Maggie went in to see Nick early that Sunday morning. It was nine o'clock when she returned to the hospital. She'd stayed at the Police House, not wanting to go home, unable to be alone.
Nick was more comfortable, he was off the oxygen now but his eyes were still gritty and sore and he was very hoarse. He'd been told by the doctors he would be discharged from the hospital at lunchtime. Ideally, they'd said they would like to keep him in another night but Nick was anxious to be at home.
"Are you sure?"Maggie asked him as she sat down by his bed. "About going home at lunchtime?"
"Yeah, I'll be fine Maggie," he said.
She smiled and poured him a glass of water and passed it over to him. "You sound terrible!" she said lightly. "Well I'll wait and take you home. I know I don't have to before you say it, but I want to."
He nodded.
"I don't suppose - you've heard anything?" Maggie asked.
"No. Sarge said he'd come and tell me once he knew anything." Nick took a breath. "I knew the minute I got into that room, Maggie. I mean, there was hardly any smoke in there and I thought I could do it, I could get her out. And then when I went to pick her up, I knew. She'd been gone, hours."
"Oh Nick."
He looked dully at her. "Tricia must have harmed her Maggie. And the fire That was no accident. She'd have been trying to cover up what she did.."
"Its - looking that way, Nick."
He looked confusedly at her. "I never thought, for a minute, she'd hurt her baby," he said. "I just thought she was struggling to cope. But not a threat to her."
"Nick, earlier, I was sat in the Police House thinking to myself, was there something I didn't see, was there something I could have done differently. And the truth is, no. There was nothing. This, we could never have predicted this."
They both looked up as there was a knock on the door and Sergeant Blaketon came in. "I hear you're feeling better lad," he said to Nick.
"Yes thanks Sarge. Should be out of here in a while."
"Well," Blaketon said, "I wanted to speak to the both of yer so finding you here has saved me some work Mrs Bolton." He sat down on the other side of Nick's bed. Nick and Maggie watched him anxiously.
"First off, " Blaketon said, "we have a time of death of between noon and about six pm on the Saturday. Can't be any more precise than that." He paused. "And crucially the Coroner, he's saying, natural causes. No evidence of smothering or any assault. No injuries on her."
"Cot death you mean?" Maggie was incredulous.
"That's it."
Maggie and Nick stared at each other stunned.
"Only there's a bit more to it, as there always is," Blaketon said. "A WPC managed to speak with Tricia Crossley about half an hour ago. Only for a few minutes but it was enough. She found Susan in her cot and panicked. She thought she'd be blamed for killing her. So she thought the only thing to do was to set fire to the cottage and so it woud be thought that Susan died in the fire. Only it all went wrong when you ran in to try and save Susan, Nick. Tricia were terrified knowing that, well, if you didn't come out that was down to her, you see."
"If she'd only come to me, when she found Susan," Maggie whispered. "It would have been found out how she died. Tricia would have been cleared of any blame."
"How is Tricia now Sarge?" Nick asked.
"Not good lad. I gather the psychiatrist will be seeing her at some point today.. In all the circumstances, well, I doubt Division will proceed with a case against her."
"Poor Tricia," Maggie murmured.
"She didn't deserve this," Nick said.
"Aye. Although letting you run into a burning cottage to save a child she knew couldn't be saved -" Blaketon stopped. "Well, that's the long and short of it any road."
Jo had been making phone calls, one to the hospital and one to the Police House. Her parents were in the sitting room, they looked up as she came in.
"I can't go to the hospital because its out of visiting hours apparently and Nick is due be sent home at lunchtime. I offered to go and collect him but that's not necessary apparently as its all in hand." Jo sat down with a sigh. "I phoned Eileen and she suggested I go over to the Police House about four this afternoon."
"Well that sounds sensible," Graham said glancing quickly at Fiona.
"I just want to know Nick is okay Dad!"
"Of course and it sounds like he must be, if he's well enough to be sent home!" Graham reasoned. He hesitated. "He went into the cottage to rescue a child you say?"
Jo nodded. "Its all a bit of a mess, he went in to rescue her and she was already dead. Had been for some hours. Eileen has just told me the latest which is that they've established the baby died of cot death and her mum set fire to the cottage because she was worried about being blamed for the baby dying."
"Oh Jo," her mum said. "Do you really want this to be your life now?"
"Its been a long night and I've had a lot of time to think." Jo paused.
"And what are you thinking?" Graham asked her gently.
"I need to speak to Nick," Jo said decisively. "I want him in my life, Dad but I want you both to accept him and be happy for me - and respect my decisions. And I know that - last night, well, this is Nick's life, its his job and I know what I'm taking on. I'm fine with that but I need you and Mum to be too."