Inside was a dart gun, the perfect silent weapon for what I had planned. With that jammed in my pocket, I stepped out of the car and moved towards the street on foot. I knew the blindspots well enough to get past the external cameras on his wall without being seen, moving up the pavement under the protection of the leafy trees, timing my movements with the turn of the cameras.
I reached the corner of his wall seconds later, glancing around me to make sure no one was watching. Once I was sure, I took a run up then jumped, catching the top of the stonework, lifting myself up onto it.
I was only on top for a brief second before dropping down the other side, landing behind the rose bushes in the dead space that had a thin gap leading through the bushes out onto the lawn. Above me to the right was another camera, this one pointing onto the lawn.
Reaching up, I snapped the camera off its mooring, twisting it so it pointed up at the sky. By the time they sent someone out to work out what had happened, I'd be in. I moved to the edge of the lawn and took a quick glance to make sure the coast was clear. I could hear a quiet conversation over by the house.
Taking a deep breath, I stepped out, not running, just walking. Without the camera looking my way, someone would have to be right on top of me to realise I wasn't just another guard on patrol. I crossed to the house, forcing myself to still walk slowly.
Once I got to the wall of the house, I peered round the corner, seeing two guards in conversation. I pulled out the gun and aimed. With a squeeze of the trigger, the first man went down, the tip of the dart visible in his neck. The second barely had time to make the first squawk of alarm before I took him out, his body falling on top of the first. They wouldn't wake for at least ten minutes and by then I should be long gone with Isabel.
I got past their sprawled forms and was just about to pull open the kitchen window when I heard an engine starting. Running on, I avoided the next camera by hugging the wall for the few seconds it took to get past it, then I was able to see out onto the driveway.
A convoy of cars was heading out onto the street and I cursed as I saw Isabel's face peering out from the rearmost car. There were white ribbons across the bonnet, Tony was clearly wasting no time in getting the wedding over with. Then she'd be locked in the basement while he went to work on her until she was willing to be Kingsley's submissive little wife. It was sickening to think of it.
I shook my head. No time for emotions. Deal with them later. For now, focus on getting her away from him. Everything else can wait.
The garage was still open and his second favourite red sports car was just sitting there, as if it was ready for me. The key was hanging on the hook by the door same as always and it was the work of seconds for me to join the back of the convoy, hoping Tony was too stupid to look behind him out the rear window. If he did, he'd see my blank face staring back at him.
They drove for twenty minutes and all the time, I could see Isabel, still staring out of the side window. I wanted to race in front of his car, force it to a stop and grab her. I kept driving though, knowing there was no way I could handle that many people at once, I'd be dead before I even got to her. Then she'd have no one to protect her from Kingsley.
When the cars pulled up outside a church, I drove on past, pulling up around the next corner before climbing out, looking for a back entrance. I found it a few seconds later, a wooden door in the side of the church that clearly entered a sideroom of some kind. I prayed that it wouldn't be locked. Not sure exactly what my plan was, I tried the handle and it swung open, allowing me into the church.
THIRTY-ONE
ISABEL
I climbed out of the car and looked up at the church, the spire blocking out the sunlight. The doors were open but I didn't feel welcomed by the place, I felt as if I was walking along the path to my own demise, a feeling that grew stronger when I saw the gravestones lining the path.
I tried to turn away at the last second but Tony gripped my arm, still smiling but with a vice-like hold of me as we walked inside. People lined the pews, all of them looking perfectly respectable. Did they know I was here against my will? Did they care?
I walked slowly forwards, dragging my feet as a man at the front by the altar turned to look at me. That was Kingsley then, the man I was supposed to marry. He looked more miserable than me.
Behind him was the vicar, looking more like a monk than anything else. He had a cowl covering his head, a long robe that brushed the floor. In his hands was a small black book which he opened as I approached.
"Before we begin," he said, still looking downwards. Was he feeling guilty about doing this? Was that why he wouldn't even look at me? "I must speak to the bride and groom to be in my chambers."
He turned and shuffled off, Kingsley following him. "I'll be right here," Tony said, letting go of my arm at last. "Don't try anything stupid."
I didn't reply. There was no need. He knew I wasn't going to do anything. I walked through the door into the vicar's private room. "Close the door," the vicar said, moving behind a low wooden table.
I did as he asked and turned round to see him pulling open an intricately carved wardrobe. Reaching inside, he then spun round and lifted what looked like a gun. "No, wait," Kingsley began but he got no further. The vicar pulled the trigger and Kingsley collapsed to the ground a second later.
"What the … ?" I managed to say as he pulled down his hood to reveal his face. "Jake? What the hell? What are you doing here?"
"I came to get my little girl," he said. "Come on, we better go."
He grabbed my hand and pushed open the door to the churchyard. As we ran out, I glanced to my left, seeing the slumped body of Kingsley next to that of the vicar who'd been hidden behind the table. "Don't worry," he said, noticing my look. "They'll be right as rain in ten minutes and by then we'll be long gone."
He stopped by a red sports car at the edge of the churchyard. We both climbed in and he revved the engine, setting off a second later.
"Shit," he said, glancing in the rear view mirror. "I guess he noticed."
"What?" I looked behind me in time to see a car accelerating towards us. "What do we do now?"
"Go faster," he replied, putting his foot to the floor.
If it was an action movie, we'd probably have raced out of the city, headed into the sunset and lived happily ever after. But instead we ended up weaving our way through traffic with Tony's car following close behind, getting closer all the time.
"Hold on," Jake said, yanking the steering wheel to the side just before Redfern Bridge. We turned onto the bridge just as a car appeared at the far end, heading towards us. "That's not good," I said, pointing at it.
"No," Jake said, bringing the car to a halt. "It's not."
The two chasing cars drew closer before coming to a halt. The bridge ran over a deep valley, a river far below. There was no chance of escaping on foot. The road was quiet enough that the only vehicles on it were ours and Tony's.
The car in front of us stopped about fifty yards away, the one behind did the same. Tony got out as I turned to look at his car. He walked slowly towards us, two men getting out of the rear seats. They stood together and just watched their boss.
"All right," Jake said, as Tony came to a halt a couple of feet away. "You win."
"I always win," Tony replied. "Come with me, Isabel."
"No," I said, shaking my head and stepping slowly backwards until I was pressed against the railings. "I won't marry him."
"The hell you won't," Tony snapped, lunging for me, his arms outstretched.
I screamed as Jake shoved me in my side, knocking me to the floor. Tony grabbed hold of empty space, his momentum keeping him moving forwards, his body tipping over the railing.
He screamed, grabbing hold of the bottom of the railing, dangling down off the edge, his feet kicking at nothing. "Help me," he said, looking up at me with eyes wild.
I ran to grab him, catching his flailing hand and gripping it tightly. "Hold on," I said, trying to pull him upwards. His men were running over but they were too far away to help. His hand slipped through mine as Jake reached past me, stretching towards him with longer arms than mine.
"No," Tony muttered, "please, no."
I tightened my grip but his weight was too much. His fingers slid free of my hand then he was falling, his men reaching us a second too late. We all watched him go, his body hitting the river far below and vanishing from sight.
"Fuck," one of his men said, turning to look at me. "The boss is dead."
"Good riddance," a voice said behind me and I turned to find myself looking at a very pale Kingsley. He pulled out a cigarette and lit it. "He never liked me smoking."