Chapter 20: Doctor Owen

The blackout curtains hadn’t been completely closed, allowing a little sunlight to spill into the room. The furnishings were expensive: an orthopaedic emperor size bed, a huge walk-in wardrobe and very deep carpets.

As Doctor Owen awoke from his chloroform-induced slumber, he cast his eyes around the room and instantly knew where he was. One-two-four Castle Crescent.

Why am I in the boss’s old house? He hasn’t lived here for years. How did I get here?

He was gagged and tied to a chair in Doctor Forrest’s bedroom. It occurred to him that he was alone. The last thing he remembered was booking into a motel a hundred miles north of the city and getting his head down. He knew this was coming but had hoped to make a better run for it and finish off his work before they found him.

He wasn’t supposed to tell anyone the full details of his work but his wife, Emily, knew everything.

Please God let her be safe. I’ll never forgive myself if anything happens to her.

The next question was: where is Doctor Forrest?

Is he gagged and bound to a chair in another house somewhere else? Is he in this house? Is he dead? What about his family?

All these questions and more buzzed around his head, but his thoughts were interrupted when a tall figure suddenly burst into the room. The figure ran over to the window and closed the curtains.

There was very little light illuminating the room and all Doctor Owen could see was a huge frantic shadow. The shadow turned to the doctor and growled, ‘Don’t move or make a noise or you’re dead. Understand?’

Doctor Owen didn’t move a muscle, knowing exactly the fate that would be in store if he didn’t comply. This was the first time he had knowingly come face to face with one of them. The atmosphere and attitudes did not surprise him one bit.

‘Good,’ said the shadow and left the room, slamming the door behind him.

Something’s happening, Doctor Owen thought, is someone coming to rescue me?