Premier Deception (21 page)

They all spent a
pleasant evening and then went back to Colin
’
s room to watch, Match of the Day. They
weren
’
t happy to hear the analysis of
their game but took the comments on board and thought about ways to
improve. Luke walked her back to her room and then said
goodnight.

The journey home went smoothly and Ronnie kept out of
her way which she was grateful for.

Charlotte was grateful to have a couple
of days off after her trip and had arranged to meet up with Zoe in
town. She hadn’t seen her friend in ages and was looking forward to
hearing all of her gossip; even Politics would be a welcome relief
from football, who would have ever thought I’d say that thought
Charlotte.

She decided to go out for a Jog, her fitness was
suffering a bit due to her workload and she liked to jog as it gave
her time to herself.

She put her headphones on and decided once or twice
around the park would be ideal.

It was a lovely day, a little bit cold but the jog
would warm her up.

She set off and was
soon engrossed in her latest music download. There
weren
’
t many people out as it was still
fairly early but she noticed some lads playing football on the
pitch in the park. Suddenly the ball flew towards her and stopping
she picked it up and threw it back to them.

They looked about 15
years old and as they shouted their thanks one of them apparently
recognised her.
“
Hey
aren
’
t you that bird manager of
United?
”
he shouted. His mates looked
around suddenly interested. She felt herself going red and just
nodded. They crowded around her looking with interest.
“
My dad says you
’
re
rubbish,
”
said one and his mates laughed.
Another said,
“
Yeah my dad says women
shouldn
’
t be involved in football unless
it
’
s washing the kit.
”
Still she said nothing recognising that whatever she said
would just rile them up. She made as if to carry on and one
said,
“
here where are you going, you can
manage me if you like darlin,
”
and he
grabbed hold of her arm.
“
Yeah show us
your tits,
”
said another. Charlotte
started to get worried, the park was empty and she was vulnerable
on her own. Suddenly she heard a shout and someone came running
towards them.
“
Oi get off her.
”
They all looked and she was grateful to see
Elliott, the Stadium security guard running towards them. The boys
just laughed.
“
Got yourself a bodyguard
have you?
”
they said sneering.
“
Well he
’
s no match
for us.
”
Elliott drew near and put
himself between them. He had an angry expression on his face and
looked really menacing.
“
Actually, I am a
bodyguard,
”
he said in a deep threatening
voice.
“
And what
’
s more, I am an armed one,
”
and
he reached inside his jacket as though reaching for a gun. The
lad
’
s eyes widened and decided not to
hang around to find out. They legged it across the park as fast as
they could.

Charlotte suddenly
felt very weak and sat on a nearby bench.
“
Thank you Elliott,
”
she said
gratefully.
“
I think that I was a bit out
of my depth there, thank goodness you were passing.
”
Elliott looked at her with a strange expression
on his face, he looked quite needy and his eyes had a strange
excitement in them. She took a closer look and noticed that his
hair was untidy and greasy and he was as white as a sheet. Probably
because he works nights, she thought. He can
’
t get much sunlight on him poor man.

“Come on,
”
he said,
“
I
’
ll drive you home.
”
Charlotte didn
’
t know
why but she felt uneasy.

“
Its
ok they’ve gone now, I don’t live far I’ll be
fine
,
”
she said not sure why she wanted to get rid of him.
“
I won
’
t take no for
an answer,
”
he said determinedly, so she
followed him to the car park.

He had a battered
Volvo, a bit like him, she thought. He held open the car door for
her and she noticed how dirty it was inside, full of wrappers and
half eaten food with a distinctly strange smell. Thank goodness I
don
’
t live far she thought.

As she climbed in she was suddenly aware of something
happening behind her but before she could turn around she was
knocked unconscious.

The first thing that
Charlotte felt as she came around was that she had a thumping
headache. There was a strange musty smell and for some reason she
couldn
’
t open her mouth. She felt someone
stroking her hair gently and in alarm she opened her
eyes.

In front of them was
Elliott, his face inches from hers and he looked at her with
excitement in his eyes.
“
Well Well
Sleeping Beauty, your Prince is here,
”
he
said in a low voice. She tried to move but realised that her hands
and feet were tied and there was tape covering her mouth. She
looked blindly around seeing an unfamiliar room with no windows and
just a light bulb in the light fitting hanging from the ceiling.
She was lying on what appeared to be a bed. Elliott was sitting
beside her still stroking her hair. She could smell his breath and
sweat was glistening on his forehead.
“
I
am sorry my darling,
”
he said
quietly.
“
I know that this is
uncomfortable for you but soon you will be free, I just needed to
get you here.
”
Her eyes widened in shock
and he carried on.
“
I told you that soon
we would be together and now we are.
”

Charlotte felt sick.
Oh my God, it was Elliott who gave her the flowers.
“
You need me to protect you from now on,
”
he said stroking her neck. She could feel his
excitement and his breathing was getting more and more
laboured.
“
I knew as soon as I laid eyes
on you that you would be mine,
”
he said,
a far away look in his eyes.
“
I needed to
get you here my love where everything is prepared. I am going to
untie you so that you can get ready.
”
She
looked confused and he carried on.
“
Today
my love is our wedding day! Soon we will be husband and wife and
nothing will ever keep us apart again.
”

Married! To him!! Oh no she thought, like that was
ever going to happen. She thought quickly realising the dangerous
situation that she was in. She would have to go along with it until
she figured out a way to escape. Maybe I can talk him round, she
thought. You see it happen in all the films, the Nut Job never wins
she told herself willing it to be true this time.

“I am going to untie
you my darling so that you can get dressed.
”
He suddenly moved off of the bed and from behind her
produced a garment bag. With a flourish he pulled out the contents
to reveal a huge wedding dress. She was so shocked she almost
couldn
’
t take it all in. She suddenly
noticed that he was wearing a suit, albeit a very tatty one. He
ripped off the tape and for a second she did nothing as the pain
shot through her. She took several gulps of air and said
weakly.

“Elliott, why are you
doing this? Maybe we can talk about it. I won
’
t say anything to anyone just please can you let me go, my
family will be worried about me.
”

He looked at her
puzzled.
“
My darling this is what we both
want. Your parents won
’
t miss you; they
are out for the day I have checked, and when they return we will be
married. You will live here with me. I am sure that they
won
’
t mind you giving up the job at the
club, after all your job will be as my wife and I will keep you
extremely busy.
”
The excitement came back
to his face and he came over to her. Roughly he pulled her up so
that she was half sitting.
“
I have wanted
you from the moment I set eyes on you. The only way that we can be
together is in wedlock. Once we have married we will become one
finally.
”

Charlotte felt sick.
How on earth was she going to get out of this? Then she remembered
that if they were going to be married there would be a vicar. She
could tell him and he would save her from this mad man.
“
Elliott, you cannot touch me until we are
married.
”
she said weakly. Once again his
face took on an animated expression.

He pulled her up and
untied her legs.
“
Once I have untied your
hands you can get dressed. I will come back for you once I have got
everything ready,
”
he said happily. He
cut the ropes bounding her and before she knew it he had gone
locking the door behind him.

She looked wildly around her, taking it all in. The
room was small and badly kept. There was no carpet just some
flaking lino and there was a dirty sink in one corner with a bucket
underneath. There were no windows and the light was dim. She tried
the door but it was as she thought locked.

She looked at the dress on the bed and thought about
the danger that she was in. Nobody knew where she was. She had left
her phone behind and told no one where she was going. He was right
her parents were out and she was in deep deep trouble.

Then she remembered Zoe. She would raise the alarm;
after all they were supposed to meet up. She sank down on to the
bed in despair. How would they find her in time? For all she knew
they were off to get married somewhere far away where nobody would
think of looking for them.

Tears started to
course down her face. She thought of Max, she may never see him
again. The tears came more and more and big heaving sobs came from
deep within her.
“
Charlotte, are you
alright in there?
”
came his voice from
the other side of the door.
“
Are you
ready yet?
” “
No,
”
she gulped trying to stop crying.
“
Well hurry up we have no time to waste.
”

She pulled the dress towards her and thought that it
was her ticket out of there. The sooner she was ready they would
leave and she would find a way to escape.

The dress was awful.
A huge mass of frills and was slightly soiled, she
didn
’
t even want to think about what
with. Quickly she dressed and called out in a small shaky voice
that she was ready. The door flew open and he stood there looking
at her his excitement palpable.
“
You are
beautiful,
”
he said in awe. Striding
purposefully towards her he grabbed her hands and once again bound
them.
“
Can
’
t
have you getting away before we are married,
”
he laughed and pulled her from the room.

He pulled her into another room that she guessed was
the living room. There was a small window with a dirty net curtain
hanging from it. The room was in poor shape. Surely they paid him
more than this she thought. There was a battered settee and an old
TV in the corner. A threadbare rug covered the floor and a half
dead potted plant was clinging on to life in the corner.

Charlotte looked
around and said,
“
Are we off to the
church now?
”
hoping that the sooner they
were out of this flea pit the better.

Elliott gave a chilling laugh and looked at her with
his mad penetrating gaze.

“We are going nowhere
my love. The power of the Internet will be our church.
”

What!!! she thought
panicking.
“
I have arranged our wedding
online,
”
he said triumphantly.
“
Soon we will log on and a vicar will conduct
the service.
”

Charlotte was taken
aback, she shouted,
“
No! I will not marry
you!
”

Elliott
’
s eyes narrowed and his
face contorted.
“
I thought that you might
say that,
”
and then to her horror he
produced a gun from his jacket.
“
Maybe
this will persuade you my dear, and then when we are married you
will come to realise that I know best.
”

Charlotte looked with horror at the gun. She thought
that he had been pretending when he had said that he was armed and
now it was pointing at her.

He stepped forward
and she flinched.
“
There There,
”
he said suddenly changing his tone.
“
I only want to make you more pretty than you
already are.
”

He produced a bright
red lipstick from his pocket and grabbing her hair he proceeded to
smear it all over her mouth. He turned her head roughly towards the
mirror,
“
see how lovely you look, good
enough to eat.
”
This
couldn
’
t be happening Charlotte thought,
this is a nightmare. Now I know what the term -Shot Gun Wedding-
really means she thought, her fear giving way to hysteria.
“
It is time,
”
he said
and flicked a switch on the computer.