Chau’s head turns slowly to look at him, her face drains of colour and is a picture of abject terror. He glances at the GoPro to ensure it’s filming.

Chau’s scream startles him and she charges at him, kneeing him swiftly in the balls. The pain is like lightning and surges through him. He grunts and stumbles backward as she clambers past him. He grabs her ankle but loses purchase as she kicks back and scrambles down the hallway.

Ignoring the pain he bolts after her, the music drowning her screams.

She runs to the ground floor and predictably to the front doors where she pulls and pulls.

‘There’s no escape, Chau,’ he says, descending the staircase and switching on the GoPro’s light. The narrow beam catches her pretty face, her eyes wide, her cheeks wet with tears.

She begins to batter the doors with her arms as he approaches.

‘Help! Somebody help!’

‘No one is listening, Chau. You live in a forsaken place.’

She trembles and then surprises him by darting away from the doors and nimbly dodging him, scarpering like a frightened rabbit to the rear of building, and the basement.

He hurries after her, the beam of his GoPro slicing through the darkness like a swinging blade. He can hear the creaking sound of steel and Chau’s exertions. He follows the sounds to the room through which he entered the building. Chau has pushed the gurney to the window and stands on top of it trying the push the sash up. She stops when the beam finds her.

She turns to look at him. ‘What do you want from me?’

He watches her, savouring her growing unease.

He doesn’t respond.

Her face pales.

‘Help me!’ she screams.

He removes his backpack, reaches into it and takes out his most recent purchase from the Dark Web.

A Taser gun.

He walks towards her.

‘Please don’t hurt me,’ she whimpers.

‘I’ll make it quick.’

She screams as he straightens his arm and fires the pistol.

He watches her body shake uncontrollably as it falls from the gurney to the floor. Within moments, she settles, but still there is the smallest of tremors. He crouches beside her and runs his finger gently across her lips.

‘Poor little rabbit.’

In life, Chau posted filtered celebrity-like photographs for her friends and followers to enjoy. In death, there will be no filters. Chau’s true beauty will be revealed for her 1.2k followers and the rest of the world to enjoy too.

Chapter 27

27

ARCHER CATCHES AN UBER FROM the hospital and makes her way back to Charing Cross still fuming at the moped rider who broke her phone and left her cut off from the investigation and any news of Quinn’s progress. First thing tomorrow morning she will get a replacement sim. The isolation is becoming intolerable.