‘I won’t have to.’ He pressed a button. ‘As soon as I’m in control of the new body, a couple of hard jolts should cause my previously diagnosed tumour to burst, so all I have to say is that we struggled and my attacker hit his head. When the police investigate, all the evidence will point to Joseph White; I’ve made sure of that. You’ve already seen the flat, of course. Unfortunately, if this transfer works, I was unable to save you.’

‘And if it fails?’

‘Then you become my next opportunity. Once I’ve mastered the technique, I can always move on again, but it might be interesting to experience life as a woman, briefly.’

White turned away and knelt next to Mike, who still wasn’t moving. He raised his arms, looking up at the sigil, and began to hum, quietly at first.

Hawkins felt panic rise again in her throat as she scanned the room, desperately seeking something that might help her get free.

White’s holdall was a few yards away, but there was no way to know what it held. On the opposite side of the room, a broken board now covered the open section of doorway, clearly preventing any stray light from alerting the casual observer. And in the corner beside the entrance, she noticed a crowbar leaning against the wall. It was probably what he used to knock her and Mike out, though while her arms and legs remained bound, it was of no use.

She looked back at White, who was lifting the defibrillator’s paddles, rubbing them together.

About to shock Mike.

Her eyes came to rest on the device, a small box with square-set metal casing that appeared to be damaged, one of its edges protruding slightly.

The beginnings of a plan started to form as Hawkins studied the floor of the tower. It was uneven dried mud, perhaps the result of flooding at some stage in the past, and there appeared to be a slight decline from where she lay, down to where White was crouched over Mike. It wasn’t much, but it might be enough.

White was chanting now, as he placed the paddles on Mike’s torso.

Time was up.

An electrical whine began to build as Hawkins straightened her body and began to rock back and forth, ignoring the agonizing protests from the gash in her skull. At first, a lump in the ground dug into her side, holding her back, and for a second she thought White had noticed her efforts, but he continued without looking round.

The muted crack of electricity cut the air.

Hawkins bit her lip to avoid crying out as she gave a final shove to launch herself over the mound, and rolled as fast as she could towards White, waiting until the last moment before she twisted, bringing her legs up together, thrusting the soles of her boots at his back.