Days later, Robyn’s fears turned out to be justified…

It started with a phone call, from an unlisted number. To Peter’s amazement, the caller asked for Robyn. She spoke to them for a minute or so, then hung up.

“Problems, love?”, asked Peter. “You don’t normally get phone calls.”

“No, it’s ok”, said Robyn. “Just the office checking in…”

She seemed distant, however. Then she disappeared…

She seemed to be going out for shopping as usual. She just didn’t come back.

Peter was beside himself with worry. Sally did her best to comfort him. She’d never seen her brother like this.

“Her firm’s probably called her in for something”, she said. “Remember that phone call?”

Peter let Sally reassure him that there wasn’t a problem, but she was concerned as well. Her thoughts went back to how she thought Robyn had been abused.

Then came the email…

“Dear Peter,

Please accept our sincerest apologies for our service not performing up to our standards. This is due to our representative with you breaching the terms of the agreement and not keeping the arrangement strictly professional.

She has been taken back for re-training and will be reassigned. A new representative will be supplied shortly.

Regards,

The Personal Shopper Group.”

Peter howled, then shook with rage.

He then fired off a reply…

Dear Sirs,

As you admit you have breached the terms of the agreement, I will consider taking the matter further unless you send my original shopper, Robyn, back to me, for me to deal with as I see fit.

I consider our personal arrangement to be an asset, not a liability.

I will expect Robyn to be returned to me unharmed in due course.”

Yours,

Peter”

He was being surprisedly restrained but, underneath, he was seething…

He heard nothing for a couple of days, then got a phone call…

“Peter? It’s Abigail, your new personal shopper…”

“No thanks”, Peter said, and hung up.

Abigail tried again twice. Peter then blocked the number.

He was on the verge of phoning the police when there came a quiet knock at the door.

He opened it. Robyn was standing there.

She was in a terrible state. Dishevelled, clothes torn, hair untidy. She also wasn’t wearing her collar…

Crying, she just fell forward into Peter’s arms…

Sally heard Peter’s shriek from the other room, and came running…

The pair gently lifted Robyn and carried her onto Peter’s bed. Peter then phoned for the emergency services…

Paramedics and a police officer turned up. After making sure Robyn was stable, she was taken to hospital. She was so exhausted, she slept for two days straight.

During that time, the Police investigated the ‘Personal Shopper Group’…

Several arrests were made.

Half a dozen women were found at their premises, collared and sitting around waiting to be sent out to work. All of them were like Robyn; small women, redheads, acting as if they were afraid of their own shadows. When the police first found them, they all backed away, scared, then came over and offered to help…

Ironically, the groups own training techniques worked against them. None of these women had had their memories erased; they were also trained to be as helpful as possible. Between them, they gave an exhaustive testimony of what had been going on.

One of the people running the group was ‘persuaded’ to remove their collars. This was done by the simple act of threatening to leave them unattended in a room with the six women…

Now uncollared, the six were able to go back to their own lives. All except one…

Abigail was really worried.

“Please, you have to tell me. Have you found my sister?”

“Your sister?”

“Yes, I haven’t seen her since she was retrained…”

“Oh, you mean Robyn?”

“Yes! Do you know where she is?”

“She’s recovering in hospital. Her friend, Peter, was the one that helped get you all rescued.”

“Can I see her? Please?”

“Of course.”

Abigail came into Robyn’s room in hospital.

There was a lot of crying and hugging as the pair embraced…

Robyn then introduced Abigail to Peter. There was more crying and hugging.

All the six women were able to go back to their previous homes and lives. Then Abigail turned to Robyn.

“Come with me, please”, she said. “Mother would be so happy to see you again.”

“Only if I can bring Peter”, Robyn said, wrapping her arms tightly around him. “I’m not leaving him again.”

“Are you asking me to meet your parents…?”, Peter asked, with a bit of a giggle.

“Yes, I guess I am”, Robyn said, kissing him. “Got a problem with that…?”