‘. . . of course I looked there. I’ve looked everywhere . . . Georgia is dead, of course I’m scared! I don’t know who told them. Who even knows about me and Jasmine?’ His voice grew higher and louder. ‘Where are they? Who’s taken them? No, no – I don’t care! I’m going back tonight. Maybe they’ve finally made it . . . I know! But we have to —’

Thuds pounded on the front door.

What are you doing, Gabriella? Con checked his phone in case he’d sent the message by accident – he saw there was a reply from Pastor Hugh.

That’s when someone kicked open the door.

‘You bastard!’ called a male voice. ‘Where are you!’

It was Murphy. Con peered around a corner and saw his wild eyes, Gabriella running in behind him. Jack came out into the hallway, slipping his phone into his pocket, and Con took the opportunity to dash away, back down the corridor and out the back door. He sprinted around the side of the house, slipping on the wet grass, and in through the front door.

Gabriella stood between Jack and Murphy in the living room, turning from one to the other. Murphy towered over Jack, whose face was pale, cinderblock jaw clenched tight.

‘Stand down, Murphy,’ said Con, rushing to Gabriella’s side. He put his hand on Murphy’s chest, trying to hold him back.

‘I’m gonna rip you in half.’ Murphy advanced on Jack. ‘How long were you with her?’

‘Easy, Murphy, I d-didn’t take them, I s-swear,’ stammered Jack, looking for an escape.

‘You steal our seeds. You steal my daughter. Did you sell her to cover your ice debts as well?’

Both Con and Gabriella were now pushing against Murphy’s chest, fighting to hold him back. He was reaching around them with his long arms. Con hadn’t realised just how strong the man was.

For her part, Gabriella seemed to be thoroughly enjoying herself. Like Con, she had police training in hand-to-hand, but she also had the extra training of a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt – she was probably looking forward to a showdown.

Jack had backed into the wall, sweat shining on his forehead. ‘It’s not my fault . . . Jasmine came on to me!’

‘She’s sixteen!’ roared Murphy. He shoved Con and Gabriella aside and threw himself at Jack. The next moment he was slammed to the ground and Gabriella was straddling him, wrenching his hands behind his back and into handcuffs.

Murphy struggled, but those wild eyes were still on Jack, fighting Gabriella’s iron hold.

Con’s foot caught on a rug and he stumbled into Jack, reaching out to steady himself against Jack’s arm. Jack just watched, horrified, as Murphy kept fighting.