Eileen was tidying the kitchen that chilly winter's morning in the small Police House in Aidensfield. Nick Rowan had not yet left for work. She went through into the small living room and smiled as she saw Nick sat on the floor in front of the fire playing with Katie his thirteen month old young daughter. He looked up at Eileen and smiled ruefully.

"I need to get going don't I?" He looked regretfully at Katie. "I'd much rather stay here with her." He gave the child a kiss and then got to his feet.

"I hate to disturb you, you both look so comfortable," Eileen smiled.

Nick pulled on his jacket and greatcoat. "Its freezing out there," he said.

"I know. I'll keep indoors today I think, we don't need to go out and Katie will take no harm in here, its lovely and warm" Eileen paused. "Do you think it will snow?"

"Wouldn't be surprised," Nick admitted. He looked up as the phone rang. "Good timing," he muttered going to answer it.

Eileen moved to the door watching him as he said, "Aidensfield Police. Yeah. All right, when? How old? Right. I'll come up straight away. Can you give me a brief description and I'll get it circulated."

He put down the phone and glanced at Eileen, saying tersely, "Boy gone missing from Stokesley Hall." He was already dialling through to Ashfordly

"The boarding school?" Eileen asked Nick nodded

"He's taken some things, looks like a runaway." Nick concentrated as the phone was answered by Phil. "Phil, its Nick. Just had a call from Stokesley Hall. One of the boys has gone missing. He was missed this morning, looks like he went AWOL during the night He's been telling some of the other kids he was going to run away apparently - don't know why yet - so looks like he's gone of his own free will. Now, I'm going up there straightaway but I've got a name and a description. Matthew Vaughan, twelve years old, would be wearing school uniform, dark hair, eyes, he's got a small birth mark just on his jaw below the ear. Parents are in London and have been told but he's not turned up there yet and if he's not got money or much money on him he wouldn't be able to get a train ticket anyway."

"Got all that Nick. Do you want a full team out?"

"Not just yet, I'll go up there first and see what's what. Just let Blaketon know, alert Divison and let the local rail stations know," Nick said. "He might be back at the school by the time I get up there."

"No problem Nick. Just let us know," Phil said easily. He was not alarmed. Every now and then children did go AWOL from the boarding schools dotted about the area and the child in question usually was back at the school before nightfall. In fact Nick was not very concerned either as he thought much the same as Phil.

Stokesley Hall was literally in the middle of nowhere a big gothic Victorian pile high up on the moor. Nick rode the motorbike down the long drive wondering how anyone had thought it a good idea to build a house out here in such a remote spot. He brought the bike to a halt in the courtyard in front of the house. The house seemed to glare down at him, all turreted towers, leaded windows and a huge front door which despite the cold stood ajar. As Nick got off the motorbike a smartly dressed man came running down the steps. Mr Billinge, the Head.

"Ah, PC Rowan isnt it, thank you for coming so promptly. THis really is very unfortunate," the man said crossly.

"Yes." Nick looked at the man stood with him who he didn't know.

"Oh, I'm sorry. My Deputy- only been here a term - Wilson."

The man shook hands with Nick. "We realised Vaughan was missing at 6.45," he said, "and I've driven down to Aidensfield and the other local stations and Vaughan has not been seen there So we don't think he's got on a train." He took a breath. "I do hope the fool hasn't been tempted to hitch-hike"

"If he was hitch-hiking," Nick said, "where is he going? Home?"

The men exchanged glances.

"If I don't know everything," Nick said, "it will significantly get in the way of our doing our job which after all is finding Matthew safe and well."

"Of course." Billinge paused. "Come through to my study will you."

The house itself was dark. Light was precluded by the small leaded windows. The floors were all highly shone parquet., the walls heavily panelled. The whole place seemed gloomy and depressing. Nick could hear noises and general clatter somewhere at the back of the house.

"The boys are having breakfast," explained Billinge. "Late this morning, we held off you see, to search the school, see if Vaughan was on the premises anywhere."

"I'll need to speak to Matthew's friends," Nick replied.

Wilson glanced at him. "Is that necessary?"

"It is, sir, yes," Nick replied quietly but firmly

Billinge's study was a bit better than the rest of the house. It had large windows facing out to the garden and seemed brighter and more airy. Most of the room was taken up with a large desk, enormous fireplace and bookshelves lining the walls.

Billinge sat down behind his desk, with Wilson standing next to him. Nick sat down across the desk from Billinge.

"So," Nick said. "We don't think Matthew will go home. " Nick deliberately used the boy's first name. "Why?"

"I've spoken to Vaughan's father," said Billinge. "He will send the boy packing back to us if he turns up there. Vaughan came to us this term, Constable. His mother died recently, and Matthew's father found the boy - who was always rather wilful- simply too much to deal with especially as he - the father - is a very busy surgeon and is not at home very much. So he sent the boy to us - we were recommended to Mr Vaughan by a friend of his."

"Mr Vaughan - he's not planning on travelling up here is he?" Nick asked "Only, it is possible, though we don't think Matthew will go home he might, so it would be a good ide aif Mr Vaughan stays there, in case."

"He's - he's had to go the hospital, to work. His housekeeper will let us know if Matthew turns up," Billinge said. "I'm sure he would have stayed at home if he could, but he has operations planned for today."

"Right." Nick paused a moment. "How did he, Matthew, settle in to school?"

"He was a loner, Constable," Wilson said, "reluctant to mix, to make friends. Useless at any form of sport. Not an easy boy at all and naturally the other boys fought shy of him."

"Was he bullied?"

"We don't condone bullying Constable," snapped Billinge.

It was a fudged answer. Nick felt desperately sorry for the young boy at that point and also extremely worried.

"Where else might he go? Any other family, relatives?"

"None apart from, as Mr Vaughan put it, a dotty great aunt in Cornwall," said Billinge. "Mr Vaughan has two sisters but both live abroad and his wife had no family - no living family."

"So Matthew has been telling the other boys he planned to run away?"

"There was one boy he did get on with," Wilson said, "they played chess together. And he told him but he didn't see fit to tell us.. He said he thought Vaughan didn't mean it."

"And all school premises have been checked?"

Wilson nodded

"All right. I want to see the boy who Matthew is friends with and I will need to use your phone," Nick explained. "I think we're going to need to get some help up here to search for Matthew."