‘Yes, but I could hardly refuse to talk to them could I? A young detective came round to ask questions. I admitted that Richard and I were having an affair, which isn’t illegal, and she seemed satisfied. She also asked where I was when the boy was taken but I’d made sure I had a watertight alibi for that one too.’

‘So, they don’t think you had anything to do with the kidnap?’

‘Of course not, how could they? It just shook me a little and I think perhaps it’s time to move on. So did you get the rest of the money?’

‘Yeah, it’s nearly all there. Neil got jittery so I left him at the farmhouse with some of his share.’

‘And what about Sally, how much did you pay her?’

‘Ah, well, there’s a slight complication there...’ Pete stroked his chin thoughtfully.

‘What complication?’

‘When we’d got the money and went back to the farmhouse, Sal had let the boy out and he was running away with her kid. I waved my gun to frighten them into coming back, but it went off and hit Sal’s lad.’ Pete waited for his sister’s inevitable rebuke.

Joanne’s eyes narrowed. ‘Since when did you start carrying a gun? We agreed there’d be no guns and no unnecessary violence. You can be menacing enough without a bloody gun – they only make the police more vigilant! How badly hurt was the boy?’

‘I don’t know. Neil said he was dead, but he’d hardly seen him. It might just be a scratch.’

‘Dead! Pete, they’ll be after you for murder now.’

‘Not me... us. You’re the brains behind these kidnappings, Joanne – you find the marks.’

‘We’re in this together, yes, but you pulled the damned trigger!’

‘Okay, maybe you’re right. We’ll pack up and get away before the heat starts – but there’s no way they can connect you to this. Got anything to drink around here? I need something strong.’

‘Make yourself a coffee. If we’re moving on today, a drink’s the last thing you need.’ Joanne stood with her hands on her hips. ‘I think we might have to lie low for a while, especially if the boy’s dead. You’ve broken the rules we set for these kidnappings, Pete. If they catch us it’ll mean prison and I’d rather die than go back into any kind of institution.’

Pete regretted upsetting his sister. She was the only woman he had any genuine respect for – the one constant in his troubled life.

Joanne appeared to regain her composure and by the time she’d finished packing, they’d decided on London as their next stop – but maybe a break first, a holiday to enjoy the money they’d made.