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So we now know Michael's plan. Shall we see it in action?

Private Eyes

There had been certain things put in place to ensure Michael's safety. It meant that they had to know what time he left and either check in with Sally or Eddie when he was calling it a night. Eddie still didn't like the idea at all but he had somewhat come around to the idea, mainly because he wanted Rachel back.

"I'll let you know whether I go to Sally or if I am coming back here," Michael said.

"Does your mum know you are doing this?" Eddie said.

"Of course not. She would flip."

"She is going to kill me when she finds out."

"She isn't."

"How can you be so sure?"

Michael smiled at him. "Because when we find Rachel, everyone will be more interested that she is back to ask how we found her. It will be okay Dad."

"Smart lad," Danny said.

"I am going to bloody hand you in soon," Eddie said.

"Quick question. You call Kiera, Kiki. Why?"

Eddie couldn't stop himself from glaring at Danny. The man was equally a help and a hindrance.

"I couldn't remember Kiera for some reason when she was born. Mum looked up nicknames and Kiki was one. I am the only one that calls her it. It is my nickname for her." Michael explained. "I should probably get going."

"Be careful won't you," Eddie said.

"Dad, don't worry. I am your son. Everything will be fine."

Eddie wasn't convinced as he allowed his eldest to set about the ridiculous plan. The worst part was that Eddie was sure that Danny could tell how unsure about it all he was.

"Is being your son the wrong thing?" Danny asked.

"I am not really known for my subtlety. Although there were so many times when I wanted to knock you out and didn't act on them because I didn't know how it would fall back on Rachel."

"Do you want to knock me out now?"

Eddie glared at him. "You are on very thin ice."

"I'll take that as a yes." Danny placed a hand on his shoulder. "Michael seems like he is a sensible enough lad. I am sure he will be fine." He paused. "So what's for dinner? I'm starving."

If anything, Eddie wished for Rachel back so that he didn't have to force himself not to knock out Danny every time he saw him.

Sally had told Michael that he needed to seem invisible. Apparently, the way to do that was to wear no descript clothing, like jeans and a plain hoodie. Michael did still have his school shirt on underneath the hoodie but it was hidden, more so when he had the hood up.

Another way was to stand somewhere that didn't seem like it was out of place for him to be waiting, like a bus stop. It was just his luck that there was a bus stop outside of the restaurant where Adam worked and Michael leant against the advertisement part of the bus stop, hidden by the coming buses but still having a good view of the restaurant.

He knew that it would be a wait. He knew that he was in for a long night. The restaurant closed at 10 but he assumed that it would be closer to midnight when everyone would leave.

As the restaurant closed, Michael made his way across the road and started to loiter at the bus stop on that side of the road.

He was glad that every car stopped near him, because he could see everyone as they pulled out onto the main road. He had his phone out, to make himself look less suspicious, but it was more so that as soon as he saw Adam, he could get which vehicle was his.

It was by luck that he turned to have his back against the bus stop rather than his shoulder when Adam finally left. Michael was certain that he didn't see him but there was nothing more that he wanted to do than walk over to the car, knock on the window, and demand to know where Rachel was. That was obviously his dad's impulsive side in him.

Instead, he waited until Adam had pulled out on the main road before he took a picture of the back of his car. He was already placing the number plate into the notes on his phone before he called his dad.

"Hey, I'm going to go and see Aunite Sally. Dad, this will all be over soon."

"I am glad you are so optimistic."

"One of us has to be."

If anything, it was now that Michael wanted a bus or his car as he started to make his way to Rochdale police station, removing the hood of his hoodie and dragging a hand through his hair. Maybe something to think about for the next night.

"Inspector Allen, you have a visitor."

Sally smiled at the sergeant and knew that there was only one person at this time of night who would want to see her. It was why she ushered Michael into one of the offices and asked him whether he wanted a hot drink.

"A tea please," Michael said as he rubbed his hands together. "It is a lot colder out there than you think."

"It is mid-February as well. Give me a moment."

Michael nodded at her and she went off to make him a tea and herself a coffee before she settled.

"How open can I be?" Michael muttered.

"Just give me what you have got. I need to run it through a couple of people before I can do anything."

"I couldn't really follow him after he left the restaurant. Because he was in a car. I'll remember my bike next time. I mean, pedal power versus an engine isn't probably going to work but I might be able to find out roughly where he is heading." He paused as he slid his phone over to her. "But I did get the registration and it turned right out of the car park. I wouldn't like to say I know what you can do with all the equipment here."

"Michael, this is perfect. It will create a bit of work for me but this is perfect."

"Really?"

"Look, in policing, you exhaust every avenue until you get nowhere. Although part of me thinks that maybe it is time for Danny to hand himself in. So I can have a couple of constables on the task of trying to track Adam, rather than myself through James."

"I don't know about Danny handing himself in. I think him and Dad are getting on better."

"Well, I don't think so. I think your dad is thinking that when it comes to it, Danny will help him out."

"And you don't think he will."

"Oh no, I think he will. It is just the price that Danny will want for that."

"Auntie Sal, what did Danny do that was so bad? Why… why does Dad want to knock him out constantly?"

"Your dad never told you? Or Rachel?"

"Well… I haven't asked him about it. All I know about Danny is… that he wasn't someone to be messed with."

"I think you should ask your dad."

"I don't think he will tell me. Besides, I am asking you."

Sally sighed before she started to explain a few things, some that she felt like Michael knew and others that she was certain that he didn't.

"All set for your second night then?" Danny asked.

Michael pulled on the zip of his bag with a sigh. He had been fighting with himself all day about what Sally had told him the night before but he knew that Kiera would have her hearing aids out by now and Jacob would hopefully have a head in a book. Meaning that he could turn to Danny and say what he wanted to say.

"I am really trying to work you out," Michael said.

"And I assumed that you knew more than you obviously did."

Michael watched him as he sat on the arm of the sofa.

"Everything you put her through. No wonder Dad constantly wants to knock you out. And everything… everything with the baby just makes it all a hundred times worse. You are her cousin for Christ's sakes."

"We were a bit of a weird family."

"There is weird and then there is… downright disgusting."

"You must know Rachel."

"I do. I have known her since I was four."

"Then you know that she is a beautiful woman."

Michael sighed. "She is an intelligent, strong, beautiful woman that has been nothing but nice to me. And yes, I suppose, in a way I do love her. I love her for bringing me and Dad back together. I love her for the family that we share. I love her for bringing my brother and sister into the world. I love her because of the time that she has given me. I love her because… even though I am not her's, she doesn't make me feel that way. And, by God, is she the strongest person I know."

"Do you want to hit me? Will that make you feel better?"

Michael shook his head. "No. I'm going to go and find Rachel. So you can go back behind bars and then I can forget about you."

"Fair enough. You do know it is actually illegal. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were cousins."

"And from what I know, they didn't grow up together and there might have been the small little detail that their whole marriage was consensual. I don't ever remember a story of Prince Albert tying Queen Victoria to a bed to… have his way with her."

"He might have done." Danny laughed. "Do you not think that if I could turn back time I would?"

"And I am sure Dad would as well. And Rachel and everyone would want to make up for their mistakes. But this is the storyline we are living in. I would have loved to have grown up with my twin brother. I would have loved to have a constant companion throughout life. But I don't think my parent's relationship would have broken down in the way that it did if Stephen was still here. And I am like my dad. I do believe in fate. Every horrible… thing that you put her through made sure that she could have now. So that she could be married to my dad and have my brother and sister. She was given this time to be happy. What gave you that right to try and take it from her again?"

"Then if you have all the answers how do I make it right?"

"I think you already know how to make it right. The problem is, you also know that you… owe it to Rachel to do it. You know you have a lifetime of making up to do. And I think that was what you were trying to do when you kidnapped her. Instead, you made it a thousand times worse." Michael paused. "There is only one thing wrong with Rachel. She is too forgiving. She gives some people too many chances. I bet she has already forgiven you for this when she should never forgive you."

Silence fell between them and Michael didn't think that his words would get through to Danny but it did seem like it might have given him something to think about. He obviously didn't know how much his dad had heard as he leant against the doorframe to the living room.

"Are you ready?" His dad asked.

"Yeah. I think I'll be going to see Sally again. Hopefully, after tonight, we can be a step closer to bringing her home."

"Just be careful."

"And I thought Rachel was the worrier."

His dad gave him a smile as Michael passed him and he made his way to the front door.

"I take back everything I said about him yesterday. He isn't your son." Danny said.

"Will you shut up?" His dad shouted just as Michael closed the front door.