Page 131 of The Black Trilogy

They rode on in a tense silence until Nick’s phone buzzed, and the woman’s voice Luke heard earlier filled the cabin.

“Time’s ten twenty-six, Nicky. So, tell me, who got the pool?”

“Pool?”

“I’m crazy, not freaking stupid.”

“Fine, it was Luther.”

“Didn’t he win the last one, too?”

“Yeah, he’s always lucky with these things.”

“Gotta go. Jason’s just turned up. See you in a minute.”

Nick turned to Luke. “Told you she’d be fine.”

“That was Ash?”

The woman on the radio had sounded so different from the Ash Luke knew, confident and self-assured in contrast to his Ash’s sweet hesitancy.

“Yeah, it was. She changes her accent more times than she changes her mind.”

Why would she need to do that? Luke was about to ask when Nick pointed out their destination just ahead.

“We’re heading for a clearing just around that bend.”

When they arrived, Nick held Luke to his promise and made him stay in the vehicle. Luke watched Jason and another policeman ask Ash questions as she perched on the bonnet of their car, eyes downcast. Was she okay? Had the kidnapper hurt her? He looked over at the van, slewed at an angle with its doors wide open. Was that the kidnapper on the ground next to it? Luke pressed his face against the glass to get a better look. Yes, it was him in the black hoodie. Howard.

“Is he dead?” Luke asked, pointing.

“Don’t think so,” Nick said. “He’s got cuffs on. Those cops next to him are waiting for him to come round.”

Luke’s hands curled into fists as he thought of what he’d like to do to the man. How dare he hurt Luke’s family? If the police hadn’t been present, he’d have marched right over and punched him, but instead, he had to settle for watching as the guy slowly stirred and got hauled to his feet by two officers.

Shoulders slumped, head down, he didn’t look quite so scary now. At least, until he got close to Ash. The man tried to lunge at her, cuffed arms outstretched, but she stood her ground and the police hauled him back. Why was she laughing? And more to the point, why did the man hate Luke’s family so much?

The kidnapper got closer, and as he passed by Dan’s SUV, the headlights lit up his features. Of all the shocks Luke had received in the last few days, this one was perhaps the most unexpected. He froze, unable to tear his eyes away from the man’s face. It was almost, but not quite, like looking into a mirror.

“What the…?” Luke started. He stepped out of the car, and Nick didn’t try to stop him this time. “Who are you?”

The prisoner glowered back, unspeaking.

Ash stepped in to do the honours. “Luke, meet Simon Howard, your half-brother. Simon, I’d introduce Luke, but I’m sure you already know who he is.”

Simon still looked like he wanted to punch her as the police marched him towards their car, and Ash was still smiling.

“See, crazy,” Nick said.

Who was he talking about? Ash or Simon? Luke felt like he’d fallen down a rabbit hole and ended up in the eighth circle of hell.

He faced his…girlfriend? Ex-girlfriend? “You okay?”

She shrugged, looking at her feet. “Yeah.”

“Did he hurt you?”

She shook her head and followed up with a bark of laughter.

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