‘I’m okay with it. Detective Miller just said there’s probably been a delay of some kind. That’s why the kidnappers want to call us later. I’m sure their wanting me to bring the money is nothing to do with me.’

He wasn’t so sure, but couldn’t say anything that might worry her. He needed to keep her calm. He asked her to tell him all about Iceland’s famous rocket ship church. And as she spoke, he wrote inside the speech bubble:

I’m going nowhere today, Josie. Never again. Going to stay right by your side until you’re big and strong enough to take care of yourself.

Nine

For half an hour, Nick threw his fists and tried to relieve pressure with each powerful punch. When Anna had arrived home, they hadn’t let him say much more than a greeting. She needed to be debriefed while her memory was fresh. So he’d slipped down into the cold cellar to sluice away frustration on an old sofa cushion nailed to the bare brick wall. When his knuckles burned from the heavy impacts, he turned to the pull-up bar. He’d told someone to call him the moment he could have his wife back, but the first he knew of it was when her hands lay on his back as he hoisted himself up, teeth gritted, grunting with exertion and frustration. The shock made him release his grip and thud to the floor. He wanted to turn into her arms, but he didn’t want her to see the rage on his face. He needed to say something.

‘We have to prepare for the worst.’

Anna’s voice was sharp and confident. ‘No, Josie is coming home today.’

He grabbed the bar again. The effort was putting pain in his muscles and he needed that. Right now, unable to share his wife’s optimism, he needed his brain to focus on something other than the hole in his heart.

‘This is my fault,’ he moaned. ‘I was too weak. I did nothing. I couldn’t stop them from taking her. What if I can’t help her this time? I can’t promise.’

He felt her arms encircle his chest from behind. The extra weight felt good to power against. The extra pain. He wanted the pain. He deserved the pain, for his weakness.

‘Well, I will make you that promise,’ she said. ‘I’ll get our little lady home.’

Nick pushed open the door of the playroom and found Miller on her phone, her back to him. She was at the window, absently running a toy police car back and forth along the sill.

‘But I said I can’t, darling,’ she said, her voice cracking a little.

He stopped, realising he was listening to a personal call.