On that thought he went into the studio. There was a lot to set up and check still, but he understood this sort of thing and Jez clearly didn’t, had only learned how to use the equipment once it was all connected.

It was good to save Jez the cost of someone to set it all up, and anyway, Tom was enjoying the task. State of the art, this equipment was. Wonderful sounds you could get from it.

Jez rang Sophie again at lunchtime, and to his relief she picked up the phone. ‘You must have started work early. I tried to phone you this morning. Didn’t you get my message?’

‘Yes. But I have a – a family crisis on my hands.’

‘Anything I can help with?’

‘No. But I might not be able to see you for a few days. It’s Andi. I’ll call you when things have settled down a bit. Have to go now.’

He stared at the now silent phone in surprise. She’d sounded so unlike herself, so tight and upset.

Craig came in. ‘Kevin rang. Says to give him a bell at home. Important.’

‘OK.’ Jez picked up the phone again.

‘Thought you’d like to know this,’ Kevin said. ‘Sophie’s daughter was raped last night and found unconscious in an alley.’

‘How do you know that?’

‘I have a friend in a useful place. The information is to go no further but I thought you needed to know, so that you can tread carefully.’

Jez closed his eyes. No wonder Sophie had sounded distant.

‘You still there?’

‘Mmm. Do the police know who did it?’

‘No.’

‘Got any friends in the force who could slip you some more information?’

‘No. And I had to push it a bit, call in a favour, to get this much information’

‘Thanks.’ Jez put the phone down. He wanted to help, but couldn’t think of anything to do except leave Sophie alone with her daughter.

He wandered along to the studio and pitched in to work with Tom. How would he feel if someone had assaulted his son? Gutted. Absolutely gutted.

‘You seem a bit upset, Dad.’

He gave Tom the bare bones of it.

A short time later, Tom told him about Mary’s phone call. ‘I’m worried Gail will get custody of the children.’

‘We’ll make sure she doesn’t. Sometimes money can help.’ Mostly it just bought things, which once you’d got what you needed, like good guitars in his case, wasn’t of much interest. But this was important. Very important indeed.

Sophie spent the day with her daughter, who alternated between tears, silence and snapping. Andi was still furious that she couldn’t remember anything.

‘I’m sorry I stopped you writing,’ she said at teatime, but she didn’t sound sorry, she sounded aggressive.

‘I wouldn’t leave you when you need me.’

Andi looked at her as if she’d never seen her before, then shook her head as if puzzled and continued to pick at her food.

Afterwards, in desperation, Sophie suggested they try some meditation. ‘It got me through some bad times, brought peace to my soul.’