As promised Maggie gave Nick a lift home from the hospital. Travelling through Aidensfield, Maggie pulled up the Land Rover opposite Rose Cottage which was covered in sheeting, the grass outside trampled and flattened. In the garden furniture from the cottage was heaped in a pile. The windows were boarded, the stonework blackened and scorched.

"What a mess," Maggie said. She glanced at Nick. "Nick, you do know there's nothing we could have done don't you? What happened to Susan, nothing could have prevented it."

"Could we have done any more for Tricia Maggie?"

"I don't think so. She couldn't bring herself to trust us, she saw us as the enemy. She just thought we were determined to prove she coudn't look after her baby. Maybe with more time she would have come to trust us more." Maggie looked at Nick. "What is it?"

"No, its nothing really." He coughed. "Sorry."

"We need to get you home," Maggie said robustly. "I'll arrange for one of the local doctors to look in on you tomorrow by the way. No work for awhile!"


Jo arrived at the Police House at four that afternoon as arranged. "Eileen!" She gave her a hug as Eileen came out to meet her. "I tried to get to see Nick last night but they woudn't let me and then this morning I tried again and still no luck- I'm sorry!"

"Oh don't be silly!" Eileen said warmly. "Come on in. He's just having a rest at the moment but I thought I'd see how he is in about an hour or so, so you can take him a cup of tea up then. He was asking about you earlier, he'll be pleased to see you!"

As Eileen put a cup of tea on the kitchen table in front of Jo, Jo said, "Where's Katie?"

"Maggie's taken her for an hour or so. We wanted the house quiet so Nick could rest." Eileen frowned. "He could have stayed in hospital until tomorrow and I wish he had really. He must have breathed in so much smoke last night and his eyes are very sore. Anyway the doctor is going to look in tomorrow so its all in hand."

"He must be devastated, about the baby I mean."

"He and Maggie have both taken it hard." Eileen said "The child and her mother had given some concern - Nick had had a couple of dealings with her which he'd passed over to Maggie and there was to be a Social Services case review next week."

"But in the end, the mother didn't harm her baby?"

"No." Eileen sat down at the table with her own cup of tea. "But she thought she would be blamed for her child's death so she set the fire. And knowing it was hopeless she still let Nick run in there to try to "save" her." Eileen took a deep breath. "Maggie thought - and I agree - there's something bothering Nick about all this and maybe he will tell you what it is. He does need to talk about it, bottling it up won't help."

"And he will want to see me?" Jo checked.

Eileen looked puzzled. "Whyever not? Oh I know it was a bit awkward the other night with your parents - Nick didn't say much but I got the gist. But he will want to see you Jo, I know that."

She sighed. "It was dreadfully awkward. My parents are not easy but I confess I probably didn't help!"


About an hour later Jo took a cup of tea up to Nick who was on his bed rather than actually in it with a blanket over him. He'd been more tired than he had thought and had had a couple of hours of good sleep. As Jo carefully went into the bedroom he was just stirring.

"Hallo there!" she said anxiously then frowned as he started coughing. "All right, let me help you sit up. Thats it, Here have some water."

A drink helped. Nick said hoarsely, "Sorry. Still a bit croaky."

"And your eyes look sore still. Oh Nick." Jo sat down by the bed and frowned at him. "I hope you're well enough to be home!"

"I'm fine! Honestly!"

Jo bit back a smile. "Well you don't look it, I have to say. Your black eye is still pretty lurid as well! Nick, I did try to get to see you last night. I wanted to see for myself how you were."

"Yeah they told me you had been in." Nick smiled at her. "Thank you."

"And, I'm so sorry about dinner the other night. Some of it was my fault I admit that but Mum and Dad can be terribly stuffy. Although in the scheme of things I know just how unimportant that all is now."

"Jo. Its fine." He squeezed her hand. "Please don't worry."

She relaxed a bit. "Nick- I really want to try, you know. Carry on with - whatever it is we have here - see where it takes us."

He nodded. "Yeah. I'd like that."

"But let me in a bit more sometimes. Don't shut me out. Trust me, tell me things. Don't think you have to keep doing things on your own." Jo paused. "You could start right now if you like."

"How do you mean?"

"Both Maggie and Eileen thought there's something bothering you in all this. Maggie's upset of course she is but she's accepted what happened she could have done nothing about. But its worrying you isn't it?"

Nick said slowly, "Susan - the baby - she died of cot death. No one could prevent that. But Tricia, her mum, never engaged with Maggie or I. Even when her baby died she didn't trust anyone to help her. She just thought that she would be blamed for her baby dying. She thought the only way out was to conceal it somehow. She trusted no one and she needed someone."

Jo looked puzzled. "I'm sure you and Maggie did your very best though Nick. To get her to trust you, I mean."

"There was one chance. One thing I could have said that might have made a difference. And I stepped back from it. Didn't take it."

"Nick?"

"I had a couple of dealings with Tricia - following up reports of concerns for the baby. " Nick took a drink of the tea Jo had given him. "Tricia asked me if I had kids, I said I had. She said, "Its all right for you." Twice she said it. But you know was it really all right for me? If I'd told her the truth of it, that I was left on my own with Katie, that I could have lost her if I hadn't finally taken the help that was being offered to me would it have made a difference Jo? I might have been able to engage with her then, made some common ground. But I didn't."

"You dont know if saying all that would have made any difference Nick."

"No." Nick sighed. "It probably wouldn't, not really." He shook his head. "Madness isn't it. When I got into the cottage the other night and found the baby, I still took her out with me even though she was past helping. I just couldn't leave her in there."

"Oh Nick." Jo found herself on the edge of tears.

He looked at her. "Do you really want all this in your life Jo?"

"Now you sound like my mother. She asked me the very same thing twice this morning!" She took a breath. "I've got a lot to learn I can see that! But I want to give us a try Nick. I know its not always going to be easy for us but I want to do this. No pressure, lets just see where it takes us.."

He nodded. "I'd like that Jo. I really would."