Weapon of Desire (33 page)

“Of course,” I’m quite relieved when Marie interjects.

“
Darcey they want to take your photograph on the front steps.” She stands beside us as Richard rolls his eyes.

“I’m sorry Richard but I’m going to have to stand you up.”
I pull away from Richard looking across to Lesley. “Marie I’ll just let Lesley know.”

“No need
Darcey, she had her photo taken earlier, they just need yours.” Marie smiles sweetly linking her arm in mine as she playfully waves behind to Richard, directing me outside.

I can see Anthony over my shoulder enjoying a chat and dance with Lesley and therefore decide to not disturb him as to my whereabouts. Reaching the front of Gresham Hall we stand alone apart from two couples making their way down the steps to meet their waiting cars. The autumn evening has a chilly bite as I shiver turning in my tracks to face Marie. “Where is everyone?”

“Darcey I’
ve a confession, I lied to you so you’d come outside. I’ve a surprise for you.” Her grin seems almost forced.

I’
m in two minds as to whether I play along or return to the hall. “Marie we shouldn’t be out here alone it’s not safe.”

“Come on Darcey, it’
ll only take a couple of minutes……please?” Her pathetic plea has me grinning and perhaps with champagne ruling my better judgment I give in far too easily.

“Ok two minutes.” I smile as Marie tugs at my hand leading me down the steps and out into the darkness of the open grounds at Gresham.

I can hear a whooshing sound in the distance and a constant breeze is blowing the curls across my face. “Is that a helicopter I can hear?”

“Come on.” Marie laughs and drags me faster across the lawns until a sudden blaze of headlights stops me in my tracks. I
can see the outline of a man as I curiously turn to Marie who is beaming with delight. “Surprise!”

Stepping slowly forward
s I cover my eyes from the beam of light and instantly recognise him as I recall his sinister promise to return for me if Anthony didn’t respond. I stumble backwards in my heels bumping into Marie and then frantically spin pulling away from her grip. Her smile is replaced with a serious, angry snarl. I run as fast as I can in four inch heels until I feel arms link around my waist from behind and lift me up high off the ground. I thrash around, kicking, punching and screaming as I spot Anthony and Nick walking down the steps of Gresham Hall.

“ANTHONY…
...!” I yell at the top of my voice. They can both see me and instantly run towards us across the driveway. I’m carried backwards towards the helicopter which sounds louder with gusts of wind blowing from behind.

I can hear Marie nearby “
Hold her still!”

There is a sharp stab in the top of my thigh and then suddenly I feel like a ton of lead. My whole body relaxes as I han
g in his arms, my head droops and I can see Anthony and Nick running across the lawns getting closer. Then everything is black.

My gradual consciousness alerts me to a gentle humming sound with vibration through my hands. Mumbling voices surround me as my eyes become focused. I’m no longer inside a helicopter but now seated on a small plane. Under the dimmed lighting Marie and three burly men are in direct view, seated opposite on comfortable cream leather armchairs. It’s still dark outside as I look down from my slightly reclined position feeling the weight of cuffs at my wrists.  

Realising I’
m awake they converse in German, Marie stands as another man leans forward displaying a gun that is tucked inside his jacket. “Good Morning Darcey or it is nearly morning. Would you like a glass of water?”

I shake my head
sternly as I try to assess what they’ve done to me; I’m not in pain apart from a dull ache in my thigh and the cutting sensation at my wrists from the metal cuffs.

My
head feels fuzzy as though I’ve slept for days but by my calculations it’s nearly dawn so I’ve been unconsciousness for about five hours. “Where are we going?”

“We’
ll be landing in Berlin shortly.” Marie sits back down. “A storm delayed our take off but we’ve made good time.”

They speak again in German and one of them
rises and moves towards the cockpit.

“Is that where the bank vault is?” my thoughts are becoming clearer and joined up.

Marie smirks “So what do you know about the vault?”

“That Phili
pp Von Beust stole from German families and hid the stash.” My eyes remain emotionless and my speech firm.

Marie leans forward as the poison in her
words spill out “did you know that Anthony’s Grandmother Anna murdered Philipp and stole from him?”

“Yes and I would’ve done the same if he’
d beat me senseless!” My voice is raised and my hands clench inside the cuffs.

Marie jumps to her fee
t as her fist slams into my cheek. “My Grandfather made her what she was, she was nobody, came from a poor French family and she repaid him like that!”

My face smarts but
my anger roars “So she should’ve accepted his brutality with gratitude?” Another fist smashes into my mouth and I can taste blood on my lip. I want to cry but breathe in to hold my nerve as tears well in my eyes.

Marie’s face hangs inches in front of mine with a venomous
tongue. “You think you know everything don’t you Darcey? Anna had no right to take what didn’t belong to her and now Anthony will give it back!”

I can’t restrain my rebellious behaviour, “you Bitch, Anthony trusted you.”

Her fist rises above me as I flinch closing my eyes waiting for the blow. Nothing comes as I slowly open them to view her standing over me. Her hands grasp around my throat, squeezing tightly as I struggle. “Darcey you’d better keep your mouth shut or I’ll make sure that Anthony has a wasted journey when he comes to collect you!” She releases her hands and sits back down staring across at me.

Sh
e’s like a Jekyll and Hyde character, one minute praising me standing in front of hundreds of people on a stage, the next she’s trying to strangle me. Amazingly she must be a powerful figure as the men stand back and watch. I know when I’m beaten and decide to remain silent for the remainder of the flight. 

The plane starts its descent into Berl
in and everyone sits in their seats buckling up for landing. Marie exchanges a few German words with the men who look at me and then gaze out of the windows. The sun is slowly rising over the horizon and if it wasn’t for the company right now I’d be enjoying the sight. The landing feels a little bumpy but perhaps that’s because I’ve never flown in a small private jet before.

“Darcey, you’
ve two choices, you can either walk to the car without making a scene or we’ll put you back to sleep and carry you?” Marie smiles sarcastically “The choice is yours!”

I stare out of the window unimpressed with her sarcasm “I
’ll walk.” The plane comes to a halt on the tarmac.

“Good” she throws a small bag into my
lap. “Go back there to the bathroom and clean up your face, it’s a mess!” She turns to instruct the guy I’ve become more and more familiar with “Frederick uncuff her.”

He takes a key from inside his jacket pocket and leans across to
remove the cuffs. Rubbing my sore wrists I pick up the bag and make my way to a bathroom at the rear of the plane. I lock the door behind me and stare into the mirror as I pick up a face cloth, drenching with water and dabbing at the cuts on my cheek and lip. I want to kill her and I know that there’s no way of escaping them here at this airport.

Sitting down on the toilet
seat I try to gather my thoughts as to what to do next. How can I get away and contact Anthony? There’s no doubt in my mind that she’ll kill me and not keep her word. I hear a bleep below me and stretch to one side to investigate further. I can see a mobile phone beside the base of the toilet; it must have fallen out of their pocket.

Closer inspection reveals it’
s mine, my heart leaps for joy as I notice it has just enough power to make a call. I switch the phone to silent and speed dial Anthony praying he will answer.

H
is phone rings twice and then he answers.

“Darcey?” I listen to his voice
as I fill up with overwhelming emotion at the thought that he’s there at the other end of the phone.

Swallowing back tears I whisper “Anthony.”

“Have they hurt you?” He sounds almost ready to break.

I pull myself together and murmur “Nothing I can’t handle
, I found my mobile but the power is low. Can you track my locket?”

Anthony seems remorseful
“we are right on your tail, I’ll find you and god help them when we get there. Be strong for me baby.”

I jump as someone bashes on the bathroom door. “Hurry up!”

“I have to go Anthony, I love you.” I listen to his sigh and close my eyes.

“I love you too Darcey.”

Ending the call I hide the phone inside my dress and retrieve the wash bag before opening the door. They are all standing nearby waiting.

“Ready?” Marie scowls at me. “A
ny drama and Frederick will put a bullet in you, is that clear?”

I nod as the cabin door is opened revealing steps down to the tarmac. Marie exits first followed by Frederick and myself and then the others.
The sun is coming up over an eerily quiet airfield where just a handful of security guards surround two cars and the solitary jet. We walk slowly towards a Silver Phantom Rolls Royce and a black Range Rover. I’m in the middle of nowhere, what chance have I got of running from them here?

I’
m cushioned between Marie and Frederick in the back of the luxurious Rolls while the others follow in the waiting Ranger Rover.

I find the courage to talk again re
membering last time I received a fist for being outspoken. “Where are you taking me?”

“
To my chateau until it’s time to leave for the bank.” She seems calm and in control “we have an hour drive so don’t get any ideas of being trouble or the cuffs will go back on. I suggest you keep your mouth shut.”

We travel through country roads, forests and open fields not
passing another car on the road. The scenery is breath taking as the sun touches the morning dew creating a sprinkling of glitter over the passing hedgerows. Eventually I see signs for Beust Valley as the road bends and dips into a tree lined road with golden autumn leaves. We stall in front of an opening as iron gates edge backwards and allow us entry onto an estate that looks vaguely familiar.   

I remember a picture that Freya
had shown me of her father standing beside his Mercedes on a sprawling driveway in front of their German home. This must be Freya’s home. “Did Anna and Philipp live here?”

“Yes” Marie snaps.

The cars slowly meander down the drive and pull up at the main house. The gardens surround the chateau with rich reds and
golds; it’s just as Freya had described it. The car door opens and Frederick steps out beckoning me to follow. Standing on the gravel I look up to the house. What a peaceful idyllic location hidden deep in the valley, I can imagine Freya as a child running through the gardens to play hide and seek.

A jerk in my side scatters the
serene dream as I’m prompted to move inside. The hallway is magnificently lined in oak panels with light flooding the stairs from a stained glass window on the landing.

“Frederick take
Darcey to her room.” Her instruction is followed by further discussion in German.

We climb the
staircase together and then I am led to a room at the back of the house. Frederick is carrying a small travel case which I immediately recognise as mine. Everything has been planned and organised down to the room where I’ll be imprisoned.

The room is a large traditional country house bedroom with wooden floors, white cotton sheets and views out over t
he grounds. Frederick throws down the case and points to a small ensuite.

“You’
ve three hours to get ready. Clara will bring you some breakfast later.” He turns to leave and locks the door behind him.

Looki
ng out of the window I can see two more men patrolling the rear of the house. There’s no way of escaping without being seen. Opening my case I can see they have evidently been to my apartment to collect my clothes, coat and boots.

They must’
ve planned for last night a long time ago knowing I’d be dressed inappropriately for a visit to the bank.

I step out of my dress and retrieve
my mobile phone, it’s nearly dead. I quickly tap out a message to Anthony.

“
I’m at a Chateau in the Beust Valley; we’ll be leaving here in three hours for the bank in Berlin.”

Anthony immediately responds “We are within an hour to you, how many are at the Chateau?”

My fingers speedily reply “I’m not sure, I’ve seen five men, two patrolling the back of the house and Marie is downstairs with a house servant.”

More questions follow “Where are you in the house?”

“I’m locked in a bedroom to the back on the right.” I wait for his reply.

He must be discussing tactics and options with someone then more questions
“Did you see the guns they’re carrying?”

“Yes all have holsters with at least
two guns inside their jackets. The two men patrolling have larger guns hanging over their shoulders.” I wonder whether they’re also carrying knives.

“Did you see any security cameras when you drove in?”
Anthony is drafting a plan of attack.

“No, nothing at the electric gates, not sure about the house.”
There’s another lull from Anthony as I sit staring at the phone.

He continues “what
do you see from your bedroom window?”

“We’
re at the bottom of a valley with trees surrounding us. I can see a road at the edge of the woodland which rises up into the hills. There’s no boundary wall.” My heart is pacing at the thought that any minute someone will return to my room.

“
Can you climb out of your window and down to the trees?” He wants me to try and escape.

“There’
s no way of climbing down and the men are patrolling below.” I sigh in desperation.

“Sit tight, we’
re near A x.”

I pull on my boots, black pencil skirt and cashmere sweater. Curling up on the bed I tuck my phone under the pillow. The house is silent and time seems to be slowly ticking by. I feel so tired as I try to keep my eyes open but slowly drift off into a light sleep.

When I
wake I’m aware of someone else in the room and without moving I peer through one eye to see Frederick sitting on a chair at the end of the bed. He’s peeling an apple with a knife and cutting chunks to eat with cheese and bread. I keep my eyes shut tight and wonder where Anthony is.

Frederick
starts to move around the room and then sits on the bed beside me. I can feel his hand on my leg and then glide under my shirt and upwards on the inside of my thigh. I clasp my legs tightly together rolling onto my back and sharply booting him back off the bed. Falling against the chair he sends the plate of food and knife hurtling up into the air and crashing down to the floor. Cursing in German he stands up abruptly and then launches himself towards me.

“
You want to play rough Darcey?” He glares at me as I kneel upright on the bed with clenched fists.

I move slowly
backwards ready to run but he’s too quick for me. He pins me down to the bed straddled above and then throws an almighty thump to the side of my face. I’m feeling dizzy as I see another fist about to rain down on me.

The door swings open as Marie enters with another, she yells in German and Frederick eases back off the bed and leaves the room
looking extremely angry.

She moves around the bed st
aring past me as I gradually lean up on my elbows also noting the mobile phone which is now on display from beneath the pillows.

She picks it up and glares
at me, “what’s your passcode?”

I mumble “4321.”

Her fingers flick through the messages on the screen. Her fury is raging ready to explode and I’m petrified for my own safety right now. “We’re leaving right now, clean up your face and get your coat!” She throws the phone across the room hitting the wall and barks another German order to her colleague. He continues to point his gun at me as she leaves the room. I can hear her yelling orders as she moves through the house with shoes running along wooden floors downstairs. What have I done! I slowly pick myself up from the bed and move towards the ensuite to wash my face. Blood is dripping from my nose and heavy red marks are evident on my cheek.

Wandering back into the bedroom I kneel down to pick up my coat which is laying in the case. T
he man stands behind me at the bedroom door with the gun pointed directly at me. I spot the knife tucked under the bed and slyly recover it, hiding it swiftly inside the inner pocket of my coat.

“Hurry up!” he shouts.

Inserting my arms inside the coat I stand to make my way downstairs. The cars are waiting at the front door and again I’m sandwiched in the back of the Rolls.  

I cup my locket prayin
g that Anthony will see that I’m on the move and no longer locked in a room at the chateau.

Marie leans in through the rear
door of the car. “Hold her still.” My heart pounds as she reproduces the needle she had used last night. Both Frederick and his accomplice hold me down, pulling up my skirt as she plunges into my thigh.

My eyes become heavy and my body relaxed, their voices drift away as she climbs in and closes the passenger door.

Waking I feel groggy as I slowly take in my surroundings; I’m alone in a bedroom on a luxurious boat. Sitting upright handcuffs tug at my wrist while I stretch to peer through a window. The boat gently rocks from side to side as I stare up at the threatening grey sky and the red brick of a gothic styled bridge with pointed archways and two decorative towers.

Patting the inside of my coat I can still feel the outline of the knife that
luckily they didn’t find. There are no voices or sounds of movement on board just a distant boat tooting on the river. My face is sore where Frederick had punched me and my thigh is now throbbing from the stabbing of the needle. I panic wondering whether Anthony can still trace me. My hand searches for the locket hanging around my neck, I gasp realising it has gone. They must’ve taken it when I was unconscious.

What am I going to do? Anthony will never find me. My mind escalates into hysteria with plots of Marie murdering me and then dumping my body over the side of the boat.
I have to escape somehow.

A mobile phone rings in the room next door and
can I hear Marie’s voice.

“Hi”
then follows a short silence. “Have you got the key and the documents?” There is shuffling as someone moves closer to the door. “Don’t you trust me Anthony?”

My heart leaps hearing his name, a key turns in the lock and Frederick stands in the open doorway. Marie is behind him with the phone to her ear.

“Calm down Anthony………..she’s here.” She holds the phone to my ear as we glare into each other’s unforgiving eyes.

I take a deep breathe to settle my nerves and straighten my thoughts. “Hello.”
I watch her as she listens to our conversation.

“Darcey are you ok?” he seems very composed.

“Yes.” My mouth is dry and my words can’t flow freely. I count the clock chiming on the bridge tower. Its noon and I’m secretly ecstatic to hear the same tolls on the other end of the phone. Anthony must be close by.

“Listen, answer
yes or no.” He stops and I can hear someone else talking with him “I know you are nearby, are you on the bridge?”

“No
” my eyes don’t stray away from Marie’s face.

“
On the river?” he continues to question.

“Yes” I’
m instantly aware that Marie is getting agitated as she snatches the phone away.

“That’s enough Anthony; see you at the bank.” Marie ends the call walking
back into the other room.

What do I do now? W
ait for Anthony to find me? Too late, Marie is back in the room and points a gun at my head. My mind is racing; this is where they finish me off. I suppose I have served my purpose luring Anthony to Berlin with the key. Frederick unlocks the cuffs and steps back. I close my eyes expecting a bullet to pass between them. “Get up, we’re leaving. I’m warning you Darcey any games and you’re gone, understand?” 

Opening my eyes
I nod slowly, I breathe again as I try to stand but my legs are still weak from the drugs and cave underneath me.

“Frederick carry her to the car!
” Marie impatiently storms ahead of us as he lifts me up into his arms. I scan faces of tourists as they walk along the riverside and then peer back over at the imposing bridge for any signs of Anthony or Nick. We reach the cars parked alongside the river bank and are joined by the rest of Marie’s clan. Speeding away we weave in and out of the traffic joining the fast flow towards the city.

Our driver
seems edgy staring back in the rear view mirror then snaps a comment in German. Everybody turns around promptly to take a look behind. I’ve no idea what is going on as she makes another phone call. The German is incomprehensible but the tone and urgency is obvious. Frederick remains twisted in his seat watching with an air of concern.

T
wo cars trail either side of the Range Rover that still follows. Gun shots fire from both sides aiming at the occupants of the Jeep which suddenly drops back and retaliates with a barrage of bullets. Our car picks up pace and darts a head merging in between cars distancing us from the battle taking place.

Cars beep frantically as we speed
along the fast moving, busy road, Marie shouts in German and I can’t resist but turn to see what’s going on behind us. The jeep spectacularly flips over after colliding with another car and blocks the lanes. Both cars are still in pursuit and make good progress through the traffic. Frederick and his partner hang haphazardly out of the side windows and aim shots at the chasing cars. I duck down onto the back seat expecting a tirade of bullets but no return fire is heard.

Another
two jeeps pull onto the road in front of us and manoeuvre alongside. Marie signals for them to overtake and then shouts further orders. I grasp the front seat tightly as the car spins sideways, abruptly stopping and blocking the whole road. Oncoming vehicles brake hard screeching to a halt as we quickly escape from one side of our stationary car. I’m dragged along to the waiting jeeps where I’m bundled inside before we accelerate away.

Diverting onto back roads we slow down
enroute to the bank. A triangular glass modern extension faces a magnificent baroque building which can be seen from a distance at the end of the straight esplanade. An expanse of concourse and waterfalls separates the entrance from the main road. As we turn into a side street facing away from the bank, I look back to search for signs of Anthony.