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Back The Double Save as PDF
Chapters (63)
  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12
  13. 13
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16
  17. 17
  18. 18
  19. 19
  20. 20
  21. 21
  22. 22
  23. 23
  24. 24
  25. 25
  26. 26
  27. 27
  28. 28
  29. 29
  30. 30
  31. 31
  32. 32
  33. 33
  34. 34
  35. 35
  36. 36
  37. 37
  38. 38
  39. 39
  40. 40
  41. 41
  42. 42
  43. 43
  44. 44
  45. 45
  46. 46
  47. 47
  48. 48
  49. 49
  50. 50
  51. 51
  52. 52
  53. 53
  54. 54
  55. 55
  56. 56
  57. 57
  58. 58
  59. 59
  60. 60
  61. 61
  62. 62
  63. Acknowledgements

He lurched back. ‘No! You don’t know what he’s been saying to me. He says I’m not who I think I am, that I was born as someone else, and stole another person’s identity. Somebody who disappeared or died. He probably thinks I killed that person too.’ His thoughts were spinning out of control. Hélène’s face began to transform before his eyes. An air of menace filled the room like gas. Was she a spy? One of Gessen’s minions in disguise? It was all a set-up. She had lured him into a trap. Spots swam before his eyes and he grabbed the table for support, but even in his confusion, he could see that she was frightened.

‘Call him,’ he gasped. ‘Tell him I’m holding you hostage and won’t let you go until I’m safely back in England.’ He lurched forward and grabbed her arm. ‘Call him, then pack your things. You’re coming with me.’

‘You don’t want to do this.’ Her eyes darted to the door. ‘It will only make things worse.’

‘Call him.’ He hauled her from the sofa. She didn’t resist, though he could see her mind was churning. How to get away from this madman? But he wasn’t mad. He’d been perfectly fine until he’d been drugged and brought to this house of horrors against his will.

Her hand trembled as she picked up the phone. But when she looked at him her eyes were sad. ‘I need to speak to Dr Gessen. No, it can’t wait. It’s an emergency.’

Vidor wondered if this was a trick. Perhaps she had alerted the police instead. He grabbed the phone. ‘Get Dr Gessen now!’ But there was no one on the other end. Whoever answered had put her on hold. He pressed the phone to his ear. ‘Hello? Get me Dr Gessen.’ Sweat streamed down his face. His heart slammed against his ribs. Perhaps a massive coronary would end this misery, though death was not what he wanted. Life was what he longed for. His old life. Tears sprang to his eyes. How he yearned for his quiet house on Camden Road. Magda bustling about the kitchen, bringing him a cup of tea and slices of freshly baked bread topped with the perfect amount of butter. The buzz and hum of the lab, and the thrill of chasing data. The glorious tapestry of spring flowers in the lanes. Home, home. The plaintive cry reverberated in his soul. Once he got home, all would be well.

A voice sounded in Vidor’s ear. ‘Hélène? It’s Anton, is everything all right?’

56

Vidor spoke into the phone. ‘I’ve taken Madame du Chevalier hostage.’

‘Madame who?’

Hélène shook her head. ‘Not my real name. I made it up.’