‘Can I help?’ asked Jasper, his voice eager.

The honesty in the offer helped ease Chandler’s tension. ‘You can help by going to bed on time and without a tantrum.’

‘I will.’

‘Good boy,’ said Chandler, ruffling his hair.

Chandler glanced around and then looked at his mum. She was frowning.

‘Are you leaving? Now?’ she asked. It was a question – and a thinly disguised order not to even think about it.

‘No,’ said Chandler. Given the scare they’d had on the way here, Chandler wasn’t about to go.

‘Daddy?’ asked Jasper, his sister having scampered into the living room to lay claim to the majority of the sofa.

‘Yes, Jasp.’

‘Why are you putting the bad man in custody, like us?’

Chandler frowned. ‘What do you mean?’

‘You are putting us in custody too. I heard you on the phone. Would we have to go to prison?’

Chandler paused. Jasper must have overheard him on the phone to Teri and got the wrong idea. Again the shame of neglecting his family – his kids – rose to the surface. There was only one thing to do. Taking the young boy into the living room he sat him on the sofa beside his sister to explain it to both of them. His mum followed, both witness and judge.

‘It’s a different type of custody. It means that your mum wants you to go live with her.’

‘Just me?’ asked Jasper.

‘No, you and your sister,’ said Chandler, looking at Sarah. She was sitting up on the sofa, staring at him. Her semi-permanent look of boredom had been blown away.

‘And you?’ asked Jasper. ‘Us living together again with Mum?’

‘No, you and her and Uncle . . . Mitchell.’ The words were like poison on his tongue.

‘When did this happen?’ asked Sarah.

‘It hasn’t happened yet. It’s something your mum wants.’

‘Since when?’

‘A few months, a year, I’m not sure,’ admitted Chandler.

‘All because she suddenly became an adult,’ added his mum. Chandler agreed with her on this but glared at her to keep quiet.

‘Daddy?’

‘Yes, Jasper,’ said Chandler, focusing on his son.

‘If we go there, how will we get to school? It’s lots and lots and lots of miles away.’

Though the shame had left him feeling empty inside Chandler couldn’t hold back the smile. ‘It’s not definite yet, by no means, but I need to know how you feel about it. They’ll ask you—’

‘I don’t want to leave here,’ interrupted Sarah.

‘I don’t want to leave unless you’re coming, Daddy,’ said Jasper, throwing himself at Chandler, clasping his arms around Chandler’s neck like he would never let go.

The sheer insistence of their responses made Chandler feel a little better and he settled into playing a few games of Jenga with his kids. For a while he even forgot about the looming spectres of Gabriel, Mitch and Teri.