‘Because I don’t want to set any alarm bells ringing. If Jordan has told the local cops what she knows and I don’t show up for the TV show when I’m supposed to, they might realize that I’m leaving town. And we might not make it out of the country.’

‘Fine. Do the TV. But leave that asshole Hill alone.’

‘No way. He’s going to die.’

‘Tadzio, he’s going to die anyway. He’s tied up like a Christmas parcel, he’s got his own underpants stuffed in his mouth for a gag. He’s got broken bones and no clothes on. And nobody knows where he is. He’s going to die a very slow and painful death.’

Tadeusz shook his head. ‘Not good enough. I want to see him die. I’m not taking any chances with that.’

‘Did you kill her?’ Krasic finally found the nerve to ask.

Tadeusz looked out of the window. ‘No. That’s why I’ve got to kill him. Let her live with what it feels like to lose the person you love when they’ve done nothing to deserve it. But don’t worry, Darko. She’s not in any fit state to set the dogs on us. I left her trussed like a chicken.’

There really was no answer to that, Krasic thought. Tadzio was out of control, and there was no arguing with him when he was in this frame of mind. He remembered it too well from the period after Katerina’s death. All he could do was try to exercise some damage limitation.

‘OK,’ he said. ‘But we make it quick and clean. I want to be on the road by midnight.’

‘Don’t worry, we will be.’

Krasic slowed down as he approached the barrier in front of the TV station car park. He sincerely hoped he wasn’t hearing famous last words.

*   *   *

In the end, she had pretended to pass out. It hadn’t been much of a stretch, for by then Carol had only been clinging to consciousness by a thread. She listened to him moving around the bedroom, getting dressed, heard his footsteps in the hall and then the merciful slam of the apartment door.

Only then did she let the tears come. Hot and heavy, they dripped from her lids, sliding down her temples to mingle with the sweat that plastered her hair to her head. She hadn’t let him see her cry. It was the tiniest shred of victory, but it was enough to save her from feeling utterly destroyed.

Not that she was feeling anything much right then. It was as if by invading her Radecki had simultaneously hollowed her out. And the physical pain helped. It was something to focus on. Her raped, sodomized, and battered body provided plenty to keep her occupied.