I ended the call quickly, wanting time to think, and then Sean banged on the door to ask whether Gill had agreed to the locks. All the while I behaved like usual and thanked him when he’d finished. As soon as he got into his van, I bolted the front door and hurried up the stairs to my flat. I checked every room. I didn’t feel safe. I didn’t think I ever would again.

Despite the heat of the day I was cold and shivering. I lit the gas fire in the living room and crouched beside it, my mind in free fall.

Tom had been in my flat. I knew that now. He’d got himself a key and come into my home. He’d moved my clothes and made coffee, knowing it would drive me crazy. I shuddered. He’d been there in the middle of the night. He’d come into my bedroom. He’d taken my scarf, taken it from my pillow. What would he have done if I’d woken?

I took out my phone and scrolled through the blocked numbers. There were so many of them. Calls asking for sex. Shaming me. Was Tom behind that, too? He’d never admit it. I knew now he hated me. I think I knew that even when we were together. He must have been furious that I’d left him. And he’d sent messages again and again, lovely messages, as though he cared for me, while I was getting those calls from strangers. I was so glad I hadn’t told him about them, so glad he’d never known how much they’d upset me.

I had no one to talk to. No one to confide in. Tom’s work was done. He’d isolated me from people, made me think I was going mad. He told me he loved me but did everything he could to hurt me.

I found his number on my Recent Calls list. I couldn’t trust myself to speak to him, so sent him a message.

Tom, are you working from home today? I need to talk to you.

I hesitated, then added a kiss at the end of my message.

CHAPTER 63

Emma

The next night, Harry came home later than usual. I was sitting at the table typing an e-mail to a client and he leaned over and gave me a quick kiss.

“What are you up to?” he asked.

“Oh, nothing. Just confirming a finish date.”

Quickly I closed the laptop lid and stood up. It would be just my luck to get a message from the DNA clinic while Harry was sitting next to me.