Helen Anderson stretched as she shut off her alarm. The bed seemed so empty with Eric off on his business trip. He would be gone for three days and she already missed him. It was Friday and he would be gone until at least midnight Sunday. The house was so big and empty with him gone. She stood up and headed for the bathroom. She had to admit that she liked what she saw in the mirror as she slipped out of her nightie. She stood five foot six and weighed just over 110 pounds. Her long brown hair framed a heart shaped face with hazel eves and bowed lips. Her legs were long and toned leading up to a flat tummy. Her bust was natural and just the right size for her frame. Her arms were long as were her fingers. Her nose was a bit large but did not detract from her beauty. Eric's favorite word for her was "stunner."
She and Eric had been married for three years, she was now 28 while Eric was 30. They were quite happy. Helen did not always see eye to eye with Eric on certain sexual issues but she had no complaints. He was tall. Intelligent, funny, and a wonderful provider. What was not to love?
She stepped into the shower, and started it up, lathering her body and hair. She had started the CD player before she had stepped into the shower and sang along contentedly as she washed herself in preparation for her day.
She had no real plans. The office where she had worked had recently been taken over by another firm and closed. Amazingly at the same time of her layoff Eric had made partner and his salary nearly doubled, The money more than replaced her paycheck. Still, she liked to have a job but there was no pressure on her to even start looking. She would probably peruse the online want ads and e-mail off her resume to places that looked especially attractive. Other than that and a trip to the gym in the afternoon her day was a blank slate.
After she had dressed she went down to the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee. She had a lazy breakfast and dawdled like a person in no rush. That is when she saw the package. It had been deposited through the mail slot in the front door, adjacent to the kitchen, it was bright red. Helen knew that the U.S. mail wasn't due for hours yes. Intrigued she picked up the package.
Open immediately Mrs. Anderson. This is of vital importance! the package read in large capital letters. She reached for the letter opener on the desk by the front door. And opened the package. It contained a letter and a DVD, She got the shock of her life when she read the contents of the letter.
"Mrs. Anderson, we have your husband. DO NOT call the police, his office or anyone else. We have tapped your phone and your house is being watched. Play the DVD immediately and everything will be clear. We have no intention of hurting you or further damaging your husband but you must cooperate fully with us if you ever want to see him again."
With trembling hands Helen turned on the TV and loaded the DVD into the player. After a moment of blackness it showed a room with a naked man on some sort of torture device. There were sounds of a whip and screams. The camera moved in for a closeup and with horror Helen realized that the man being tortured was Eric! The camera lingered for a moment on his face before the camera panned over to a man in deep shadows wearing a ski mask. His voice was electronically distorted as he spoke.
"As you can see Mrs. Anderson. We have your husband. It makes little difference to us what happens to him but we were quite taken by the many lovely photos of you that your husband had on his person. We decided that you, on the other hand, are very much more interesting. We decided that you husband's life should be determined by your behavior. We will not permanently harm you. We will, in fact, have limited physical contact with you, however, unless you want your husband returned to you as a corpse you will do EVERYTHING we ask."
The camera panned back to Eric who obviously was in great pain, before the hooded man returned and said. "There is a message under the wiper blade of your car. That will give you further instructions. This message to you is ended. Eject the DVD and break it in half. Remember you are being watched."
The last shot was of Eric's pain streaked face then blackness.
Helen was panic stricken. The video had shaken her to her core. For a few moments indecision rooted her to the living room couch gazing at the blank TV screen. Although she had been told to destroy the disc immediately she hit the play button a second time taking in the implications and looking at the beloved face of her husband. There could be no other choice. She would do whatever these men asked of her to get Eric back!
This time she ejected the DVD and cut it in half with her kitchen shears. She took a tentative peek out her front door. She did indeed see something on the windshield of her car. Nervously she stepped outside and crossed the short distance to where her car sat in the driveway.
The letter was in a red envelope. She tore it open. "You are a vision of loveliness Mrs. Anderson. We would like to see so much more of you. You have an appointment at Jacquard Photography at 118 Lever Boulevard at Noon. The photographer has the instructions for what we want. DO NOT engage him in conversation or tell him of your predicament. Follow his instructions and remember to smile pretty for the camera. If you are not at the assigned place at Noon your husband will die. All you need to bring is your purse."
Helen looked at her watch. Noon was less than an hour away! She went into the house grabbed her purse and keys. She punched the address into her GPS. Fortunately is was on this side of town and she knew she could make it there easily.
The studio was in a modest store front in a small strip mall. Helen entered the building and heard the door beep. A middle aged man was sitting behind a counter. There was a younger woman off to the left. He had salt and pepper hair and was tall. Despite her current emotional state Helen thought him rather attractive for an older man.
He smiled and said. "You must be our Noon appointment, Mrs. Anderson." He offered his hand.
Helen shook his hand and said. "Yes. How did you know it was me?"
"I received a rather nice payment, accompanied by a picture of you. The instructions as to what you wanted were quite detailed. I was also told that you had a letter that was given to you earlier with my address? Can I have it?"
Helen thought that the request was strange but she handed over the letter from her windshield. The photographer took it. Lit it with a lighter and dropped it in an empty trashcan to burn.
Noting the stunned look upon Helen's face he said. "I'm sorry, I thought that was what you wanted that is what the instructions told me to do. Was that letter important to you?"
Helen said, "I suppose not. But why am I here?"
"To be photographed of course. Just sign this release and we will get started."
Suspecting that she was being watched Helen signed the forms set in front of her.
"Terrific," said the photographer, "I am Guy Jacquard. I'll be taking your photographs today. This is my assistant Emily, she will help you get ready."
Before she quite grasped what was happening, Emily led her to the back room of the studio.
