They’d managed to organise bathroom breaks for the three of them with a great deal of care, one at a time and covered by two of the captors, one from a little more distance using the captured MP7. Other than that, it had all been peaceable.

They’d been in that position for a few hours and, by looking just to his left, Tom could see that the old carriage clock on the fireplace showed 5am. It would soon be light.

Tom looked over at Cameron and Shona, who were sat back to back, resting against the wall. He gave them an almost imperceptible wink which was returned by Cameron. He didn’t frighten easily but Shona looked terrified and weary and Tom wondered about the long-term effects of their ordeal on her. He felt an enormous pull of affection for them; they’d opened their homes to a twelve-year-old Bosnian boy and treated him as if he were their own child. They were his rock, his touchstone, and he would do anything at all to protect them.

The situation remained unchanged for another hour until the grey tendrils of a Highland morning began to filter through the windows. Tom felt utter exhaustion in every fibre of his body; his sternum ached horribly, and his ribs were sore from being kicked, any hope of escape fading fast as time passed by.

30

Zjelko Branko sat in the armchair in the living room of his apartment, having returned earlier that evening. Mira was asleep in bed and had been for some time, traipsing off without a word in her stained housecoat. He shook his head at the thought of her: it was only business and family honour that kept him from walking away from her forever. When the whole sorry situation was over, they could go their separate ways. He wanted out of the prostitution and trafficking game: it was just too risky.

He picked up his phone and selected a number from his call history.

It was answered after about ten rings with a sleepy, ‘Yes?’

‘We have Novak,’ Branko said.

‘Thank God for that. Where is he?’ said Simon Taylor.

‘In Scotland. He killed three of my associates but fortunately my boys managed to arrive and disable him.’

‘What? How did he get to Scotland? It’s at least ten hours away.’

‘He says he got a plane, but he was well armed with sophisticated weapons and had communications equipment. Do you know how he got them?’

‘It’s nothing to do with law enforcement; we couldn’t organise that, and I’ve heard nothing at all. I would know. I don’t like this, Branko.’

‘He says a friend did him a favour, and he managed to get him on the plane, and he got the weapons from the police armoury.’