She tried to snatch it, but was too slow. ‘I didn’t say Josie. I pray they don’t want to hurt Josie, because she’s an innocent child. She doesn’t know anything. But you know enough to send Eastman down. It’s you who’s in danger, Anna. I think they’ll kill you once they have this disk. Eastman has got too much to lose. His people will kill you so his secret stays safe. You ran away from home, didn’t you? The police will think you fled the country or something to avoid prison.’

She said nothing.

‘Anna, we give this to the police and we tell them everything. And we just have to hope Josie is let go. I hate the idea of antagonising these people, but we can’t give them the disk. It’s got to go to the police now. No more running and lying.’

He was taken aback when she immediately said, ‘Okay. You’re right.’

They composed themselves and walked downstairs, where Nick planned to use the phone in reception. The concierge smiled as they appeared, and asked no questions. And that was when it happened.

She put her fingers in his eyes, and while he was distracted the disk was snatched from his hand.

‘Help me,’ she yelled.

A trick, he realised. He grabbed her hand as she ran for the door, but someone then grabbed him. The big concierge, who clearly doubled as security given his bulk and strength and speed, twisted Nick’s arm behind his back and swept out his legs. He hit the marble floor hard enough to lose his breath.

‘Anna! No. Stop.’

But she didn’t stop. She slapped the button to release the door and barged it open, and vanished.

Upon exiting, Anna stopped on the marble steps and took a breath to prepare herself for the next stage. She would walk the forty metres along the Strand, and then she would stop level with the side street where the car was parked. But instead of heading down, she would cross the road and from the far side, the safe side, she would call out over the heads of pedestrians with no knowledge of the terror in her heart. She would order the Ogres to fetch her daughter. And they would have to do it. No choice. No way could they abduct her in plain sight of hundreds of people. And Josie would be brought—

‘A disk?’ Ball Cap said, appearing out of nowhere like a spirit and clamping his hand around her arm. No one saw, or they saw and didn’t care. He took the disk from her fingers. ‘Aw, I just have to know what’s on this.’

‘When I get my daughter. I want her right now.’

‘Well, maybe we should stop standing around here waiting for Superman to rescue you, eh?’