‘In UK law we have a thing called diminished responsibility, there’s every chance you could get a reduced sentence because of that.’ Adrian had no idea if Finn’s case qualified, but he had to keep talking to him. He was opening up and if Adrian could gain his trust then he might give up the name of the person in charge. The cracks were beginning to show.

The sound of something dropping in the kitchen startled them all, their heads snapping around in unison. Was there someone else in the house?

‘Who’s there?’ Adrian shouted, but less than a second later, Finn hit him across the face.

‘Shut up.’ He darted out of the room to investigate.

Adrian looked back over to Parker, who had just been observing their interaction; Adrian wondered if Finn had any idea what Parker could do to him. While Finn may know who Parker was in terms of this particular case, he had no idea what he was really capable of, not the magnitude of it. How could he? It was entirely likely that Finn hadn’t seen the video of what Parker had done to Robert Coley. It didn’t seem as though Gillian Mitchell or the other teachers had particularly shared any information with their acolytes. Adrian was sure if Finn had seen the video he might have used significantly more duct tape to secure him. Clattering noises came from the kitchen, followed by the sound of Finn shouting. It became apparent soon after that he was on the phone again, demanding some instructions on how to deal with his prisoners.

‘You’re very calm, given the situation,’ Adrian said to Parker.

‘I’ve been in worse.’

‘We could die here. That doesn’t bother you?’

‘Detective Miles, I know that you have been in other predicaments where you feared you might die, correct?’

‘Yes, I have.’

‘Growing up, I was forced to face my own mortality on a daily basis. I would wake up and know for certain that today was going to be the day I was going to die. I have woken up strapped to chairs before, more terrifying chairs than this. Even after I was no longer in imminent danger, that feeling does not leave you. So far, I have never been right, but this? This is not even in my top ten list of life-threatening situations.’

‘I can’t even imagine what it must have been like for you,’ Adrian said. Coming from an abusive background himself, he probably felt too much empathy for what Parker had been through. It didn’t seem to matter what Parker did, Adrian would never forget the images he had seen of what had happened to him as a child. Maybe Adrian identified with Parker and maybe that’s why he couldn’t give him up.

‘It’s all behind me now. Can I ask you something, Detective?’

‘I guess.’

‘As you know, I am about to become a father. That is more terrifying to me than any experience I have had so far. You have a child. Does it get any easier?’