‘Where the hell are you, Jez?’

‘Next door at Sophie’s.’

‘You should have let us know. And you’d better get back straight away. Looks like Tom’s wife has kidnapped the children, and she’s injured Jane, too.’

‘What?’

Craig gave him a few more details.

‘I’m on my way.’ He explained quickly to Sophie what’d happened.

‘That’s terrible! I’m coming with you.’

On the other side of the gate, they found Tom standing beside Jane, who still hadn’t moved. From the distance came an ambulance siren.

Within minutes Jane had been carried away and Sophie volunteered to go to hospital with her.

Kevin arrived, looking grim. ‘Tell me about your wife, Tom.’ He listened, asking a couple of questions, then said, ‘It’s definitely a police matter. I’ll ring a friend and hurry things up. Don’t answer your phone until we have instructions about what they want you to do.’

‘I can’t do that. Gail may get angry and take it out on the kids. She’s—’

Kevin turned slightly away and spoke rapidly into the phone, nodding, making noises of agreement, and giving the address. He switched it off and turned back to Tom. ‘I’ve got some equipment over in the security room. They want us to make a recording of the call.’

The phone rang.

Tom stared at it. ‘I have to answer.’

‘Not yet,’ Kevin said firmly.

‘But—’

‘She’ll ring back. Now, hurry.’

Gail picked up the phone and pressed redial. The phone rang and rang, but there was no answer. The children began to fidget and she pointed a finger at them. ‘Stay still, I said.’

Ryan’s lips wobbled as he looked at her; Hayley scowled. But they did as she told them.

Tom didn’t pick up the call. ‘You wait!’ she muttered. She shoved the phone back into her bag and beckoned to the children. ‘If you’re good I’ll buy you a packet of crisps.’

Both of them brightened.

‘Vinegar?’ Hayley asked. ‘Jane doesn’t give us crisps. She says they’re not good for children.’

‘Well, I’m your mother and I think they’re fine – but only for good little children, who keep very quiet when they’re told.’

They both sat up very straight, lips pressed together.

‘I’ll just try to phone your father again. We’re going to surprise him.’ She got out her phone.

This time he answered after one ring.

‘Where were you?’

‘Sorry. I was taken short.’

‘Trust you. No, don’t say anything. Listen to me. I’ve got the kids and you’re not having them back till you’ve promised me a few things.’

‘What?’

‘First, you and I are getting back together. I never wanted us to split up. I still don’t.’

‘OK.’

‘You’d do anything for those kids, wouldn’t you? Well, from now on, I’m going to come first with you. Understand? You can get your rich father to pay for a nanny and buy us a nice big house, and we’ll enjoy ourselves, go to posh parties and things.’

‘He won’t do anything if you hurt the kids. He loves them.’