Denise

*** Chapter 16, Machination

In Amsterdam Schipol Airport Gudrun watched Joan enter the customs area and waved a short goodbye. As Joan made her way to her gate Gudrun sat in a small café and waited with a cup of coffee in her hand. She had promised that Jake would be delivered in about three weeks. Gudrun did not have to wait long before Miss Clearmont joined her at her table.

"Good flight?" asked Gudrun as she briefly hugged her friend.

"OK. I suppose." Miss Clearmont cast a glance at the departures board to see that Joan's flight had not been cancelled. "I got in about an hour ago and managed to get some shopping in."

"Joan is on her flight now, let's talk in the car,” said Gudrun as she put down her cup and stood.

The two women found a taxi outside the terminal and sped back to Amsterdam. As they did so they discussed their business.

"We have around three weeks to tie up the loose ends,” said Gudrun. She reached out and held Miss Clearmont's hand.

"Actually I think that we have about a week and no more,” stated Miss Clearmont. "I have to get back to New York and finish up the details there as well."

"That makes the time a little tight then."

"Well, we'll put Jake on a four hour day and speed things up then," replied Miss Clearmont. "If we confuse him enough time wise he'll crack in the first day or two."

"What do you need?" asked the German.

"Obviously a few signatures, that should be the easy part. A day or two will suffice. The problem is that I need two bank account numbers and the passwords for them as well."

"I thought that you already had that."

"I know where the accounts are but the accounts are in a Swiss bank and unlike the Seychelles or Bahamas I have no way to access the codes,” said Miss Clearmont with a serious look.

"That could be more difficult,” said Gudrun.

"The flip side is that once I have the information I need no proof of identity. Just the sets of pass numbers to get at the money."

"Of course that brings us to how to proceed as well as to discuss my share,” said Gudrun with a smile.

"Your share is the ten percent that we discussed and more if there if we can crack him in the next few days." Miss Clearmont squeezed her friend's hand.

The taxi was in old Amsterdam and making its way through the heavy traffic rather slowly.

"The problem is that since Joan will get him back we must be sure that he will not tell her what has happened," Miss Clearmont said. "That means that he must not see me because later he may recognise me."

"We could make out that Joan has it all,” suggested Gudrun. "That way he will not consider even mentioning the money."

"Did you manage to film Joan with him?" asked Miss Clearmont.

"Of course." Replied Gudrun. "I also taped all our conversations."

"Then we'll use that to convince him that Joan is the guilty party,” said Miss Clearmont with a small smile.

The taxi drew up outside Gudrun's house and the two conspirators got out. Now that they had a plan of action they just had to refine it and make it work.

Jake hung in discomfort in his bonds, he had been a day in this suspended condition and had plenty of time to consider his options.

'They are not as wide as I could hope for,’ he thought.

By now it was obvious that Gudrun was determined not to just have a little 'fun' with him. No. she was going to torment him.

'But,’ he thought. 'She was not going to murder him and the whole story would have an end.'

The question of course was how long?

How could he persuade her to let him go?

Money?

That was a possibility. Of course there was the question of how much and how he could pay. Jake remained optimistic. Somehow he would negotiate and take control.

Then he would show her a thing or two about dominance. He fantasised about reversing the situation and having her go through the fear and pain but somehow he could never see how the opportunity would come about.

Sooner or later she would make a mistake...