‘No, but they just kidnapped her – they’re not going to let her put that up as a Facebook update.’

‘You said you were waiting for them to call you. Perhaps you should take the first step.’

‘Huh. Perhaps I should.’ He called Nina’s number.

To his surprise, it was answered. It was not his wife’s voice, though. ‘Chase?’ said Miller cautiously.

‘Yeah. Where’s Nina?’

‘She’s here, with me.’ There was an echoing background noise; the sound of an aircraft in flight.

‘Let me talk to her.’

‘Ah . . . okay, but before you do, let me tell you what’s going to happen—’

‘What’s going to happen is that I will hunt you down and pull your tongue out via your arsehole if you hurt her,’ Eddie growled. ‘I’ve killed richer people than you, so don’t think I’m bluffing. Where is she?’

‘She’s, she’s right here. Hold on.’ The echo changed as the phone was put into speaker mode.

‘Nina, you there?’ Eddie asked.

‘Eddie! Yeah, I’m here,’ she replied.

‘You okay?’

‘That son of a bitch Harhund zapped me with a Taser, but I’m fine now. They took me to the Miller building and we got a helicopter to the airport. We’re in his private jet. Pretty small one, I expected it to be bigger.’

Miller’s annoyance at having his planehood disparaged was practically audible. Eddie grinned. ‘Where are you going?’

‘We’re going to Queenstown,’ said Miller, reasserting himself. ‘And that’s where you’ll be coming too. Now, wait.’

A pause, then Eddie heard him muttering in the background. ‘What’s going on?’

‘He’s called someone else,’ Nina told him. ‘I’d imagine it’s whoever’s really behind whatever’s going on – the person who paid Harhund to raid the iceberg after Donny botched things in Germany.’

‘Great, another arse to kick.’

‘All right, be quiet,’ said Miller irritably. The other conversation had not left him in a good mood. ‘Now here’s the deal. Chase: you bring us the key. Professor Wilde: you use the key. If it works, we let you both go.’

‘What do you want it for?’ Eddie demanded.

‘To coin a phrase, none of your fucking business.’ Miller sounded far too pleased at turning the Englishman’s words back upon him. ‘Once you—’ He broke off in response to something Eddie couldn’t hear, muttering again.

‘You know,’ said Nina with clear amusement, ‘I think he’s being told off for swearing.’

Eddie laughed. ‘Who’s he talking to, his mum?’