An officer tried to prevent Tom from entering the park, but when he told her who they were she allowed them inside, with strict orders not to move further in until she gave permission.

Kevin saw Andi standing on this side of the group of police officers and beckoned to her. ‘What happened?’

‘She’s got the kids in the ladies’. I blew it. I saw her slapping Hayley around really hard and ran across to stop her without thinking. She pulled a knife on me.’

He whistled softly. ‘She didn’t hurt you?’

‘No.’

‘And the kids are safe?’

‘We think so. The police are moving up on the building now.’

Kevin turned to see Tom going off with an officer. He knew better than to intervene at this stage, so stayed with Andi.

‘They’ll feel safer with their father,’ she murmured. ‘Poor loves, they’re all tear-stained and dirty. Beats me how Tom ever came to marry a woman like her. She’s a real loser and she doesn’t care two hoots for those kids. I couldn’t bear it if they got hurt.’

Jez set the house’s alarm system and locked the place up, then went back towards the gate. He saw a flash from the garden of the house behind Sophie’s and stopped moving. That could only be a camera. Furious, he changed direction to find out who was spying on Sophie – or on him.

Hearing footsteps running away, he took a short cut across the lawn to the small road that connected the four houses and led out to Chestnut Lane.

He wasn’t surprised to see who rounded the corner.

Talbin stopped and raised his camera, laughing as he took a photo of Jez. ‘Pity I didn’t manage a shot of you when your scars were more obvious, Winter. I’d have got more money for it than I will for this one. How’s the lady friend? Is she good in bed? I’ve got some great photos of you and her saying goodnight, all lovey-dovey.’

Jez wondered why no one had seen him. The sod seemed to have the devil’s own luck.

‘The people in this house have kindly lent me their garden. I’ve been here a few times.’ Talbin sniggered.

All the frustrations of the past few months, as well as fury that this man was going to start spewing out his filth about Sophie, boiled up inside Jez. Without thinking he lunged forward and snatched the camera. He was far taller and fitter too, in spite of his injuries. As he moved away, Talbin tried to grab the camera back, but missed, then gasped and stopped moving, looking beyond him.

Jez turned to see Peter Shane wink at him as he took a photo of the two of them.

Suddenly it didn’t matter to Jez about his face. But as he looked down at the expensive camera, he wondered who else had been photographed recently and what other secrets were on the memory card. Whoever it was would probably be hurt by this man. And if there was one of Sophie on it, he’d delete it and hang the consequences. He took another step backwards. ‘You can pick up your camera from my security staff at the front gate.’