‘I’m sorry,’ said Jez sadly.

Abs had heard enough and he hurried back to the girl, to pluck frantically at the knots of rope at her wrists.

‘We can’t let her go, she’s seen me,’ Jez said behind him. ‘What can I do to make it better?’

‘Go to the police and tell them,’ Abs said over his shoulder. ‘Admit what you’ve done.’

‘I can’t,’ said Jez. ‘I’m going to be a father, it’ll break Bethany’s heart.’

‘I’m not asking you, bruv, I’m telling you. We’re going to the feds.’ He felt a knot finally loosen and freed one of Sarah’s hands. ‘We’re going to tell them about this poor girl… and you’re going to confess… and…’

‘Please don’t.’ Jez wrung his hands. ‘I won’t do it again, you have my word, but please don’t do this.’

‘Yeah, and what’ll you do with her?’ Abs pointed at the tarpaulin against the wall, which was unfurled to reveal digging equipment – spades and forks. ‘Planning on doing some night gardening while you’re here, were ya? How many are there, Jez, buried around here, tell me that.’

‘Two.’ Jez wracked his brains. ‘No, three.’

‘Help me!’ The girl clung to Abs.

‘You’re okay,’ Abs told her, getting both her hands free. ‘You’re safe now.’

‘She knows who we are.’ Jez hopped anxiously from foot to foot. ‘She’s seen us, she knows our names, we can’t let her go now.’

‘You’re him,’ said Sarah in shock. ‘You’re Abs.’

He helped the girl to her feet and turned to Jez.

‘You ain’t touching her, you sick bastard. Trust me on that, you ain’t coming near her.’

Jez began to cry. ‘Just let me do it, this one last time. One final time and then I promise I’ll stop, I won’t touch anyone else.’ He put his hand over his heart. ‘You have my word.’

‘You’ve broken my heart,’ Abs told him in anger, and sadness, and he squeezed the girl’s shoulders. ‘I want you to run, as fast as you can, and don’t look back.’

He led her outside, but Jez followed them, saying, ‘We’ve got to kill her.’

Abs picked up a chunky tree branch and held it like a weapon in front of him. ‘We’re going to let her go, Jez.’

‘She knows who we are!’

‘Run,’ Abs shouted at the girl. ‘Just go.’

Sarah Tovey didn’t need asking twice and started to move. But as Abs watched her, the branch was grabbed from him. His head exploded with pain and the next thing he knew, he was face down in the dirty mud. He heard Sarah scream as Jez grabbed her.

She thrashed in his grip as Abs got to his feet, his head spinning, and lurched forward, grabbing Jez from behind, pulling him to the ground.