FOURTEEN

Constance cried out and jumped to the side when she felt a creature scamper past her feet and she hugged the wall moaning with fright against whatever else was in the passageway with her.  She could barely make out anything out of the impenetrable gloom.  But still she kept on, keeping one hand against the wall as she made her way up the stairs to the room Thaddeus and the kidnapper had earlier occupied.  She saw the torch lying on the floor and picked it up and was surprised to find the money bag not far from her but no sign of Thaddeus anywhere.  She unzipped the bag and saw the pile of money inside and was confused by whatever might have happened in here.

She heard footsteps coming from beyond the door and got up and went and stood behind the door and switched off her torch.  The footsteps got closer and so too a touch light that lit up the room as the person’s feet stopped at the doorway not venturing further inside.  Cons