‘It explains why she didn’t want the police involved,’ Middleton said. ‘I hate to say it, but I remember thinking how weak I considered her because of it. A man tries to rob her, and she’s distraught for days, and then decides she needs to get out of London. And throw away her job.’

But Jane was silent. Nick put his hand on her shoulder. It made her jump and prompted: ‘She told me that she wanted to have children and bring them up in a quieter city. But I thought…’

He didn’t know what to say. Middleton broke the silence again. ‘So this is why Anna ran. Because she thinks the police will arrest her. Do you think she hopes to solve this herself? That she can get Josie back and the police will never know what she did?’

‘Yes,’ Nick said.

‘This hit-and-run. So many years ago. Why now? How is this connected to my granddaughter being taken?’

‘The police think Dominic Watson-Bruce knows what Anna did. Somehow he found out, and he contacted a family member or friend of one of the… hikers.’ He was careful not to use the word dead. Never again.

‘And these people, they heard his wild tale and decided, rather than expose her, they would threaten Anna for money to get some kind of revenge?’ He was shaking his head, totally unconvinced. It was indeed a bizarre story. But his next words were delivered quietly, his face grim, and Nick knew Middleton had suddenly reversed his denial. ‘Was this why they kidnapped my granddaughter? Was this so that I would be forced to pay? They knew I had money and they chose that instead. So I caused this after all.’

‘It’s not just about money.’

This was the part he had been least looking forward to, even over telling Jane and Middleton that their family member was a killer.

‘The money might have been Dominic’s pay for information, for help, but they got the money. And still they got Anna to run.’

Both were intent on him, even though Jane’s eyes saw nothing. He took a deep breath.

‘I think they want her to do something. I think taking Josie was to make sure she did it. I think the police turned up and ruined their plan, so they got a secret message to her somehow, somewhere. She ran right around the time I delivered the money. She didn’t wait. Her message to Jane said she knew what they wanted. She waited until everyone was distracted by following the money, and that’s when she ran. Because she had to do this alone. And they wanted her alone.’

Middleton almost shrieked. ‘You’re talking about revenge, aren’t you? They’ve fooled Anna into thinking she can get Josie back, but that isn’t it. She’s running into a trap. They want to hurt her. They want payback for killing their children.’