I want to pull off the mask and tell her everything is okay, but how can I? She’ll know who I was, and I’ll lose everything…
That prick of a husband of hers was right about one thing: She doesn’t struggle much. A feeble attempt to stamp on my foot, but that’s it. I don’t know why I threaten her. The truth is, I am more afraid than she is.
Putting the bag over her head is the worst part. I want to speed to the house, but I know that would be uncomfortable for her, so I force myself to drive slowly. Reaching the house is terrifying. I’m scared she’ll start screaming, and that all hell will break loose. But a threatening whisper in her ear does the trick.
I’m sweating so much, I’m sure she can smell it on me. The sweat of fear. I get her into the basement. The door swings shut and locks. Neal has fitted a Yale lock on the outside, so that once inside, Joanna can’t get out without the key.
I rush upstairs, locking the trapdoor behind me. At last, I can whip the balaclava off. My hair is soaked in sweat. I drink two glasses of water, then collapse into a kitchen chair.
What have I done?
Then I realise the van is still in the driveway. I hastily move it into the garage. I still have a few hours before I call Daniel Neal. So I go through Joanna’s bag, remove her phone and switch it off. I’ll take out the SIM card when I’ve called Neal.
There’s also a photo of her son in the bag. A sharp stab of guilt hits me. I remember him. Such a cute little boy. I set the photo to one side.
Chapter Seventy-Four
Joanna
My heart is shattered. I cannot process, or even comprehend, the notion that not only did my husband arrange my kidnapping, but also my murder.
I glance at Nev. He looks wrecked. ‘If I call the police,’ I say, ‘you’ll go to prison. It’ll be your word against Daniel’s. You could leave now.’
His gaze meets mine and, to my surprise, he smiles. ‘You’ll put me in it the minute I walk out the door.’
I shake my head. ‘No, Nev, I wouldn’t. You could have told that man where I was and then made a run for it, but you didn’t.’
He grimaces. ‘Daniel stitched me up. I’m not letting him walk away from that. I’ve lost everything; what more have I got to lose from doing the right thing?’
***
Neville
I knew it was all over from the day Joanna saw my face. I had to tell Neal.
After several glasses of wine, I phoned him. He replied immediately.
‘It’s all gone horribly wrong. We need to meet. Tonight,’ I said.
‘What do you mean bygone horribly wrong?’
‘We have to meet.’
There was a long pause before he replied, ‘We can’t be seen together. What’s happened?’
My heartbeat pounded in my ears. I had to tell him. ‘She saw my face. She knows it’s me.’
‘What the fuck?’ he thundered. ‘How the hell did that happen?’
‘When the guy came to read the meter. She got out and saw me. I’ve managed to get her back in the basement, but she’s been screaming abuse at me for ages. What are we going to do?’
‘Jesus! I don’t know. I’ll have to think it through. Fuck, how could you be so stupid? Everything was going to plan. Fuck it!’ he yelled.
I pulled the phone from my ear and waited for a moment of calm. ‘Maybe if you talked to her,’ I suggested.
‘Are you fuckinginsane? I’ll lose my kids. One of her friends is a bloody lawyer! I wouldn’t stand a chance. Let me think. I need to work something out. Fuck! How could you let this happen?’ He paused, presumably thinking, and then: ‘There’s a park at the end of Millwall Lane. Meet me there in thirty minutes. Use the burner phone to let me know when you’re there, and I’ll tell you where to find me.’
Fear gripped my stomach and I realised that I wasn’t sure I wanted to meet Daniel Neal. I couldn’t trust him. But what choice did I have, now?
