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Twisting to look about, she glanced around at the other passengers; they all seemed to be remarkably calm after their nightmare dive. A man across the aisle picked up his drink and took a leisurely sip. Had he been sitting there before the turbulence? She recalled two women with loud voices... perhaps she’d dreamed the whole scary thing? She reached for her belt; it was still fastened. Raising her gaze to the seatbelt sign, she saw it was on red. Obviously those around her were more seasoned travellers, used to this kind of event. Relaxing back in her seat, she felt heartily glad the drama appeared to be over.
* * *
London Heathrow seemedmore busy than usual as she fought her way through the crowd surrounding the luggage carousel. Emerging from baggage handling, Penny studied the taxi driver placards, looking for her name, pleased she’d had the forethought to book a taxi after the long flight. A tall male suddenly appeared before her and swept her into his arms; she froze.
What the hell?
“Baby, I’ve missed you!” the man said. Penny noted the American accent. She stared up at him in surprise. He appeared to take the tilt of her head as an invitation and lowered his mouth to hers. He was handsome, and boy, could he kiss. When he finally released her, she staggered slightly. The guy slid an arm about her waist and steadied her. This was obviously a case of mistaken identity.
“Come on, Penny-pie, this a-way.” He urged her forward into the throng of jostling people. She dug in her heels.
He turned and looked at her in surprise. Then his face cleared. “Ah, my baby needs to potty?”
“What?” she asked, dumbfounded.
“Okay, I’m sure I saw a sign, yeah, over there.” He began to guide her in another direction.
“No, no!” She yanked her arm away from his and stood her ground. She had to stop this before it went any further. “Look, whoever you are, I don’t knowyou. There has been some mistake. I am Penny West.”
He narrowed his eyes as he interrupted her. “I don’t have time for games, Penny. Daddy has a business meeting this afternoon. I’m on a tight schedule, so be a good girl and go to the bathroom. We need to head on home.”
“Hey, I told you, I don’t know you, mister! There has been a mistake; I am not who you think I am. Please just go away because I also have a business meeting to attend.” Penny reached for her luggage handle but he held on. She attempted to wrestle her wheelie case from him. A sudden stinging blow to her backside stilled her. Had he just spanked her? In public?
“Did you just strike me?” she asked, incredulous.
He reached out his arms and cupped her face. Blue eyes fringed with black lashes blazed into hers.
He reminds me of someone. Perhaps I have met him someplace?
“Enough. Any more of this nonsense and instead of a warm bath and cuddles when we get home, it will be corner time and a hot bottom. Got it, brat?”
She stared up at him, rendered totally speechless. An odd tightening began, deep down in her stomach.
“Penny Jayne, you will answer your daddy,” he drawled.
How does he know my middle name and what’s with the ‘Daddy’ thing?
“All right, if that’s how you want to play it.” He began to tow her. “When we get to the car a certain little girl will be getting a reminder of the meaning of good behaviour,” he said gruffly.
Her mind raced with options. She had a brainwave. “Wait, um,Daddy, I do need to go to the loo.” The man nodded but kept walking.
Could he possibly be a kidnapper? No, surely this was a case of mistaken identity, as she’d first surmised. Perhaps this was some kind of a ruse. It was April first, the day for jokes, but she didn’t have any friends who were likely to pull a stunt like this. She only had business associates, and Allie of course, but she couldn’t see her sister teasing her with a drama like this. Allie had too much to think about with a husband and two small children. This guy had to be up to no good. If she could get into a toilet she would have the privacy to phone the police.
She nearly bumped into his back and realised he’d halted.
“There you go. Be quick, babe.” He pointed to the facilities. Since he had a tight hold of her suitcase she scuttled away into the sanctuary of the ladies’ toilets. Locked in a cubicle, she shakily retrieved her phone. It wasn’t enough that she’d thought she was about to die aboard a plane, no, now she faced kidnapping by a lunatic! You couldn’t write this stuff! First she tried her secretary. The number wasn’t there. Penny brought up her contacts.
What the hell?All her contacts were different, except Allie’s number. Dread swamped her; she dialled 999.
* * *
“Let’s run through thisagain, shall we. You say you are Penny West and yet your passport confirms you to be Mrs. Penny Forrester. The man who met you from the airport, who claims he is your husband, has a driver licence that shows he is in fact who he says he is, one David Forrester, your husband. Your address is registered as The Firs, College Road, Dulwich Village, SE 21. Nice address if I may say so, and this is also Mr. Forrester’s registered address.”
“No! I told you, my address is Flat 4, 220 Southwood Road, Highgate...” She could hear a strident note of panic enter her voice. Why was no one here taking her seriously?
“Andas I said before, I had that address checked out and the flat isn’t even registered to you. The present owner has resided there for over six years. So, the way I see it, Mrs. Forrester, is that you most likely hit your head during the turbulence you mentioned experiencing during your flight from New York. I strongly advise you to see a doctor. Have you suffered any previous episodes of confusion before?”
She glared at the paunchy, dishevelled policeman sitting across the table from her. “I tell you categorically that I am not Mrs. Forrester. I have not hit my head... Oh, God, this is ridiculous!”
