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    My eyes moved to a framed photograph on the wall. It had been taken last summer. The occasion was a barbecue in Vince’s garden. There was Maggie, Laura and me standing with Vince. Jennifer, his girlfriend, had taken the picture and it showed us all smiling and enjoying the sun.
    I stood back, took tentative steps along the landing, hearing nothing but the torrent of blood racing through my ears.
    But the other rooms were also empty and it didn’t look as though they had been ransacked.
    I dashed back downstairs and into the kitchen. I was shocked and stunned all over again by the sight of Vince lying on the floor.
    I went to the sink, dropped the knife into it, splashed water on my face. My head was spinning again and the emotions were rolling inside me. I had to get a grip before calling the police. I needed to be coherent when I told them what had happened.
    Suddenly my mobile went off. I plucked it out of the front pocket of my jeans. Maggie’s ID flashed at me.
    I stalled for a couple of seconds as I tried to summon the courage to tell her what I’d found. My hand shook and my breath was coming in short, sharp gasps.
    I swallowed hard, flipped the phone open, said, ‘Maggie.’
    A brief pause on the line and then a man’s voice. ‘This isn’t Maggie.’
    My whole body tensed.
    ‘Who are you?’ I said. ‘Where’s my wife?’
    ‘Your wife and daughter are with me,’ he said. ‘I’m about to take them out of the house.’
    A raw, sick feeling churned the acid in the pit of my stomach.
    ‘What are you talking about?’ I managed.
    ‘If you do as you are told then no harm will come to them,’ he said. ‘If you don’t then they’ll be killed just like your friend.’
     
    A searing lance of pain erupted in my chest. I started to speak but a strangled sound came out.
    ‘Listen carefully,’ the man said, his voice husky and neutral. ‘I’m only going to say this once.’
    ‘Who the fuck are you?’ I yelled. ‘What’s going on?’
    ‘Calm down, Cain. It won’t help anyone if you lose your head now. You need to stay strong and focused for the sake of your family. Do you understand?’
    No, I didn’t understand. How could I? My best friend had been murdered and my wife and daughter were apparently being kidnapped. It made no sense at all. It was crazy. Ridiculous. Stupid. Totally fucking unreal.
    ‘I said do you understand?’
    Who was this guy? How did he know my name and where I lived? What was he planning to do to my family?
    ‘If you harm my wife and daughter so help me I’ll—’
    ‘You’ll what, Cain? Come after me. I don’t see how that would be possible since you have no idea who I am. So don’t bother to make idle threats. It’ll just sap your strength and that won’t help you in the days ahead.’
    I fought the urge to scream into the phone. I closed my eyes and said, ‘I want to speak to my wife.’
    ‘Later,’ he said. ‘Right now I want you to confirm that you understand what I just told you – of the need to stay strong and do as you’re told.’
    I sucked in air and felt bile burn my throat. Blood pounded through me at a rate of knots.
    ‘All right,’ I said. ‘I understand. Just don’t hurt them. Please.’
    ‘That’s good. Very sensible. You obviously love your wife and daughter a great deal.’
    ‘Of course I do. They mean everything to me.’
    ‘I realize that. It’s why I’m convinced you’ll co-operate.’
    ‘So what do you want me to do?’
    He left it a beat and said, ‘I want you to keep your mouth shut about your partner’s ticket.’
    ‘His what?’
    ‘The lottery ticket, Cain. I know he told you about it. But you must not tell anyone else. Certainly not the police. If anyone finds out you’ll never see your wife and kid again.’
    The lottery ticket. I’d forgotten all about it. It was the reason I’d come rushing over to Vince’s place and naturally it had vanished from my thoughts the moment I stepped into the kitchen.
    ‘Is