It was just getting light when Claire woke to the sound of banging on the door. She swept back the duvet and swung her legs to the floor, sitting up in a panic. The alarm clock blinked 4.56 a.m. Callum groaned. ‘What’s going on?’ he mumbled, reaching out to her with a flailing arm.

‘I think someone’s at the door. Did you hear it?’ Claire rubbed her eyes, trying to wake up.

‘Go back to sleep, love. It was nothing.’ He eased her back down into bed.

‘Oh God, it is the front door,’ she said, when the banging started up again. ‘Cal?’ She looked at him expectantly, but when he didn’t make a move, she grabbed her robe and pulled it on, running downstairs. She prayed it wasn’t bad news about Rain. Maybe it was Rain. In the hall, she pulled back the bolt and unlocked the door. Three uniformed police officers, two men and a woman, stood there with a lit-up squad car in the drive behind them.

‘Mrs Rodway?’ one of the men said. Claire nodded weakly. She was aware of Callum coming down the stairs, drawing up behind her. ‘Are you Mr Callum Rodway?’ the officer asked, glancing behind Claire.

‘Yes,’ he said, taking hold of Claire’s shoulders and steering her in-between himself and the police. ‘Why are you waking us up at this hour?’

‘I am arresting you on suspicion of sexual activity with a child. You do not have to—’

‘What?’ Claire could hardly speak as she turned to look up at Callum.

‘—have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if…’

‘No, there’s been a mistake,’ Claire cried, as the officer continued talking. Her hands were flat on her husband’s chest as she looked up into his eyes, imploring him to say something. But he didn’t.

The officers eased her out of the way and she didn’t hear much else that was said about arrest and evidence and rights because her head was swimming, making her eyes glassy from fear. The thumping of her heart reverberated in her ears. Why wasn’t Callum saying anything?

‘Mum, what’s going on?’ Marcus was standing at the top of the stairs, groggy-eyed, in his pyjama bottoms. Amy appeared at his side, hugging her brother’s leg.

‘Daddy!’ she squealed.

‘It’s OK, darling,’ Callum said quite calmly. ‘There’s been a mistake. I just have to go out for a while, but I’ll be back very soon.’

‘This is ridiculous,’ Claire said to the officer, composing herself for her children. ‘You can’t do this to us. My husband hasn’t done anything wrong.’

‘I need to get dressed,’ Callum said calmly. His face was almost white. He’s in shock, Claire thought, desperately wanting to do something but not knowing what.

‘My colleagues will have to accompany you,’ the female officer said, nodding to them to follow Callum as he went upstairs. Marcus and Amy had their backs pressed to the half-landing wall as they passed, while Claire stayed where she was, completely frozen. Minutes later, he was back in the hallway again wearing jeans and a shirt.

‘Call this number,’ he said to her. ‘Tell John to get down to the police station as soon as possible. I’m not saying a word until he’s there. Understand?’ He handed Claire a business card.

‘Yes, yes, of course,’ she said, nodding furiously, her voice on the verge of failing entirely. Surely, she’d wake from this nightmare soon – to the sound of birds singing, the sun creeping through the curtains, everything normal. She tried to hug him before he was led outside to the car, but he didn’t respond.

‘Cal,’ she called out from the doorway. He had a police officer on each side of him guiding him by the arms. ‘Cal, please…’ He turned in slow motion, about to get into the car. Claire’s face was crumpled and questioning as their eyes locked. She couldn’t say the words, couldn’t bring herself to ask if it was true. Callum turned away, ducking as he got into the police car.

She closed the door and stared at the business card. Then she put it in the pocket of her robe and phoned Nick. It was quicker than dashing up to the farm and waking everyone, but she needed someone to be with her and didn’t want to disturb Jason upstairs, knowing how difficult Greta found sleep right now. ‘I want Daddy,’ Amy sobbed, gripping onto Marcus’s legs until Claire told her to be quiet.

‘I’m so sorry, my darling,’ she said, sandwiching her daughter against Marcus, wrapping her arms around them. ‘Mummy’s a bit upset, but I promise Daddy will be home soon.’ She glanced up at Marcus, who was frowning, urging her to offer a look back that would silently explain what had happened. He wasn’t going to be fobbed off.

‘Is Dad in trouble?’ he asked.

‘No, no, of course not. They’re being over-cautious because Rain’s still missing, love. That’s all.’ Claire’s voice betrayed the truth. She pulled her robe tightly around her. ‘Why don’t you take Amy upstairs and settle her back into bed? Read her a little story to help her get off again.’ She forced a smile.

‘Yes, sure,’ Marcus said, yawning. When they’d gone, Claire peered out of the kitchen window. Nick was running up the drive from the farmhouse. She hadn’t told him details, but by the tone of her voice he knew it was urgent. She opened the back door and, before he was even inside, she’d broken down in tears. Nick took her in his arms, her face pressed against shoulder. He guided her through into the kitchen.

‘They’ve arrested Callum,’ she said. ‘Oh God, it was awful.’ Then she remembered the business card. ‘He wants me to call his solicitor.’

‘Arrested him? Christ…’ He ruffled his hair. ‘You’re in no fit state to be making phone calls right now,’ Nick said, sitting her down. ‘It can wait a few minutes. I doubt they’ll even have him booked in at the station yet.’

Claire nodded, pulling her sleeves down low over her fists. ‘I just don’t understand…’ The arresting officer’s words rang through her head. ‘They said they were arresting him on suspicion of…’ She couldn’t say it. It was too awful, too unreal and so very, very wrong. She hung her head.

‘It’s important, Claire. The solicitor will need to know.’

‘They arrested him on suspicion of having sexual activity with a child.’ There, the words were out. Said and done.

Nick blew out a long sigh. ‘Fucking hell…’ He walked to the window, leaning against the sink and staring out at the line of pink on the horizon. ‘Surely, there’s no way that’s true, is there?’ he said, turning to face her.

‘No, no of course not! He’s a good man, a good father. He’s a surgeon.’

Nick rubbed the stubble on his jaw. ‘Do you think they were implying it was… well, to do with Rain?’

Claire shook her head. ‘I have no other details. I just don’t know what to do, Nick.’ Claire hugged her arms around her shoulders, dragging them down her body. She just wanted to escape herself. ‘They don’t know Callum at all. He’s not like that.’

Nick took the business card from between her shaking fingers. ‘Let’s hope…’ He read the name on the card. ‘…that John Blake doesn’t mind being woken up at this hour of the morning, then.’

‘He’s one of Cal’s golfing friends. John and his wife have been here for dinner a few times.’ Claire pulled a tissue from the box, blowing her nose as Nick read out the solicitor’s number. She was about to hang up when the call was answered by a groggy-sounding man and, five minutes later, she’d told him everything. He promised to get down to the station right away.

‘You’re both up early.’ The lightness of the voice took them by surprise. ‘Has there been news?’ Greta padded through the kitchen in her robe and slippers. ‘The babies were kicking so I thought I’d get up and make tea…’ She halted, eyeing them both. ‘Oh God, what’s happened?’

‘Didn’t you hear the commotion earlier?’ Claire said.

‘No. If the babies are still, I sleep like a baby myself. What’s been going on?’ She pulled out a chair and sat at the table with them.

‘Callum’s been taken to the police station,’ Nick said, trying to make the news not quite so shocking.

‘Oh my goodness. Why?’ Greta’s eyes were wide.

‘They arrested him,’ Claire said, hoping the more she said it, the less awful it would seem. ‘It’s ridiculous. He hasn’t done anything wrong.’ She forced a laugh, trying to make light of it. ‘He’ll probably be home in time for breakfast.’

‘Can I ask why?’ Greta asked cautiously.

Nick cut in to save Claire from having to say it. ‘It was unfounded rubbish. Something to do with underage sex.’

Greta was silent for a moment, her eyebrows pulling together. ‘I see. So surely there’s been a mistake?’

‘I know,’ Claire said, shrugging. ‘Of course there has.’

Claire wrapped her hands around the mug of warm, sweet tea Nick had made for her, but all she could think about were Rain’s fingerprints in their bedroom, her bangle under their bed, Callum’s unusual accusation about Maggie’s behaviour, and him asking her to lie to the police. None of it made sense. And none of it had a place in her life.