Chapter 7

The man, his name was Sid, that was outside the hotel was astonished when told he could come in, wait and his wife had invited him to join her for dinner at The Golden Spinning Wheel restaurant at 6pm.

He first went down to the car park to make sure Grace’s car was still there, it was.

He telephoned his boss to tell him what had happened and what to do next.

His boss told him to keep the appointment but to immobilize her car by puncturing two of the tires. He was to slip one of the pills in her drink. The pill would make her appear drunk and he would escort her out of the restaurant, put her in his car and drive her to the address he had already given.

Sid was a professional wrestler, not too bright, and not too happy about kidnapping a woman, especially putting pills in her drink, but he needed the money. His boss had assured him no harm would come to the woman but she needed to be frightened.

He decided if he could frighten her without the necessity for the pills he would.

He went down to the basement and was relieved to see Grace’s car still there. He waited to make sure no one was around before sidling up to the car with a knife in his hand. He bent down and was about to push the knife into the front tire when a voice stopped him in his tracks.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

He managed to push the knife under the car out of sight before standing up and found there was two serious looking security guards staring at him with stone faces.

“I was examining the make of the tire. I have exactly the same model car and need a new set of wheels and these looked nice,” he replied lamely.

“Be on your way, sir,” one of the guards said.

He moved quickly away his heart beating fast.

“Firestone.”

Sid turned back.

“What?” he said.

“The tires on the car are Firestone, sir,” the second security guard called to him.

Sid noticed the first security guard was talking to someone on his cell phone.

Sid did a disappearing act. He would have been even more concerned if had seen the second guard reach down under Grace’s car and retrieve the knife.

At six pm on the dot Sid was at The Golden Spinning Wheel sitting at a table examining the menu aghast at the outrageous prices. He prayed the bill would be added to Grace’s room charges.

At 6:45pm it was getting obvious Sid would be eating alone something he was not going to do at The Golden Spinning Wheel. He got up, paid for his two beers he had been forced to drink and left. He went to the hotel reception desk and asked the clerk to ring Grace Williams’ room. After a minute he was told there was no answer from the room.

Maureen had been watching Sid for some time and had booked a room for the night at the hotel. She now made her move. She tapped him on the shoulder.

“I believe you are my husband I don’t have,” she said with a sweet smile. “I’m Grace Williams. I met an old friend and I have to apologize for being late for our dinner date but he insisted on feeding me. I hope you ate as I am of course not hungry.”

Sid didn’t know what to say. This woman didn’t look like the female he had seen get into the Ford Explorer but it was from a distance so he let that pass, especially at what she said next.

“I was most distressed to learn from two security guards they had disturbed you in the act of attempting to slash the tires on my car,” she said.

Before he had a chance to protest his innocence, she continued, “The police have the knife you left under my car and I am sure they will find your fingerprints on it. I can call them or we can go up to my room and you can explain why you followed me from my house to here.”

“And if I go to your room the police will be there waiting to arrest me,” he said now very worried.

“Why would they do that when they could have arrested you in the restaurant or even here in the hotel lobby? I can promise you there is no one in my room.” Maureen brushed against him, looking seductive and her voice tender and submissive. She even reached down between his legs with her hand lightly touching his cock through his trousers. “My friend left me wanting a man. He couldn’t stay and satisfy my itch that I have in my pussy. A big itch. And talking of big. You are so big and I expect you have a cock to match. Come up to my room and lets have some fun and I’ll do anything you want. What do you say, big boy.”

Maureen took his arm and led him to the elevators. While they were waiting for one to arrive and when they were inside the elevator he studied the woman. She was late middle aged but still very attractive, face and body. He could tell she kept herself in good shape and there was no denying there was a fair bosom tucked away. Her clothes were smart and her hair tightly in place. There was little make up and she was wearing gloves and mid calf black leather boots with low heels. This was a woman he could slap around a bit. What had started out bad was now looking up. He could smell raw sex on this female and knew she would be a firecracker once he got her on the bed.

The elevator stopped at the eighth floor and it was a short walk along the corridor to her room. She used the key card, opened the door and invited Sid in. He took three paces in and then grabbed her arm intending to fling her onto the bed. Instead he found a heavy knee slam into his testicles, a huge hammer of a blow into his stomach and an upper cut hitting his jaw and he crumpled up partly on the floor and on the side if the bed. Never in his life had he been hit so hard. Even though half unconscious he saw the woman take off her gloves exposing brass knuckle dusters on the fingers of both her hands.

Maureen quickly closed the door and hoped she hadn’t damaged Fred too much. She needed him to talk. She got some water and bathed his face still keeping her brass knuckles.

Sid was strong and he gingerly felt his jaw wondering it it was broken. He was still winded and down below he wondered if he would ever be able to perform again.

Maureen actually admired him. Very few persons would have been able to crawl up onto the bed unaided as Sid had done.

“Who the hell are you?,” he managed to say, “Lara Croft?”

Your worst nightmare,” she replied. “And what were your instructions to do with me?”

“Kidnap you. Take you to a warehouse to meet my boss. Drop a pill in your drink to make it look like you’re drunk. And frighten you into submission.” Sid tried to laugh at that even though it was painful.

“What’s your name?” She asked him.

“Professionally, Snarling Sid,” He said. “I’m, or was, a wrestler. Real name Sydney Grimm. Divorced. Two kids. Ex-wife has them. Like a country music song. Anything else you want to know?”

“Who employed you?”

“I’m going to give you the address where I am to take you. You’ll meet him. Do you really have to beat it out of me?”

“I have a very good idea who it is. If I leave you here to recover will you give me your word you will not warn him?”

“Sure,” he agreed. “And If I did after saying I wouldn’t?”

“I would kill you,” she said simply, “and you wouldn’t be the first.”

He believed her.

“Call him and tell him you have me,” Maureen ordered. “How far away is the warehouse?”

“About an hour.” He gave her the address.

“Call him in half an hour after I’ve gone. Tell him the dinner was great. I’m a bit tipsy but awake.” She stopped whilst she pondered. She began to have a good feeling about Sid.

“If I’m happy about you and the Gods are pleased with you, I will offer you a job.”

“If it’s my line of work and I don’t have to kill anyone I think I might enjoy working for you.” he said. “One thing. Confirm this for me. You aren’t Grace Williams are you?”

“No.” she said. She paused. Smiled. “No. I’m not. Give me your contact numbers.”

Sid did.

With that she left, but immediately came back.

This room is paid for until the morning,” she said. “You might like to make use of it and help your recovery.”

“I’ll take you up on that. Thanks.”

Maureen left this time, but what Sid didn’t know was that she had left a minute but powerful listening device. Exactly half an hour later she heard him make the call and tell his now ex employer word for word what she had told him to say. He also added that he was going to leave immediately he had dropped her at the warehouse. He wanted no part in what they were going to do to her. Maureen only heard Sid’s side of the conversation but obviously there was an assurance no real harm was going to be done to Grace but Sid wanted no part of it and hung up.