With every pulse in his body beating a sick tattoo, he hurried off in the direction of the men’s toilets. When he was out of sight of Rowan, he surged off through the crowds and found a door that led through to a red-furnished snug. He went straight through there to the outer door and almost fell out into the night, glancing around him at the dimly lit car park. But there was no ambush. Not yet, anyway. He looked over to where his car was parked and half-started toward it, but then stopped. If they were so familiar with his wife, then they must know his car. Rowan could have fiddled with the brakes, done anything.

Christ! What to do?

Then a man came out of the snug door and Josh knew.

64

64

Josh left his car there in Oxford and bummed a lift from the punter who’d come out from the snug. The man chattered all the way to Josh’s door, but Josh didn’t hear a word.

‘Look, shut your yap, will you?’ said Josh when they neared his house.

All he could think was that Shauna was at home with Connor. Ciaran could already be there. And Rowan would have realized he’d been given the slip and would probably arrive soon, too. Christ knew what had been going on with Shauna and those arseholes, and right now he didn’t even give a shit, he’d sort that out later, but Connor . . .

The man sent Josh a hurt glance. ‘I’m doing you a favour here mate. I’m five miles out of my way.’

Josh looked at him. ‘Sorry. But my head’s throbbing like a bastard. You got any tools in this car?’

‘Why d’you ask?’ They were at the end of Josh’s road now.

‘Stop here, will you? That’s close enough. I just want to borrow a spanner or something, that’s all.’

Now the man was looking at Josh like he was mad. ‘I got some stuff in the back,’ he said.

‘Good.’ They got out, went round to the boot. Josh looked in the toolbox there and wished for the Magnum that was inside the house, out of reach. He selected the biggest monkey wrench, hefted it. It would have to do. ‘Thanks, mate,’ he said and trotted off into the darkness.

‘I’ll want that back,’ the man said.

Josh ignored him. He ran on.