Today 14:28

Tobias Durbridge,

I hope today finds you in a loving mood because your daughter Liberty and her Cross boyfriend are now under new management. If you’d like to see them again, you will carry out the following instructions to the letter.

1. Inform your bank that you will be transferring a considerable sum of money later tonight. You will instruct them not to block or query the transfer.

2. This evening, I will send you an account name, number, sort code and amount. You will have exactly ten minutes to transfer all the money requested.

3. The amount of money to be transferred will consist of eight digits. I know it’s only a fraction of what you’re worth, but I’m not greedy.

4. Once the money has been successfully transferred, I will provide the location of your daughter and her friend. Then we’ll all have what we want.

You have one chance to get this right. If you don’t answer your phone, if you hang up, if the police are listening at your end, if you try to trace this text or tonight’s call, if you refuse to follow any of these instructions, there will be no second chances. This is your opportunity to prove your daughter means more to you than your money.

My blood ran icy-cold as I read the text again. Under new management—What did that mean? I had questions. Like how the hell did this new person get my phone number for one? And how did they know I had anything like eight digits in my bank account?

‘Is everything all right, Tobey?’ asked Callie.

‘Yes, everything’s fine,’ I replied, ushering her into the lift. I turned to the two protection officers who were already making moves to accompany us. ‘Michael, Deli, thanks, but I’ll be out with Callie for the rest of the day incognito so your services won’t be required.’

Deli and Michael exchanged worried looks.

‘But, sir—’ Michael began.

‘I’ll be fine,’ I reassured them as I pressed the button for the basement level. ‘I want to be alone with Miss Hadley, and four would definitely be a crowd. If I need you, I’ll phone, OK?’

‘Sir, I really think—’ The lift doors shut, cutting off Deli’s thought.

‘That was rude,’ Callie informed me dryly.

‘But necessary,’ I replied.

After a moment’s further deliberation, I showed the text to Callie. She needed to know that I wouldn’t hold anything back nor hide anything from her, even though that had been my first instinct when I initially got the text. I would do whatever it took to get her to truly trust me.