LITMIR.BIZ

       23

      It was late morning when Gina woke aching from her enforced position on the bed. She tried moving and cried out from the stiffness in her muscles.

      ‘Hey! Are you there? These cords are biting into my wrists. I’m stiff. In pain. Come and loosen them. Please.’

      ‘Good morning. I hope you slept well.’

      Apart from a different shirt he looked the same as yesterday. His blond fringe seemed to be permanently fixed at an angle across his forehead.

      ‘I’m aching all over. I can’t move with these cords and I’m sore where they’re tight around my wrists and ankles.’

      ‘That’s because you struggled.’

      ‘The cords are hurting me, please loosen them.’

      As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Gina was uncomfortable with the idea of him coming closer to her, close enough to loosen the cords. She felt sickened by the thought that he might touch her. She forced the revulsion from her mind, determined to suppress those feelings in exchange for immediate comfort and the possibility of escape.

      Colin stood at the foot of the bed, apparently unaware of what she’d said or might be thinking.

      ‘You must be hungry. I’ll get us some breakfast – orange juice and toast.’

      He left the bedroom without waiting for a reply. Gina heard him busy in the kitchen and then he returned with a tray, which he placed well away from the bed.

      ‘First a little exercise and then we’ll have breakfast. I’m going to untie one cord at a time so that you can move your arms and legs in turn. I’ll hold on to the end of the cord and, if you try any tricks, I’ll tie you down and leave you alone until this evening. Do you understand?’

      ‘Yes.’

      ‘And you promise not to try anything stupid?’

      ‘Yes.’

      They began with her left leg and, after a few minutes, moved on to her right leg and then her left arm. Before releasing her right arm, he moved the breakfast tray closer so that he could reach it while still holding the cord attached to her wrist.

      ‘What can I pass you first, orange juice or toast?’

      ‘Thank you. I’d like juice first and then the toast.’

      As they ate, Gina steeled herself and began her campaign.

      ‘How did you arrange all of this? You seem to know so much about me.’

      ‘Planning and research.’

      ‘But how? Why me?’

      ‘Chance.’

      ‘Because I employed your firm to decorate this room?’

      ‘I have no firm. At least, the firm you thought you employed was fictitious. I employed a real firm myself once you had given me the keys to your apartment.’

      ‘But I responded to a circular that came in the post. It was the same for my holiday in Italy, and that was real because I checked with the tour company. They had my name in their records and on the passenger list. They sent me the itinerary and the airline tickets.’

      ‘Of course. Like the decorators, the tour company and the holiday were real but I made the bookings.’

      ‘But the holiday in Italy was a prize. I won it in a competition.’

      ‘I organized the competition. The prize was chosen with you in mind. I found your dream holiday and booked it.’

      ‘But how did you know I would win?’

      ‘There were no other entries. Only you received the mailshot about the singles club competition.’

      ‘Okay … but how did you know I would enter?’

      ‘I didn’t, but I thought there was a good chance and you didn’t let me down. Through me, you employed the decorators, you entered the competition and you accepted the prize holiday. That’s why I’m here.’

      ‘But how did you know Siena was my dream holiday? How did you find out so much about me?’

      ‘Simple. You told me.’

      Although it wasn’t cold in her bedroom Gina felt a chill between her shoulder blades at his words.

      ‘But I don’t even know you. We’ve hardly met. How could you possibly …?’

      ‘From time to time we’ve been much closer than you realize. Once I’d determined how to find out about you the rest was easy.’

      ‘That’s what I’d like to know. How did you find out so much about me?’

      ‘All in good time.’

      Colin retied Gina’s right arm to the bed and took the tray to the kitchen.