It was by sheer chance that he found the article about the Arts and Crafts Village that was opening up in Wiltshire. That was close enough to her parents’ new home to be worth a try.

He doubted she’d win one of the tenancies, but she might very likely apply. She was always far too optimistic about her skills. He’d hack into the computer of the people offering the tenancies and see if she’d applied. Most people were very lax about computer security.

Only he didn’t manage to break through their security system. Someone who really knew what they were doing had set up a well-defended website, he had to grant them that.

OK then. He might have to go down there and see what was going on. He could pretend to be searching for her, think up some sob story about a lost love.

Or just go and visit this art village place a couple of times and say he was thinking of applying. He’d see who turned up there. Even if she didn’t win a tenancy there, he’d bet she’d visit it. She was always wanting to go to art galleries and boring places like that.

Since he’d lost his job he had plenty of free time so he’d go this very weekend. No, during the week would be better. Then he got another temporary job as a barista. Never thought he’d be doing that again, having to smile at idiots spending a fortune on fancy coffees. Still, it paid the rent, and he could take leftover food home. There was no rush to go looking for Stacy tomorrow, after all.

When he was offered the barista job permanently, he postponed his little jaunt once again. Money was always useful and he didn’t want to break into what he’d got from selling the house. He and Stacy would need it as the deposit on their new house.

He’d go down to Wiltshire in a week or two. Once she’d found a place to live, she would stay there, he was sure. She was a real homemaker and she did it well, he had to grant her that. She’d put her heart into that little house they’d bought. He’d thought that foolish but then her improvements brought them a higher price.

So he’d find her, one way or the other.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Adam didn’t like to leave the phone untended so he stayed in the flat and sent Gemma, who was twitching at the inaction, out to walk round town on her own. He gave her some personal money in case she wanted to make any purchases and asked her to bring back some food.

‘You’ve got the information about buses, haven’t you?’

She rolled her eyes as if he was stupid. How he hated it when she did that!

‘Yes, Dad. I already told you I had. Anyway, I can look them up on my smartphone if necessary.’

‘Right then. Well, off you go.’

As she walked out of the house she began smiling and he watched her run across the car park of the block of flats, as if she was afraid he’d call her back. He smiled to see her looking young and carefree again.