‘Who’s coming?’ My voice was as sharp as pins, only to be countered by another of Eva’s oily, ominous smiles.

‘Patience, Sephy. Everything comes to those who have patience.’

‘Don’t try me, Eva. I am more than ready to kick your arse,’ I told her.

‘I believe you,’ she said with a smile. ‘I always could recognize a kindred spirit when I saw one.’

One of her bodyguards stepped forward. If it was meant to be menacing, then it failed. I was too angry to care how many steps forward the woman took. Damn, but Eva was good. What a master manipulator. And she was loving this, making me play her game when my son’s freedom and perhaps his very life were at stake.

‘Eva, be honest. If Tobey had given you everything you asked for in your ransom demand, would you have let Troy and Libby go?’ I asked.

Silence.

Sonny and I exchanged a look. I had my answer. I nodded at Eva, just the once, strangely grateful that she hadn’t tried to bullshit me.

Eva nodded back, again just the once. She and I understood each other perfectly.

‘However, that’s academic now, isn’t it?’ said Eva smoothly. ‘Until the other guests arrive, I suggest we all get comfortable. Would either of you like a cup of tea?’

fifty-two. Callie

Tobey’s phone vibrated in his pocket just as he was parking the car. After he applied the brake, he took out his phone and immediately started checking it.

Without looking up, he said, ‘Callie, where does Jon live?’

‘My Jon?’

Pause.

‘Yeah, him.’

I shrugged. ‘He has a flat in Zeneca.’

‘That’s in the city, less than fifteen minutes from your office, isn’t it?’

‘That’s right. Why?’

‘He’s just left Lusaka Green.’ Tobey studied his phone as he spoke.

Lusaka Green was a posh, leafy suburb south-west of the capital. It was at least thirty-five minutes from central London.

‘That’s where his ex-wife lives. What on earth is he doing there? Is that where you sent him?’

‘No. Nowhere near there.’

‘How d’you even know where he is?’ I asked.

‘I gave him a burner phone, but made sure to activate location tracking on it first. I wanted to be able to track his movements twenty-four-seven.’

‘Why?’

‘So I’d know where to send help if shit hit the fan and he got into trouble. I can’t take anyone else’s misery on my conscience. It’s already overloaded as it is.’

Before I could reply, my phone started to beep too. Taking it out of my pocket, I saw I had a text from Jon. At last! Hopefully he had some good news for us. Maybe that’s why he was in Lusaka Green. Assuming he’d sent the text to Tobey and me simultaneously, I opened it and began to read.