Miller stopped the video. ‘I wanted you to see that you tried to save your daughter, Nick. You did all you could.’

‘If I did all I could, she’d be here with me now. I don’t want to see them take her.’ Nick grabbed the laptop, ready to slam it shut, shut away that video.

‘But I do,’ a voice said, startling them. Anna was behind, watching.

‘Anna—’ Nick started.

‘Don’t. I need to see it.’ She sat next to Nick and lifted his hand from the laptop screen. ‘I need to know what my daughter went through.’

Miller left them alone to digest what they’d seen, and to talk. But they didn’t get the chance. Into the detective’s void stepped Anna’s father, and immediately, which meant he’d probably been waiting for her to leave. Nick audibly groaned. Middleton took the nearest seat, which might have been for ease or because it was the furthest from him.

She hoped there wasn’t going to be an argument.

He put a glass of Coke on the table.

‘I was told by DS Bennet. The kidnappers are heading south. Maybe to Nottingham, right, Nick? Or London. You know people in both places.’

The hope vanished.

‘Don’t start,’ Nick said. ‘I’m trying to have a moment with my wife. Keep out of it.’

‘What are you accusing him of, Dad? Don’t you know how stupid it sounds to think Nick is involved in this? That’s his daughter. This video proves he’s innocent, that he’s a victim like Josie. Do you want to see it?’

In response, Nick slammed the laptop.

Middleton said, ‘That video doesn’t prove he didn’t tell people about my money.’

‘What are you saying?’ Nick said. ‘Just come out with it.’

‘You should leave,’ Anna hissed. ‘Go, please.’

‘You know exactly what, Nick. Come on, who did you tell? Maybe you told those dodgy biker friends of yours about how well off I am. You’ve been hurting ever since I cut you off—’

‘Bullshit,’ Nick cut in. ‘You didn’t cut me off from your precious money, and you know it. You cut Anna off. You think I can’t see right through you? You dream that every time we’re short of cash, she regrets the last ten years. When the washing machine breaks and we can’t afford to fix it, you pray Anna will regret not becoming a business tycoon. She’ll look at that pile of dirty washing and think how the great Larry Middleton was right all along.’

That clearly got to Middleton because he took a deep breath and a moment of careful consideration. ‘I think you told your cronies there was a way to make me hand some of my so-called precious money over. And your share would be half. For unlocking a patio door.’