‘What the hell’s he doing here?’

‘Rex, it’s OK,’ Melissa began.

‘You need to leave now.’ He looked at me pointedly. ‘Take your son and go home. Or I’ll call the police.’

‘Rex!’ Melissa stood. ‘Please. There’s no need for—’

‘When I want your opinion, I’ll ask for it.’ He turned to her almost viciously. ‘This is about my daughter, not yours.’

She took a tiny step backwards. ‘Keep your hair on, hon.’ She tried to smile although, honestly, she looked almost as wretched as I felt.

But she wasn’t my concern anymore.

My only concern was Zach.

‘It’s OK.’ I hauled my son up by the arm, standing between him and Rex.

‘Everything all right here?’ A blue-eyed man in paint-spattered jeans had appeared by the gate of the next-door flats, his drawl capable of cutting glass. ‘Can I help?’

‘No, mate,’ Rex snapped. ‘We’re fine.’

‘We’re just leaving,’ I said.

‘Not before time.’ Rex adjusted his tie, as if he’d just won a great victory.

I bit my tongue.

‘Thank you,’ Rex conceded, semi-graciously.

‘If you’re sure.’ That accent. Like my Northern Irish granddad, and my great-uncle Brendan, I thought absently. I recognised him from Nella’s party, it clicked now, this stranger. He had a kind of edge, and then I realised he was the man from the camping trip, who’d tackled Beau.

‘I am,’ Rex said rudely. ‘Melissa, go inside while I move the car.’

Melissa and I stood together for a moment.

But what was there to be said?

Nothing.

I grabbed a sniffing Zach’s hand and dragged him across the road, breathless myself.

Stopping as we rounded the corner, panting with frustration and rage, I pulled his solid warmth into my arms; hugged him to me.

For a moment, Zach actually laid his head on my shoulder.

‘That was a bit daft, wasn’t it?’ My heart finally began to slow. ‘You don’t want to get’ – I couldn’t bear to say it – ‘re-arrested.’

But was it daft? Why would he not want to know what his friend had said?

‘I know,’ he said miserably.

‘Why didn’t you wait for me to get back, baby?’ I pushed him back to look into his face. ‘I thought you’d done something – I thought you’d—’ The words wouldn’t come. ‘I was really worried,’ I finished lamely.

‘I just – I really need to talk to Ces, Mum.’ His eyes were huge again as he wiped his face on his arm. ‘But she’s blocked my number.’

‘Remember, they said keep away from the girls for now.’

‘But I don’t understand why she’s said this.’ Tears spilt down his face.

‘OK.’ I tried to collect my thoughts. ‘Let’s go home, and then we can make a plan. Together.’

I steered him away from the square, from the shadows against the wall where I was sure I’d just seen someone skulking. Rubbernecking, no doubt.

Right now, I didn’t care what he’d done anymore. Whether he was guilty or not guilty, I would be with him whatever.