‘No, we’ve just heard the name mentioned,’ said Gary.

‘Teddy was the perfect example of a child caught in the middle of a toxic relationship.’

‘Is there a reason why you’re speaking of him in the past tense, Avril?’ asked Kevin.

‘It’s not what you’re thinking,’ she said. ‘It’s just rather a long time ago now. I’m afraid I never did know what happened to Teddy. One day Nan stopped speaking about him, and that was that.’

‘Can you tell us what you did know up to that point?’ Gary said.

‘Well, Nan told me that Andrea Becker became almost obsessed with this Claire, and also with her son. The next part is vague, because Nan became so agitated whenever the name came up. I never did get to hear the whole story, but I believe that somehow Becker managed to convince Claire that she and the boy would be better off living with her instead of in the refuge. I think she told Claire that the child would have his own room. Said they’d have a much better life until somewhere could be found for Claire and him to live safely away from her husband. Nan became quite close to the lad and began to fear for him. I think he told her quite a lot about his father and mother’s relationship. He also described all the wonderful things Andrea had said he could have if they went and stayed with her. You know young boys, they’re easily impressed, and he hated life in the refuge. Nan did everything she could to convince them to stay. But one day, when Nan arrived, she was told they had gone.’ Avril sighed. ‘She was utterly devastated, but never really explained why. I believe she knew something about Andrea that had scared her badly. For weeks, she fretted over Teddy. Then something happened. Don’t ask me what it was, but after that, no matter how hard I tried to encourage her to talk, she never mentioned Teddy again.’

‘Could you give us the name of the refuge, Avril?’ Kevin said. ‘They’ll have records, I’m sure. We need to know Teddy and Claire’s surname.’

‘I’m sorry, my love, but Nan never said. As you well know, those places don’t advertise themselves. No one who has anything to do with them, including the women who stay there, can divulge the address or telephone number, for fear of abusive partners finding them.’

‘We have lists at the station,’ said Gary. ‘What town was it in? We’ll check it out.’

‘Right here in Saltern-le-Fen,’ Avril said.

‘Ah, well that simplifies things. We have two listed. Let’s hope they have a record of Teddy.’ Gary scribbled in his notebook.