Alright Little Darcy's, I know this has been a long journey but thanks so much for sticking it out! Come new year I hope to publish a few new fics which means finishing up the ones I already have so if there's a P&P Scenario you've wondered about, I'm all for ideas
Chapter 38: Go time
A man walked his German Shepard. A woman jogged by with a stroller. A young couple entirely wrapped up in themselves cooed at one another on a bench.
Caroline Bingley desperately wished she was one of those undercover cops. Instead, she was going undercover as herself. Palms sweaty, wearing one of her very best two pieces, she rang the doorbell and prayed fervently that no one would answer. Hoping against hope the gate man was wrong and George wasn't in. Maybe he was off kidnapping somebody else or lying to another woman.
"Why Caroline Bingley, what a lovely surprise!"
No such luck.
"George, you're okay!" She forced herself to fly into his arms, every bit the worried and terrified girlfriend. The emotions were real enough, even if the reasons behind them weren't what he might be thinking. "Why wouldn't I be?" He smiled, kissing her cheek and letting her in.
"I've heard the most awful rumors and the news said-" She was rambling,hanging tight to him. Some small thing in her was begging for it not to be true, for this to all be some awful nightmare.
"Yes I know. I've already arranged a meeting with my lawyer to sue for defamation of character and malicious slander." His smile was a little too sharp, his movements as he brought her to the living room tense and short.
He'd mentioned this place over pillow talk once. How he'd bought it in the hopes he might fix it up, turn it into a bed and breakfast. He personally didn't care to stay there, it was too drafty and the coloring of the place too glum for his liking.
"To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Yet here he was.
"I- well I thought I would stop by and see how work was coming along but then I was told you were in residence?" She looked about her, trying to take it all in. The cold gray wood that clacked beneath her heels, the draft from one of the darkened wood panel hallways, the hint of glittering from a row of paintings hanging on the walls.
"Caroline." He shook his head,tone scolding and disappointed. " I would think, after opening our hearts to one another the way we have, you would be comfortable telling me the truth." She could do this. She'd been briefed on what to expect, what to watch for.
"I'm sorry, you're right. I- I was so worried and at my wits end, I couldn't stand this anymore! The lies they're telling, using you as a scapegoat! Is it terrible Elise has disappeared ye-"
"Don't say her name!"
That wasn't part of the plan. The fury barely held back, the fist slamming into the wall. Caroline jumped and nearly said the safe word, her knees all but knocking together. Immediately he was apologetic, kissing her lightly and helping her into a chair, his arm about her waist. Something in him shifted, his eyes shuttering off before he was cooing over her once more.
"Poor darling, you've had a bad fright. I'm sorry my temper got the better of me just then. It's whole the situation that's got me on edge. I could never hurt Elizabeth." His thumb skimmed her cheek and she so badly wanted to believe him.
"You mean Elise."
His hand tightened, his eyes seeming to peer over her shoulder and into the distance.
"She'll always be Elizabeth to me."
"Right..George? Would you get me something? Water maybe? I don't feel very well.." He tucked an afghan in around her knees and kissed her head.
"Of course I will. Something to steady your nerves, I'll be back in a minute." With a smile of reassurance, he headed down the hall and disappeared, presumably into the kitchen.
When she could no longer hear him, she quickly rose and unlatched the windows against one wall.
"Elise? Elise can you hear me?" Tapping with her foot as loudly as she dared to, Caroline did her best to listen for any sort of response. The house was huge, she could be anywhere.
"Caroline? Come in, tell us the vantage points! We need a way in." The tiny transmitter in her ear crackled to life and she pressed the back of the necklace on her pendant, speaking into the miniscule radio.
"Windows on the left side of the room, a mud room as you come in through the front and then a sitting area on the right. I can see a long hallway, there isn't much lighting there but there are doors on either side. I unlocked the windows. He's not stable, one minute he's smiling and the next he's putting holes in the wall! I'm scared, please can I go now?" She whispered back, rattling off the points of entry.
"You've done a great job Caroline. Make your excuses and come on out, we'll take it from here."
"Right-"
"You say something sweetheart?"
She jumped, spinning around and nearly colliding with George, sending cups toppling over the edge of the tray he'd just brought in. Whiskey soaked through the front of her blouse.
"Oh! My new shirt-"
"Let me help-"
She batted away his hands, thankful for the spill and the opening it gave her. Caroline started for the door. "My shirt, it's going to stain." He reached for her and she pressed on, eyes on the exit.
"I'm sorry, here let's get you something clean. I think I have something you can borrow in the laundry room."
She was so close...
"I need to go-"
"No really, I insist."
Yanking back by her elbow, George held her with a bruising grip, twisting her arm behind her back until she cried out in pain.
"George-"
"It'll stain Caroline, let's go get you into something dry." He hissed, hauling her back. Fear building in her throat, she tried to drag her heels on the oriental rug.
"George stop it you're hurting me!"
"You hurt me first."
One hand groped at her chest, beneath her jacket and she closed her eyes,expecting the worst. Instead, he tore her blouse open, sending buttons flying and revealing the wire she wore taped to underside of her bra and around her waist.
"Oh Caroline…" He actually shook his head in dismay,tsking with open disgust. Holding her up to the mirror in the mud room, he sighed again, ripping away the wire and necklace.
"I had hoped I was wrong."
"It's- it's not what you think, I was just-"
"Do you really think I'm that stupid? I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt. But I could feel it, when your necklace snagged. You're on Darcy's payroll too then?" He stomped both out for good measure, in the instance the whiskey hadn't shorted them.
"Please.. George, whatever you've done we can get through it together. Turn yourself in, they'll see they've made a mistake-" She struggled to break free, whimpering as he twisted her arm even further.
"You disappoint me Caroline. No matter. I've got a use for you, not to worry." Keeping a firm hold on the woman and both of them reeking of alcohol he used the smashed wires to tie her wrists tightly together, binding them so that she could already feel them cutting into her skin.
"Please, please don't hurt me I'm sorry-" She could scarcely get the words out.
"Sorry? You're sorry? You're even more pathetic than I thought." He scoffed, hauling her down the long hallway into the dark unknown.
"Miss Bingley? Miss Bingley what's going on? Caroline can you hear me? Damnit!" Louisa flung her headphones down, getting out of the observation van and slamming the door behind her in frustration. They'd been had, there was a new hostage added to an already screwed up situation and their eyes inside could be dead or alive for all she knew.
One of her officers, along with the leader of the SWAT team given to them followed behind, awaiting orders.
"Ma'am? Do we go in?"
Move in and maybe kill Caroline. Wait and maybe kill them both.
"Ma'am? Your orders?"