~*~Chapter Seventeen~*~
Brian and Marianne obediently stepped into the house. Once their eyes adjusted Brian recognised the man with the gun as Chris.
"Chris, what're you -"
"Look hard, Brian," Marianne said calmly.
He looked confused, what was she trying to tell him?
"Look at the picture on the mantle piece," she explained.
It was a picture of Chris' wife, he still didn't get it.
"Who does she remind you of?" Marianne asked.
Of course! The memories flooded Brian's head in an instant - Noreen! Brian was angry that he hadn't remembered.
Chris shoved them into the kitchen where they found Charlotte tied to a chair. "Charlotte, are you ok?" Brian asked worried.
She nodded, since she was gagged.
"Now sit down," Chris ordered.
They heard the door open in the front room.
"Chris, I'm home, sorry I took so long, but I stopped by -" Jennifer stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Chris with the gun.
"Hey, cuz, nice to see you again."
Jennifer whirled around to see Noreen standing behind her, "Noreen, what's going on?"
~*~Chapter Eighteen~*~
"Nice to see you, too," Noreen said.
"Why are you doing this to us?" Brian asked.
"I told you," Noreen said, "If I can't have you, no one can."
"Where've you been?" Brian asked Jennifer, suspiciously.
"I went shopping, then I went to see a movie, but Charlotte thought you would get worried, so she went home..."
"So are you going to help us, or do you want to join them?" Noreen asked.
"Help, of course."
Noreen smiled, "I knew I could count on you." She threw some bags at Jennifer, "Go next door and pack some of their stuff. I want it look like they left in a hurry."
Jennifer left for next door and was surprised to find two very scared children standing in Brian & Charlotte's room.
"Where's Mommy and Daddy?" One of them asked.
"I... They went somewhere, they had to, but they'll be back soon."
"I want Mommy!" the little girl cried.
"Aw, don't cry," Jennifer picked her up and started rocking her in her arms and singing.
Jennifer smiled, "You're right, and Daddy and Mommy will be back very soon, but why don't you watch a movie until they get here?"
Jennifer set them up with Anastasia, Amanda's favorite, and some popcorn, then quietly began packing their stuff. She didn't know how, but she was determined to get Brian and Charlotte back to their children.