He tried to explain to her what was happening, but there was so little he could say. All he could do was keep repeating how sorry he was, and reassure her that she was safe now. That his friends were her friends, that there was nobody in the world he trusted more, and everything was going to be all right. As he spoke he felt the tenderness of his love like warm salted tears welling up in his heart, but at the same time he could sense the power of his fury mounting up inside him like an engine of destruction, ready to wreak molten hellfire and terrible retribution on those who would have taken her from him. There was no limit to the suffering he would bring down on them.

Grace described how Jeff and Tuesday had made contact and drawn out the men following her. ‘I’ve never seen anyone get shot in front of me like that.’

‘They were going to kill you,’ he said. ‘Because of me.’

‘No, they had other plans. They were going to kidnap me.’

‘How do you know?’

‘Because when they came up to me in the woods and pulled out their guns, one of them said, “You’re coming with us, darling.” Darling. And they’d have taken me, if your friends hadn’t stopped them.’

Ben wondered what Saunders’ strategy had been, trying to abduct her alive rather than carry out his original threat. None of it mattered now. The road ahead was suddenly free and clear, as though the traps and hazards and obstacles that had littered it had been magically swept away. All but one, which he’d still have to deal with.

‘When am I going to see you?’ she asked.

‘Soon.’

‘That’s not soon enough.’

‘There are things I have to do, Grace.’

‘I’m so scared they’re going to hurt you.’

‘They’re the ones who should be scared,’ he said. ‘And they will be.’

‘Promise me that you’ll be careful, Ben. Come back to me. Be safe.’

‘Always,’ he promised.

‘Jeff’s calling me to go.’

‘Go,’ Ben said.

‘I love you.’

She’d never said that to him before. He didn’t know if it was the tension and emotion of the moment, or whether she really meant it. But her words pierced him like a spear. Before he could muster a reply, she was gone.