'Hello... who's there?’
‘Mrs Collins, it's Leighton, from next door.’
‘It's very late to be calling. Is everything ok?’
'No, I'm afraid not.'
'What's the matter? Do you need me to pop round?'
'No! please don't. I just need you to listen to me very carefully. I've got myself in to something serious and I really need your help.'
'Yes, of course.'
‘Firstly, please don't panic, and secondly, you must not tell any of this to your husband. Ok?’

…… 'That won’t be a problem. He’s upstairs asleep.’

‘Good. In about 15 minutes you must be in bed with him….
The doorbell will ring….
Only he must go to the door….
He will be confronted by a hooded man and he will have a gun…
He wants to kidnap your husband and you must let him, otherwise I will be going to prison for terrible things, that I haven’t done.’
‘Oh my God, your scaring me. What are you mixed up in?’
‘It's too complicated to explain.’
‘Where are you?’
‘I can't say.’
‘Who is this man?’
‘I can't say.’
‘And I'm not to tell my husband any of this?’
‘No, you mustn’t.’
‘Then how on earth do you expect me to agree to it? ……He'd be walking straight in to a trap!’
‘I wish there was another way, but there isn’t. I have nowhere else to turn…… I really need your help............... Hello?...... Are you there? ....... Can you hear me? …… Hang on! I'll call you back.’


11 Days earlier…

Chapter 1

A Window Cleaner with a briefcase? That's odd, I thought, as I closed the door. Well he certainly seems like a good possibility. Window Cleaners always have plenty of cash on hand too, so that would work well to my advantage.
I returned to the living-room, sank down in to...