He did, however, understand why. There was a regularity to life in Wilbrook here that for someone as restless as Teri was dull. Mr Peacock sitting outside his hardware store letting customers roam around inside before coming to serve them in his own sweet time. Ansell Parker swatting away flies in his grocery store like Sisyphus. Mrs Cotterall watering her window boxes despite being warned over the egregious use of water, and maliciously soaking those walking below. These thoughts, which ordinarily were enough to distract him, were unable to prevent his mind from focusing on what Mitch had said; about what they threatened to take from him. Whether a judge had lack of insight enough to rip Sarah and Jasper away from him after everything Teri had done, or more appropriately, hadn’t done. But if she had indeed cleaned up her act as Mitch had said then it was possible it could happen. That Teri – and Mitch – could gain custody of his kids. Mitch and Teri. Two people who had openly despised each other. Now, they were a couple – a thing. If she got the kids, he’d be forced to resume his weekly commute to the coast, this time to see his children with the loving couple. It made his skin crawl.

A car pulled up alongside him, the electronic motor of the window whirring as it rolled down. Mitch leaned over from the driver’s seat.

‘Chandler, we were going to tell you – honestly. I wasn’t supposed to, Teri was, but . . . well it happened. We wanted to see if we were going to stay together first before doing it. And now that we are, we both want the kids to grow up in the city. At least experience it before they decide where they would rather be. Surely you can see that would be good for them. No one can survive in isolation for ever these days.’

Chandler stopped and turned towards the voice. He spoke with a restraint he didn’t imagine possible. ‘You can take Teri, Mitch. Take her and keep her for all I care, but no way are you getting your hands on my kids.’

‘We’ll let the courts decide that, Chandler. In the future. We have a case to solve. Get in the car and I’ll take us back to the station.’

‘I’ll walk,’ said Chandler, not trusting himself to be alone with Mitch.