Sugar And Spice – Part 3
"NO!" Hannah pulled her hands away from her mothers grasp, clasping them to her chest.
"It's ok, Hannah!" Suzie held her hands up in front of her, "Really, it's ok!"
"NO!"
Suzie stood up slowly, gently edging towards the child. "Sweetie, really…it's ok, you're not in trouble!"
Hannah's eyes flashed with anger and she pounced towards Suzie, only to be grabbed and pulled back in the form of a bear hug. "Come on, sweetheart…" Mickey held her tight to his chest, having entered the room after the second shout. "It's ok…"
Hannah fought against him at first and lashed out, hitting his arm and chest, before slumping in his hold, resting against him. Mickey let her and sat down, looking surprised as the girl clung to him and curled on his lap. "It's alright, sweetheart." Mickey gently stroked her hair, missing the loaded looks being sent between Suzie and the girl's mother. "It's alright, I promise."
"Want. Rachel." Hannah managed to say between hiccupped sobs.
"I know you do…" Mickey rested his head against hers. "And we want to find her, but we need your help…" he moved his hand under her chin and gently tilted her head up. "Do you think you can help us?"
Hannah held his gaze and stared at him for a few seconds, before nodding, her hand closing around his under her chin. "You. Here?" she sniffled.
Mickey glanced at Suzie who nodded and smiled down at Hannah. "If you want me here." He nodded.
Hannah flashed him the briefest hint of a smile and curled tighter on his lap, tightly clutching his hand between both of hers.
"She doesn't usually take to anyone." Hannah's mother, Jess later whispered to Suzie, watching Hannah pointing a drink out to Mickey through the vending machine, smiling at him as he bought it for her. "It's amazing – she's never met him before."
"Mickey's full of surprises." Suzie chuckled, smiling to herself as she watched the small girl lead him around the room by his hand, Mickey never once complaining as they circled the room repeatedly.
"He's a good man." Jess smiled, her hands tightly cupping the drink she was holding. "I-" She trailed off and swallowed hard, dipping her head. "I just can't believe we're here." She said quietly, her shoulders shaking as she cried.
Suzie wrapped her arm around the other woman, "We're doing everything we can to search for Rachel, we'll-"
"I know, I know…" Jess rubbed at her already sore eyes with the edge of her jumper. "My little girl…" she sniffed.
"Ma'am." Smithy looked up from the computer screen as Gina came through, pointing out a line of writing on the monitor.
Gina came up behind him and leant forward, "What is it?" she asked, reading the screen.
"Paul Parker, the girls father." Smithy glanced up.
"Kerb crawling," Gina frowned. "And?"
"The next one…"
"Soliciting an underage girl…" Gina frowned and looked up. "Why has noone checked this?"
Smithy sighed and shook his head. "I'll look into it." He pursed his lips, already printing the page out. "I'll get this to the DCI."
"Good work, Smithy." Gina nodded, heading to the soft interview room to tell Suzie.
"This was a long time ago!" Paul glared at Neil. "I haven't-"
"Does your wife know, Paul?"
"No!" Paul spat angrily. "It happened before we had the girls! I wasn't even trying to pick her up, she-"
"It's a hard job, looking after Hannah when-"
"Don't you DARE!" Paul pointed at Stuart, "I don't believe this, my little girl is missing and you think I'm involved?"
"We need to cover every lead, Paul." Neil tried to calm him, glaring at Stuart. "If there's anything that-"
"You think I've touched them?" Paul became more worked up, standing up. "You think-"
"Noone's accusing you of anything!" Neil held his hands up.
Paul continued addressing Stuart, towering over him. "He is!"
"Sit down Mr Parker!" Neil tried again, "Paul!"
"Mr Parker, we need to cover everything, if there's any chance that your daughter-"
Paul pounced forward and aimed a punch at Stuart, Neil managing to push him down against the table and pin him in place, pressing the alarm, Stuart holding his chin.
Paul struggled against Neil, flailing out to catch either man as he shouted, Tony and Roger escorting him to a cell, "My office." Neil spat, not turning to look at Stuart. "NOW!"