‘Hurt them? I’d never hurt my own kids. I’m just not letting you have them back till we’ve made new arrangements and you’ve sworn faithfully to keep your promises.’

‘What about the police? They’re still looking for you.’

‘Your father can get a fancy lawyer to see to that. It was a silly charge anyway. I’d only had one drink. The accident was the other person’s fault and … Tom? You’re still there, aren’t you?’

‘Yes. Where are you, Gail?’

‘Wouldn’t you like to know?’

‘Let me speak to Hayley.’

‘No way. I’ll ring you again in a couple of hours and you can tell me how the arrangements are going. Bye.’

‘Wait! Don’t—’

She switched off the phone, smiling at it. ‘Got you, Tom Prichard!’

Chapter Nineteen

After her next counselling session, Andi felt more at peace with herself. The counsellor was experienced in this field and easy to relate to. She was able to reassure Andi that her reactions were not only normal, but those of a strong woman who hadn’t let the incident destroy her.

Their session had brought lots of tears, but Andi felt better afterwards and was happy to make another appointment.

She caught the Tube back to save money, visiting the local shopping centre on the way to buy a bouquet of flowers for her mother. She felt guilty for not showing more pleasure in the news of the engagement.

She sighed. She couldn’t imagine falling in love now or wanting a man to touch her, but the counsellor said those feelings would fade – if she let them. That was the key, not to cling on to the bad side of life.

It sounded simple. It wasn’t. But … it was doable. She had to believe that.

She went to the side of the supermarket to choose a bunch of flowers from a big row of buckets, smiling when she heard a child asking her mother which size of crisps she could have. Then Andi realised she knew the voice and turned round. Hayley and Ryan were nearby with a woman whose clothing was crumpled and who had panda eyes where her make-up had run.

Puzzled to see the kids out without Jane, Andi stepped behind the flowers, watching as the woman picked up two bags of crisps, put them in her plastic basket with some other stuff and took everything to the checkout, not even looking to make sure the children were following her. Poor little Ryan looked very weary and Hayley was tugging him along, watching her mother anxiously.

Tom must be allowing his wife access to the children, but he should have supervised what they did more carefully.

Then, as the trio walked out of the supermarket, Hayley said clearly, ‘Isn’t Daddy going to be surprised when we’re not there?’

‘He certainly is,’ the woman said.

Andi froze. It looked as if … surely Gail couldn’t have kidnapped the children? No, that was the sort of thing you saw on TV. It didn’t happen in real life.