I do not own nothing
Ransom
This is kind of like a follow on from my first story called together forever, which I suggest you read first but this is will probably still make sense if you haven't read it.
Rachel and Eddie had been happily married for about a year and a half now and their daughter was nearly two years old. Rachel and Eddie both returned to work as soon as possible after their daughter was born and Rachel took little Olivia Rose into work with her so she could still be a mother and a head teacher to the school. Eddie at first wasn't keen on the idea but he soon came around when he saw Rachel's point of view where that he could see little Olivia when he wanted to because they were both in the same building.
As Olivia started to get older Eddie and Rachel thought it was a good idea that Olivia should go to a nursery type of thing so she got used to spending time with children ready for when she starts pre-school. So when she was two she started this small little nursery within five minutes walking distance of the school. She attended that nursery every Wednesday. Rachel didn't want her going for any longer because she couldn't bare being away from her for much longer, but it wouldn't be long until she started school and Rachel would be separated from her for much longer, but she was dreading that day.
"Morning gorgeous," Eddie said walking down the stairs.
"Morning you," Rachel replied.
"Oh that is just charming," Eddie smiled.
"Oh, will you sort Liv out ready for nursery whilst I just make her, her favourite lunch," Rachel asked.
"Yeps, no problems and she really must get her tastes from you, you eat the strangest foods I've ever seen. Chocolate spread sandwiches is the only thing she eats," Eddie laughed.
"Yeah, but I don't eat chocolate spread sandwiches, I just like normal stuff but you don't call normal. To be honest, I think it is you with the strange food habits," Rachel added.
"Yeah but I'm not the one that goes, oh this is gorgeous one minute, but next time it's awful," Eddie smiled.
"Yeah, that is probably because it is made totally different to how I had it last time,"
"And you can't have a mark on your toast otherwise it's burnt," Eddie added.
"It tastes funny otherwise, now please go get yourself ready and Liv ready otherwise we are all going to be late," Rachel stated.
"Yes Mrs Lawson!"
"Oi, cheeky," Rachel laughed.
With that Eddie marched up the stairs to go sort himself out ready for work and then sorted little Olivia out for her nursery.
"Come on Olivia, you are going to be late for nursery and your mummy is going to kill me if I'm late for work," Eddie said to Olivia.
"I'm never late for nursery daddy," Olivia stated.
"No, I know so come on, you don't want to be late today do you?" Eddie asked.
"No, but you are always late for work 'cos mummy always shouts at you," Little Olivia smiled.
"She doesn't, now come on," Eddie said helping his daughter into her clothes and then running down stairs with her in his arms.
"Ready you two?" Rachel asked seeing them running down the stairs.
"Yes mummy," Olivia replied.
"Yeah, all ready, can't have this one late for nursery can we?" Eddie stated.
"No we can't, especially when she has been looking forward to it so much," Rachel added.
"Yeah, I'm going to play in the sand today," Olivia chirped in.
"Oh wow, how exciting," Rachel smiled.
So with that Rachel and Eddie put their coats on and Rachel helped Olivia into hers. Rachel then picked up all the stuff she needed because she had a very important meeting today with the board of governors about extending the school, so it was a good job it fell on a Wednesday so that Rachel didn't have to entertain the little one as well.
So they dropped off the little one first, a bit earlier than usual but it was something Rachel and Eddie needed to do because they had a meeting. The nursery didn't mind as they actually opened a few hours ago due to some parents having to leave earlier for work. Even Olivia didn't even mind being dropped off much earlier than usual because she absolutely adored it there. She had met so many friends over the last six months.
"So you ready for today?" Eddie asked Rachel.
"Erm... to be honest I think I will be as ready as I will ever be. I have been at this school for what? Six years and I am always really nervous when I meet the governing board. They scare the living daylights out of me," Rachel said.
"I have been here a lot longer than you have and they still scare me as well. But really Rachel, you have nothing to worry about, you are always getting stressed about these meetings but you really shouldn't. They love you, honestly they do, they are always singing your praises. And don't tell me you aren't stressed because I know you are lying because I heard you being sick this morning, so pack it in," Eddie said.
"Honestly Eddie, I'm not stressed about meeting the governors, it is something else, but I don't actually know," Rachel said.
"What you mean you don't actually know?" Eddie asked.
"Well you know when I have that strange feeling, like when I know something is going to go wrong," Rachel said.
"Yeah, I know it very well and most of the time you are right, which is why you are starting to scare me right now," Eddie said whilst still driving towards the school.
"Yeah, well I'm feeling it now, I'm feeling like something major is going to go wrong," Rachel added.
"Okay, something major such as we can't get the new extension but Rachel don't get stressed about that please, if we don't get it we just have to try again and again till we get it, so stop panicking, we will get it in the end," Eddie said.
"I'd like to think so, but I would also like to get the plans done today and get the wheels into motion with the green light, but if it doesn't happen today, it just doesn't happen. But I would love to start planning it today," Rachel said.
"I know you would, if it happens it happens and I would be very grateful and so excited if it did but if it doesn't then we just try again, end of. Now come on, lets get inside and have a brew before they come. You can even go over your speech again with me," Eddie said as they pulled into the school and parked up.
"That would be great, thanks Eddie, you truly are the best husband, you know that," Rachel said giving Eddie a kiss.
"Yeah, I do know that but I still can't get used to it, and it doesn't mean you have to stop telling me," Eddie laughed.
"Oi you, you are pushing your luck," Rachel laughed.
"Ah, come on, lets get the kettle on," Eddie said walking into the school.
Once they arrived at Rachel's office, Eddie put the kettle on, whilst Rachel sorted all her things she needed for the meeting she had in the next hour. Of course Eddie was going to be present for the whole thing and help her with the presentation and what not, but Eddie had more of a back seat role unlike Rachel. Rachel had to sell the project to the governors with numbers and everything, whereas Eddie just had to talk about how much the school needed the project and how it would benefit the school and what not. But Eddie was going to help in whatever possible so that Rachel didn't feel so alone and pressured and even stressed about the whole thing. She didn't show stress much but Eddie knowing Rachel so well knew all Rachel's tell tale signs of stress and she was showing quite a few now.
After going over her speech a few times with Eddie, she felt a bit more confident about the whole thing, but as soon as the governors walked into the room she knew she was going to go weak at the knees again. But luckily she had Eddie there to help her get through this.
The hour flew by and it was time for their meeting, however, the board of governors still hadn't turned up.
"This is just so typical of them, they turn up really early when you don't want them to, but when you want them to so you can get something over and done with then they are always late. It's just like everything is the opposite. Remember when we called that meeting for them when we were telling them about us and your pregnancy and we were running late because you fell in the shower, and they had arrived like dead earlier and now look they are like half an hour late when we arrived earlier, it's a bit like sod's law really," Eddie laughed.
"Yeah, tell me about it. I just want to get the whole thing over and done with and I bet it will take them at least a week to decide whether or not to grant the extension bid when really I want to know now," Rachel added.
"Yep, again sounds like them, oh look they are starting to arrive," Eddie stated as he saw some of their cars pull up into the car park.
"Oh look, only 35 minutes late," Rachel said giving a little laugh.
"Yeah, if we were 35 minutes late for their meetings I'm sure they would have floored us, but it's okay for them to trundle in 35 minutes late, it somehow feels slightly unfair," Eddie said.
"Aye, it is, but now is not the time for bringing that up, they will be walking through that door any minute and we have to sell this school," Rachel said.
"Yeah, here goes,"
With that the six governors walked into Rachel's office.
"Morning," They all stated and Rachel and Eddie both returned the pleasantries and shuck all of their hands and took a seat on the table both Eddie and Rachel had planned.
The meeting went well and Rachel didn't show too many signs of nerves throughout the meeting. Eddie on the other hand didn't have nerves at all, he never really had which caused Rachel to be jealous over because he could just walk into a meeting and not really care whereas Rachel would nearly be in pieces and have to try and hide it.
"So, is it okay for us to go to the staff room and grab some coffee?" Nigel asked who was one of the governors.
"No, that is no trouble, you know where it is. The staff are in classes so hopefully it will be quiet for you. If there is anything you need don't hesitate to give me a shout," Rachel said.
"We will, see you in a bit, and Rachel don't look so nervous," Nigel replied.
What was she showing signs that bad? No surely not, he must just be very observant. With that they all left and went to the staff room and left both Eddie and Rachel alone in her office.
"It didn't go too bad now did it?" Rachel said to Eddie.
"No, it went perfect, it went better than we had practiced, but now you can chill and relax and like Nigel said don't look so nervous," Eddie said.
"I know, I actually like Nigel, he is the only really one that is nice and can actually talk to and have a proper conversation. All the others are just like don't talk to me I am so much better than you," Rachel laughed.
"Yeah, I know what you mean, Nigel has always been lovely. But I think he is due to retire soon and I know that he will sadly be missed," Eddie added.
"Do you think they are just going to have coffee and then leave and not give me an answer to whether they are going to allow the extension or not?" Rachel asked.
"I really don't know Rachel but I don't think they will just leave without saying bye, well I know nigel won't, he will probably come up and have a conversation about Olivia like he always does. I bet he is wondering where she is," Eddie added.
"Yeah, good point, he never goes without saying bye, but for the others, they will probably just walk out of here, which is a bit unfair as in keeping us waiting but what can we do?" Rachel added.
"Exactly, we can't do anything, so there is no point worrying about it. Right I have my lessons covered to lunch time after that I'm teaching, but I'm sure you will be fine dealing with all the paper work," Eddie laughed.
"You have your lessons covered to lunch? You skiver, you can go to your lessons right now, it's not even break time yet and you want to be off till lunch time," Rachel laughed.
"Well, I thought I could spend time with my wife talking about what not and helping you will paper work or something," Eddie said.
"Oh yeah, you helping me with paper work, now that I would like to see," Rachel laughed.
"Yeah, good point, but I can make you a coffee," Eddie said.
"Nahh, I will have a cold drink, I really don't fancy coffee, I'm still nervous and you know what it makes me do," Rachel laughed.
"Yeah, good point, but really you can relax now you know, the hard part is over with and you presented you side very well. But of course it wasn't as good as my side," Eddie laughed.
"Oh nothing is as good as your side is it?" Rachel smiled.
"Nope, and I will go make them drinks," Eddie said leaving the room.
Within the five minutes that Eddie was gone the board of governors came up to Rachel's office where she was sat doing more paperwork. The board of governors knocked on Rachel's door and thinking it was one of the pupils or something shouted come in.
Rachel then realised it wasn't a pupil but the six governors that had been having coffee in the staff room, seriously where was Eddie. And just as she thought that Eddie appeared at the door with a coffee for himself and a glass of cold water for Rachel.
"So have you decided?" Eddie asked getting the first word in.
"Well as you very well know, this is a very big decision that we shouldn't make in one day," One of the less nice governor said.
"But, because you presented a very good argument and everything added up, we are going to go and give you the permission needed to extend the school. We will provide the budget that you need and get the plans sent to the builders as soon as possible so they can start the work, so congratulations," Nigel said.
"Oh my that is just amazing, thank you so much," Rachel said.
"It's no problem, you had a very good presentation, best I have ever seen in fact," Nigel added.
"That is just great news, isn't it Rache?" Eddie said which knocked Rachel out of a day dream
"Yeah, it's brilliant,"
"We must get going, even though I would love to stop and chat all day but we have another school to attend to, so I will be seeing you in the near future to discuss more plans for the build. But once again congratulations," Nigel said shaking both Eddie and Rachel's hands and seeing themselves out.
"Well that is great Rache, I told you, you could do it, what were you ever worrying about?" Eddie asked.
"Yeah, it is great news," Rachel said disheartedly.
"Rache, whatever is the matter? You have been wanting this for so long, and now you have got it, what is the problem?" Eddie said
"No, I know I wanted this for so long and now I have finally got it, it is great. But I kind of set my heart on it as if I hadn't got it, and now that I have I still think something is wrong," Rachel replied.
"What you mean something is wrong?" Eddie asked confused.
"That feeling I had this morning, it still hasn't gone away. I feel something is going to go wrong and I have no idea. Can they just turn round and say we can't have the build anymore? No, no they can't can they?" Rachel asked.
"Nope, they can't so you have nothing to worry about," Eddie said but was disrupted by a hastily knock of the door.
"Come in," Rachel shouted.
Just then two police officers walked through Rachel's door.
Rachel thought to herself 'What has one of them done now?'
"Go on who is it this time?" Eddie asked.
"Sorry?" the police woman said.
"Which one is in trouble this time?" Eddie said again.
"Oh sorry, we have come to see you, Mr and Mrs Lawson," the police man replied.
"What? Come to see us, for what reason?" Rachel asked now confused.
"We have some bad news," The woman said.
"Bad news, oh god what now?" Rachel said a bit more panicky.
"Would you like to take a seat?" The man asked Rachel and Eddie who then went over to the sofas and sat down. The police officers came round and sat opposite them. Rachel and Eddie where both holding hands.
All they could think of was something has happened to Eddie's parents and now they were going to bring bad news to them. That is what Rachel must have been thinking about all morning.
"Right, there is no easy way of telling you this so I am just going to go out and say it. This morning not long after ten o'clock a nursery not far away from here," The police man said but was cut off by Rachel.
"Olivia, oh my god Olivia, what has happened to her?" Rachel shouted.
"Mrs Lawson, I'm afraid to tell you, you daughter has been kidnapped," The police woman finished.
"Our daughter has been kidnapped?" Eddie said shocked.
"Olivia, kidnapped? By who?" Rachel asked not quite believing what either of them has said.
"We have no idea, we have police on this searching but this is where you come in, is there any one with grudges against you? Anything like that?" One of the police asked.
"No, not that we know of, please our daughter, this can't be true, she is only two this must be some kind of joke, who would take our daughter?" Rachel said through tears.
"We will get her back Rache, we will," Eddie said holding on to his wife.
"Look, if either of you two hear anything because there might be ransom demands or something, we need to know immediately," The woman said.
"But we are doing our very best to find her, here is my card, ring me if you hear anything, and we will keep you informed all the way, but please don't do anything stupid," the police man said.
With that they let Rachel and Eddie alone in her office.
"Anything stupid? What do they think we are going to do?" Eddie said.
"Eddie we need to find her, she will be scared, Eddie I can't just sit here and do nothing, they have our daughter," Rachel said still crying.
There was another knock on the door, but neither of them said come in. Eddie was holding Rachel when Bridget walked in.
"Erm...oh sorry, is anything okay?" Bridget asked.
None of them answered.
"Well, I'm sorry to disturb you but this letter came when the police where here but I didn't want to disturb you," Bridget added.
With the sound of letter, Eddie and Rachel pulled apart and jumped up.
"Letter?" Rachel said
"Yeah, special delivery," Bridget added.
Rachel briskly walked over to Bridget and snapped the letter out of Bridget's hand and torn it open.
Rachel sat and read the letter.
"Oh my god, it's him, he has her, he has got her," Rachel screamed.
Bridget was most confused.
"Who has who?" Bridget asked.
"He has our daughter, he kidnapped our daughter," Rachel shouted even more.
"Olivia? Kidnapped? Oh Rachel Eddie, I'm so sorry is there anything I can help with?" Bridget asked not really knowing what to say.
"No, I just need to find our daughter," Rachel replied.
"Rachel, what does the letter say?" Eddie asked not wanting to know desperately what it says.
Rachel began to read the letter.
"Well it didn't take me long to eventually find you, did it? Think that you can actually change your name and nobody will find out about your past? No think again because I found you. You think nobody will know who you actually are Amanda? Well I still found you! I have your daughter, does your husband even know about what you used to do as a living all those years ago? No I didn't think so. Olivia is safe. Just. If you go and inform the police about this then she will no longer be safe, get that? Yeah thought so. You will be hearing from me again very soon with my ransom demands and if you comply then you can have your daughter back and she will be very safe, but for now, bye Amanda. P.s I'll kiss your daughter goodnight from you," Rachel read.
"OH my god, if he touches my daughter, I will seriously kill him," Rachel screamed.
"Rachel, who is he?" Eddie asked.
"Well, you know about my past, well everyone does really, I was the one that put him in prison and now he is after revenge, he has our daughter," Rachel cried.
"Rachel, he isn't going to do anything to her, we are going to get her back tonight, but we do need to inform the police," Eddie said.
"No, no we do not inform the police, did you hear what he just said, do not inform the police!" Rachel shouted.
"But Rache," Eddie was stopped midsentence.
"No, no police!"
Rachel then reached for a piece of paper and then wrote on it, 'the office maybe bugged, we had the break in remember and nothing was stolen,'
Eddie nodded. And took the pen off Rachel and wrote, 'go to the kids loos that won't be bugged and don't use our phones just in case, use Bridget's,'
Rachel then wrote another note, 'can I use your phone, were not talking about the police in the office in case it is bugged same for school phones and out mobiles, so can we borrow yours?'
Bridget nodded and took her phone out of her bag and handed it to Rachel and then went down to the loos. Eddie didn't follow because it would have been too suspicious in case he was watching.
After about five minutes Rachel arrived back in her office and nodded to show that she had phoned the police but she would discuss that with him later when they were out of the office.
"So who was this man that sent the letter?" Eddie asked.
"Well like I said earlier, I sent him to prison," Rachel replied.
"Yeah, you said but for what?" Eddie asked.
"Well, it was a long time ago when I was involved in prostitution, and one day I decided to give the whole thing up, I had, had enough of working like that it wasn't right. I had a conscious. But I had to earn some money to live. My parents, well they never really liked me, Melissa was always the one the family loved because she would just get on with anyone and she was the prettiest out of the pair of us. She always used to do as they said whereas if I thought something was wrong I would say it. I wasn't the pretty one, I spent most of my time reading a book or something. Trying to get good grades or something like that. And then one day they said to me when I turned sixteen that they no longer wanted me to live in their house anymore and that I wasn't welcome. Part of me was happy about that but the other half was scarred, they were my parents and I knew they never loved me from the start but they were my parents! But I didn't argue I packed my bags and left. I didn't have anywhere to go, I spent time looking for jobs and a place to stay but had no luck, and one day this man approached me and said I was gorgeous," Rachel was now fully in tears.
"It's okay Hun, you don't have to continue," Eddie said.
"No, no I want to. Nobody had ever said I was gorgeous before it had always been Melissa who got that complement. So at first I was like thank you, but I wasn't stupid, I knew he probably wanted something. Then he said he had a job and I place I could stay with his girls, at first I thought he meant her had daughters, but I agreed I was fed up of sleeping on the street at night and hiding in the day so I went with him. I realised that it wasn't his daughters place I would be staying at when I walked in because they were all dressed up as call girls. I tried to turn around and get out of the place but he offered me a thousand pound a day to work for him and that I could have a place to stay and I wouldn't have to do anything I didn't want to do. But that was just it, I was forced into the whole thing, I had to do everything he wanted. I had to sleep with him, because I was his girl he told me, and that I couldn't escape from him, he used to just call me and if I didn't do what he asked he just used to beat me and,"
"Rachel stop if you don't want to continue, you don't have to explain yourself to me," Eddie said.
"No Eddie, I have never talked about my past to you, yes you know of it but you don't at the same time, I have never really told you what actually happened," Rachel replied.
"Well only if you want to tell me," Eddie said.
"Well I just used to have to do it then because I was sick of getting hurt. Then his friends used to come round and I had to sleep with him, he never treated any of the other girls like that and at first I thought I was special, I was innocent and naive then. But then after years of doing it, I was a pro and every one loved me, and was always asking for me, so I was the top earned and Tom who set the whole thing up, loved it, I was earning him over thirty grand a week as well as earning myself something like ten grand a week. But after about two years I realised that I was eighteen and I shouldn't be doing this to myself, I was degrading myself. I worked hard to get where I was when I was sixteen and now I was throwing it all away. For nothing, so that was it, I said I was going on a call, at first when I started he used to watch my every single move, had my phone calls monitored so I didn't go the police but after about a year he trusted me not to go, so after that year I went to the police station, told them everything about everyone that was involved. As for handing myself in, but they let me go, I was young, I was tricked in to the situation. So as long as I gave evidence they let me go, changed my name and I got an education and this is where I am," Rachel said still through tears.
"Oh Rachel, come here, he isn't going to get away with taking our baby, we are going to get her back, I promise," Eddie said.
"Thanks Eddie, thanks for everything you have done for me since I came to this school. I love you so much and I couldn't live without you, we need our baby back," Rachel said.
"Come on, we will get our baby back I promise, come I'm taking you home, there is nothing we can do but wait so we are better doing that at home," Eddie said.
"No Eddie, he knows I work in this school so he can get in contact with me here, I need to stay here," Rachel replied.
"Look, he knew you worked here, he knew were Olivia went to nursery and I'm pretty sure he probably knows where are house is, so I think if he wants to get in touch he will do that there," Eddie replied.
"Yeah, you are probably right, and I'm sure the school can manage without us for a while," Rachel said.
"Yeah, not come on," Eddie said helping Rachel up.
"Bridget, we are going home, give us a ring if you need us," Eddie said.
"No problem, you will get her back, if you need me, give me a ring," Bridget said.
"Thanks," Rachel replied.
With that the pair of them climbed in their car and Eddie drove the twenty minutes or so to their house.
Rachel walked in and burst into tears again.
"This is her home, this is where she should be, look they are her turns, and look she didn't even take her teddy with her, Eddie we have to get her back, I can't live without her," Rachel said collapsing onto the floor.
"Come on, we need to be strong for her, we are going to fight tooth and nail to get her back, come on Rachel, we are going to get her back. I know this is a waiting game but there is nothing else we can do, it is going to be okay, she is going to be fine, we are going to get her back and go on holiday," Eddie said still being positive.
"Yeah, positive, I can be positive," Rachel said.
"Yeah you can, now come on, lets make a brew and then we can think of something else to do after that, lets just do what step at a time," Eddie said.
"Yeah, one step, that is okay," Rachel said still with tears in her eyes.
Please review on your way out xx
