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CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE - Surveillance

The following day… Wednesday 19th April…

8:00 am

Far to the north, in a small English village called Muddleton Morton, Wendy and Tim were packed and about to set off. They had breakfasted early, settled the account and thanked Mrs. Trubshaw for her hospitality.
Wendy was not feeling too well and was dreading the long journey home. She had spent an uncomfortable night tossing and turning in bed. At one point she had suffered a horrible nightmare and woken in a cold sweat. In that nightmare Malcolm Smith, the original caretaker from the Amusement Park, had returned to haunt her. She was once more his prisoner. She was stood on a stool and suspended by the thumbs, and Malcolm Smith was about to kick the stool away. As the stool went from under her she fell and woke up screaming. This woke up Tim and he wanted to know what was happening. She did not tell him the real reason. She just told him she was having a nasty dream. Tim put it down to being trapped in the basement below Cuckoo Cottage and went back to sleep. After that Wendy did not sleep.
As they stored away their travel bags into the back of a gleaming red sports car Wendy spoke to Tim.
“Tim,… what time do you think we’ll arrive in Littlesea?” she asked.
Tim closed down the boot lid and did a quick calculation. His car was fast but there was the inevitable London traffic to contend with. The M25 motorway that encircled England’s capital city was notoriously slow especially around Watford and Heathrow. He reckoned on six to seven hours driving plus at least an hours rest at various services. He looked to his watch. The time was eight o’clock in the morning.
“Mmm… I reckon sometime between three and four o’clock,” he told her as he moved to the driver’s door.
Wendy did a quick calculation herself. She was in two minds whether or not to contact Dr. Lang when she got back. He would most likely still be at his surgery until five o’clock. It would therefore be possible to phone him. The doctor had warned her about the possible re-occurrence of her nightmares and said get in touch with him immediately if they ever returned. Then she had second thoughts. Perhaps she was being stupid and the dreams would not come back again. Perhaps once out of Muddleton Morton all her troubles would go away. She decided to leave it one more night. Once back in her own bed on Castle Point, perhaps she would sleep more easily.
Deep in thought Wendy got into the passenger seat alongside Tim and closed the door. As the bright red sports car pulled away from the car park of the Shoulder of Mutton Inn, Mrs. Trubshaw stood on the steps and waved.
She called: “Goodbye Wendy… goodbye Tim… thanks for the visit… and do come again soon.”
Wendy, with the window down, waved back and smiled.
“Perhaps we’ll come back in the summer when the weather’s nice,… byeeee,…” she shouted back.
As she wound the window back up she breathed a big sigh of relief. The truth was, she had no intentions of ever returning to Muddleton Morton, no matter how nice the place may be.

8:05 am

On arrival at his surgery Dr. Lang told his secretary to cancel all his morning appointments. In reality he wanted the entire day off but knew this to be impossible. He had already had too much time off and the backlog was building up.
His secretary shrugged her shoulders and pointed to all the scribbled out appointments in her desk diary. This was not the first time the doctor had done this to her and she was a little fraught.
“All these appointments doctor… they’re piling up… I’m going to have trouble fitting them all in,” she informed him and sounding more than a little agitated.
The doctor shook his head. He was adamant that he should see no one that morning.
“I’m sorry but I’m not seeing anyone till after lunch,” he told her and giving no further explanation.
The secretary pointed to one appointment in the diary that was not patient related. She tapped a finger on the entry in the diary.
“You’re meant to be seeing a reporter from the Littlesea Gazette at eleven o’clock today… It’s about the new wing being built here at the hospital,… the Governors’ want the publicity,” she informed the doctor.
The doctor had forgotten all about this appointment. He was meant to have an interview with the reporter so that the man could do a write-up in his local newspaper. The new block would improve facilities and patient care, and local publicity and community awareness was important for the hospital, but all the same he had far more serious things to do that day.
“Put it off till tomorrow,” he told his secretary bluntly and gave no further explanation.
She did not like it, but scribbled out the appointment in the diary.
“I’ll see what I can arrange for tomorrow then,” she replied with a deep sigh.
The doctor did not like what he was doing, but at least now he was free for the rest of the morning. He looked to his watch. He had a most important meeting arranged with four girls out at Castle Point for nine o’clock that morning so he did not have very much time. But firstly he wanted to speak to Mimi. He wanted to pick her brains. He needed to know just how much she knew about Clive Carter.

8:15 am

Walking briskly, Dr. Lang crossed from his surgery to the Intensive Care Unit over on the other side of the sprawling complex. To his right he could hear the clatter of jackhammers as the workmen set about preparing the foundations for the new wing of the hospital. He wondered what all the noise was doing to the sick patients.
Mimi was sat up in bed when he arrived. She had just finished breakfast. She smiled and greeted him.
“Why doctor,… you’re early… this is a surprise!” she said as she sat up a little straighter.
Dr. Lang wasted no time. He kissed Mimi lightly on the lips, drew up a chair and sat down alongside the bed. He was a man in a hurry so got straight down to the business at hand.
“Mimi,” he started, “I’ve not much time to explain… but I think I’ve got a lead… I want you to tell me all you know about a man called Clive Carter… I believe he’s a friend of Roger’s… and I think you mentioned meeting him once when out with Roger.”
Mimi looked a little surprised as the name Clive Carter was mentioned. She considered him to be such a nice person. She recalled her one and only meeting with him. He had once taken Roger and herself on a guided tour of the catacombs, and it had been a wonderful experience. She collected her thoughts before answering.
“I met him only once doctor,” she told him, “but Roger’s spoken about him many times. Roger worked with him when they were surveying the catacombs a couple of years ago and they became great friends.”
The doctor basically knew this anyway but wanted to delve a little deeper. He wanted to know the make-up of this character.
“So this Clive Carter would know all about the catacombs below the castle ruins?” he asked.
Mimi nodded her head.
“Like the back of his hand,” she answered.
The doctor was curious.
“Why do you say that Mimi?” he queried.
Mimi recalled the ease with which Clive Carter negotiated the network of tunnels and gave a little wry smile.
“Because he once took Roger and myself on a guided tour. He knows every passage way, every twist and turn. There’s not one corner of those catacombs that he does not know,” Mimi explained.
The doctor rubbed his chin thoughtfully. At the back of his mind he was thinking those catacombs would be a good place to hold someone prisoner. He was also considering the type of person that fitted the profile of a typical abductor. He needed confirmation that Clive Carter fell into this category.
“Is he married?” he asked.
Mimi shook her head.
“No, he’s single and lives alone,” she confirmed. “He’s got a flat in London and he’s purchasing a cottage out on Castle Point.”
The doctor nodded his head. These were the answers he was expecting. He was starting to build up a picture of this guy in his mind.
“And how old do you think he is?” he asked next.
Mimi thought for a moment.
“Mid thirties… thirty five possibly,” she estimated.
The doctor considered the facts. Perhaps he could be on to something this time. White male; single; mid-thirties; lives alone; all these categories fitted a typical abductor’s profile. He considered one other fact probably crucial to this matter. The man also worked with dungeons, or at least surveyed them. That could lead to mental instability especially if he had free access to one. He re-focused his attention on the use of the catacombs and wanted to know a little more.
“Tell me Mimi, how many ways are there into the catacombs? Did Clive Carter ever mention all the entrances?” he asked.
Mimi tried to think. She had entered via the old castle and returned the same way.
“Well, there’s the one that leads from the castle… that’s the way we went in and came out… there’s steps down from the keep, then through a large chamber and along a narrow passageway, then down a spiral staircase… Clive also mentioned caves that come out in the cliffs… but I think that’s all there is,… at least he didn’t mention anymore,” she answered thoughtfully.
The doctor mused over what he had heard. He was expecting more ways in than that. He was aware of the entrance Mimi was talking about. He recalled the body of Malcolm Smith being carried out on a stretcher some three months earlier. There was a gate to that entrance. It was permanently padlocked and could be seen from the castle car park. It did not sound right; it was too exposed to the public; and someone would have surely reported anything untoward happening by now. No, there had to be another entrance somewhere, otherwise his theory was blown to bits.
He shook his head.
“No more?” he asked woefully.
Mimi considered further. At first she shook her head, then she recalled something Clive Carter had said when they were at the limit of their walk.
She told the doctor what she remembered: “Clive did mention the possibility of another entrance coming out somewhere inland… possibly the dunes… or next to the old cottages at the top of the hill… He took us to a second vast chamber… one deep inside the catacombs… he said it was almost identical to the original dungeon area and was probably built for that very same purpose but never used… anyway there was a tunnel leading off from this chamber, but the roof had collapsed and he told us it wasn’t safe to go along there… he said he was waiting for the workmen to go in and shore it up before any excavation work could begin.”
The doctor contemplated this new revelation, then looked to his watch. He wanted to ask many more questions. There was still the link between Clive Carter and the Cropwatch Organisation to be established, but time was marching on and he needed to meet the girls out at Castle Point at nine o’clock. He considered he had enough to go on for now and decided to leave it at that. The Cropwatch connection unfortunately would just have to wait until he had a little more time.
“Okay Mimi, that’s fine… I think I’m a little clearer now,” he told her as he took hold of a hand and kissed her lightly on the knuckles. “I’ll keep you informed as to what is happening.”
The doctor rose and turned away.
Mimi smiled and gave a little wave as the doctor made for the door. She wanted to speak to him more; lot’s more. She wanted to know all about Roger, but realised this was not the time.
The doctor gave a little wave back, closed the door and set off hurriedly down the corridor. He was in a hurry. He had one more call to make before heading for Castle Point.

9:00 am

As agreed Dr. Lang and the rest of the girls began to assemble at Castle Point. The venue being an unlikely bench that overlooked the cliffs. The early meeting was necessary because one of the girls, Georgina the policewoman, had to be on duty at 10 o’clock that morning.
Tracy and Chloe walked up the slope from Tracy’s home and were first to arrive. Then Davina’s car drove into the small car park alongside the ruins of the old castle. A few minutes later Georgina arrived and pulled up alongside Davina’s car. The four girls then stood around on the edge of the car park and waited patiently for the doctor to arrive. After a few minutes they heard him coming. The noise of his battered old Land Rover droning woefully as it scaled the steep hill to Castle Point. They looked to their watches and then to each other. Remarkably the doctor was only a few minutes late.
As Dr. Lang got out of his vehicle he saw the four girls waiting on the edge of the car park. A casual glance down the road saw a white van parked outside the first cottage. He gave a little nod of approval. He had passed the van as he crested the hill, and this was good; this is what he wanted to see. The van belonged to Clive Carter and its presence confirmed that the man was at home.
The doctor had a plan that he wanted to put to the girls.
“Sorry I’m a bit late girls,” he called, “but I’ve been doing a bit of research. I‘ve spoken to Mimi and called in at the Amusement Park on the way. I needed to collect a bit of information on the castle’s history and the catacombs.”
The girls all looked to one another. They were all curious as to why the doctor had gone to so much trouble?
Davina was first to speak.
“Why’s that?” she called across the car park as the doctor strode towards them.
He joined them and gave each girl a quick peck on the cheeks.
“I’ll tell you all about it when we’re seated,” he told them and pointing to the nearest bench.
The girls moved quickly across the grass to the allotted bench and sat down. The doctor remained standing. There was only room for four. With everybody sitting comfortably he started by explaining his reasoning for seeing Mimi and calling in at the Amusement Park before heading for Castle Point.
“I’ve been doing a little bit of research on Clive Carter,” he told them. “I’ve found out he’s an expert on this castle and the catacombs below. So I needed to get a brief on exactly what was involved here. This castle is steeped in history and I’ve a hunch its got something to do with the two abductions.”
The four girls seated on the bench looked interested and waited for the doctor to explain. He took out a drawing from his pocket and opened it. It was a plan of the catacombs.
“Mr McTavish at the Amusement Park gave me this. It’s a plan of the catacombs below the castle,” he said and holding it open for all to see.
The doctor moved a little closer so all four girls could gain a better look.
“This is not for general release to the public yet… the survey is not finished… but it shows all the latest excavations and new discoveries… and this is the interesting part,… here…,” he said as he tapped a finger on a certain area of the map.
All the girls leant forward to take a closer look, and the doctor continued.
“Mimi mentioned the discovery of a second dungeon,” he explained and still tapping his finger on a certain spot, “well it’s here… almost underneath the end cottage were Clive Carter lives… there is also a passageway leading off… but reportedly blocked at present… from the general direction the passage is heading it’s thought to come out somewhere inland… either on the hill facing the dunes or on top of the hill itself… it could even come out somewhere on Clive Carter’s property… at present nobody knows exactly.”
The girls all looked to one another and then back to the doctor. They were all fascinated.
The doctor folded away the map and returned it to his pocket.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” asked Georgina. “Clive Carter has found a secret way in and is holding the girls prisoner in the catacombs?”
The doctor nodded his head.
“But don’t get carried away just yet… we’ve all been wrong before remember… but let’s say it’s a strong possibility,” he suggested but sounding a little cautious.
The girls looked to one another then back to the doctor.
“Then what do we do about it?” asked Davina.
The doctor had a basic plan in mind and he explained to the girls what he was thinking.
“I want you all to get involved,” he started. “To begin with I want you Georgina to go back to the police station and look up car registrations… Clive Carter seems to be driving a company van most of the time… but see if he owns a car of his own… I suspect you’ll find he owns a Mercedes and keeps it at a London address where he lives when not here in Littlesea.”
Georgina nodded. It was a simple task and she was back on duty at ten o’clock. She could do it almost straightaway.
“And if I do find something out?… do we nab him?” she asked.
The doctor shook his head.
“No,” he replied, “just report back your findings… we don’t want to jump the gun again… this time we must be absolutely certain before we go to Inspector Hawkins.”
Georgina understood and nodded her head.
“Okay, I’ll do that,” she confirmed. “I’ll see what I can dig up.”
It was Davina’s turn to speak.
“You mentioned you wanted us all to get involved… what else have you got in mind?” she asked.
The doctor revealed the second part of his plan.
“I want one of you to go knocking on Clive Carter’s door and have a good snoop around the cottage,” he explained.
The girls looked to one another.
“Isn’t that a bit dangerous?” asked Davina thinking that if Clive Carter was the abductor they could be walking into trouble.
The doctor shook his head. He was using all his experience to conclude the opposite.
“I don’t think so… it doesn’t fit an abductor’s profile… and especially so if that person knocking on the door is local and can give a genuine reason for calling... he wouldn’t do anything that would attract attention locally,” he told the attentive audience.
Tracy intervened. She had been quiet up till now.
“By local you must mean me then?” she asked.
The only other member of the Pact that lived locally was Wendy and she was absent.
The doctor nodded his head. Tracy lived on Castle Point and he had thought of a good reason to go calling.
“You own a cat don’t you Tracy?” he asked.
Tracy nodded her head. She had revealed this fact to the doctor during one of her therapy sessions. Malcolm Smith, the original caretaker, had managed to break into her home via a cat-flap. He then sedated her whilst asleep with the use of industrial glue and then took her away to the mock dungeon at the Amusement Park.
“Yes, I own a cat!… or at least my mother does,” Tracy answered tentatively.
The doctor smiled.
“Then ‘Tiddles’ the cat, or whatever you want to call him has gone missing and you’re out looking for him,” he explained. “Call at Clive Carter’s cottage,.. knock on his door… explain to him that you live just down the road, and tell him you’re looking for your cat… and have a good nose around… see if you can spot anything suspicious… if he’s had to dig his way into the catacombs there might be some excavations about.”
Tracy could see the doctor’s reasoning, and looking for a cat seemed a very plausible excuse to go knocking on the door.
“Okay, I’ll do it,” she agreed, then pointed to Davina and Chloe seated alongside, “but what about Davina and Chloe? Do you want them to come along too?”
The doctor shook his head and explained further.
“No… I’ll come with you and stay as close as I can without being seen… I’ll hide in the bushes alongside the cottage… the rest of you, I want you to keep well out of the way,” he explained.
The four girls looked to one another. This was not fair. They all wanted to be part of the action.
“Why’s that?” asked Davina.
The doctor gave a wry smile.
“Because Davina you’re pregnant and I don’t want a miscarriage… and Chloe’s already met Clive Carter when she paid a visit to Castle Point with Roger… if he recognises her he may get suspicious… and Georgina’s been given another assignment… so that only leaves me,” he told them bluntly.
The girls looked to one another and all reluctantly agreed. Only Tracy and the doctor should go.
They all nodded their heads. It seemed a sensible plan.
Georgina looked to her watch and stood up. It was time for her to go. She had warned everyone the day before that she had to be on duty at ten o’clock. That was why the meeting was called so early.
“I’ll get to work then and see what I can dig up on Clive Carter,” she told everyone.
The doctor nodded his head.
“Do your best Georgina,” he encouraged, then kissed her on the cheek.
Georgina waved goodbye to everyone and hurried off for the car park. The remaining three girls and the doctor watched and waited for the car to drive off before getting back to business.
“Shall we go now doctor?” asked Tracy.
The doctor nodded his head.
“It’s as good a time as ever Tracy,” he replied.
Davina intervened. She and Chloe were being left with nothing to do.
“What about us two?” she asked and indicating to Chloe and herself.
The doctor smiled. There was one final part to his plan.
“Surveillance,” he told Davina and Chloe. “I want a constant watch made on our suspect. Perhaps Tracy can join in later and you can work in shifts. But to begin with you and Chloe can get it started.”
Davina and Chloe looked to one another.
“What do you mean?” queried Davina.
The doctor pointed to Davina’s car out in the castle car park.
“If you turn your car around and park it facing down the road you can keep an eye on Clive Carter’s van. If he gets in then follow him. I want to know where he goes and what he’s up to… If he goes shopping I want to know what he buys… However, if he heads off to London, then turn back… we might have to rethink what we’re doing if he does that… but I don’t think he will… if he is the abductor then he’s got two extra mouths to feed and I don’t think he’ll be going far,” he explained.
Davina nodded her head. What the doctor was saying made sense. She turned to Chloe seated next to her.
“What do you think Chloe?” she asked. “Do you fancy a bit of surveillance work?”
Chloe simply grinned.
“Why not?… I’m game,… and I’m all for it,” she answered enthusiastically.
It was the first time Chloe had spoken, but she was already getting a buzz from all this intrigue. She considered herself to be part of the Pact now and wanted to assist in anyway she could.
Davina stood up.
“Come on then Chloe, let’s go sit in my car then,” she said.
Chloe rose to stand by Davina and the doctor give each a little kiss.
“Remember, keep a low profile. Just follow at a distance and don’t get involved,” he told them.
Davina and Chloe moved off. This left Tracy and Dr. Lang remaining at the bench. They waited until the two reached the car then set off down the road on foot. Clive Carter’s cottage was the first one you came to as you crested the brow of the hill on the approach to Castle Point. It was no more than two hundred paces away.

9:15 am

Number One, Cliff Top Cottages was surrounded by tall bushes. The only clear view of the cottage was from the opening by the gate. A pathway from the gate ran through a tangle of overgrown rose bushes to the front door. The doctor and Tracy passed quickly by the gap and turned the corner so as to be out of sight from the road.
There was just enough room for one person to walk between the bushes and the drop down to the dunes. To the left a hedgerow followed the line of the top of the hill. To the right there was a steep drop down. The hillside was a mixture of boulders, rocky outcrops, windswept gorse bushes and tall reed-like grasses. At the bottom were the dunes, drifting probably half a mile inland and following the great sweep of the bay all the way round to the sleepy seaside town of Littlesea away in the distance: The vast undulating mounds of sand were held tentatively in place by the same tall reed-like grasses that covered the hillside. The whole terrain was a patchwork of greens, browns and oranges. It looked like the perfect camouflage for the army to hide its tanks.
The doctor, with Tracy following close behind, edged his way carefully along until he was level with the front of the dwelling on the opposite side of the hedge. With his hands and arms sunk deep into the branches, he parted the leaves and peered through the gap.
“Right Tracy, I can see the front door to the cottage from here,” he told her. “I can keep an eye on you from here… and if you do get into trouble, then scream like mad and I’ll come running… but I don’t think it’ll ever come to that.”
Tracy gave a nervous smile. Then wondered why? She had every confidence in the doctor.
“Right… I’ll go looking for Tiddles then,” she told the doctor.
Dr. Lang kissed Tracy on the cheek.
“Good luck,” he told her.
Tracy gave another nervous smile then turned and made her way back to the road.
Through the hole created in the bushes the doctor followed Tracy’s progress to the front door of the cottage. She rang the bell first, then knocked when no one answered straightaway. He then watched her peer in through the windows at the front of the house. Finally she disappeared around the far side.
He could hear her calling: “Kitty… kitty… kitty,” in the distance.
The noise grew louder as she circled the cottage and returned alongside the building nearest the hedge. Having done a complete circuit she returned to the front door and held her finger on the doorbell. From inside the property the doctor could hear a faint bell ringing. He wondered why no one was answering? The van was there, parked in the road, so he must be at home. The doctor mused at the silence. Could it possibly be that Clive Carter was down below ground somewhere?
After several more rings and loud bangs on the door, Tracy set off back down the path.
The doctor removed his arms from the bush and turned to stare pensively down the hill and to the expanse of dunes below. There was a lot on his mind.
It was at this point he spotted something.
Way into the dunes and far from the road he thought he could see a vehicle. The spot where he stood, high up and away from the road, was probably the only place it could be seen. He was looking down upon the roof so he could not see it clearly, but from the shape and size it could very well be a campervan. The trouble was the colours of green and orange matched the terrain so it was very difficult to make out exactly. To compound his difficulties the mysterious object was also partially hidden behind high dunes. He moved a little further to his left to gain a better view. Even so, he was still not certain and he shrugged his shoulders. He concluded the object could be anything.
The doctor rubbed his chin thoughtfully and moved off to rejoin Tracy. He reasoned that he was getting too obsessed with the campervan and the hermit that lived in the woods, and told himself he had more important matters to contend with right this minute. Quickly he returned his thoughts to Clive Carter and the man’s unexpected absence. He asked himself; had he sent Tracy on a wasted mission? Or was the silence telling him something? For the time being he was unsure what that answer might be.
To compound his uncertainty there was one much more important point that concerned the doctor. The question he kept asking himself was; where did the Cropwatch Organisation fit into all this? Until this was resolved the investigation was getting nowhere. The trouble was, he could see no connection between the protest group and Clive Carter, or for that matter the hermit in the woods or anyone else. He was convinced this link held the key. All he needed to do was find the connection and he would be able to solve the mystery, of this he was certain.

9:30 am

As the doctor turned the corner of the hedgerow to rejoin Tracy at the gate he was unaware that eyes had been upon him all the time.
From just a short way down the slope, crouched low behind a rocky outcrop and surrounded by gorse bushes, a lone figure had watched and waited. His fists were clenched in anger.
The moment the doctor disappeared from sight, the lone figure parted the thorny gorse bushes to reveal a small opening in the rock. It was just big enough for a man to crawl through. He stooped down on all fours and disappeared head first into the opening. As the feet passed from sight the gorse bushes sprang back to conceal the entrance once more.
Only a small bird noticed the passing. It sang a little song then flew off to join its mate in a neighbouring bush.

9:45 am

Sylvia Sparelli sat in silence. She had known the exact identity of her fellow prisoner for a long time now. That hapless girl was Gayle Jackson, a great friend and colleague from the Cropwatch Organisation of which she was chairman.
Even though she had no idea what the true picture was, she held a vision in her head. A vision she could not shake. It was funny what the senses could reveal after living in eternal darkness for so many days. She was aware for example that her fellow prisoner was no longer by her side, but knew her to be someplace else. To be precise she was directly in front of her and at a distance of a dozen or so paces. She also knew her fellow prisoner to be naked and hanging by the wrists from a chain suspended from the roof. That chain was capable of being raised up and down.
The picture in her mind was so vivid and intense. She had listened to the beating and the thought of what the man had done to Gayle’s body made her cringe. She saw blood splattered skin, and welts that rose up in steep ridges and criss-crossed the body. She imagined toes dragging on the floor in a pool of blood, and manacles digging deep into the flesh about the wrists. Whether this picture was true or not, she had no idea. She just hoped and prayed for Gayle’s sake that it was not.
Sylvia cocked an ear. At least Gayle was still alive. The frequency was decreasing now, but there remained on a number of occasions a series of low moans and whimpers issuing from parched lips, and even when the voice was silent there was always the spasmodic scrape and groan of chains as steel links twisted and rubbed against each other under the weight.
Suddenly Sylvia froze as a new terror rocked her body. She could hear footsteps returning and at a frenzied pace. She had a plan. It was her only plan and it had worked once before. Quickly she sat upright against the wall and spread her legs. It was time to put on another show.
However, she had barely had time to sit herself up and place a probing finger between her legs when a rough hand grabbed her by the shoulder.
“Get up!” hissed her abductor as he dragged her to her feet.
Sylvia struggled to her feet. The chain that linked her neck to an eyebolt in the wall pulled tight and she was forced to stoop a little. It was all very uncomfortable, but not for long. Impatient hands fiddled with the padlock at the side of her neck and the chain dropped away. Suddenly the weight was gone and she was free. She straightened out her body and moved her neck from side to side. The collar was still there but the difference was amazing. She was now free to move head without the fear of choking.
As Sylvia contemplated her new found freedom, a hand took hold of the small chain between her manacled wrists and pulled hard. She took an involuntary step forward to steady herself, then found herself on the move. She was being marched across the floor. Suddenly her terror returned. She knew precisely where she was being led. She was being taken to join Gayle. She tried to scream and protest by pulling back. But the rag in her mouth and the tape about her head prevented any significant noise, and the resistance only seemed to make the man grow more angry. A hand slapped her across the face hard enough to turn her head sideways. The many layers of tape prevented the blow from penetrating through to the skin, but all the same it stung and brought Sylvia to her senses. The last thing she wanted to do was make the man more angrier than he was now. Reluctantly she allowed herself to be led the remaining half dozen paces without further protest.
With hands gripping tightly to her upper arms, Sylvia found herself being manoeuvred into position. She was made to move sideways and then backwards. She then felt another body brush against her back. She was standing back to back with someone, she assumed Gayle, but whoever it was the body was limp and lifeless. At this point the hands released their grip and she was left to stand with the other body resting against her back.
Next, above Sylvia’s head, chains rattled and the body behind moved downwards a little. She knew immediately what was going to happen. The man was lowering the chain to release Gayle. It would then be her turn to be hooked to the chain. Suddenly a cold sweat rocked through her body as reality struck home. Was she was being asked to suffer the same punishment as Gayle? Through the gag she tried to scream, but her throat was choked with terror and nothing issued from the corners of her mouth.
 Then something unexpected happened. The man returned and Sylvia found her arms being raised whilst the body behind remained in contact. She felt the short chain that linked her manacled wrists become stretched upwards and passed over a hook, and then she was allowed to relax. For a while she just stood there, arms raised above her head, but with feet flat on the ground and elbows slightly bent. Then another surprise took place. The tape about her mouth began to be ripped away and unwound about her head. As the tape disappeared she spat out the filthy rag and ran a tongue about her lips. She wanted the tape about her eyes to go too, but this did not happen.
Without thought Sylvia spoke.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
Immediately she realised her error and went to apologise, but all she could hear was the cackle of the man’s voice as he walked away.
The next thing she felt was a yank on the chain above her head. Then slowly the chain began to rise. Soon her feet were off the ground and she could feel the weight of the lifeless body behind pressing hard against her shoulder blades and backside. Both she and Gayle were now back to back, suspended from the same hook, and being raised higher and higher from off the floor. There was also a gentle twisting motion to the chain and she could feel herself swaying slowly to-and-fro. She began to pray. It was all she could do under the circumstances.
Eventually the winding stopped and for a while nothing could be heard but the shuffling of feet. Then Sylvia heard the ominous swish of leather flying through the air. It was only for a brief second before the sting of the leather caught her full across the breasts.
With mouth free she screamed.
Half an hour and some fifty strokes later she was still screaming.
She did not care. It was the only way she could relieve the pain.

4:00 pm

Tracy sat in her car peering out through the windscreen. Chloe was by her side. They were parked in the castle car park, the car looking down the road to the crest of the hill. Davina had gone home to get her husband’s dinner and it was Tracy’s turn to keep surveillance on Clive Carter’s van. Davina had agreed to return at six o’clock and keep watch until it got dark. Up until now the van had not moved and Clive Carter had not appeared.
“When Davina comes back I’m going to call on the cottage once more… see if he’s around,” Tracy told Chloe.
Chloe turned to Tracy.
“Do you think that’s wise Tracy?” she asked. “Dr. Lang’s not here and I don’t think you should go it alone.”
Tracy considered the situation.
“The doctor thinks it’s safe,” she replied. “He doesn’t think the man will do anything to someone local.”
Chloe was still uncertain.
“Then I’ll come with you,” she answered.
Tracy shook her head.
“No,” she said sternly, “you heard what the doctor said… Clive Carter met you once when you were with Roger Downton… we can’t arouse his suspicions now.”
Chloe was forced to agree. She had been brought up here to Castle Point on the morning of Godfrey’s funeral. She recalled the visit. Roger had collected her from the station and brought her up here to see a cottage for sale. She had been dressed in black that day, had her hair done specially, and had taken to wearing sunglasses to hide away the tears. She recalled the moment when Roger had handed the Estate Agent’s details on the cottage over to Clive. That was when she noticed the blob of purple nail varnish on the corner of the document.
Chloe reflected on the present situation and sighed deeply. It was because of her they where here today. All the evidence pointed to Clive Carter and she did not want to jeopardise the situation. It was important that all their hard work and effort should to come to a successful conclusion.
Chloe reluctantly nodded her head. But she still held doubts and reservations. She was now dressed in jeans, sweatshirt and trainers, her hair was different, and she looked nothing like she did on the day of Godfrey’s funeral. She was about say as much to Tracy when the conversation became interrupted.
A bright red sports car crested the top of the hill and pulled up alongside the cottage nearest the castle ruins.
“It’s Wendy and Tim!” exclaimed Tracy.
Suddenly Tracy felt guilty. She had stormed into Wendy’s bedroom whilst they were having a steamy sex and bondage session. But now she had Chloe for her lover and felt no hatred towards either Wendy or Tim. She wanted to say sorry, to make up and be friends again.
“Come on, we’re going to talk to them,” Tracy told a surprised Chloe who was seated by her side.
Chloe knew Tim well. They had been regulars to Walter’s house and attended his weekly BDSM sessions for quite some time. Tim had been Gayle Jackson’s boyfriend at one time. Chloe also knew Wendy but to a lesser degree. As far as she could recall they had met only once when Tracy and Wendy had turned up to a club meeting.
Wendy and Tim were about to unload their travel bags from the boot of the car when they saw the two girls approaching. They stood and waited for them to arrive.
Tracy threw her arms about Wendy.
“I’m sorry Wendy… I didn’t mean to say all the things I said,… will you forgive me?… can we be friends again?… I just want you and Tim to be happy together… that’s all,” she said with tears in her eyes.
Chloe moved to stand by Tim and they simply watched what was going on.
Wendy patted Tracy on the back for comfort.
“Of course we can Tracy,” Wendy replied. “I still love you… but I’m sorry… I’ve changed… I love Tim now… and that’s the way it is.”
Tracy sniffed hard to clear her nose.
“That’s all right Wendy… I understand,” she told her.
The two girls embraced once more.
It was good to be friends again.

* * *

End of Chapter Thirty-five