‘He’s my son,’ Grant said. ‘Our son.’

‘But you don’t need to worry about Ethan anymore,’ Dani said with a sneer. ‘He won’t cause trouble for anyone now.’

Grant’s face twitched again. He knew what she meant. And Dani knew she was playing a dangerous game taunting him like that. But she had to push. Because if there was any chance he really hadn’t known about his wife and son’s dark secrets, and that he really did want to help – a flicker of hope – then she had to find out, and fast.

Grant took a step forwards. Dani tightened her grip on the bolt cutters further.

‘Another step and I’ll smash this into your skull,’ she said. ‘Then I’ll do it again and again until I’m certain you can’t hurt me anymore.’

‘Dani, I’m here to help. I really am. Please, let me.’

Hearing a murmur, Dani turned to Jason. His face was covered in blood. The open wound he’d already had up above his eye was now gaping.

‘Jason?’

Dani bent down and shook him gently, one eye still on Grant. He bent down next to Mary who was unmoving.

‘Don’t touch her!’ Dani shouted, straightening back up.

‘I need to see if she’s ok!’

‘No. You don’t.’

Grant slowly rose back to his feet, his face creased with anger. Mary still didn’t move at all.

‘Jason, come on, you need to get up,’ Dani prodded him with her foot.

‘I can help,’ Grant said. ‘My car’s here. I’ll get you both away.’

Jason went to sit up and Dani bent down again and put her hand under his armpit to help haul him up, the cutters still gripped tightly in her other hand. Despite his increasingly battered body, Jason was coming around again and was soon able to take his own weight. Dani took a quick glance around her. She spotted Grant’s car parked between hers and Jason’s. She had no idea where her own keys were.

‘Take out your car keys and throw them over,’ Dani said.

Grant didn’t respond.

‘Give me something, Steven. For fuck’s sake, your wife is a murderer and was about to chop us up and dissolve our bodies! If you really want me to believe that you’re here to help then you need to do as I say.’

‘Fine. Fine,’ he said. He reached into his trouser pocket, pulled out a set of keys and tossed them over. They bounced off Jason’s leg and onto the floor.

‘We’re going now,’ Dani said. ‘Don’t try to follow us.’

Grant didn’t move or even respond.

‘Maybe you should go and check on your son,’ Jason said, as he bent down to pick up the keys. ‘At least, what’s left of him.’

Dani saw the look on Grant’s face change, rage bursting through. He lunged forwards.