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Chapters (134)
  1. Cover
  2. ALSO BY J.S. MONROE
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright
  5. Dedication
  6. Epigraph
  7. Contents
  8. One week earlier
  9. 1
  10. Friday
  11. 2
  12. Saturday
  13. 3
  14. 4
  15. 5
  16. 6
  17. 7
  18. 8
  19. 9
  20. 10
  21. 11
  22. 12
  23. 13
  24. 14
  25. 15
  26. 16
  27. 17
  28. 18
  29. 19
  30. 20
  31. 21
  32. Sunday
  33. 22
  34. 23
  35. 24
  36. 25
  37. 26
  38. 27
  39. 28
  40. 29
  41. 30
  42. 31
  43. 32
  44. 33
  45. 34
  46. 35
  47. 36
  48. 37
  49. 38
  50. 39
  51. 40
  52. 41
  53. 42
  54. 43
  55. 44
  56. 45
  57. 46
  58. 47
  59. 48
  60. 49
  61. Monday
  62. 50
  63. 51
  64. 52
  65. 53
  66. 54
  67. 55
  68. 56
  69. 57
  70. 58
  71. 59
  72. 60
  73. 61
  74. 62
  75. 63
  76. 64
  77. 65
  78. 66
  79. 67
  80. 68
  81. 69
  82. 70
  83. 71
  84. 72
  85. 73
  86. 74
  87. 75
  88. 76
  89. 77
  90. Tuesday
  91. 78
  92. 79
  93. 80
  94. 81
  95. 82
  96. 83
  97. 84
  98. 85
  99. 86
  100. 87
  101. 88
  102. 89
  103. 90
  104. 91
  105. 92
  106. 93
  107. 94
  108. 95
  109. 96
  110. 97
  111. 98
  112. 99
  113. 100
  114. 101
  115. 102
  116. 103
  117. 104
  118. 105
  119. 106
  120. 107
  121. 108
  122. 109
  123. 110
  124. 111
  125. One week later
  126. 112
  127. 113
  128. 114
  129. 115
  130. One month later
  131. 116
  132. Acknowledgements
  133. About the author
  134. An Invitation from the Publisher

He still can’t be sure it was Kate, but her hand movements were familiar. In the early days, when they’d drunk too much on the narrowboat, she would stand on the bow and wave energetically at passing boats, putting her whole body into it, determined to get at least a smile in return, even from the grumpiest passers-by. It was a private joke of theirs.

He has no idea how he can reach the house. It’s also much further away than he thought. There was no way in through the main gate, which he observed from a distance, and the perimeter fence is too high and monitored by CCTV. Approaching from the sea is his only hope.

He loves Kate more than ever, will never take her for granted again. ‘We could go somewhere if you like,’ the woman in the Swindon shopping centre said. He flushes at the memory of it. One stupid moment. Her mouth tasted bitter, like yarrow.

He looks across the bay, then bends down to pluck some moist samphire shoots pushing through the sand. He’s starving, but there’s no time to forage properly. It’s up to him now. DI Hart said there was nothing more they can do, at least for the moment. If a couple who look like Rob and Kate have walked into a police station in the UK, Jake has only one option left. He glances at the boats again and starts to run towards them, wishing he were fitter, praying that he’s not already too late.

107

Kate

Kate watches as the woman in the nurse’s outfit comes towards her and Putin, studiously avoiding eye contact. Does Putin control her too? As if on cue, he pulls out the remote. But for who? He stares at the woman’s firm figure, making no effort to be subtle, before checking his phone again. The woman immediately looks up at Kate, giving the faintest nod in the direction of the main door.

Did Kate imagine it? Her stomach starts to churn. What does the woman mean? Kate heard the door lock behind them when they arrived; it clicked with a sickening finality.

The woman turns to smile at Putin, who appears surprised, flattered. It must be the first time she’s paid him any attention. The woman smiles again, coquettishly this time, and starts to walk towards him, hips swaying shamelessly as she passes close by Kate, one hand holding the clipboard across her chest, the other down by her side. Kate feels the plastic card before she sees it, brushing her hand. A card like the one Putin used to let them in.