Chapter 5: Tracking Beth

Now that the plans were in place and he was being active, Matt felt a lot better. He was being pro-active rather than reactive, always better for his mental state. He was interested to see what Beth would tell him about being away from home again. He found it difficult to reconcile the woman he knew and had married, with the woman who would allow herself to be manipulated into betrayal. Hendy had tried to explain the apparent dichotomy.

"Hypnosis has a peculiar effect. The suggestions that can be implanted when someone is under influence are manifold. But in your wife's case I would say that her hypnotic instructions are to act quite normally towards you. She will do, and you; unless you were aware; would never know that she had been hypnotised. Yet she has this imperative from her mentor that cannot be denied. She will do as he demands without questioning her behaviour. Man has gone to the moon, He has sent probes to Mars, gone to the bottom of the sea, seen these things, examined them and understood. But the human mind? That's a mystery. Despite all that Freud and Jung have written, despite all the psychiatrists pontificating day in day out, despite all the modern drugs and treatments, we are still groping in the dark. We have never really understood how it works, and probably never will. Whatever is causing your wife to act this way, with our present knowledge we can only hypothesize."

Matt knew many men who would never forgive their wives in these circumstances. Men who would never pause to reflect on their behaviour, but would order the cheating bitch out of the house. He had been prepared to do just that. Hendy's explanation of the situation, had given him a lot to think about, perhaps he had been too involved in building his business to even find out if Beth was fulfilled by their union. Then there was the undoubted fact that Beth had to have been influenced by the drugs and hypnotism. There was enough doubts and concerns that ruled out his putting her aside. He would try to understand and forgive.

Beth didn't say anything, so Matt gave her an opportunity.

"Beth, I will be away for a couple of nights. I have to go up north and look at some sites for this chain. I doubt that I will take them on, they are too far away from our base of operations, but it might be sensible to check out the possibilities for expansion in the future." He watched his wife's face to gauge the reaction. She didn't seem either happy of disappointed.

"Do you want me to pack for you?" That was Beth. Looking after her husband, doing her wifely duty, caring and nurturing. He smiled for her. He was perfectly capable of packing for himself, the army had taught him how to do that, always moving on from one place to another. But it gave Beth pleasure to do it, so he agreed.

"That is very kind of you. I doubt it will be more than two nights, but pack for three, just in case."

When Beth came down her face seemed calmer.

"I have been thinking, Matt. I will go and visit Barbara for a few days. I know you have never taken to her, so I have not invited her here, but she was a good friend to me at school. And I would not like to lose complete touch." Matt tried hard to keep the smile without giving way to cynicism.

"Good idea, love. That will be better than being all alone here. I'm going to have a shower. How long will the meal be?"

"Twenty minutes." Matt mentally thanked Beth for being so tidy. He knew exactly where her handbag would be, and her make-up kit. He exchanged the lip-sticks noticing with satisfaction that there was little difference between them. Beth, he was sure would not be aware of the substitution

That night they made love, and Matt took extra care to consider her needs. As he thrust into her he made an effort to think about work and administration, anything to subdue the sensations, and enable him to last longer. In her enjoyment of his loving she subconsciously compared Matt's gentleness with the forceful way that Master had took her. His rude possession of her had been exciting, and she had climaxed strongly. Yet Matt's gentle and caring love satisfied her on a different level, and in a more fulfilling way. She couldn't tell why, but her orgasm shook her far more than she had ever experienced before. Inspiring a greater reaction than Matt had known.

"Oh God, Yes, yes, yes!"

Matt left early that morning. He went to the office and immediately used the disposable mobile to check with the others. Chubb first.

"On the way, Boss. We'll be there well in time. I'll call when we are there."

"No problem, Boss. I'm following Chubb at the moment, call when in position." That was Spag. Then Matt called Gary.

"Morning Gary. The lipstick was perfect, I just hope that I put the right one in!" Matt joked as much to relieve his tension as anyone else's.

"We're fucked if you didn't." was Gary's cryptic reply. "I'm just leaving now. Should be in place about ten-thirty. I've got a bug in my car. It's on the same wavelength so the guys can test their equipment. I'll turn it off as soon as they have tuned. Leave your computer on. I shall email rather than talk on the mobile. Don't want the bad guys to get suspicious, do we?"

Matt settled down to wait. He was painfully aware that he would be useless at his desk today. All he could do was wait, probably drink too many cups of tea or coffee, and make a nuisance of himself to Janet who was trying to get on with her work. Now would be a good time to start smoking! Janet brought him the first of the many cups of hot brown liquid. It wouldn't matter to Matt today whether it was tea or coffee, they would all taste the same to him.

At ten-thirty, Gary emailed.

I'm there. Three people sitting in car. Two men and a woman. Volvo V70. Reg IZ55JUH I'm going online to see if I can get a make on them.

Matt waited, then the ping on his computer alerted him to the next message.

Hired car can't get details. Still sitting there, could be waiting.

Matt emailed back.

Don't draw attention to yourself.

There was no reply to that until five slow minutes had elapsed.

I'm suited, white shirt and tie. Car full of carpet samples and paperwork all over the front seat. I'm a rep. Nobody notices a Rep. There's at least three other Reps here.

At quarter to eleven Chubb phoned.

"In place, Boss. Passed Gary. Looks perfect for the part, driving a Mondeo. Bloody millions of those on the road." He rang off and immediately Spag phoned.

"On the spot, Boss. I'll call again when there's something to report." He was gone without Matt saying anything.

Five past eleven, and Gary emailed. The goods have arrived. Four packages in delivery bay.

What the hell was that about? Then Matt worked it out. Beth had arrived and had come into the Diner with the three people. Bloody Hell, Gary must have been reading too many Len Deighton novels. He phoned Chubb.

"Beth has arrived and is in the Chef with three others."

"O.K. Boss. I'll let Spag know."

The hands on the clock moved so slowly. Matt was tempted to email Gary and find out what was happening, but that wouldn't help. Gary would let him know as soon as he could. At eleven forty-two the ping came.

Three packages despatched. Hired transport. One still in warehouse.

Matt let Chubb know, together with the registration number that Gary had checked.

"Gotcha, Boss. Now leave it to us. Let Spag know so he will be prepared."

"Will do." thirty second later he spoke to Spag. "They're on the way." He gave Spag the details of the car.

"O.K. Boss. We have them on the scanner now." then he closed the line.

Janet brought him another coffee.

"How is it going? Mr. Bennett." "They have met, and now Beth is with them in their car, going to God knows where. Chubb and Spag have got them on GPS. So we have to wait."

"Will you want some lunch? I can go out and get you some sandwiches." Matt shook his head.

"No thank you Janet. I doubt that I could eat right now."

"Cheer up, Mr. Bennett. It will soon be over." Matt's smile was thin and unbelieving.

"I wish." he paused for just a moment. "Janet. I wish you would call me Matthew when we are alone. Mr. Bennett seems too formal all the time."

"Very well Mr. Be ... Oh sorry, Matthew."

Twelve-fifteen, Janet called him.

"Matthew! Gary's on the line." She put him through.

"Why are you phoning me on the landline?"

"Well, perhaps one of the others would try to get through on the mobile, and it could be urgent." Matt saw the sense in that.

"What happened?"

"Elizabeth arrived, and the people I had clocked were waiting for her. They got out of the car and greeted her. They seemed to act quite friendly, but your wife appeared to be a little cool with them. They came in to have coffee, and sat down, but too far away for me to hear what was being said. The woman and the main man did most of the talking, and your wife appeared to answer very briefly. The second man didn't seem to say anything, just nodded and smiled as if on cue. Then the woman who was with them got up to go to the toilet, and well you know what women are like, couldn't go on their own, so Elizabeth went with her. I think the main man slipped something in her coffee, but I couldn't be certain. He was damned quick. When the two women came back they drank their coffee and sat chatting for a while, then the main man and the woman stood up to leave. Your wife went to stand up, but seemed unsteady, so the other two helped her. They got her in the back seat of the Volvo, and the women got in beside her. Then they left. The second man stayed about a half hour. It was getting a little hairy, as he kept looking at me, so I went out to my car, and started talking on the mobile. He came out, and went to Elizabeth's car, but made a diversion to get a good look at me. The back seat was piled high with carpet samples I borrowed from a mate who is in the trade. Anyway he saw those, and I suppose decided I was harmless. He got in Beth's car and drove off. A little later I saw him going south towards Cirencester. That was five minutes ago. We'll find your wife's car whenever we want, they didn't check for bugs, and it's transmitting well. I've turned it off to save the battery."