Alistair Grey drives Martha, their baby Nala, and their dog Baxter to Bangate Cove on a bright but icy Sunday. The coastal village appears shabby at first, but the cove itself is beautiful, with a shell-shaped beach and a derelict pavilion that Al had previously described to Martha. Standing before the pavilion, Martha immediately sees its potential and feels energized and grateful for Alistair, expressing deep love and admiration.

They let Baxter run and take Nala to the tide to dip her fingers in the water, and Nala treasures a "pretty stone." The family then heads toward Folkestone for lunch, with Al promising a meal out. Al parks outside a gastropub, then suddenly says he needs to drop paperwork to an old client in the next village, insisting Martha and Nala go in to secure a table while he is gone for ten to fifteen minutes.

Martha is unsettled by the abrupt errand and Alistair’s dismissive reassurances, which remind her of earlier episodes when Al vanished for days. Inside, she seats Nala by a wood burner, orders a large glass of wine, and tries to calm herself while checking the time.

After twelve minutes pass, Martha uses an app tied to the dog tracker in Al’s car to locate him. She sees the car stationary on a winding street in a nearby village called the Riviera, parked outside a large detached stucco villa with sea views. She checks Street View, noting the house looks like it could belong to someone who owns a restaurant or hotel, which somewhat reassures her that Alistair might indeed be with a client.

Martha turns off her phone, orders seafood linguine, and waits, still uneasy but hoping Alistair will return soon.