“The police won’t find us, Emily,” he said.

“I have the ledger,” I said, hoping to stop him. “Charles gave me the audits. It’s over.”

There was a brief silence on the other end.

I could hear the sound of a car engine revving in the background.

“You think you’ve won,” Daniel said, his tone turning cold.

“Bring them back,” I pleaded.

“Look at your phone, Emily,” he said.

The line went dead.

I pulled the phone away from my ear.

A picture message had just arrived from the unknown number.

I tapped the screen to open it.

It was a photo taken from the back seat of Daniel’s SUV.

Lucas and Mason were sitting side by side, their faces pale and frightened.

In the background, out the car window, I could see the distinctive brick arches of the private airfield terminal.

Underneath the photo was a text message.

*Say goodbye to your mother,* it read.

I stopped running, the rain soaking through my coat.

I looked up at the grey sky, my chest heaving.

The private airfield was only fifteen minutes away.