‘So, if you have men watching, what will they do after Richard’s handed over the money? If Danny isn’t with them, will you follow them?’

‘Ideally yes, but not at the risk of being seen. Our men will be in various places in the village and on the roads leading out. They can communicate with each other and track the kidnappers without physically following them until they’re well out of the village. We’re also looking into putting a tracking device inside the bag with the money, but there are risks involved with doing so.’

Martha thanked the DI for his honesty then turned and walked solemnly back upstairs.

15

DAY 3

Danny heard nothing more from Lewis all evening and finally drifted off to sleep, still cold, afraid and once again hungry and thirsty. His dreams were of being chased and unable to lift his feet, as if he was trying to run through thick mud, with legs so heavy they refused to move. Sometime in the night Danny woke suddenly and sat upright, unsure what had woken him. Checking his watch, he discovered it was only 3am and the house was quiet. Perhaps the nightmare woke him. He settled down, willing sleep to take him again so at least he’d be unaware of the horrors of his situation and time would pass more quickly.

The next thing Danny knew daylight flooded the room and someone was unbolting the door. Panic gripped him as he shook himself awake, but the relief almost made him smile when Lewis appeared.

‘Just bread again, Dan. Me mum’s not one to plan ahead so there’s not much in the kitchen.’ It was the first time Lewis had used his name. No one ever called him Dan, but the way Lewis said it, and the fact he was offering some kind of apology for the lack of food, made Danny feel that they were almost friends.

Lewis’s face crumpled. ‘Cor, it stinks in here. Take that bucket to the bog will you?’ Danny was only too happy to go to the bathroom – he loathed using the bucket.

Lewis was sitting on the mattress when he returned, eating his own share of the bread.

‘Where’s your mum?’ Danny asked.

‘Downstairs, smoking and opening cans of beer.’

‘She’s awake then? Did you talk to her about helping me to escape?’

‘Nah, not yet. I dunno how we could get out and I’m pretty sure she’d be too afraid to help.’

‘Please try, Lewis. You said yourself Pete’s a violent man – he might kill me even if he gets the money. He might even kill you and your mum too, now I’ve seen you.’

Lewis thought on this for a minute or two while Danny ate hungrily. ‘Pete might knock people about a bit... but he’s not a killer.’ The boy’s face was solemn, his brow creased in concentration.