Once the exchange is done, Matt will leave with the children. Please indicate your acceptance of these terms immediately. The offer will expire in one hour.

Matt put his arms around her and pulled her towards him. She could not bring herself to respond. She felt hollow and broken.

‘Let’s go downstairs,’ Matt said. ‘Talk to Mike and Tessa. I think I heard someone moving around.’

2

Mike was sitting on the couch, a mug of coffee in his hands. Annabelle sat next to him. Matt stood by the window, looking out into the dark morning.

The door to the living room opened and Tessa walked in. ‘I couldn’t sleep,’ she said. ‘I heard you all down here.’

‘We got another message,’ Annabelle said.

‘What is it?’ Mike said. ‘What does it say?’

‘Take a look,’ Annabelle said. She was suddenly overwhelmed by a sensation of utter hopelessness. This was getting worse and worse. ‘Take a fucking look.’ She passed him the phone and folded her arms around herself. ‘Sixty minutes to decide what to do,’ she said, as much to herself as to others in the room. ‘Five of them gone already. What do I do? It’s impossible.’

She turned to Matt. She barely recognized him; his eyes were wide, his pupils dilated, his forehead creased. He looked as though he was suffering intense physical pain.

‘Matt,’ she said, ‘I don’t understand what’s happening. I have no idea what I should do. Tell me what to do.’

‘I don’t know,’ Matt said. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘There’s only one option, isn’t there?’ she said. ‘There’s only one thing I can do. It’s what any mother would do.’

‘No,’ Matt said. ‘No.’

‘But what choice is there?’ Annabelle said. ‘Our children are in danger. And if this is the only way to make them safe, I have to do it.’

‘There’s another way,’ Matt said. ‘There has to be.’

‘What?’ Annabelle said. ‘What way?’

Matt stared at her. He didn’t know what way, but he didn’t want to admit it. Saying it would make it real.

Tessa cleared her throat.

‘There could be a possibility,’ she said. ‘I don’t know if it will work, but we could consider it.’

‘What is it?’ Annabelle said.

‘It might be a long shot,’ Tessa replied. ‘But there’s someone I know who might be able to help.’

Birmingham, December 2006

1

She lay next to him, her hips tight against his in the narrow single bed.

‘I have to go and pack,’ she said. ‘I can’t believe term is over.’

He rolled on his elbow and kissed her. ‘Don’t,’ he said. ‘Stay here. We can live in my room over Christmas, eating beans on toast.’

‘You have a toaster?’

‘Beans on bread, then.’

‘It’s an attractive offer,’ she said. ‘But I don’t think it’s going to work. Plus I’d miss my skiing trip.’