Crime of Passion

One small action is all it takes to change you life. And as Tatyanna sat in the backseat of the black BMW she couldn’t help but think about all the small actions she could have taken or avoided doing so that she hadn’t ended up there.

If she’d answered the phone; if she’d waited for the walk sign; if she hadn’t stopped to talk; if she’d remembered to pick up milk on the way home from work. There were a thousand and one things that could have happened to change what had happened to her but there are some that would say that it was fate, that it was meant to happen.

Of course that provoked the question why. Why did fate want her to be bundled into the back of a black BMW by a tall muscular, tattooed man and his friends? All she’d wanted was some milk. Such a simple daily task turned into something that you think only happens in the movies.

She didn’t move. Not one inch. Although she desperately wanted to turn her head to either look out of the dark window to see if she recognised where she was been taken, or to turn to face the man that was sat next to her. The man that had grabbed her and shoved her into the back of the waiting car. But she daren’t. So she kept perfectly still.

She kept going over what had happened in her mind. It didn’t make any sense. All she’d been doing was walking home from the store with the carton of milk she’d forgotten to pick up on the way home from work. If she’d been taken hostage from the store she may have been able to have some understanding of why she was taken. But she had left the store and turned the corner onto her street. the car had pulled up to the side walk a little way up the street from her, then as she passed it a tall muscular figure had stepped out, grabbed her, placing a large hand over her mouth to stop her screaming and pulled her into the car which quickly pulled away again. Not a word was said, nor a noise made. The only sound came from the car’s engine.

She had no idea how long she was in the back of the car or where they were when they stopped. The two guys in the front got out and the driver opened Tatyanna’s door. The guy next to her gave her a nudge encouraging her to get out of the car. It was then that she realised that the three of them were wearing masks or had their faces covered.

She nervously followed them; the third guy behind her presumably making sure that she didn’t try and run away. She was somewhat surprised that she hadn’t been taken anywhere that was totally secluded from everywhere else. It was a detached house situated in a suburban area. The kind of place where families would be found, where children would be seen playing in the front yards in the daytime.

Tatyanna took a quick look around, hoping to see someone out and about or a curtain to be twitching, but she saw no one. She followed them up the short driveway and into the house, her eyes taking a second to adjust to the sudden light.

She jumped slightly as the front door slammed shut behind her.

“Okay, so what now?” one of the guys asked as he slipped the mask off his face.

“Wait until Gates gets back I guess.” Another said also taking his mask off.

“And what about her?” the third guy asked indicating towards Tatyanna.

“I don’t know dude, all I know is that he doesn’t want her hurt in anyway.” The second one replied with a shrug of his shoulders.

As they talked Tatyanna took in as much of their appearance as she could. The first one to have spoken was tall, but not the tallest of the group. He was a little chubby with dark hair. He had piercings in his lips and his nose and tattoos covered what she could see of his arms. She was sure that he’d been the one who’d grabbed her.

The second guy was shorter, with a Mohawk and a nose piercing. His arms too were covered in tattoos and there was also a distinct one on the side of his neck.

The third guy was the tallest of the three, and slim. He had dark hair, had a labret piercing and was wearing glasses. He too had tattoo covered arms as well as what appeared to be handcuffs around his neck.

“Listen Tatyanna,” the fist one said turning to face her, “We don’t want to hurt you. Can we get you a drink or something to eat?”

Tatyanna was stunned. They knew her name. But how?

“She’s scared dude, look at her.” The third man said quietly.

“Exactly, and who can blame her? We’ve just grabbed her off the street, bundled her into a car and brought her into a strange house.” The second guy said.

“Okay, take her through to the living room, Gates and Shads shouldn’t be too long, I’ll get her something to drink and eat.” The first guy said with an exasperated sigh.

“Come on Tatyanna.” The second guy said calmly, gently taking hold of the crook of her elbow and gently ushering her into another room and sitting her on the sofa.

The fact that they were being so calm and nice to her and knew her name scared Tatyanna more. She sat in silence, staring blankly ahead of her as the other two guys sat down on the sofa opposite her. the taller one turned on the TV and began to flick through the channels as the other lit a cigarette and allowed his eyes to fall on anywhere but her.

After a few moments of silence past with only the sound from the TV hitting her ears, the first guy came into the room.

“Here if you want it.” He said passing her a sandwich and a bottle of water. Tatyanna took them from him without looking up at him and opened the bottle of water to take a sip.

The first guy sat down next to her and began to watch the TV like the other two. She cautiously took a bite of the sandwich, actually finding herself enjoying it. As she took the last bite she heard a door opening causing her to almost choke on the bread.

“You okay?” the third guy asked. “Take a drink of water.” He added indicating to the bottle of water next to her. She did as he’d suggested watching as the other two guys quickly walked back into the hallway where she could hear murmured talking.

“Is she okay?” a new voice asked.

“She’s quiet and scared, but that’s kinda understandable.” On of the guys replied.

“You didn’t hurt her did you?” the new voice asked

“Oh My God.” Tatyanna muttered quietly as she realised that the voice was familiar. She tried to think why it was familiar as she listened to the men talk on the other side of the door.

“Guess I better go explain everything to her.” he said his voice suddenly registering in her mind.

She stood and turned as she heard the door open, her heart racing as her eyes met his.

“Brian?” she asked in disbelief. He was the last person she’d expected to see there. Yet there he was an employee of her father, someone she thought she knew pretty well, apparently behind her kidnapping.

“Hey Tatyanna. Guess you’re wondering what’s going on?” he said with a small smile. “Give us a moment guys, I think this will go better if it’s just me and Tatyanna.” He said turning to talk to the other guys. They all muttered their agreement and left, Tatyanna still glued to the spot, staring unbelievingly at the man in front of her.

Brian walked around the sofa so that he was next to her. “Tatyanna listen, I know you must be confused and scared right now, but I just need you to listen to me; let me explain.” He said calmly, reaching to take hold of her hands. She pulled away, not once taking her eyes off his.

“You better start talking.” She said sternly and quietly turning back to sit down.
Brian took a deep breath and sat down opposite her. “Okay, I didn’t know what else to do after I overheard your dad talking about the engagement; I just knew that you wouldn’t want to go through with it.”

Tatyanna stared at him in confusion, words failing her.

“It’s just not you.” he added quietly.

“What’s not me? What engagement? I have no idea what you’re on about Brian.” she replied. “This just better not be some crap to get money off my dad, because I won’t let it happen, and I thought you and me were friends?”

“We are Tatyanna I promise, and I also promise that this has nothing to do with money. But listen, I over heard your dad talking to Mr. Daniels, and about an engagement between you and Kurt and how it’s about time you got told so that the wedding can be arranged.” Brian explained slowly.

Slowly, after a moment of staring silently, she began to shake her head. “No, he wouldn’t. Why would he do that? He would have told me. He knows I don’t like that man!” she muttered, tears filling her eyes.

“I think that’s one of the reasons he hasn’t told you. But from what I heard this has been arranged for a long time.” Brian explained.

“But that still doesn’t explain why I’m here.” She stated after another moment of silence.

“When I heard what they had planned for you, I knew you’d hate the idea, that you wouldn’t want to go through with it. I wanted to help, so I talked to the guys and well, Jimmy suggested kidnapping you, only as a joke mind, but I couldn’t think of anything else to do.” He explained.

“So we came up with a plan. We just had to get the perfect opportunity, and when you said that you were going to get the milk you’d forgotten I saw our chance.” He continued.

Tatyanna stared at him, letting everything he’d told her sink in. from the moment Brian had started work for her father three years ago they had been good friends. She had grown to trust him as much as any of her other friends that she’d known from childhood. But could she trust him now? Why would he be lying about something so serious?

“I know that was a lot to take in, and I understand if you don’t believe me or hate me, but I just didn’t know what else to do and I felt I had to do something.” Brian said after a long silence.

“You’re not a hostage here Tatyanna. If you want to leave then the doors open. But if you need some time to think about things you’re welcome to stay here as long as you want.” He told her quietly.

Tatyanna sighed deeply, slowly letting out a long breath. “I don’t want to face my dad right now.”

“If you want to stay here there’s a spare room set up for you.” he replied.

“Thanks Brian.” she said with a sullen smile.