigate.
"Okay, let's see what's down the road then," she agreed.
She moved off slowly. After about two-hundred yards the narrow lane took a sharp left-hand bend. Immediately opposite, behind a neatly trimmed hawthorn hedge stood a red-bricked cottage.
"I guess that must be Cuckoo Cottage," remarked Georgina as she manoeuvred the sharp ninety-degree bend.
It was difficult to look over the hedge and keep one eye on the road in such a narrow lane and tight bends, so Georgina was unable to take in her surroundings to any great degree. But Wendy was free to look and able to pick things up that Georgina had missed.
"That's Cuckoo Cottage… It say's so on the gate," she announced as the car passed the entrance to the driveway."
"Right, we'd better turn round and go back and wait," said Georgina. "I guess they're just a little bit late in turning up."
As the car scaled the hump of the bridge, Wendy turned her head to observe Cuckoo Cottage from between the thicket of leafless trees and bushes. It was only from this position could anyone have a partially obscured view of the far side of the cottage. But it was just enough. Wendy spotted a car parked up alongside the cottage.
"There's a car there… It's dark blue, and I think it's an estate car," Wendy told Georgina.
Alarm bells suddenly started to ring in Georgina's mind.
Immediately over the bridge the road swung rapidly to the right. At this point there was a small pull-in of sorts. At least it was a passing place if ever two cars were to meet on the bridge. There was also a stile here and a sign indicating the start of a public footpath. Quickly Georgina swung into the space and killed the engine.
"Wendy, that could be Davina's car! They may be in trouble. We'd better go and take a look. Put your gloves on and stick close to me. Don't let me out of your sight, and if Malcolm Smith should show his face be ready to kick, scream and scratch his eyes out," warned a determined sounding Georgina. The glove warning was also an insurance against fingerprints.
"I'll do more than that Georgina," replied Wendy and putting on her gloves. "He'll be lucky to have any balls left after I've finished with him."
Georgina could not help but give a little smile. "Good girl Wendy," she praised, then repeated her warning: "Now whatever happens stick right by me."
They both got out of the car and crept quietly to the top of the bridge. Keeping low and peering over the stone wall Georgina could see the car from here. Wendy had never set eyes on Davina's car before, but Georgina had back in Littlesea. It had been parked outside the Amusement Park with its lights left on the very first time she had come into contact with Malcolm Smith. Through the leafless trees and bushes her eyes focused in on the car. She was sure that this was Davina's car. So why was it parked up alongside the cottage? She could only assume the worst. Malcolm Smith had captured them.
Together they crept slowly along, keeping low behind the wall of the bridge. At the end there was a small gap between the stonework and the hedge. At a push it was just about possible to squeeze through onto the lawn on the other side.
 "Right follow me Wendy," announced Georgina. "We're going through."
Both were dressed in jeans and anoraks so the passage through the small gap proved to be relatively easy. At least there was no scraping of legs or laddering of stockings to worry about from the thorns in the hedge. Quickly they crossed the small lawn to the car and the relative safety of the side of the house. There was a motorcycle parked up here too with a helmet placed on the seat and a suitcase strapped to the back. Georgina peered into the back of the car. The inside looked a mess. The back seats were down and clothes and blankets were strewn everywhere. It looked very much like a struggle had taken place.
"Stick right by me Wendy," repeated Georgina as she set off stealthily to the rear of the cottage.
There was a terrace behind and a doorway into the building. She turned the handle to the door very slowly and pushed it open. A light was on inside but the room was empty. This was a kitchen. The pair moved quietly inside. On the table in the centre lay an empty mug and three large sheets of paper stacked together. Georgina looked at the sheets. They were all drawings of a naked girl strapped to a cross. She did not recognised the subject but knew immediately who the artist would be.
Stealthily Georgina moved on with Wendy trailing in her wake. She crossed the kitchen and moved to the door that led to the small hallway. A door was open directly opposite. She tip-toed across the small area and into the room beyond. There was a welsh-dresser pulled away from the wall immediately behind the door, and in the centre of the room on a low coffee table rested a large drawing pad. Georgina moved to the table and lifted the cover of the pad. Inside was a drawing of Malcolm Smith. He was sat reclining in an armchair next to an open fire. Beneath were written the words: 'The Caretaker at Cuckoo Cottage'.
At that point Georgina closed up the pad and cocked an ear. She could hear someone screaming in the distance, and the sound appeared to be coming from somewhere behind the welsh-dresser. She looked around for a weapon. She had not brought anything with her, and even her handcuffs were now sealing a gate back at Littlesea Castle. In the hearth lay a poker. It had a big brass end. She picked it up and turned it around. The pointed end was covered in soot and it blacked her gloves, but she did not care. At least now she had something to defend herself with.
Georgina crept over to the wall behind the dresser and stuck her head through the low square opening concealed behind. There were some steep stairs on the other side, and the screaming was coming from way down below. Then suddenly there were movements in the shadows from a light at the bottom of the stairs. Quickly she stepped back and with a hand beckoned Wendy to stand well away. Someone was about to climb the steep steps to the sitting room. For what seemed like forever, she waited against the wall at the side of the opening with poker raised above her head.
A head appeared through the opening.
In that fleeting instance Georgina recognised exactly who the person was and brought the brass knob of the poker crashing down upon his head.
A figure clad in black motorcycle leathers crashed to the ground and bundles of twenty-pound notes spewed everywhere across the floor.
"Quick Wendy, come here," called Georgina.
Wendy appeared almost immediately.
"Take this," said Georgina handing her the poker. "And if he moves, hit him with it again."
 Wendy took the poker. She had not gripped anything tightly for a very long time. But somehow that never came into the reckoning. Malcolm Smith stirred and she brought the poker crashing down upon his head for a second time.
"Good girl," praised Georgina on seeing what she did. "I'm going down below. Just keep doing that every time he moves and you'll be fine."
Wendy gave a broad grin. She was very much part of the gang now and had a vital roll to play. She would keep bashing him on the head for as long as it takes.
Georgina descended the stairs. Someone was screaming in the room beyond. She entered the chamber and looked around in horror. Malcolm Smith had not only trapped Davina and Tracy, but he had managed to imprison three other girls as well. She hurried towards the centre. The others could wait for the time being. Tracy was the main person in trouble. She was suspended from a hoist with a spreader-bar holding her legs apart. But that was not the cause of her distress. Two clips gripped her nipples and attached to them by a rope were two heavy weights resting on the floor. From the downward angle and distortion of her breasts the whole arrangement looked to be very painful indeed.
Quickly she removed the crocodile clips and let the lead weights drop to the ground. Immediately on  release the screaming subsided and turned to great gasps for air from the corners of the mouth.
"It's me, Georgina," she whispered in Tracy's ear. "I'm here to save you."
Georgina did not know anything about the button on the wall that would lower the hoist. She might have located it if she had bothered to look around. But that was not necessary anyway. By stretching up on tip-toes she was able to reach the buckles about Tracy's wrists. Quickly she undid first one strap and then the other, and managed to catch the falling body and lower her safely to the ground.
Georgina set to work removing the spreader-bar. There was still a rope tied about Tracy's breasts and a blindfold and ball-gag about her face. With the two straps unbuckled she cast the bar away and raised up the blindfold. Their eyes met and Georgina smiled. Tracy was going to be okay.
"Do you think you can walk Tracy?" asked Georgina still at a whisper.
Tracy nodded. She could not answer back with the ball-gag still in her mouth.
"Good, try and get up those stairs. Wendy's at the top and may need help. You do that and I'll go and release Davina," she said quietly.
Georgina helped Tracy to her feet then watched her head for the stairs before crossing the floor to the back of the chamber. She had spoken quietly in the hope that the other three unknown girls being held prisoner could not overhear.
Davina was chained to the back wall. She had a rope tied about her waist which went up and over a ring in the ceiling. A large weight had been tied to the downward section of rope and was pulling hard between her legs. Georgina moved to the weight and set about untying the knot. Only one single loop had been tied about the ring, but the weight had pulled the rope tight and the knot was very difficult to work loose. But eventually she got things moving and the weight came away. Pulling the rope down from the eye-bolt in the ceiling, she let it all fall to the floor and moved across to Davina. She pulled the blindfold away from the top of her head and dropped it to the floor. They both smiled as their eyes met.
"Mmmm…" muttered Davina through the ball-gag still in her mouth.
Georgina held a finger to her own mouth. "Shhh.." she whispered.
She had a plan as to how they could get away with all this. It was a long shot, but it might just work. The three unknown girls in the dungeon were all in a similar position. None of them were able to see what was going on. So the least said the better at this stage. If the police were on their way then they would find them just like this, and hopefully they would not be able to give much information. From the looks of them anyway, not one of them was conscious and all three were in desperate need of urgent medical treatment. She just hoped that her assumptions were correct and that the police would be swarming all over this place very shortly. She also had one other concern and that was finding a credible alibi for both Davina and Tracy. However she had an idea for that too. But she would have to discuss that with the girls once they were many miles from here. As for the present, then time was pressing and they all needed to be away from the premises as quickly as possible.
Georgina set about undoing Davina's bonds. As the last strap unbuckled she held on to Davina to give her some support and walked with her to the bottom of the stairs. The rope was still tied about her waist and the ball-gag remained in her mouth.
"Do you think you can climb these stairs on your own?" asked Georgina. "I'll go first and you follow."
Davina nodded and set about removing the ball-gag from her face.
Georgina scaled the steep concrete steps. At the top she peered out to discover both Wendy and Tracy were doing a grand job. Malcolm Smith had been dragged into the centre of the room and Wendy remained hovering over the body with poker poised for another strike to the head if the need arose. But there was more. In the intervening time Tracy had managed to rid herself of the items about her head and the ropes looped about her breasts. As Georgina arrived Tracy was making good use of them all. The ball-gag was now firmly strapped around his head and the blindfold pulled firmly down over his eyes. She was now busy tying his hands together behind his back.
Georgina stepped out into the room and looked behind her. Davina was also sorting herself out. Her own ball-gag had been discarded someplace down the stairs and as she emerged from the opening she was in the process of untying the rope from about her waist.
Georgina, on seeing how well everyone was coping, addressed all three of them.
"Girls, I'm going to bring my car own into the drive. Truss him up like a chicken so that he can't get away, and I'll be back as soon as I can," she informed them.
Georgina left the cottage by the front door and moved quickly to the gate. She opened it wide and set off at a run across the bridge. Quickly she jumped into the car, started the engine and reversed back over the bridge to the gate. She then drove forwards into the drive to pull up right outside the front door.
Re-entering the sitting room she found Davina now tying her own length of rope around Malcolm Smith's legs.
"Right, I want him in the boot of my car. And quickly… I think the police are on their way," she told them.
Even though both Tracy and Davina stood naked in the room, it seemed that it did not matter. Tracy raised up the body of Malcolm Smith by the shoulders and Davina took hold of the feet. Then together they carried the body out into the drive and bundled it into the rear of the awaiting car.
Georgina slammed down the lid.
"Right Wendy,… jump in,.. we're off," she told the youngest member of the party.
Wendy moved around the car to the passenger door.
"Davina… Tracy… get back to your own car, get some clothes on quickly, then follow me out… Don't go back through the village though… That's too dangerous… Go over that bridge and follow the road in that direction… I'm not sure where it leads, but I'm sure we can find a way out from there… Is that okay?" said Georgina to the other two girls.
"No problem," replied Davina.
"Whatever you say Georgina," agreed Tracy taking orders.
But there was something else. Georgina was still working to a plan.
"And one more thing," added Georgina. "There's a motorcycle standing next to your car. Do you think you can get it into the back? It's not a very big motorcycle and should fit… Oh, and there's a helmet resting on the seat… throw that in as well... Can you do that?"
Davina shrugged her shoulders. "I guess so… We'll have a try," she answered.
"Do you want any help," Georgina asked.
Both Davina and Tracy shook their heads. "No, we'll manage," Davina told her.
The two girls were aware of the dangers. It was more important that Georgina moved away from here as quickly as possible. She had a most important cargo in the back, and if the police turned up they alone could somehow talk their way out of this mess. But that was not possible with Malcolm Smith all roped up in the boot of Georgina's car.
Georgina smiled at their courage. As a team they worked well together and she was proud of the lot of them.
"Good, I'll be waiting for you across the bridge… Now get a move on… We've not got much time left," urged Georgina as she opened up the driver's door to her own car and began to step inside.
The two naked women raced away to the car alongside the cottage. The gravel beneath their feet proving nothing but a minor hindrance. As they did so, Georgina backed out the drive, crossed the bridge and waited on the other side. Five minutes later Davina's car appeared above the brow of the bridge and she waved them by to take the lead.
As Georgina pulled away to follow on behind the dark blue estate car she looked right across the river and towards the cottage. Through the trees and bushes she saw moving objects. Two white cars, both with red stripes along the sides were pulling into the drive.
Georgina breathed a sigh of relief. That had been a close call. Just one more minute and they would have all been caught.
"Phew!… That was a close shave Wendy," remarked Georgina as the car built up speed.
Wendy also breathed a sigh of relief and then smiled a broad grin. She could not hide her joy.
"We've got him Georgina!… We've got him…" she said and clapped her hands with glee.
"Yes, we've got him… But we've got to take him somewhere first… and that won't be easy… But I've got an idea," said Georgina still deep in thought.
Wendy also turned pensive for a moment. She had something to confess.
"Georgina?" she said.
"Yes Wendy," replied Georgina.
"Well… I'm sorry Georgina… but while you lot carried the body out, I collected these up from off the floor… and I don't think I should have done it," she said demurely.
Georgina turned her eyes away from the road for a second to see what Wendy was removing from the inside of her anorak.
Georgina pulled a face but said nothing.
Wendy was placing bundle after bundle of twenty-pounds notes on her lap.
"Did you bring the lot?" asked Georgina after her initial surprise.
"Yes, there's fourteen bundles here… and I think each one's five-thousand pounds," she confirmed as she quickly flicked through a bundle and started to count.

12:30 pm

The police patrol car driven by PC Grantford entered the village of Muddleton Morton and circled the green. He could see another police patrol car parked up at the far end of the village. He pulled up alongside and waited as Inspector Hawkins got out to speak to the occupants of the other car.
A police Sergeant stepped out to greet him.
"Sergeant Bell," he said holding out a hand.
They shook hands.
"Inspector Hawkins from South Coast Constabulary... We need to find a Cuckoo Cottage… Does anyone know where that is?" he asked.
Sergeant Bell turned towards his own patrol car. A window was wound down.
"Does anyone know where Cuckoo Cottage is?" he asked.
From inside the car a voice answered: "Yes, it's about a mile down the road back there… It's the cottage on the bend right next to the bridge."
"Right, we'll follow you, " said the Inspector returning to his own car. "Be ready for trouble… The suspect could be very dangerous."
The two cars set off. About a mile down the road they came to a sharp left hand bend. Immediately on the corner lay a gateway leading to a red-bricked cottage. The gate was open and the two cars entered the gravel driveway and pulled up directly in front of the house.
Immediately the four officers in the lead car jumped out. Two made for the front door whilst the other two circled the building to the rear. From out of the second car PC Grantford moved to protect the gate and Inspector Hawkins joined the Sergeant at the front of the cottage. The door was already wide open. With caution the Sergeant entered. There were stairs directly opposite and doors to the left and right. Both doors were open. To the left a policeman appeared. He had circled the building and entered the kitchen via the rear door.
"No-one in there… It's just a kitchen sir," said the officer quietly.
"Right, you two upstairs," ordered the Sergeant to the officer who had entered from the kitchen and the officer who had stayed with him.
The Sergeant took the right hand door into the sitting room and Inspector Hawkins followed him in. No-one was in the room, but immediately behind the door a welsh-dresser stood away from the wall. The Sergeant went to investigate whilst the Inspector moved to a low coffee table in the centre of the room. He raised up the cover of a drawing pad lying on its surface and smiled. Immediately he knew that he had found the right place. His hunch had been correct. A picture inside the pad told him everything. It was a drawing of Malcolm Smith and most obviously sketched in this very room. Underneath were written the words: 'The Caretaker at Cuckoo Cottage'.
"Over here," called the Sergeant.
The Inspector looked up to see the Sergeant standing part-way behind the welsh-dresser. He moved across the room to join him. There was an opening in the wall behind.
"There are some steps down inside there," the Sergeant informed him.
The Inspector put his head through the opening and looked down. There were lights on below, but no sign of activity. He stooped down low and moved through to the top of the steps.
"Follow me," he whispered to the Sergeant.
The inspector led the way down. Halfway down he came across a ball-gag resting a step. He kept on moving. At the bottom there was a steel door that was open. Cautiously he moved through into the chamber beyond.
For a moment or two the Inspector stood rigid at the scene that greeted him. There was no sign of Malcolm Smith down here, but everywhere he looked his handiwork was clearly in evidence. There was a naked girl strapped to an X-frame, another strapped to a chair, and a third locked in a cell to his right. There was also an easel and drawing equipment present and several miscellaneous bondage items scattered about the floor. The mess suggested that someone had left in hurry.
Inspector Hawkins turned to Sergeant Bell.
"You'd better call an ambulance," he told him.
 
 1:00 pm

On the edge of an open common, with Cuckoo Cottage some ten miles behind them, Georgina flashed her headlights at the car in front. The two cars came to a halt in a lay-by a little further on. The occupants got out and came together. There were hugs, kisses and joy all round. This looked like a good place to talk. There was an unrestricted view all the way round, and no-one was in sight.
They settled down to hear what Georgina had to say. She had an idea that would hopefully see them through the current kidnap crisis without casting any suspicions upon themselves. When making their pact they had agreed to do some very nasty and diabolical things to Malcolm Smith. The removal of his balls being at the top of that list. But they had stopped short of murder. That was just not on. So the problem was how to exactly go about the deed without him spilling all the beans on them afterwards.
Georgina set about revealing her plan.
"Right girls, if he's going to be found with his balls missing, then the police are going to want to know who did it. The trouble is, he knows you two where there, and will be wondering where you disappeared to. So it is possible that your names will get a mention if he ever recovers enough to confess his crimes... So you two," she said addressing Davina and Tracy, "need a good strong alibi… Someone to say that you were someplace else… Preferably somewhere many miles from here… But you'll have to be agreeable to this… How do you like the idea of going back to the Coach and Horses for just one night?.. I think that you ought to try and get to know the landlady a little better?.. Do understand what I am saying?"
Davina and Tracy looked at each other. They both knew what Georgina was suggesting. But were they both willing to have a three in a bed session tonight?
Davina asked: "What do you think Tracy?.. Do you fancy a night in bed with the landlady?"
Tracy shrugged her shoulders and nodded that she was agreeable. "Why not!... We're all in this together now… so let's do whatever it takes to make her say that we stayed there since Saturday night," she affirmed.
Davina turned to Georgina. "And I'm all for it too Georgina. I think it's a great idea," she said. "I'm sure we can get our receipt changed to say we stopped there for five nights instead of three… Leave it to us, we'll have the landlady eating out of our hands once we've finished with her."
Georgina breathed a sigh of relief. "Great!" she exclaimed, then went on to outline the rest of her plan. "I suggest that we split up here then. You two head off to Lancashire, spend the night at the Coach and Horses, then set off back to Littlesea as early as you can in the morning… Davina, you'll have to take Tracy home first tomorrow, so I suggest we all meet up again in the car park next to the old castle ruins. And this is where part two of my plan comes in. This morning I found the gate that seals the entrance to the catacombs beneath the old castle had been vandalised. The chain had been cut through, so I used my handcuffs to reseal the gate. Well that's given me an idea. Why don't we use the old castle dungeon as the place where we get our revenge? It seems quite appropriate doesn't it? So if Wendy and myself leave Malcolm Smith locked up inside for the night, we should be in a position to have some fun tomorrow when we all meet up again... Well, what do you think girls?"
"A great idea Georgina," said Davina and nodding in agreement.
"Brilliant!" enthused Tracy.
"And I can get a sharp knife from home," added Wendy obviously thinking a little further ahead.
"That's just great girls!" replied Georgina on seeing that they were all of one accord, then added: "Any more questions?"
Davina thought for a moment. She could see the plan more clearly now. But she was still wondering why they had been asked to bundle his motorcycle into the back of her car. Both herself and Tracy had struggled to get it in there. It had only just fitted by lying it down on its side. But it was in there now and hidden by blankets.
"What about the motorcycle Georgina?" she asked
"We leave it in the car park next to the castle. He's wearing leathers and the presence of the motorcycle will suggest that he rode to Littlesea by himself. At least it should add to the confusion and hopefully make his own tale of abduction a little less believable," said Georgina and explaining her reasoning.
Davina nodded. She could see it all more clearly now. But she could foresee one more stumbling block. However she had an idea of her own to get them over that obstacle. "It all sounds great Georgina," she said. "But what about you and Wendy? We'll hopefully have an alibi after tonight, but you two won't. If he comes round and starts making a noise in the back of the car, and there's someone else around, then you could be in deep trouble… So can I suggest something?"
Georgina nodded. She had to admit, it was one place her plan could slip up. "Go ahead Davina, suggest something," she said.
Davina pulled a small bottle and a rag from out of her pocket and passed them to Georgina. She looked at the label. It read 'Chloroform'. She smiled.
"I found it in the back of my car when we loaded up the motorcycle," Davina explained. "It was what he used on Tracy and myself. That's how he managed to catch us so easily."
Georgina smiled. With this they could keep Malcolm Smith sedated for most of the time. "Right, let's be on our way then," she said and tossing the bottle up and down in her hands.
The four girls kissed each other goodbye and made for their cars.
There was still a lot of work to do before this day was out.

7:30 pm

It was dark by the time Georgina reached the old castle overlooking Littlesea Bay. As ever no-one was around and the small castle car park was empty. Just a little way back down the road they had passed Wendy's cottage. A light was on above the front door. This indicated that her parents were at home and waiting for their daughter to arrive back from her day trip out with her policewoman friend. Georgina parked up with the rear of the car facing the old castle ruins. She looked to the clock on the dashboard and gave a little sigh of relief. They were back with half an hour to spare. She had promised faithfully to return their daughter by eight o'clock that evening, and she had kept her word.
The two girls got out and moved to the rear of the car. Georgina soaked the rag with chloroform. Turning to Wendy she said: "Stand back Wendy, here goes!"
Wendy took one stepped back.
Georgina opened up the boot. A small light came on to reveal the trussed up body of Malcolm Smith curled up inside. There was a ball-gag in his mouth and a blindfold over his eyes. He stirred and groaned suggesting that he had regained consciousness. Quickly she spread the soaked rag across his nose and mouth. He began to struggle and protest. But it was not for long. Soon he was quiet again and she removed the rag.
Handing the rag and chloroform bottle to Wendy, she said: "Take these Wendy, and if he comes round, stick it on his face again."
Wendy took the items and moved to hover over the rear of the car. She was prepared to pour the rest of the bottle down his throat if the need arose.
Georgina collected her powerful police-issue torch from somewhere under the body of Malcolm Smith. She switched it on and set off for the small arched portal that was the entrance to the catacombs below. In the beam she could see her handcuffs still locked about the bars. She arrived and tested the gate. As far as she could tell nothing had been disturbed. This was exactly how she had left things early that morning. She unlocked the handcuffs and opened up the gate. The rusty hinges creaked in the darkness and she eased the gate open slowly so as not to make too much noise. She shone the light inside. Beyond the gate there was a small passageway. The floor ran level for about ten paces, after that a flight of steep stone steps descended into the darkness below.
From the gate the steps could not be seen, but Georgina knew them to be there. She recalled her previous visit to the site. At the bottom of the steps there was a fairly large room with high crumbling walls and a dirt floor. The place was damp and had a musty smell about it. This had been the only chamber known to the archaeologists for many years until a great pile of rubble had been excavated in one of the corners. Here another small portal was uncovered. However, the way beyond that was once again blocked by falling debris. But eventually, after many painstaking hours of excavation and extensive shoring up of the roof, they found a way through to a passageway beyond and a long spiralling staircase that descended to the catacombs below. It was at this point that the going was considered dangerous and hard hats with lights attached had been issued at the time. But Georgina had no plans to go that far. The chamber at the bottom of these steps would suffice for all their needs.
 Georgina returned to the car. Wendy remained poised to chloroform Malcolm Smith should he move just one muscle.
"Right Wendy, I'll grab the arms and you grab the legs," she told her.
Together they heaved the body out of the car and set off towards the castle. Without stopping for breath they passed through the open gate and began the long descent to the chamber below. At the bottom they deposited the body in the centre of the chamber and waited a while to catch their breaths.
Whilst they waited, Georgina shone her touch around the chamber and sniffed the foul air. She recalled the place had a unique smell of its own. But somehow this is not the musty smell she remembered from her previous visit. The beam of the torch continued to move on around the room. Suddenly it stopped at some items scattered on the floor. She moved across the chamber and looked down at the objects. She nodded her head in recognition of the items. She could now see why the chain had been cut. Junkies had been down here. They had been using this place as a safe haven to take drugs. Strewn all over the floor were used hypodermic needles, plus a few other telling items such as bits of tin foil, match boxes and spent matches. There were also a few burnt out candles stuck on top of the loose stones and rocks that littered the floor.
Georgina shrugged her shoulders and turned away. There was not a lot she could do about the drug situation right now. She walked back to the centre of the camber. All the time Wendy had been keeping close to her. She shone the beam about the room once more. The light came to rest in a far corner. Here could be seen scaffolding supporting the roof of a small opening in he wall. Georgina moved to the gap, bent down low and aimed her beam inside. The scaffolding went a long distance inside supporting the walls and ceiling of a low passage. There was about a hundred yards crawl along here before it was possible to stand upright again.
Wendy stooped alongside Georgina and peered down the long low tunnel. "Does that lead to the dungeon below?" she asked.
"Yes Wendy," replied Georgina. "At the end of this tunnel there's a spiralling staircase that drops right down into the cliffs below. The whole place is honeycombed with passageways after that, and one of them leads to the old dungeon. I've actually been down there when I was looking for you. But it's far too dangerous for us now. We're not going past this point. This chamber will do nicely for our purposes."
The two girls stood up and made their way out. At the top of the steps Georgina resealed the gate with her handcuffs.
"Right Wendy," said Georgina once she was done. "Let's drop you back at home, and I'll see you tomorrow. Davina's going to give me a ring to say what time they're expecting to arrive back. I'll give you a ring afterwards and we all meet up here. Is that okay?"
"Sounds great Georgina!.. I just can't wait," said Wendy gleefully, then begged: "And please, can I be the one that cuts his balls off?"
"Yes Wendy, you can," agreed Georgina with a wry smile.
She wanted to do this deed herself, as most probably did Davina and Tracy. But she could think of some other equally diabolical things to do to Malcolm Smith, so she would let Wendy have her wish.

8:00 pm

Davina and Tracy arrived back at the Coach and Horses. The pub was not busy at this time and the landlady was stood behind the bar reading a newspaper. There were just two other customers in the room and they were sat away in a corner playing dominoes.
The landlady looked surprised to see them, but nonetheless greeted them with a smile.
"Is our room free? Me and Tracy have been talking, and well, we thought we'd like to take up your special offer," said Davina and adding a little wink to the suggestion.
The landlady's smile turned to a broad grin. "Why sure… put your cases down and have a drink on me… and I'll go and make the bed," she replied.
 
End of Chapter Seventeen