Different (29 page)

She awoke warm, naked, wrapped in a thick blanket and lying on a narrow bed.

"Here drink this!” The tall weather beaten man was handing her a glass and Janine could smell the warm, rich aroma of coffee coming from the mug he was holding out to her. She took it from him, sipped the contents and somehow wasn't surprised to find that the coffee had been laced with rum.

"This is delicious!” Janine said, taking another sip. “Oh I haven't thanked you yet for saving me!"

"My pleasure, I assure you. Would you like me to call the coast-guard and tell him to meet us when we dock?"

"No, I don't want to cause any fuss, but I could do with making a few telephone calls if that's possible!"

"Please fell free to use all the facilities in the cabin, there's a telephone on the desk and we have a wireless connection to the internet on the computer. I'll have to get back on deck now, but as soon as your clothes have finished drying I'll bring them down to you Mrs...?"

"Laura ... Laura Green. But please call me Laura you're very kind, Mr...."

"Brian. Brian Docherty, now I'll let you get on. We should be docking in about three hours."

After he'd left, Janine used the computer to contact a bank in Zurich, a bank that contained 12,000,000 of her and Russell's money. She gave the six-figure number of their account and arranged for the funds to be transferred to New York. She grinned when she imagined the look on Russell's face when he finally realised what must've happened. That she's survived and ripped him off. Settling herself back in front of the computer, Janine scanned the clinics advertising on the wonderful web, and eventually selected one near New Hudson. Within an hour and following her assurance that she would be paying for her treatment by cash, the clinic rang back to say they would have a car waiting for her at the docks.

Janine looked at herself in the mirror and smiled at the surgeon who was standing behind her. “I would never have believed it possible,” she said, looking again at her transformed face. “The lip enhancement and the eye tucks have completely changed my appearance and it's been less than twenty-four hours since you operated."

"I'm only too happy to have been able to help you Ms. Green, it must be terrible to be stalked by an ex-husband. Can't the police do anything?"

"They try doctor, but Mark my ex, just distributes pictures of me around until someone recognises me, but that's all going to change now."

"Yes, I've taken the liberty of arranging for the beautician and hairdresser to arrive at eleven.” He looked at his watch. “Oh dear, is it that time already? I must go but I'll see you before you leave and if there's anything, anything at all you need, please ask.” He flounced out of the room and Janine nodded to her reflection in the mirror.

"Easy when you've got the money isn't it?” she murmured. “A change of hair colour a thousand dollars for a new ID and we'll be ready to go and look for Russell, and baby I just can't wait to see him again."

Three hours later, having settled her hospital bill with some of the money that had been delivered by special messenger to her hospital room, Janine sat in the rear of the limousine she'd hired, and was heading towards New York. In her handbag, she had over twenty thousand dollars in cash, two credit cards and her new ID, which had been supplied by a friend of the doctor's. Apparently, this friend was a man who was extremely sympathetic to beaten wives on the run from violent husbands.

Janine thought that once she'd collected the equipment she'd ordered from the hunting store, that she'd enjoy surprising her own violent husband. Russell had no idea she'd found out about his cabin in Montana, years ago. “I'm going to kill the bastard,” she murmured to herself. “I'm going to look into his eyes and smile as I slit his lying throat!"

Bolted to the log wall just above Jay's head was a heavy iron ring to which her wrists had been manacled, she was about to be raped by Jack. She tried to avert her attention from Russell who pulled a terrified Mary onto his lap to witness the act. Jay needed to concentrate.

Russell gripped Mary's hair pulling the weeping girl's head back so he could look her in the face. “By the time Jack's finished with her, I'm going to want to get laid myself, so when he's done, you take all your clothes off and go down on your knees and start giving me head! You got that Mary?"

Mary, her face red from being slapped into submission, nodded miserably, “Yes.” She said it quickly as though to avoid another slap.

"Good girl,” he mocked. “Now, let's take a look at what you've got coming."

Jay prepared to lash out with her foot as Jack came towards her grinning and rubbing his crotch.

"Don't you worry none, Russell. After seeing me in action, Mary there will be begging you to give her some of the same.”

Jay put all her weight onto one foot and waited for Jack to step into range. She'd have to move fast, before they suspected what she planned to do.

"Open these legs wide baby,” Jack said, reaching between her knees and parting them. He reached down to unzip his pants and Jay jerked her arms forward. She heard the wood tear when the iron ring was ripped out of the wall. Her arms swept down and it struck the top of Jack's head. He collapsed but she was already launching herself at Russell. She stopped in her tracks.

Russell laughing shrilly, like a madman, yanked Mary's head back and rammed the barrel of his pistol hard into her mouth. For a long moment, Jay stared into Russell's eyes and it was only the sight of Mary, her mouth full of cold metal, and her wide frightened eyes that stopped Jay from attacking him.

"One more step and she's dead,” he laughed. “Now, I want you to back into that room behind you. Nice and slow bitch, unless you want me to blow her head right off!"

Jay walked slowly back until her back was against cold steel and looking behind her she saw that she was standing against a steel door.

"Open it and back on up inside there, I want to see your butt against the wall!” Russell said, walking slowly towards her his gun still in Mary's mouth. “That's right, now turn around and face the wall!"

Jay turned away from him and wondered if he would shoot her, Mary cried out from behind her and Jay turned towards the sound and the steel door slammed shut. Mary came towards her sobbing and Jay took her into her arms and comforted her as best as she could, kissing her on the forehead and assuring her that everything would be all right. Not that Jay believed it. She had a terrible feeling that the worst was yet to come.

Whatever happened, she promised herself, she would protect Mary as best as she could. The problem was that Russell was using Mary as a lever to ensure that Jay did as she was told. If only she could get her out of there, perhaps then they'd have a chance.

They both started when an overhead light came on and a small observation hatch in the door was opened, Russell glared through the small rectangle.

"You've killed Jack,” he said angrily. “You've gone and killed him, you bitch!”

Jay felt numbed,
killed him!
She'd actually killed someone.

"I'm going to make you pay!” His voice devoid of any emotion now, cut through her thoughts. “You wait and see what I aim on doing to little Mary over there..."

"Please, leave her alone, she hasn't done anything!"

"No, but it hurts you when I hurt her doesn't it? Well, let me tell you what's going to happen here. The next time I come down here, I want Mary to come out all by herself. Now, I know how fast you are, but if Mary doesn't come out or if you give me any trouble at all, she'll be begging me to kill her, before I've finished with her. She does what she's told or that's the end of her. You got that? Well, I'll be seeing you later Mary!"

The hatch slammed shut and Mary fell onto the bed sobbing. “What's he going to do to me Jay? What's he going to do?"

Jay didn't answer because Russell had already told Mary what he wanted. There must be a way out of there. She looked around the cell again. There were no windows, just a bed on which lay two blankets, a stainless steel toilet and washbasin. The only way out appeared to be through the metal door. She looked once more at the blankets on the bed and had an idea, but first she would need to free herself from the handcuffs.

Studying the small hole and the ratchet of the bracelet, Jay was struck by the simplicity of the design; it was so ... so primitive! “Give me a lever and a fulcrum,” she said to herself as she untwisted the steel wire that had been used to fasten the metal springs to the frame of the bed. After bending one end of the wire, she inserted it into the lock of the handcuffs and gave a twist and the bracelet came free. It only took a few more seconds to free her other wrist and she wondered how she'd known how to unlock it.

Suddenly, she was overcome by a feeling of exhaustion that was so powerful that she had to sit down quickly on the bed. Then almost as though she had lost all control of her body, she lay down. Jay could feel sweat pouring down her face and knew that there was something seriously wrong with her.

"Mary,” she managed to croak and then her eyes were starting to close and it was too much of an effort to fight anymore.

"What's the matter Jay? What's wrong with you?!” Mary sounded a long way off and frightened and Jay was vaguely conscious of Mary shaking her shoulder. Then all sensation faded and Jay was carried away into an ocean of darkness.

Russell took a last look at the heavy-duty body bag that contained Jack's body as it was carried to the rear of the limousine. The freak had killed him and Russell intended to make her suffer and he knew just how to do it. He turned to Nathan who was standing looking at the door that led down to the cellar, with a look of longing on his face.

"You're really going to let me do her, Mr. Russell? You're really let me going to let me do her?” Nathan looked anxious and his small close-set eyes never wavered from the metal door.

"Yes. I'll help you strap her down on the table and then she's all yours. You know how to fix the thin strap around her leg so she won't bleed to death?"

"Yes, I won't let you down Mr. Russell, and I'll put her leg in the freezer for you."

"No, just put it in the ice box, you'll be wanting to feed the dogs with it. Now, let's go on down and get her ready.” Russell inserted fresh cartridges into the shotgun and then opening the cellar door, he led the way down the wooden stairs.

"Please help! Jay's sick, I think she's dying!” Mary Slymond's face was streaked in tears when she peered at him through the observation hatch. He was expecting the freak to try something and so flicked the shotgun's safety catch off.

At his signal, Nathan drew back the bolts and with a glance at the freak who was lying on the bed, Russell stepped clear as Nathan swung open the steel door. The freak hadn't moved and Russell, covering her with both barrels, advanced cautiously into the cell.

"You've got to help her!” Mary cried. “She needs a doctor.”

Russell gestured to Nathan who took one of Mary's arms in his meaty grip and pulled her back towards the door. Still the freak didn't move and now Russell was close enough to see the sheen of sweat that seemed to be covering her entire body. She hardly seemed to be breathing. Russell gingerly laid one hand on the girl's brow, she felt cold to his touch. He reached down and gripping one of her nipples between his forefinger and thumb he twisted it, but she didn't respond.

Frowning Russell retreated, following Nathan and Mary back through the door and shut and bolted it. The freak was sick and he wasn't sure what to do about it. Involving a doctor could be risky. He'd have Nathan keep an eye on her and if she got any worse Russell would have no choice but to call in a medic. But that could wait, he had to get to the airport and question the British woman, the policewoman and find out what she knew. But first, he'd let Nathan have his fun with Mary and when he returned he'd make her watch the dogs feast on her newly amputated leg.

He turned towards her and frowned. “Why have you still got your clothes on?” He slapped her across the face and she reeled back from the blow, but as soon as she recovered her balance, she started to strip. When she was naked, he pointed to the table and although she stared at the leather straps in fear, Mary went and lay down on it

Nathan helped him strap her down while she stared up at him with huge staring eyes.

"What are you going to do to me?” She asked fearfully.

Russell finished fastening the strap around her right ankle before replying. “You've got a great body Mary and I'm sorry I haven't got time to do it myself. But Nathan here is going to make sure that you don't miss out, he's going to saw off one of your legs; and over the next few days, when he's done, he's going to cut you up piece by piece and feed you to his dogs.” Mary opened her mouth to scream. Russell, who'd been expecting it, deftly pushed the rubber ball part of the gag into her open mouth and fastened it behind her head.

"Oh don't worry, you won't bleed to death, Nathan here, knows about tourniquets, he's had lots of practice. Of course, you'll feel out of it for a while but later you can watch Nathan feed this leg to his dogs, before...” He patted her other leg “Before we cut off this one. I'm sorry I can't stop and watch, but I have to meet Scott Mallard in an hour. But don't you mind none, because I'll be back later to find out how it went!” Laughing, he watched her thresh and struggle against her restraints and then with a nod to Nathan, he ascended the cellar steps.

In the rear of the limousine he poured himself a stiff drink before ringing Henry to get the authorisation to send in a doctor. A doctor who would have to be killed once he'd examined and treated the freak. Russell would have to find out what had happened to Marcus, he could do with a doctor he could trust.

Janine dressed entirely in black and using her new night sight binoculars, watched Russell drive away from the cabin. She had seen him load the body bag into the limousine and wondered whom he'd killed. She hoped it might be Blake who's body Russell had heaved unceremoniously been dumped in the boot. It had been difficult to resist the temptation to shoot her ex-lover and husband with the high-powered rifle that lay on the grass by her side. Janine was observing him from the hillside and from behind some bushes that were growing about two hundred yards above the cabin.