‘Like I believe you,’ he said, pulling a cigarette lighter from his pocket. ‘But if that little bastard has skipped town, I hope he said bye to his folks first. ’Cause Marcie’s gonna make sure he won’t get the chance again.’

‘Where is she?’ Kate asked fearfully.

‘Yakking with Takapa now he’s back in town.’ Swagger held the oily flame up close to her cheek, and she flinched. ‘But later, when it’s nice and quiet, she’s gonna creep up to Tom’s mommy and daddy and …’

Kate gasped as he held the lighter flame to the thick curtains. The heavy fabric smouldered for a few seconds then caught alight. He crossed about the room, starting more little fires here and there, until the room was filled with dark smoke and eager, orange flames.

‘Once a fire takes a hold of one of these old places …’ Swagger whistled. ‘They’re gonna be using dental records to tell Woollard and Stein apart.’

‘No!’ Kate cried. She’d never felt more helpless as Swagger kicked the last glinting glass teeth from the window frame and carried her out through it. The cold night air fanned the flames, and soon smoke was billowing out through the broken window.

‘You can’t do this,’ Kate sobbed, praying someone would pass by and see the flames, go for help. But the street was quiet and still; only the dreadfully familiar form of Polar stood close by, a silent spectre as ever, leaning back against a black car and viewing the spectacle through his camera. ‘Swagger,’ she tried again. ‘For God’s sake, let them go.’

‘Nuh-uh.’ He shoved her towards the car, and Polar turned and opened the rear door for her. ‘But don’t worry, baby.’ Swagger leaned forward and hissed wetly in her ear. ‘You’ll be begging me to let you burn when you find out what I got lined up for you.’

Chapter Fourteen

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CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Tom saw the smoke the second they rounded the corner into Woollard’s street. ‘That’s Woollard’s place! Come on!’

‘Firefighters are gonna be out in force here soon,’ Jasmine warned him. ‘The cops, everyone.’

‘Then we’d better be fast!’ Tom yelled at her. ‘We don’t know who’s trapped in there!’

Cursing under her breath, Jasmine stamped on the gas and they accelerated down the street.

Tom berated himself for not agreeing to come straight here. He’d thought it safest if they all confronted Woollard together, and assumed that Stacy and Kate would be waiting at Ramone’s. But they’d already taken off. Kate had left a brief note that confirmed the worst:

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Tom –if you’re not OK I’ll kill you. ;-) Gone to see Woollard

K

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Just like her: she’d leave him a scribbled emoticon, but never so much as an x.

Jasmine found him some painkillers, and then they’d all headed over to Woollard’s.