‘He killed my mother,’ says Theo. ‘I hope he rots in jail.’ From the garden Jen is watching him intently although he’s not sure if she can hear what he’s saying.

‘I know. But I had to ask. Anyway, I’ll keep in touch and let you know the court date when your father enters his plea.’

‘Thanks for letting me know,’ Theo says, ending the call. The truth is, he just wants justice. He wants his dad to pay for his crimes. He sinks into a chair, phone still in his hand. A shadow looms over him and he looks up to see Jen standing in the doorway, obscuring the sun.

‘Are you okay, babe?’

Theo nods. His hands are clammy and he drops his phone onto the table.

Jen hops onto his lap and throws her arms around his neck. She smells like coconut sun cream. She doesn’t say anything. She doesn’t have to.

‘I’m related to that bastard,’ he says, with a sigh.

‘You’re nothing like him. You’re all your mum. Remember that. And you’re not alone. Lorna must be feeling the same way now she knows he’s her father.’

‘True.’ Thank goodness for Lorna. He’s spoken to her every few days on the phone since she texted him that night to tell him he’s her brother.

‘Davies has been charged with a number of crimes too,’ he says, pulling Jen closer to him. ‘I get the sense he’s cut some kind of deal but he’s charged with assault and intimidation, not just to Lorna and Saffy but to other women as well. Fraud, pretending to be an officer of the law, breaking and entering – the list goes on.’

He feels Jen shudder.

‘Do you think you’ll go and see your dad?’ she asks gently. ‘Even if it’s just to ask why he argued with your mum? And if it’s true that she was planning to leave him?’

‘I never want to see him again,’ he says with feeling. ‘I hate him. And he’ll never be honest. He’ll never offer up an explanation as to why he did these things. He’ll make excuses, try to blame Mum.’

‘I’m sorry. I can’t even imagine what it must be like.’

At least he’s got Jen, this wonderful woman, Theo thinks. Who’s always been so supportive and whom he trusts implicitly. ‘I think I might call Lorna, update her on all of this.’