Really sorry for the huuuge delay in posting, uni has kind of taken over my life recently and I had a bit of writer's block.

It had been two hours since Alex and the rest of CID had left the house, leaving to Ste to find out what information Vicky had 'withheld' from everyone. In reality it had taken them fifteen minutes, but Ste had felt the need to stay with her and constantly reassure her that 'yes, everything was going to be fine' and 'no, she wasn't entirely to blame for Gene's kidnapping.' A bottle of wine may have been opened and shared, but seeing as they were both relatively sober then no-one needed to know.

Vicky was just seeing him out; watching him slowly saunter down the drive with a sad smile on her face, when her elderly neighbour's head had popped up from behind the fence.

'Oh, hello Vicky dear, is everything ok? It's just, I couldn't help noticing that you've had the police swarming round your house all day.' She enquired, pointing her head to Ste's retreating back.

'Hey Mrs. Williams, no not really. My dad's been abducted.' She put as much emotion as she could muster into keeping up the act, which wasn't hard to do seeing as she felt it was her fault.

'Oh my dear! Oh I'm so sorry, when did he go missing?'

'Between nine last night and early this morning.'

'This morning you say? Wait there a second love.' And with that her head disappeared behind the fence as she scuttled back inside.

It was a good ten minutes before she came back out again, and Vicky's teeth were chattering loudly from the cold wind swirling around her.

'Here, you wouldn't know anything about this would you?' she asked as she handed an old plastic bag stuffed to breaking point with some form of black material.

Vicky quizzically looked at Mrs. Williams; then at the bag, before reaching in and tugging the material out, then holding it up to see what it was.

She almost squealed with delight when she recognised it. It was Gene's coat; he had it with him when he left to get food so he must have dropped it as he was being put in or taken out of the car.

'Where did you find this?'

'Well, I was walking home this morning from visiting a gentleman friend' she blushed with a wide grin and Vicky suppressed the urge to shudder 'when I found it just lying there in the street. So I picked it up, I was going to give it to the charity shop actually so you're lucky I caught you when I did.'

'Which street though Mrs. Williams?'

'Oh, well, it must have been…' she paused as she tried to remember her journey, making Vicky tap her foot impatiently. 'Oh that's right, it was on Lincoln Street.'

Vicky beamed, she couldn't be sure, but she had a feeling that that street was nowhere near the takeaway where Gene was headed. She had to check it out.

She quickly grabbed her keys, slammed the door shut and ran to the end of the drive, hoping that Ste was still somewhere in sight. She scanned both ends of the street wildly and beamed when she could see him walking away. Silently thanking him for walking as he drove – painstakingly slowly.

'STE!' she shouted, counting her lucky stars when he turned round to face her.

She broke out into a run to catch up with him, still grinning like a lunatic.

'Well I never.' Mrs. Williams muttered shaking her head as she walked away 'the youth of today. No manners at all.'

Alex had just put the phone down and was finalising her notes. She'd used her initiative and had phoned up the mechanics to see who had not, or yet to, turn up for work. There were three, including Gene. She was about to inform CID of her findings, when the double doors opened.

She slit her eyes in silent anger at the sight of Vicky; almost jumping up and down on the spot, clutching something black to her chest as if it were a lifeline.

'Yes Vicky?' she sighed, pinching her nose to try to keep herself calm.

'Take a look at what I've got.' Vicky beamed, the coat poised on her index finger.

Alex swept her eyes down the coat, feeling a thousand emotions all at once. She didn't need to be told it was his, she'd seen him put it on often enough.

'Well? Come on then! Get your coats on and we'll go!' Vicky said, laughing at how dumbstruck the rest of the team were as she walked out.

'Whereabouts did she say she found the coat?' Ray asked as they all spread out throughout the dead end street filled with terraced houses.

'She didn't, she just said this street.' Vicky answered

'Great, that means we have to check everywhere,' Ray huffed as he walked to the end of the street.

'Ray, it's a small street. There aren't many houses here so it won't take us that long.' Alex sighed as she knocked the first door and waited for someone to answer.

'Won't take long she says, we've been here nearly four hours and what have we found? Nothing. I'm starting to think this was a waste of time.' Ray sneered as he took a drag on his cigarette.

'Hold on Ray, it's starting to sound like you don't care about the guv.' Chris enquired, slowly distancing himself away from Ray.

'Course I bloody care!' Ray defended 'only cuz he's the guv though, respect aint it? Caring is bird's stuff.' Ray sniffed. Happy that his macho persona was still intact, he moved to another door, leaving Chris to check the house he was stood in front of.

Chris walked to the wooden front door, knocked and waited, when there was no answer he knocked again. He was about to walk away when he thought better of it and looked through the letterbox.

'Boss err ma'am! You might wanna see this!' he shouted and almost instantly Alex was by his side.

'What is it Chris?' she asked, slightly out of breath.

'Take a look' he said, turning slightly pale.

'Oh my god! Ray! I need you to break the door down, but be careful for god sake!' she exclaimed backing away from the door to make way for him.

'What is it ma'am?' Vicky asked, walking over, the commotion peaking her and Ste's interest.

'Someone's legs Vicky, and blood. Lots of blood.'

On Ray's third attempt the lock gave way and the door swung open. The five officers poured into the house and circled the body. Each hoping that it wouldn't be a certain person. Alex knelt down and slowly reached a hand underneath their shoulder and rolled the body over. Alex closed her eyes as she saw the battered and bruised face.

'It's him.' Vicky grimly spoke 'is he even alive?'

Alex gently placed her fingers on his pulse point and felt a dull thud.

'Yeah. Only just though. Chris radio for an ambulance and forensics'

'Hang on.' Ray spoke up, using his cigarette as a pointer to the man on the floor. 'Just who is he?'

'He's the guy who kidnapped the guv.' Vicky replied as if it was common knowledge.

'So where's the guv then?'

'Good question Ray' Alex stood up to face him 'why don't we search the house and find him?' she replied sarcastically

Ray took another drag on his cigarette as he walked up the stairs to check the bedrooms.

An hour later and the place was swarming with forensic investigators, they hadn't found anyone else within the house but they had found where Gene had been kept.

Alex was stood near to where they had found Barry; she had managed to collar an investigator and was getting a quick briefing on what they had found.

'… We can't say for sure that DCI Hunt was here because we need to get our findings tested. But it is a strong possibility that he was.'

'Ok thanks' she smiled, effectively releasing the investigator just as the front door opened.

'Barry! Are you here? Sorry I'm late, I did a bit of shopping and I got us some … oh shit!' Pam exclaimed, finally realising she wasn't talking to Barry, but a house full of coppers. She immediately dropped her shopping and turned to run, but Alex was too quick for her and grabbed the hood of her coat to stop her in her tracks.

'Well well well, looks like I've just caught myself an accomplice.' She smiled, the day was looking up. 'Ste? Take her to the station will you?' she handed Pam over to Ste who cuffed her and led her out to the unmarked car.

The only thing for Alex to do now was to find Gene.

'Ma'am, you might wanna see this.' She walked towards the voice and into the back garden.

'Looks like someone's made an escape. There are fresh footprints in the grass and mud, and muddy footprints there where they've climbed the wooden fence.'

Alex scrutinised the trail and sighed.

'Where the hell are you Gene?'

Ok, so hands up who thought I'd killed off Gene? :P

Just as a side note, it was my birthday a few months ago and I found out I was born at 9:06 precisely. Just sayin'.