‘I know. She’s managed to prise him away from everyone who loved him.’ Charlotte’s own voice wobbled. ‘I’m so sorry, Jo. This is all my fault!’

‘No!’ Jo shot back. ‘Of course it’s not. It’s her fault.’

‘But if I hadn’t been stupid enough to walk away from him, he would never have met her and we would be happily married by now, maybe even with our first baby …’ Her voice tailed off.

Jo closed her eyes for a moment, imagining what might have been. She knew, without even the tiniest of doubts, that Peter would still be alive. It was the stress of the situation with Bella that had caused his death, of that she was certain. ‘Well, there’s no point in thinking of what might have been, it doesn’t help anyone,’ she sighed.

‘No,’ Charlotte agreed. ‘I suppose not. Jo, what can I do? What can Matt and Freya do? We must be able to do something.’

‘I honestly don’t know.’ Jo wracked her brains, thinking over the possibilities. ‘It’s such a horrible, odd situation. I’ve got no idea how we tackle it.’

‘Why don’t we come and see you at the weekend? We could try to work out a game-plan.’

Jo’s spirits soared instantly. ‘Oh, Charlie, I would love that! Do you think Matt and Freya would be able to make it, too?’

‘I’ll ask them. I know they’re as worried as we are, so I’m sure they’ll do their best.’

‘And it would be so lovely to meet Bertie!’ Jo cried, instantly revived by the thought of meeting Matt and Freya’s 3-month-old baby boy.

‘Leave it with me and I’ll organize it all,’ Charlotte said, now back to her usual, no-nonsense, clear-headed self.

‘Oh, thank you so much, Charlie – you have no idea how much this has helped already.’

Jo hung up, feeling lighter than she had done for weeks and wishing she had thought to call Charlotte sooner. If only … she started to think, before swatting the thought away quickly. There was nothing to be gained by dwelling on the past. Right now she needed to focus on the future and finding a way to get her son back.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

I looked at the clock on the office wall. It was just before noon, almost time for Elodie’s lunchtime nap. I called Ben’s mobile, listening with increasing annoyance as it rang six times, before cutting to voicemail. ‘Where the fuck are you?’ I hissed into the Ansaphone, before hanging up, the urge to smash the phone onto my desk almost irresistible.

I clicked on Find Friends and was furious to see that he was in town, rather than at home where he should be. So bloody typical of him to be gadding about shopping when it was time for Elodie’s nap. He had never understood the importance of keeping rigidly to her routine. The few times in the past that we had deviated, she invariably woke in the night and caused us all a sleepless night. Well, he would be the one getting up to her tonight, the selfish pig.