Danny listened to Lewis’s dreams for the future. He wanted to play professional football but hadn’t even played as part of a team, mainly because he’d never stayed at any school long enough. He and his mother moved around a lot too. Lewis said that when they couldn’t afford to pay the rent, they simply packed up and moved on. A moonlight flit he called it. They didn’t stay very long at any address and there’d been many times when they slept on a couch in a friend’s house or at a squat when things were bad. Their possessions were few; clothes, toothbrushes and pretty much nothing else.

Danny thought about his own home, his warm spacious bedroom with his desk – his laptop, computer games, mobile phone and books. He loved reading and when Lewis told him he’d never owned a book, he decided to give Lewis as many as he wanted when all this was over. If this will ever be over.

Thinking of home made Danny sad. He longed to be back with his parents, to eat around the table with them while he told them about his day at school. A hot bath and brushing his teeth would be welcome too.

The boys talked for an hour or more until Lewis thought he should go down to check on his mother.

Lewis scrambled to his feet, complaining that Dan asked too many questions, which was probably true but Danny had never met anyone quite like this boy and he was naturally curious. Lewis left and Danny tried to think rationally about an escape, with or without his friend’s help.

After almost two hours, his brain hurt and he still hadn’t come up with a workable plan. He was also thirsty again and his head ached. Lewis had bolted the door, which felt strangely comforting. If the door was bolted, the chances of Pete and Neil coming in seemed somehow less likely, which Danny knew was ridiculous. He also knew the men didn’t want to be seen by him, which was a sign that maybe they did intend to let him go.

Time dragged. Danny would welcome Lewis’s company again, but he remained downstairs with his mother for the time being. This was the third day since the kidnap and Danny was scared – it was unnerving that nothing had happened yet. How long, he thought, would it take for Pete and Neil to contact his parents, make their demands, and release him when they got the money? What was taking so long? He was sure his parents would be desperate by now and if Pete had demanded money they’d pay him straight away, so why hadn’t he been released?