Peeking over the edge of the dry soil, he watched as the Transit pulled onto his driveway a few seconds later, and his already pounding heart felt as if it might explode right out of his chest when Nick leapt out of the driver’s seat, yelling: ‘His window’s open! The cunt’s escaped! Fuck!’

There was more shouting, then Frank winced when Karel bellowed at Irena that it was her fault, followed by the sound of a sharp slap and a cry of pain.

‘Shut the fuck up, you stupid bitch!’ Nick joined in. ‘I told him you couldn’t be fuckin’ trusted, and now look what you’ve done!’

‘I’ll deal with her,’ Karel barked. ‘You lot get out there and start looking for him. He’s old and knackered, so he can’t have gone far.’

From his hiding place, Frank watched the men come out onto the lane and head off in different directions. Aware that they would easily spot him if they came this way, he was trying to cover himself with soil and dead branches, when he heard Nick hiss, ‘Someone’s coming! Everyone back to the house.’

Releasing a shuddering breath of relief when he heard footsteps running in the opposite direction, Frank raised his head an inch when he heard the vehicle Nick had seen. It was still a fair way down the lane, but he could see the England flags attached to its roof-rack flapping in the wind, and his stomach flipped when he realized it was Evan’s car. Aware that his son would get hurt – or worse – if the men got their hands on him, Frank scrambled to his feet and, dragging himself out of the trench, limped back to the house.

Karel and Nick were hiding behind the Transit when Frank staggered up the driveway, and he held up his hands when he saw they were both holding guns.

‘Please don’t hurt him,’ he begged. ‘It’s me you’re after, not him, so let me get rid of him and then I promise I’ll do whatever you want.’

‘Nah, mate, you’ve fucked us off, so now you’re both gonna get it,’ Nick spat, aiming the gun at him.

‘If you kill us, you’ll have to leave here and start over somewhere else,’ Frank reminded him. ‘Evan’s wife will report him missing if he doesn’t go home, and the police will come straight here. You said you’ve been planning this for ages, so are you really willing to jeopardize everything because you’re pissed off with me?’

Evan was turning onto the drive by then, and Karel narrowed his eyes thoughtfully in the glare of the car’s headlights.

‘OK, get rid of him,’ he said quietly. ‘But, remember – I will kill him if you say the wrong thing.’

‘Yeah, and then I’ll kill you,’ Nick added nastily as he reluctantly stuffed his gun into his waistband.