"Who is this?"

"I told you, it's Niall."

The phone went dead and returned to the dialling tone. I kicked myself for not remembering our codephrase and re-dialled.

"h.e.l.lo?" Katherine answered more cautiously "Katherine, how is the dog? "

"Niall, it is you. Why didn't you say?"

"I'm sorry, I forgot. You did the right thing, though, to put the phone down."

"We're being very cautious. We had a strange call yesterday and I've been screening them ever since. "

"What do you mean, strange?"

"It was on Alex's mobile. She had it with her even though it wasn't enabled for international. She knew she wouldn't be able to call anyone, but she was hoping to be able to text her friends."

"Who called her?"

"We don't know. It was this strange hollow voice. Alex answered it and spoke to them. She said they told her they had news of a gift she was going to receive and they wanted to bring it to her. She told them she was away on holiday, but they insisted they would bring it to her wherever she was. Niall? Are you there? "

"Yes. I'm here." If they had found a way to reach Alex then things were worse than I thought. "Did she tell them where you were?"

"No. She thought it was one of those compet.i.tions that are always ringing up trying to make you call expensive numbers. She just told them she didn't want anything and hung up."

"Thank goodness for that. Did they ring back?"

"Not so far. She's had it switched off, though, as she can't text her friends and it was just wasting the battery."

"Don't let her switch it back on. In fact, take it off her."

"I can't do that, Niall. It's her phone. She saved up for it."

"Well, tell her not to turn it on until I tell her it's safe. Make her promise."

"I can tell her, but you know what she's like. She can't be out of touch for five minutes without getting withdrawal symptoms."

"Tell her it's important. No. Better still, I'll tell her. Put her on, would you?"

"I will, in a moment. She wants to speak to you anyway. Are you all right?"

I was touched by the concern in her voice. "I'm fine. Did you get away OK? No problems?"

"What's happening, Niall? What's going on?"

"It's complicated, but we're sorting it out. I think it will be OK. Just bear with me."

"Niall, this better not be some sort of joke."

"It isn't, really. You're somewhere out of the country, yes?"

"Yes. We need to be back for Monday morning, though."

"Not unless I call you first, to let you know it's safe, OK?"

"I have to get her back for school, Niall. We can't stay here."

"No. You stay where you are until I let you know it's clear. I don't care about school or anything else. Just trust me, OK?" There was silence on the other end of the line. "Katherine?"

"OK, but you'll call me as soon as you can. You won't just leave me hanging here?"

"As soon as it's clear. I promise."

"Don't do anything stupid."

Normally that admonition would have sparked a harsh come-back, but I could hear the worry in her voice. "I won't. Take care of yourselves. "

"We will. I'll put her on now."

There was some background noise as the phone was pa.s.sed across.

"Dad?"

"I'm here."

"Dad, are you all right?"

"Yes, I'm OK. I'm fine."

"Mum said you were in some sort of trouble."

"It's nothing I can't handle, I just don't want you and your mum dragged into it, that's all."

"She said someone was trying to hurt you."

"They tried, babe, but I'm ahead of them. Listen to me, now. I want you to keep your phone switched off while you're there, OK? It doesn't work abroad, anyway. "

"But it's working. It rang."

"That's why you have to switch it off, sweetheart. "

"But, Dad?"

"Alex, please. This is important. I don't want anyone to know where you've gone until I've sorted things out and they might use the phone to find you, understand? You have to do this for me. "

"OK, I'll switch it off."

"Give the battery to your mum for safe keeping and then it won't switch on by mistake, OK. "