The following morning the woman was in a state of agitation. She stood by the window in the grotty living room of the flat her arms wrapped round herself. She glanced back at the child in the cot. Katie's face was tear stained and she was stood up in the cot rattling the bars.
"I have to say it Diana, I think I've made a mistake choosing you," the woman said. "We could have had such a lovely time you and I. I mean, we could have stayed here until all this silly fuss in the papers died down and then we could have got out and about. I planned to take you to all sorts of places. And you know, you are so better off with me than where you were. You've obviously been dreadfully spoiled."
Katie began to wail again. The woman advanced on her shouting, "Stop it, just stop it! I can't stand any more! You have to be quiet!"
Leaving for work, Tracey hesitated. It seemed so wrong to her for someone to shout at a baby like that. She wished she knew what to do. She had little in the way of family. Her Mum had died years ago and her step-father drank heavily and little sense could be got out of him. She had a brother but he was overseas at the moment. Tracey sighed. She really did need some advice from someone.
In the Police House Nick was sitting at the table with his head in his hands. Phil put a steaming cup of tea in front of him.
"Cheers Phil." Wearily Nick reached for it. "I don't know what that pill was Maggie gave me but it did its job a bit too well I think."
"You needed the sleep," Phil said severely, "You were going to drop. And you need to be strong for Katie when we find her. Which we will."
Nick managed a small smile. "Thanks Phil. For everything."
"Haven't done much really have I?"
"You've been here more or less all the time. You've been brilliant. Seriously Phil, it means a lot."
"Hey, its what mates do isn't it, look out for each other."
They looked up as the door opened and Oscar Blaketon came in. "How are we doing?" he asked. He glanced sharply at Nick. "Get some sleep last night lad?"
"Yeah, both Eileen and I did," Nick said. "Eileen's still in bed actually." He looked at his Sergeant. "No news then Sarge?"
"I'm sorry lad," Blaketon said sitting down heavily.
Nick ran a hand through his hair. "Can't I do anytthing Sarge? Just being stuck here, waiting, its driving me mad."
"I know lad but you've to not think of yourself as a copper now," Blaketon said. "Hard as it is you need to sit back and let the DI and his team do their bit. And believe me lad, they're working round the clock to find Katie. This woman, who took her, well, she might have gone to ground but she has to surface some time. Its all we need, just one sighting, just one bit of luck."
"We'll get it won't we Sarge?"
"It won't be for want of trying if we don't lad," Blaketon said. "Don't lose hope."
Tracey worked as a typist in a solicitors firm in Scarborough. As she sat at her desk, Lyndsey her friend, came over to her. "You all right Trace?" she asked "You seem a bit quiet today."
"Yeah, just something I'm worried about. I'll tell you later."
Lyndsey nodded. "All right luv. You've not got anything for a headache on you by the way have you?"
"Um, have a look in my bag," Tracey said passing it to her.
Lyndsey opened it, ferreted about inside it and then gave Tracey a funny look. "What's this?" she asked pulling out the rag doll.
"Oh I'd forgotten about that," Tracey said. "Woman in the flat next to me, she's looking after her sister's kid. Does nothing but cry, its been keeping me awake. Anyway I saw that in the hallway yesterday. Kid must have dropped it. I meant to give it back to her but not had chance." She paused. "That's what's worrying me really."
"What?"
"Well the kid just cries and cries. And this woman just shouts and screams at her, it doesn't seem right Lyndsey."
Lyndsey suddenly muttered, "Oh heck," as a very efficient looking older woman bore down upon them.
"Girls! Have we no work to do?" she asked.
Tracey murmured, "Sorry Moira."
But Lyndsey was braver. "You might know what to do Moira!" She looked at Tracey. "Tell her Trace. She's proper worried Moira."
"I was just saying the woman next door to me appeared with a baby the other day. Well, bit older than a baby I think, but not that old. She said she's looking after her for her sister. And all she does, the kid I mean, is cry poor little mite and the woman, Laura, she says her name is, really shouts at her. Screams at her."
"Well she may be worried about her sister if her sister is so ill she is having to look after the baby," pointed out Moira. "And if this woman, Laura, isn't used to having babies to look after she may be finding it difficult." She paused, noticing the doll lying on Tracey's desk. "Is this the child's?"
"Yes I found it in the hallway yesterday . It must be hers," Tracey said. "I've just not had time to give it back to her."
Moira picked it up and looked at it. She frowned a little. The two younger girls looked at each other wondering what their Supervisor was thinking.
Moira went to her own desk in the corner and picked up the newspaper lying on it. The lead story of course was the abduction of young Katie Rowan.
"Its just this," Moira said. "This little girl who was stolen the other day. There's a picture of her on the front and look what she's carrying."
The girls craned forward to look at the child's photo and more particularly the rag doll she was holding.
"Bloody hell," said Lyndsey in hushed tones. "That doll don't half look like your one Trace." She pointed to a line in the story. "Sez here the doll was taken with the kid."
"How well do you know this lady Tracey?" Moira asked.
"Hardly at all. She only moved into the flats the other week and she barely speaks. Just got out of her, her name was Laura and that's it."
"Hmm. Well, I think Tracey you and I should call in at the police station at lunchtime,"Moira said.
"Oh come on Moira, those dolls are probably ten a penny!" exclaimed Tracey. "You don't think for a minute that Laura has nicked this missing kid do you?"
"I think, I'd like to be sure,"Moira said firmly.