9.18 a.m.

Miller took Anna out to her car and showed her its new features. A Rewire Security magnetic tracker, for one. Three microphones and three cameras, one for each front seat and one covering the back. But Anna was more interested in watching the twitching curtains along the street, and a guy who came out to pop his bonnet for unnecessary work, and a woman who felt her wheelie bin needed dragging a couple of inches back, and another guy who forwent a sham and just planted his feet on his garden path and stared. Now that it was morning proper, the street was beginning to feel the buzz of something big happening at number 44. She felt better for being wrapped in glass and metal.

‘Don’t worry about them,’ Miller said. ‘I wanted them to see you. See you’re looking okay. Apologies for the trick. I’m buying the car, if anyone asks.’

‘I don’t want cameras,’ Anna said, shivering.

‘Dear, it’s just a precaution. When you get where you’re going, there’s a chance the kidnapper might want to get in the car.’

She forgot the neighbours. ‘Why would he do that?’

Miller touched Anna’s hand, which lay limp on her thigh. ‘It’s just in case. You may be told to drive somewhere. Apologies. We just don’t know, but we need to cover such things.’

‘No cameras.’

‘I’m afraid we have to insist. Also, you’ll wear a body mic and camera.’

Anna was shocked. ‘You think they’ll want to take me somewhere?’

‘Again, apologies, but it’s possible. But we’ll be protecting you. We’ll have people within range.’

She didn’t care about that. She just couldn’t shake the feeling that something would go wrong. She’d been hoping Josie would be back with her very soon. The thought of trickery, or even just a delay, was unbearable.

‘And we’ll be in contact with you throughout—’

‘No. No talking. Not unless it’s absolutely vital. I’ll need to concentrate if I’m driving. I mean it. No damn chatter.’

Miller gave her a long stare, clearly trying to examine this outburst. Anna saw slightly bloodshot eyes. The lady was starting to look like a zombie from lack of sleep, even though Anna had had less over the last twenty-four hours.

‘Let’s head on back in, dear. Give your neighbours a wave, would you. Keep them calm.’

She wasn’t sure she could do this. She took deep breaths as she exited the car. Up the street, wheelie-bin woman waved. Anna knew her neighbour was hoping for a gossip breakfast. She waved back, just to keep up the pretence of nothing going on here.

9.21 a.m.