Justin had parked as close as he could to the apartment block he’d previously followed Radley to, and was now walking away from his car, his intention to have a quiet word with the piece of scum that walked around in the guise of a man. He thought of Alicia, his chest constricting as he pictured what she might have gone through, even without knowing the details. It still hurt that she had lied to him, but now he was pained because she’d felt she’d had to. That was on him, not her. He needed to put it right – or try to. To listen to her, if she wanted to talk. To be there, if she didn’t. Assuming Radley didn’t report him, that was. Justin had an idea he wouldn’t, given the implications for himself. He wasn’t quite sure how this would go yet, what he would do to him, though the temptation to give in to his anger was overwhelming – show the bastard what it was like to be raped with a very intrusive object and then castrate him and render him truly powerless.

Possibly not a good idea if he did want to be there for Alicia and find Sophie. But the threat might be sufficient. The knowledge that Justin could render him helpless any time he wanted to might give Radley an inkling of how he’d made Alicia feel. Had there been other women? Probably. It wouldn’t be enough – not nearly enough – to quash the burning rage inside him, but Justin supposed it would have to do.

Hearing his phone ring, he checked the number. Not Alicia. Jessica. She’d already called once, leaving him a message: an attempt at an apology for misreading the signs. He’d rung her back and told her it wasn’t a good idea to call him again, as reasonably as he could. And now here she was, doing just that. Sighing, Justin hesitated, and then thinking that it might actually have something to do with Alicia, he took the call.

‘Justin, you need to do something. She’s going to meet him,’ Jessica said immediately.

‘What?’ His stomach turning over, Justin stopped in his tracks.

‘She’s going to meet him,’ Jessica repeated frantically. ‘He said she should go alone. I don’t know what to do. I’ve tried to convince her to let me go with her, to call you, but she won’t. Justin, he has her.’

Reeling on his feet, Justin told her to slow down. He couldn’t keep up with her. Couldn’t make sense of it. Couldn’t breathe.

‘Sophie!’ Jessica cried. ‘Paul Radley has her! He has her passport, too. Alicia thinks he must have taken it from the house when he was there. You have to do something, Justin.’

Sophie? Justin’s heart careered to a stop in his chest – and then kicked back hard. ‘Where?’ he asked, his emotions colliding, his adrenaline pumping, his mind focussing.

Breathe, he commanded himself, sucking air deep into his lungs. Ignoring the pain that seared through his chest.

‘At his apartment – Central Plaza, 153b. Eight o’clock. He sent Alicia a photo of Sophie. It could only have been taken by him.’

Justin’s gut twisted violently. ‘What kind of photo?’

‘Nothing explicit,’ Jessica said quickly, clearly understanding his meaning. ‘She was sleeping. He’d placed her passport next to her. He’s obviously trying to tell to Alicia that he’ll take her away if she doesn’t turn up. Oh God, Justin, I have no idea what to—’

‘How do you know where he lives?’ Justin demanded.

‘I… don’t. I saw it… on the text,’ Jessica stuttered. ‘The address, I—’

Right, and she’d just reeled it straight off. Bullshit! ‘How long have you been in contact with him, Jessica?’ he asked her, barely controlling his temper. ‘How long have you been feeding information to the man who raped your sister?’

‘I haven’t!’ Jessica denied vehemently. ‘I would never do that. I—’

‘You’re full of shit, do you know that, Jessica?’

‘He’s an old friend,’ Jessica said. ‘I could hardly lie to him if he asked me something outright.’

Justin laughed, astounded that she was trying to justify what she’d done. ‘No, you couldn’t lie to save your life, could you, Jess?’

‘Justin, this isn’t about me.’ Jessica tried a new tack. ‘What do you want me to do? Should I call the police?’

‘I think you’ve done enough, Jessica,’ Justin pointed out contemptuously. ‘Stay out of it. As in, stay away from my family, full stop.’

Attempting to regulate his breathing as he ended the call, Justin tried to think with the mind of an animal intent on its prey. Radley had dangled the bait: a photo of a lost daughter sent to her mother. Bastard! Justin clamped his jaw hard. Would he have Sophie with him, knowing there was even a chance Alicia might call the police? Possibly, but wasn’t it more likely he would be holding her somewhere else? That he would want to get Alicia in that apartment alone?

That thought slicing through him like a knife, Justin made his decision. The police might do something; they might do nothing. Either way, they were unlikely to turn up here and arrest the bastard. They might ask Radley some questions, might even ask him to go to the station. Would he admit to having Sophie though? To his perverse fucking intentions, which Justin had no doubt he had? Would he tell them where she was?

Not likely. At least not immediately.

And that, as far as Justin was concerned, was the critical factor. Assuming the police would even take any action, did Sophie have time on her side?

Justin checked his watch, calculating how long it might take Alicia to get here. It was the tail end of rush hour. Luck on his side, it might take her a while. He was already in situ. He needed to move. He needed to move now. Get to the bastard before Alicia arrived.