She let a few minutes go by so he wouldn’t think she had an escape plan, then ate. Not long after that, Dominic said the words Boot time and Ball Cap tapped her head with his foot.

‘It’s late, missus, and we need sleep. I can either sleep on top of you, or you can go in the boot.’

‘Don’t mess around,’ Dominic said.

‘And I sleep naked. So, me on top or the boot?’

She wanted neither. ‘I won’t run. I came to you. I want my daughter back.’

‘I know you won’t run. You’ll be in the boot. Or under me.’

‘Boot,’ she croaked.

She heard a thump. Ball Cap grabbed her ponytail and lifted her up. She fought to get her arms under her and struggled to her knees. Ball Cap had collapsed part of the seat to expose the boot. In the darkness of the car, it was a black mouth she didn’t want any part of.

‘What are you, a vampire? I invite you into my boot.’ He swept a hand like a concierge displaying the penthouse suite.

She climbed over the back seat, into the black mouth. The carpet was rough and smelled of timber, and the fibres were studded with a billion splinters. He told her to lie with her back to him, hands behind her. She did and he slipped a piece of fabric around her wrists.

Then his weight was on her and she feared he was going to kiss her good night, but he reached out to prop an electronic tablet against the rear of the car, right in front of her face. On the screen was a paused YouTube video called Hilarious Cats.

‘Dead funny, that. Don’t laugh too loud, okay? Oh, and if you scream for help, your kid will end up doing the same.’

He shut the mouth. Thankfully, the tablet prevented total blackness. Behind the wall, she heard Ball Cap shifting about, getting comfortable. She heard the click of the driver’s seat reclining as Dominic prepared for bed, too.

As the two men settled, she closed her eyes and said, ‘I will turn the page.’

Fifteen

Afterwards, she got thanked for her concern, but it wasn’t for the child. It was because she couldn’t fathom the horror of letting someone else get hurt by her car.