Will desperately needed to get control of his mind. He took a deep breath and stared into the night, where he saw the lights of a car out on the lane leading to Grove’s cottage. How he hated that man. He had always distrusted Grove, and now it seemed he had been right. If he had child pornography in his possession, then the little shite was more than capable of taking his dear, sweet Sophie, and doing God knows what to her. And to think that Kate had defended him! Just how naïve — no, how fucking stupid could you get? He should have knocked the shit out of the slimeball long ago. Perhaps then he would have buggered off out of the fen.

‘Will?’ Matt called up the stairs.

‘Coming.’ He turned from the window and went down to find his friend. ‘What’s the news?’

‘Well, as long as the bad weather out in the North Sea doesn’t get worse, they are expecting only the mill to be affected. They are almost certain that the old building will go tonight,’ said Matt.

‘I hope Fenner gets everything he needs from it to nail that bastard Grove.’

‘From the speed those chaps were working at when we left, I should think they will. And if all else fails, he could always do a King Canute. One look from him should be enough to turn back the tide.’

‘Yeah, sure,’ muttered Will.

‘Don’t worry about him, Will. He’s a tough nut, but I’m sure he’s a good copper. You have nothing at all to do with this kidnapping. It won’t take him long to come to the same conclusion.’

‘He doesn’t like me, Matt.’

‘I’d be very surprised if Fenner likes anyone.’ Matt laughed. ‘Especially the DCI, by the looks of it, so don’t get ideas above your station. You heard the way he spoke to Sergeant Keene, and he’s the most agreeable fellow you could hope to meet.’

Will remained unconvinced but dropped the subject. ‘So, we are safe from the cruel sea?’

‘It seems that way, though it wouldn’t hurt to check the garage and outbuildings and make sure that nothing valuable is left lying on the ground. The high wind will most likely be the main problem, and if the dykes should overflow, we could get a bit of excess water draining through.’ Matt wrinkled his brow. ‘Liz was going to come back here, but I told her to stay put and keep an eye on Cannon Farm. We are quite exposed up there on Tanners Fen. Oh, and she sends her love. She’s over the moon that they’ve found Sophie.’

Will thanked him. Whenever he thought of Sophie, he saw that terrified expression on her face. To distract himself from his thoughts, he asked about Emilia’s cottage.