November, and evening is closing in as DI Jack Caffery arrives to interview the victim of a stolen car. The man who's stolen the car has also taken an eleven year-old girl.

And she's still missing. Sergeant Flea Marley has heard about the car-jacker. He's done it before, she tells Caffery. Twice. Only previously he's let the girls go.

A day later the car is found. Inside, there's a letter: “It's started”. And Caffery knows that soon the jacker will choose another random car, the only important thing being the girl in the back seat. Caffery's a good and instinctive cop but this time the jacker seems to be ahead of him - every step of the way....