***
As she fell to the floor, Rob Donkin laid her on her side as they had planned. Barry was to head off to the main building, whilst Rob was to report to security that a lady had slipped and banged her head and needed an ambulance.
Whilst Barry was still blinded by the spray, Donkin spotted a holster under Deanna’s jacket. Unseen by Mitchinson, he lifted the loaded pistol from the holster and tucked it behind him into the waistband of his jeans. No-one would argue with him now, he thought.
It took a minute or two, but Barry Mitchinson eventually got back to the car, where he sprayed his eyes with bottled water. By the time he had recovered, he could hear the sound of sirens. An ambulance was approaching. Donkin had done his job well. The younger man arrived back at the van and climbed into the driver’s seat.
“OK, old timer, time for your performance,” he said, with a lack of respect that Barry intended to punish in due course.
***
Katie Norman was listening attentively to her lecturer when she heard a disturbance behind her. The doors had opened and an apologetic middle aged man appeared at the top of the stairs. The lecturer stopped speaking and looked directly at the interloper.
“I need to speak to Miss Katie Norman about Miss Deanna Pope. I’m afraid there has been an accident.”
Katie stood immediately and gathered up her books, looking clearly worried but hoping that the accident hadn’t been a serious one. The lecturer urged her to attend to the problem and return when she was able.
Katie and Barry stood outside the closed lecture room door.
“I assume you heard the ambulance sirens? “
Katie nodded.
“Well, Jake at security found Deanna Pope of Vastrick Security on the ground outside the dormitory. She had fallen and hit her head. She was unconscious as the ambulance left.”
Katie looked concerned and panicky.
“As you probably know, I head up college security,” Barry told her. Katie didn’t know - how could she - but she nodded anyway. “Vastrick asked me if I could either stay with you or take you to the hospital to be with Deanna until they could get a replacement sent out. Do you wish to stay here and attend your lecture with me at the door, or do you want to follow the ambulance?”
“I want to go with Deanna; she’s my friend as well as everything else.” Katie had not thought to wonder why the college would have a security manager with an English accent. She was too worried about her friend to have even noticed.
“I have the college minibus outside, if that would be OK?” Barry asked. But he need not have worried. Katie was already on her way out of the building.
***
Katie jumped up into her seat behind the driver and Barry closed the door. He climbed in the other side of the van and slid over beside Katie.
“Donald, to the hospital, please.”
Maybe it was auto suggestion at the mention of the word hospital, but she thought she could smell that familiar hospital aroma in the van. In a swift move the man beside her grabbed the back of her head and clamped a damp cloth over her face. She tried not to breathe in. She knew now what was happening but she was unable to resist, and the chloroform did its work.
The van left the campus and headed to Virginia on the Interstate, in the opposite direction from the hospital.
Chapter 70
Dale City, I95 South of Washington DC, USA, Monday noon.
Katie Norman was concealed under a blanket in the rear of the minivan; she had been injected with some kind of sedative by Barry Mitchinson, who was now in a service station grabbing some drinks and sandwiches. Rob Donkin took the opportunity to sneak into the back of the van and look at his girlfriend. She was beautiful; young, pretty and yet sensual. He stroked her cheek gently; it was as smooth as porcelain but warm and soft.
She pressed all of his buttons whether she knew it or not, whether she intended it or not. Rob daydreamed of the times they would be spending together very soon. She would be reluctant at first, but he would win her over, and if he couldn’t he would blackmail her into staying, but he didn’t want that. Successful relationships can’t be built on fear. No, he would win her over with love. But he would take pictures of her which would cause controversy and wreck her career, just in case. A back up plan, that’s all it would be. He loved her too much to hurt her like that, and he could take the pictures whilst she was drugged, so she wouldn’t even know. That was how he would do it, he decided.
Donkin was sitting back in the front seat when Barry returned to the van with a white carry bag filled with drinks, pastries and chocolate bars. He passed the bag to Rob and took the slip road back onto I95. As they drove and ate he made Donkin practice the script until he was word perfect.
***
Dee had swum, exercised, read a novel and eaten, and she was bored. There were still two days to go until Josh arrived, and so she decided to call into the local Vastrick office, just for something to do. Before she could do so, however, her phone rang. The screen registered a US cell phone with a number she did not recognise. She clicked the green button on her BlackBerry and said hello. There was a brief silence, as if she had lost signal, and it was followed by a click.
“Hello,” she said again, a little louder this time.
“Hello, Dee. Long time no see. Or, if you had your way, I would never see again.”
Dee was sure she recognised the voice.
“Donkin?”
“The very same. Now, listen carefully and say nothing that might make me angry.” Donkin’s confident statement puzzled her, but she decided to listen anyway.
“I have Katie Norman.” He paused as he heard a sharp intake of breath from his hated opponent. “I am on my way to you, and if you do everything we say, Katie will be returned to you safely. Now, listen carefully. These items are not negotiable:
One, you will contact no-one. We will know and Katie Norman will be punished.
Two, you will meet us at a point of our choosing in the Richmond area in the next two hours. We’ll text you the coordinates.
Three, you will tell us where Gillian Davis is, and where we can find her, or Norman will be punished.
If we find Davis where you say she will be, my companion will release you and Norman and we will disappear from your lives - unless you report any of this, in which case you will both be punished. Understood?”
“I understand,” Dee replied, giving nothing away. “Please, can I talk to Katie? Is she all right?”
“She’s fine at the moment, and no, you can’t talk to her. Just do what I say, OK? I’ll call you again when we’re at the meeting point. It will be a few minutes from your hotel. Yes, we know where you’re staying. Don’t contact the authorities or warn Davis.” Donkin paused. “Oh, by the way, you might want to send some flowers to Deanna Pope.” The line went dead. There was another silence and then a click before the dial tone reappeared.
***
Barry praised the young loser for being able to remember the thrust of the script, even if he had adlibbed quite a bit.
“Barry, how will this all go down?”
“I’ve already explained. I get the whereabouts of Davis from the Hammond woman, I leave them with you, and when I see Davis with my own eyes I call you.
“And I can do whatever I want with the women?” Donkin smiled nastily, feeling the pressure of the Sig Sauer handgun in his waistband.
“Yes. Once I have Davis I don’t give a damn about the others, they are simply a means to an end. The Hammond woman is a tough customer. She won’t talk without encouragement, and our cherubic passenger will provide the incentive.”
“You won’t really hurt Katie, will you?” Donkin asked.
“Won’t have to, Rob. Hammond will fold like a cheap suit when she sees I’m serious.”