‘Cheat you? How am I doing that?’

‘I don’t know. But your daddy can afford fancy lawyers and everyone knows rich people get away with murder. I might want to clean up my act a bit and look after the kids myself. I’m the one who had them, after all, and you’ll be out at work, because I’m sure Daddy will find you a job.’

He didn’t believe her about cleaning up her act. She’d promised that too many times already, and anyway, she’d never been a good mother. But she could be a nasty bitch when she felt herself the injured party, so he didn’t argue, just went up to their bedroom.

To his annoyance, she followed him up. He turned to look at her and something in the way she was standing worried him. Suddenly it didn’t seem such a good idea to come here on his own with her. ‘I’ll – um, I left something in the car.’

He had to push past her and for a moment they were pressed closely together in the doorway. She raised one hand to touch his cheek and wriggled her hips against him. He realised with disgust that she was trying to tempt him sexually, which was her answer to everything. But she hadn’t attracted him in that way for a while now and he drew back from her unwashed body. He couldn’t even bear to touch her.

His revulsion must have shown in his face, because her expression turned ugly. ‘Too good for me now, are you? Throwing me away now you’ve got a rich father to look after you?’

He ran down the stairs, with her words stabbing the air behind him.

‘I’ll make you sorry for dumping me, Tom Prichard. See if I don’t.’

He stood by the front door wondering what to do, then saw that Jane was still in her garden so hurried across. She’d been there when he arrived. ‘Did you see me going into the house a minute or two ago?’

She nodded.

‘And coming out again?’

Another nod. ‘And I can see Gail watching us from the bedroom window at the moment. Have you two quarrelled?’

‘Permanently.’ He twisted round to look up at his wife, but she must have ducked back again. ‘I think I was foolish to come back on my own.’

Jane looked at him in surprise then shook her head sadly. ‘I don’t like to see couples breaking up with such acrimony, but you’ve had a lot to bear. Do you want me to come inside with you?’

‘I think it’d be better still to have a lawyer or a police officer there.’

‘My nephew Dean is a policeman and he lives nearby. Shall I give him a call? If he’s off duty, he’ll come into the house with us as a favour to me, I’m sure. You couldn’t get a more credible witness than a policeman for this.’

To Tom’s relief, her nephew was free and came round at once.