Chapter One

“We’re almost there, sir,” said the taxi driver. “Less than two miles now.”

Ian nodded and blinked, straightening his shoulders to peer out the window. He was exhausted from the overnight flight and subsequent ride from Heathrow. Beside him in the back seat, Diandra dozed with their son curled up in her lap and older daughter leaning into her shoulder.

“Here we are.”

The vehicle turned into a narrow laneway with thick, overgrown bushes that slapped against the sides of the vehicle. Evan stirred, and the bumpy road made him turn to the window and begin to take notice of his surroundings.

The lane widened into a driveway that curved towards the main residence. The brown brick, two-storey country manor was topped by a grey slate trapezoid roof. Ian spotted his father’s silver Jaguar in front of the attached garage as the taxi came to a stop: there was no porch, only a covered alcove with a dark green door.

Evan felt the change from motion to stillness and jerked away from his mother’s arms. She groaned and straightened herself up, forcing Victoria awake with her movements. The boy’s eyes darted from one side of the glass to the other, and he spotted the middle-aged man standing by the main entrance.

“Granddad!”

Ian’s face turned with the noise and he wondered what his father was doing outside by himself at such an early hour. His eyes drifted downward, and he frowned when he saw the lit cigarette dangling between his fingers.

The car doors swung open and Evan tumbled out, nimbly landing on his feet. Ian caught his father crushing the butt on the gravel before his son rushed the few steps to reach him. Victoria climbed out behind her brother and mother, and stretched her stiff legs before making her way to him.

“Did you notice the cigarette?” whispered Diandra as Ian pulled the luggage from the car with the help of the driver.

“I did.”

He paid their