"He only left here half an hour ago!" Barbara was angry and confused.

Tommy was calmer. Time was critical if they were to track him. "Do we have any more details Constable?"

"Seems the social worker was hit on the back of the head as she unlocked her car. It was parked two streets from here because there are no meters there and she wanted to avoid paying for parking. All she remembers is that as she was struck she saw a man wearing a balaclava clamp his hand over the boy's mouth, then she blacked out. She stumbled back here for help. We've called for an ambulance but she's still downstairs."

"Right thanks," he said as he started to move towards the door. He looked at Barbara who was on his heels, "sounds like there are two of them involved."

"Still think it might be a woman?"

"One might be. Remember the Thompsons? We can't rule anything out Barbara."

"Thanks for reminding me," she said then hurried ahead.

Tommy watched her storm off and regretted his words. He had not meant to imply she was making another error of judgement, he was simply trying to reinforce that women were as capable of evil as men.

The interview with the social worker added no more details. Barbara left to visit the scene while Tommy despatched constables to search the area around the car and called the police scientist to gather any evidence. She arrived shortly after Barbara but could find little of any value.

"Nothing Sir," Barbara reported when she returned, "and being a busy street there are no obvious footprints, no drag marks, and they probably never touched the car. The scientist has gone to the hospital to take photo of the wound and bruising to see if we can identify the weapon but I doubt that will lead us anywhere."

Tommy was relieved that her attitude seemed normal towards him. He had feared she might raise his gaffe. "I expected that unfortunately. I've issued an alert to all the trains, ferries, airports and hire car companies but I suspect they have already planned their escape route so I also rang Australian Immigration. They'll issue an alert at all entry ports. Also the police over there have had no luck tracing the father. He isn't at his residence. He was on a four day shift roster at work so no one noticed he was missing until yesterday when he didn't turn up for work. They are pretty strict with Immigration over there so keep departure records but no one has used his passport in the last three months."

"Are the police interviewing family or friends and colleagues?"

"Yes, it seems no one had any inkling of any issues and no one knows where he is now. Apparently he has a reputation as a solid worker and nice guy."

"A nice guy who used to bash his wife!"

"Barbara, we only have the boy's word for that and I doubt he saw it directly or he would have been able to describe it. It's possible his mother had other reasons to make the boy scared of his father and that was an easy way."

Barbara nodded. Trust Tommy to always think broadly about these things. He was right of course but she had a feeling the father was deeply involved. "What's his name?"

"David Aloysius Woods. We have no entry records and we are checking the EU countries now."

"Probably has a false identity and if that's the case he probably has one for the boy too. Unless he wants to murder him."

"I think if he wanted to kill him he could have done it this morning by the car. I hope he wants him alive. I fear that you are right about the false identity. He'll have an escape plan already worked out. None of this is opportunistic. Although I do wonder why he didn't go back for the boy at the house?"

"If he searched it and didn't find him and then locked it he may have watched and waited for him to come back. Let's get people back there. We can canvass the neighbours again and see if they noticed anyone hanging around. We mainly asked about the day of the shooting. Maybe the clue is after that."

"I still can't believe no one heard the gunshot or that people waited four days before investigating."

"It was only when the school counsellor turned up looking for Rufus that we were alerted. It's that type of neighbourhood - keep your head down and your nose out of other people's business. Acton used to be a bit like that in parts when I was growing up. Anyway let's see if we can turn anything else up."

They spent the afternoon interviewing neighbours and friends but it was frustratingly fruitless. Around six o'clock they dismissed the team for the evening. They decided to check into their hotel before eating at a local pub. "I could really do with a drink," Barbara sighed.

"King's Arms, this is the one the concierge recommended" Tommy announced after he followed careful directions. The local pub was quite dismal. It had been built in the seventies and had cheap plastic fittings housed inside a brown-painted, non-descript concrete block building.

"More like King's Underarms! I've seen more attractive prisons," Barbara said as she slid into a small booth with forest green vinyl seats that seemed slightly sticky against her jeans. The cheap pine table had been stained to imitate mahogany and added to the cheap feel of the place.

"Apparently they do good chips. Pint?"

"Yeah, ta."

Tommy returned quickly with the drinks. "To our partnership," he toasted.

Barbara frowned then clinked her glass against Lynley's. It seemed an odd thing to say. "Cheers."

"It's ten years this week since we were first partnered together."

"Yeah? I must've lost count. Doesn't seem that long and yet..."

Her voice trailed off which made Tommy look up. "And yet so much has happened."

"Yeah, it has; too much in some ways," she confirmed, "but I...I'll always be glad they put us together."

"Me too," he said gently as they accidentally looked into each others eyes. Tommy saw a fondness that emboldened him. "Today when you called me Tommy in front of Rufus, I enjoyed it. It made me feel like we were truly partners. Will you call me Tommy please? Sir seems so...impersonal."

Barbara saw his eyes almost pleading her. She could never explain that it was far more than a word. It was a barrier, a way to remind her he was her boss, her superior. It was a word that stopped her falling hopelessly in love with him. "It's only a word."

"Quite. Which is why I don't understand why you can't use it more often."

"I'm sorry but I can't. It wouldn't seem right."

"You called Fiona Knight by her first name and other DIs," he snapped angrily, "anyway if that's your choice so be it but don't say I never tried to be closer to you."

He heard the anger in his voice and it shocked him. She was right, it was only a word and not calling him by name would not change their history and their loyalty to each other. Barbara had already proved she cared when she lied for him and put her career on the line to save him. He watched helplessly as sadness start to dominate her face. He wanted to apologise and understand why she could not call him Tommy. He wanted to talk to her about how she felt but he did not know how. Barbara could be defensive and prickly and he did not want to make her uncomfortable, especially after his faux pas earlier. She was clearly upset and worried about the boy and he was pressing her about his name. "I'm sorry. It doesn't matter. Shall we order?"

Dinner was barely edible and after another round of drinks they walked slowly back to the hotel. They had gone over and over everything they knew about the case but neither of them had any insights. As they climbed the stairs Tommy put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a quick squeeze. "We'll find Rufus alive Barbara, I can feel it." He sounded much more confident than he felt but he sensed his partner needed reassurance. When he dropped his arm at her door he felt oddly lonely.

Barbara smiled sweetly at him, acknowledging that she appreciated his attempt to console her but knew it was exactly that. "Night Sir, see you in the morning."

"Goodnight Barbara," he replied affectionately as she slipped behind her door.

Tommy slept restlessly. He dreamt of the boy being found dead and of Barbara never forgiving him. At three o'clock he began pacing the room. He had to be missing something obvious. His thoughts soon moved to Barbara as he tried to analyse reasons why she was so reluctant to call him by his name. He knew it was not important to the case but it bothered him more and more as he walked. He lay down and tried to sleep but all he could think about was his sergeant. He remembered that day he had held her in his arms when she had confronted PC Garrett. She had needed him then but it had affected him deeply. He needed her just as much. He had first felt it when she was shot. As she recovered he missed her more than Helen. It had been irrational and unproductive but over subsequent months he had never been able to shake that feeling. When Helen came back he had welcomed the chance to redeem himself, to convince himself that he had confused his friendship with Barbara and loneliness for something more but now as he imagined holding her in his arms and feeling the warmth of her body against his, he knew it had been a pretense. He had slowly, inextricably fallen in love with his unpredictable partner and he had no idea what to do about it.

Two rooms away Barbara was asleep. She had struggled at first to settle but it had been a long day and she knew tomorrow would be hard as they tried to find Roo. He was an unusual boy but she liked him. In another universe she would have liked children of her own but right now her role was to find him. Any issues she had with her brooding boss would have to wait.

The next three days were tedious and futile. There was no further evidence of the murderer or about Rufus's kidnapping. "I think we should go back to London tomorrow," Tommy declared as they sat in his office staring at the crime-board full of photos and arrows but no answers.

"Makes sense. We're not going to solve this one are we?"

He sighed then conceded, "probably not. We shouldn't give up hope but it seems obvious it was the father. He had no history or links to England so we have nowhere to go and no one to talk to. They've either gone to ground or snuck out of the country. I don't want to give up Barbara, I really don't."

"Me either. I feel I owe Roo somehow. I promised him he would be safe. I should never have let him go with that bloody woman who calls herself a child protection officer!"

Tommy heard the pain in her voice. It was like nails down a blackboard. He turned to face her and made sure she was looking at him. "None of this is your fault Barbara. Hindsight is a cruel master and makes us slaves to regret and what ifs. I won't have you eating yourself up over this case. We'll find a way, we always do but we'll go home tomorrow and try to find out more about the father. I went to school with an Australian. He's a top criminal barrister in Sydney. He might have some ideas. I won't give up until we have to Barbara. Something will turn up to give us a lead."

Barbara tried hard to keep her emotions in check. He was being so galant, as always. It was hard to avoid falling in love with him just a little bit more. He smiled at her and without thinking she said, "Thanks Tom..my." As soon as she started she realised what she had done. Her face flushed crimson and she lowered her eyes as she cursed inwardly for her slip. "Er, thanks...Sir."

It took all of his aristocratic training to keep his stiff upper lip from curling into a broad smile. He knew his eyes were harder to hide. He stood and extended his hand. She looked up shyly and accepted it. He pulled her gently to her feet and put his arm around her shoulder. "We'll find him Barbara."

The next morning they drove the three and a half hours back to London largely lost in their own thoughts. They had eaten dinner and breakfast together but had barely spoken. Barbara had been worried about the subtle change in their relationship at a time when she could not afford to even contemplate what it could ruin. Surely he could not suddenly feel more than friendship. She could not allow herself to think that, to open the lid on years of empty fantasies.

Tommy on the other hand had been trying to decide how to introduce the idea that they could be more than friends. Sudden declarations of undying love on the motorway would be met by derisive laughter but frankly that was his best idea. How do you woo a woman who does not believe she is worthy of being loved by any man let alone a moody, unreasonable earl who had subjected her to years of listening to his angst filled love-life? He glanced across to see her furtively trying to look at him. Oh God this is going to be hard!

They checked in at the station and set up their crime board. Winston Nkata was still on leave and Tommy disliked the female constable that was relieving him. She kept staring at his crotch and licking her lips. It was vulgar and demeaning and he hated himself for feeling vaguely flattered.

"Is she one of yours?" Barbara asked disdainfully.

Tommy frowned at her. "One of my what, exactly?"

"Conquests, after you returned to work."

"No! She is not. In fact after the mess with Julia, I, well I...haven't slept with anyone."

Barbara looked stunned. "No one? But you dated a few women. I know you slept with Debbie from the desk downstairs! She told me." In far too much gory detail!

"Well she lied. Women do that you know. I took her to dinner and she invited me in for coffee. I admit I kissed her but it felt wrong so I stopped and left. After that I stopped even going out with women." Tommy was embarrassed and a little ashamed. He looked at the floor and picked at a flaw in the carpet with the toe of his shiny black shoe.

Barbara bit her bottom lip. She wanted to believe him. In fact she did believe him. Something had sounded funny about the way Debbie had described it. She could not imagine Tommy being a forceful lover. "Turned did you?"

"I'm sorry?" Tommy looked up confused.

"To men. Did you turn to men?" Barbara saw the horror on his face and before he could object or raise into an aristocratic huff she began to laugh. "It was a joke."

"Ha bloody ha. Now pin that next to the photo of Roo while I put this over..." The telephone interrupted him. He picked it up and frowned.

Barbara tried to read the conversation from his face. He looked lighter and younger as the conversation wore on but his answers gave nothing away. "Well?" she asked anxiously as he hung up.

A broad smile lit up his face. "Roo and his father were apprehended coming into Sydney on a domestic flight from Cairns. They came in via Papua New Guinea on false passports. Seems they drove from here to Switzerland and left from there. It was pure chance they were spotted by an off duty officer waiting to collect his wife."

Barbara collapsed into the chair and smiled. "Thank goodness. So it's all over then."

"No, not quite. They want someone from here over there to handle the extradition and escort the boy and well...it seems Roo refuses to speak to anyone but you. Hillier has arranged for you to be on tonight's flight."

"To Australia?"

"Yes, seems you are going after all Barbara." He saw the horror fill her face. "I hope you don't get eaten," he added with a smirk.

Even Tommy blushed at the language of her vehement reply.