There was no road as such to the lonely isolated cottage. It was basically a track from the moorland road. It was just about passable in a car but Nick definitely had advantage on the motorbike. He pressed on knowing Blaketon and Phil were as close behind as what they could be, and it was in Nick's mind it could be too late for Janie. God knows what Bradley had done to her. He was mad enough.

When Nick got to the house he radioed back to the car.

"I'm at the house now Sarge." Nick took a deep breath. "I want to go in Sarge."

Blaketon and Phil exchanged glances.

"We're not far behind you lad," Blaketon said.

"If she's alive Sarge, she needs help soonest."

Blaketon bit his lip then, "All right lad. And good luck. Remember we're not far away."

Cautiously Nick left the motorbike against the wall that surrounded the cottage, and lightly vaulted over the wall. He looked around the yard noting various outbuildings. In his head he discounted those. From the photograph it clearly seemed Janie was in a room or bedroom and that surely meant the cottage.

He went to the small front door which led directly into the sitting room. It was ajar, carefully he pushed it fully open.

"Janie? Janie Tucker are you in here?"

No response.

Nick entered and walked through to what was a small kitchen at the back. The whole place was very run down and damp and cold. No sign of Janie Tucker.

Nick took to the stairs leading to the upper floor. There was a small landing and two doors leading off. One door was shut. The other open.

Nick glanced into the open room anyway but there was no one there. He took a deep breath and rattled the door that was closed. It was locked.

"Janie?"

Nothing.

Nick expertly and quickly put his boot through the door and it gave at once. He stepped into the room and there in a corner was Janie. She was tied up and gagged and absolutely terrified but she was alive.

"Janie. Janie, its PC Rowan from Aidensfield." Nick did not go to her at once, not wanting to add to her terror. "You know me Janie?"

She nodded slowly.

"All right love. Its over. We've got Luke Bradley in custody and I've got my sergeant on his way. Janie, I'm just going down to the kitchen I need to find something to untie you with. Its all right, I promise."

In the kitchen he found what he wanted, a small quite newish looking penknife. He wondered if it were Bradley's.

He went back up to the bedroom. "Janie, I'm going to come over to you and cut those ropes. Is that all right?" he asked her.

She nodded.

"Good girl." Quickly Nick went to her and cut away the gag then the ropes. She burst into sobs and put her arms round his neck.

"Hey, come on love, its over, honestly." Nick set her back from him, looking closely at her. She had some bruises on her face. "Did he do that?"

"Yes."

"Janie." Nick bit his lip. "I am sorry to ask you this love. Did he – did he do anything else other than hit you?"

"No." She wiped her eyes with her hand. "Honestly Mr Rowan, he didn't.

"All right. You're cold!"

"He took my coat. Its freezing up here."

"I know. Here." Nick slipped off his own greatcoat and bundled her into it. "There you go, that's better. Now shall we get you out of here?"

"Please."

"Put your arms round my neck, that's it, and I'll lift you." Expertly Nick put his arm under her knees and lifted her, still wrapped in the warmth of his greatcoat. "Come on."

He came out of the door of the cottage with her as Phil and Blaketon arrived.

"Well done Rowan!" Blaketon opened the rear door of his car. "Don't you worry love," he said to Janie, "its all over, you're safe now."

Nick carefully put Janie on the back seat of the car. As he straightened Blaketon took his arm and pulled him aside.

"Has she said owt?" he asked Nick.

"He's hit her, but that's it. He hasn't done anything else."

"Thank God."

"Yeah. Been very lucky Sarge."

"Aye." Blaketon sighed. "In more ways than one."

Nick moved back to the side of the car again and crouched down by Janie. "I'm so sorry," she sobbed.

"What have you to be sorry for, hey?"

"Meeting Tony when Mum and Dad didn't know and going getting those pills." She looked at Nick. "They know everything?"

"Yeah. And you know what? They don't care. All they care about is getting you home safe."

"How did you find me?"

"Bit of luck there," Nick admitted, "But you know Bridie Johnson has been a big help to us."

"Has she?"

"She has. You see Luke wouldn't tell us where he was keeping you but Bridie managed to work it out. Luke brought her here once."

"I knew he wasn't nice to Bridie. But I didn't know he'd do anything like this."

"Of course not. Janie, you know don't you, none of this is your fault. You've done nothing wrong love. Nothing at all." Nick smiled at her. "Except perhaps just be a bit more honest with your mum about who you're meeting all right?"

She nodded. "I'll never have secrets again!"


Nick and Kate took Janie home. She was barely out of the car before her parents flew out of the door and took her into their arms. Nick and Kate kept back, not wanting to interfere.

"Thank you, thank you," Mrs Tucker said to them.

"I'm just glad we got Janie home safely," Nick replied.

Colin Tucker glanced at him. "The swine who did this?"

"He won't be able to harm anyone else again," Nick said briefly.

"Mum, I'm sorry," Janie could not leave go of her mother. "For getting the tablets and not telling you about Tony."

"It doesn't matter lovey, all that matters is you're home safely with us again. You come on in now and lets look after you."

"Are you coming in?" Colin Tucker asked Nick and Kate.

"No, Colin, we'll leave you alone now," Kate said. "You need some time together as a family."

Colin nodded. He looked at Nick. "Him as took our Janie," he said, "I can see he's hurt her, her face is all bruised like." He took a breath. "Did he – well –"

"No, he didn't Colin," Nick said quietly.

"Well that's summat."

"Yeah, yeah it is."

Nick and Kate watched the man go back into the cottage and shut the door. Nick looked ruefully at Kate. "You were right about this one all along," he said.

"I don't know about that Nick. Its just that Mrs Tucker was so insistent. Mother's instinct. Its something, in medicine, that it pays to listen to sometimes."

"Not just in medicine," Nick replied.

"You got there in the end. You wouldn't have found Janie any quicker if at all even if you had known she had been abducted."

"No, suppose not." They got in the car, Nick in the driver's seat.

"You're exhausted," Kate said to him.

"A bit."

Kate put her hand on his arm. "Don't think you've done anything wrong," she said quietly. "You got there, you brought Janie home safely. You haven't failed her. Anyway in a way Janie didn't help herself. It's a lesson not to keep secrets."

Nick nodded. "She's been a lucky girl. Bradley was totally obsessed with her."

"How far do you think he would have taken it?"

"He wouldn't have let any one else have her Kate. He's pretty damaged goods."

Kate said nothing for a moment.

"Hey come on," Nick said. "Its all worked out, Janie's back home and she's safe."

"Yeah." Kate looked at him then smiled. "Lets go home."