Page 19 of Guarding Salvation

Dialling the number, she waited as it rang twice, her eyes on the locked door she knew wouldn’t keep anyone out who really wanted to hurt her.

“Hello, VRE Insurance limited. What is your policy number, please?”

Aoife pulled the phone away and checked the number she’d dialled again finding it correct she put it back to her ear. “Hi, I was given this number by a friend who said you might be able to help me.”

“What is the name of the friend?”

“Bob Harris. He said you could help me.”

“What kind of insurance policy are you looking for? Car or home?”

Aoife shook her head, frustration making her eyes water as her crossed leg bounced against the bed. “I don’t need insurance I need help.”

“I think you have the wrong number.”

The line went dead, and Aoife fell forward, her hands covering her face in utter despair as the will to keep fighting started to ebb from her. Maybe she should give up and go back, take the punishment she knew was coming.

The phone rang in her hand, and she jumped, jostling it to the floor. She grabbed for it and stared at the unknown number before she answered. “Yes?”

“Listen carefully, I need you to go to the back of the property you’re in and climb down the back window. Move quickly and silently as you’re about to get company at the front door. Run to the edge of the field and keep low as you run east along the hedgerow. When you get to the wooden stile, someone will meet you there.”

“Who are you?”

“A friend of Bob’s. Now, go.”

The woman cut the line dead and immediately she could hear banging on the front door.

“Come on now, princess, come out. Don’t make my men come in looking for you, there’s a good girl.”

Hearing her father’s voice so close almost made her pass out from fear, but the memory of what he’d done to Bob and so many others before him made her steel her spine. They wouldn’t be hurt in vain for her to give up at the last hour.

Doing what the woman had said, she opened her window and shimmied down the drain, landing as softly as she could as sounds from the front of the shop drowned out her landing. Running as fast as she could, keeping her head low, and not looking back, she made it to the field and followed the hedge line east.

Blocking the yelling behind her from her mind, she kept going, her focus on getting to the stile. As she neared, she glanced around, seeing nobody waiting, and wondered if she’d taken a wrong turn. Just as she got close, she was grabbed from behind, and a cloth bag thrown over her head. Before she got the chance to scream, a hand was placed around her neck and darkness followed.

Chapter 8

Waking suddenly in an unfamiliar room, Aoife began to panic, sitting up fast, her legs falling over the side of the bed. Touching the back of her neck, she found no pain but knew she’d been knocked out somehow, even though her mind was clear of any residual drug-induced side effects. Perhaps they’d given her something new, a drug that her father or his associates had invented to make them more money. A sealed bottle of water sat beside the single bed, and she took it, taking a small sip as she tried to figure out what had happened. She didn’t recognise this as one of her father’s places, but she knew he had safe houses scattered throughout England and Wales and she had no clue how long she’d been out.

Her legs were a little wobbly as she stood, testing her legs to see if they’d hold and if she could make a run for it if the chance arose. She twisted to inspect the room, which was a clinical white with a dark grey tile floor, but it wasn’t cold and as she crouched to the ground, she felt the heat from the floor and realised it was heated from underneath. A packet of biscuits sat on the small dresser and her bag lay on the ground beside it. Her confusion increased as to where she was and she wondered if perhaps it wasn’t her father but someone else that had snatched her from that field.

Relief flooded her at the sight of her things. Everything was there except the burner phones. It was silly to feel so much for her belongings but they were all she had in the world now and it gave her hope, small as it was.

“You’re awake.”

Aoife turned, almost stumbling over her own feet as a huge man she didn’t know reached out to steady her. Aoife snatched her hand back, backing away from the giant who put his hands up in supplication before taking a step back.

“Where am I?”

“Safe.”

Aoife cocked her head. “That isn’t an answer.” Cursing inwardly at her quick tongue and stupidity for sassing this man who was smirking at her, she stepped back again putting more distance between them. He could literally snap her like a twig if he chose to and she couldn’t do anything about it.

“We’re friends of Bob’s.”

Concern for the kindly man who’d shown her nothing but compassion and support filled her chest. “Is he okay?”

The handsome black man folded his arms across his huge chest, nodding. “He’s going to be just fine.”