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Her mouth was sore, her jaw aching. She opened and closed it slowly, loosening up the muscles.

She tried to speak, but her mouth was too dry, and all that came out was a croak. She needed water, but there was none. Gradually, however, her mouth moistened with saliva, and she was able to talk.

‘Thank you,’ she croaked. ‘I didn’t think that would work.’

He caught her eye and turned his head away from her to present the knot of his gag. She leaned forward and studied it, looking for where to grab with her teeth. With her gag gone, it was simple to undo his.

When it was untied, he spat it out.

‘Well,’ he said, his voice a rasp. ‘The last time we were in this situation, we were in high school.’

She laughed, despite the situation. ‘Long time ago.’

‘Yeah. This is your lake house, right? Kind of strange to be back.’

‘You didn’t know?’

He shook his head. ‘Ryan came to my house. He attacked me, and the next thing I knew I was tied up in the bedroom next door.’

‘Why?’

‘I don’t know. He said nothing.’

‘I might have an idea.’

Carl caught her eye. ‘Really?’

‘He was in love with Allison.’

Carl’s eyes widened.

‘My wife, Allison?’

‘Yes. He said she married you, but she was his wife.’

‘He’s insane.’

That, Mary thought, was getting truer by the second.

‘That was why he married me,’ she said, ‘because I looked like her.’

‘Mary,’ Carl said. ‘I’m so sorry—’

‘Don’t be. I was a fool. Not the first time I’ve chosen badly.’

He recoiled, and she shook her head.

‘Not you. The kids’ dad. He wasn’t the best partner, although even he was a step up on Ryan.’

‘Right. Of course. So he married you, but why am I involved?’

Mary paused and thought through what had happened. A vague picture began to emerge.

‘Ryan convinced me that this was all your doing. You were still in love with me’ – it sounded stupid, just saying it – ‘and you had arranged all this stuff to somehow get us back together.’

‘I was a bit broken-hearted when you dumped me,’ he said. ‘But I got over it. It was thirty years ago.’

‘I know that now.’ She shook her head. ‘But Ryan wanted me to believe it was you. He was also suggesting – to Gray – that Allison hadn’t left you. You had killed her.’