Nick sat in the sitting room of the Police House with Phil Bellamy for company. Both were now out of uniform. They had turned all the lights off and were sitting by the fire using the soft glow for light, nursing a cup of tea each. It was midnight. Eileen had been persuaded to go to bed by Maggie Bolton and sleep with the aid of a sleeping tablet.
"You should have taken Maggie up on that sleeping tablet she offered you, an' all," Phil said to Nick.
But Nick shook his head. "I didn't want to, in case something happened."
"Nick, I don't really like to say this ter yer, but you probably know yourself. " Phil took a breath. "Its just possible it might take a bit longer to find Katie than we'd like so you need to get a bit of rest sometime."
"Yeah, yeah I know." Nick swallowed hard. "Whoever has her Phil - they'll treat her all right won't they?"
"You know, usually when these things happen, kids are taken by someone who wants a kiddie of their own very much and can't," Phil said soothingly. "And that's more than likely the case here so chances are Katie will be treated right, Nick."
"I can't help thinking though Phil. What if there's more to this? What if someone took Katie to get back at me? Because of the job."
"Well you said it yourself. You've not been involved with owt that would upset someone that much. Nick, we'd know. And you've been up here years its not like it could be related to owt you were involved in, in London."
"Yeah." Nick looked at Phil. "What if - well, Phil, what if we never find her? I mean you hear of it don't you, kids going missing and parents never knowing. I think that's the worst thing. Not to know at all."
"I'm sure it won't come to that Nick. Look, DI Browne, he's good. And he's throwing everything at this that he can. He's got the Press involved, the radio. Everyone's leave has been cancelled, he's pulled everyone in to help look for Katie."
"She'll be so confused," Nick said quietly. "She'll be missing me, Eileen. She won't be in her routine." He shook his head. "How can anyone do this Phil? Katie wasn't harming anyone, she was just out there, safe , playing in her pram and someone just took her, just like that."
"Hey, I know mate, come on," Phil said soothingly leaning forward in his chair and putting a hand on Nick's arm.
"Sorry." Nick took a breath. "I'm, well, I'm bloody scared Phil."
Morning light was spilling into the flat. The woman had put Katie in a high chair and put porridge in front of her which the little girl was taking. Her face was tear stained. Missing her daddy, her Aunt Eileen, her familiarity of home and routine and her dolly, Katie was not a happy little girl. She did not like this woman who shouted and dealt out smacks. There had been another slap on the legs during the night.
"Oh dear Diana, you've cried most of the night haven't you?" the woman sighed. "This will have to stop. I simply cannot bear that noise. I'm beginning to think I chose the wrong little girl you know. And its a shame because you're a pretty little thing but this crying is really too much. I don't want to smack you but honestly what choice do I have when you are so naughty?"
She left the flat a minute or two later to go upstairs and use the bathroom. As she came back down she heard Katie crying again. The girl who lived in the flat next door was standing in the hall looking puzzled.
"Oh," she said, to the woman. "Hi, Laura. Er - I didn't know you had a baby with you?"
"Yes, my niece. I'm minding her, my sister is poorly at the moment."
"Right. Um, she sounds a bit upset. She cried most of last night."
"Babies do cry," the woman said crisply.
"Yes. Only, I didn't get much sleep last night."
"She'll settle. She's missing her mother I expect." The woman went into her flat and shut the door.
The girl, Tracey, was only twenty. She did not know the woman well, only that she had moved into the flat about three weeks ago. Tracey had tried to be friendly to her but the woman was curt and had only reluctantly identified herself as Laura. Sensing the woman simply did not want to engage at all Tracey had backed off. But now a baby seemed to be on the scene, a noisy baby at that. Tracey felt puzzled. Of course it was plausible she was minding her niece to help her sister out but something felt not right. However for now Tracey had to think about getting herself to work on time and doing a decent day's work after a disrupted night's sleep.
Over in Aidensfield, Nick was stood by the wall at the edge of the garden in the Police House a cup of tea in his hand, loooking down the fields into the valley, not even aware of the chill in the air that morning. He was lost in thought and jumped a little when Maggie Bolton came to stand by him.
"Sorry," she said. "I was trying not to make you jump. How are you? Did you get any sleep at all?"
"Not properly, just dozed a bit." Nick paused. "I took Eileen some tea and told her to stay in bed a bit longer."
"You need to get proper sleep, yourself," Maggie told him. "We need to keep you fit so you can look after Katie when we get her home."
"Do you believe that, Maggie?" Nick asked her. "That I'll get her back?"
"Yes. And you must too. Don't give up Nick." Maggie hestiated then, "Eileen is blaming herself you know."
"I know. I wish she wouldn't. How many times have I left Katie outside in the pram. This could have happened to either one of us."
"Tell her that Nick," Maggie said gently, "and keep telling her. Make her listen to you."
He nodded. Then -
"Maggie." Nick stopped then, "Maggie if I don't get Katie back, I don't know what to do."
"Nick come here. "She put her arms round him holding him tightly. "Please don't think that way. Everyone is trying so hard to find her. Stay strong now and don't give up hope. Its the one thing you can do for Katie."
Nick pulled away, running a hand over his eyes, fighting back the tears. "Its all I bloody can do," he snapped. "I'm not even allowed to help look for her." He took a breath. "I'm sorry Maggie, I don't mean to snap. But I want to help my little girl and - I can't."