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Chapter 2: A Prayer for Kate.

Alesha paused the car as she reached yet another set of traffic lights. She knew Jake was still trying to reach Kate on her mobile. Part of her feared they would be too late. Another, more rational part of her knew Kate Barker was a sensible woman that could take care of herself. She just hoped the new girl was ok.

"Come on." She muttered as the lights stayed on red. For a moment she thought about pulling the car over to call Matt but had no idea what she would tell him. Kate hadn't turned up for work, that wasn't a crime. Even if Alesha did think it was out of character for her friend.

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"Matt." Ronnie looked up from the file he was reading. "This doesn't make any sense to me."

"What?" Matt asked, ignoring the file on his own desk.

"This robbery. It just doesn't make sense." Ronnie took his glasses off and threw them onto the desk. "A jewellery shop but hardly anything was taken."

"Perhaps they were looking for something in particular?" Matt frowned. "I mean, perhaps they were robbing to order."

"Yeah and the poor cleaner got a bullet in the back for nothing."

"Maybe shooting someone scared the robbers?" Wes stated as he walked in. "It's possible they didn't know the cleaner was going to be there. Perhaps that's why they grabbed what they could and ran."

"I dunno." Ronnie sighed. "This interview is not going to be fun." Matt picked up his phone just as Angie and Sam walked back in. "Lesh? What? Are you sure? Ok, well get her to the hospital. I'm on my way." He was already on his feet as Sam and Ronnie watched.

"What's wrong?" Angie asked.

"Kate Barker. The new girl at the CPS."

"Works with Jacob Thorne." Ronnie answered. "Nice girl."

"She failed to turn up for work. Alesha went round to her house, looks like she was attacked at home."

"Is she ok?" Sam asked, he genuinely liked the new girl. "Matt?"

"Dunno. I'm going over there now. Ron?" Ronnie got to his feet and followed him out of the door. Wes sighed, knowing it would be left up to him to tell the others what had happened.

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"Kate?" Alesha rang the bell again, not really expecting a response. Kate's car sat abandoned outside her flat. The little red Renault Clio seemed wrong just parked there, almost as if someone had put it there to taunt Alesha. "Kate!" She hammered on the door. "I know you're in, the car is here." When she got no response she looked through the window. Kate lay motionless on the floor in the living room. "No, oh no." Alesha slipped off her shoe before breaking the glass in the door to gain entry.

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"So what did Alesha say?" Ronnie asked as Matt drove to the other side of London.

"Kate didn't show up for work and wasn't answering her phone. Henry had been looking for her and Jake was less than happy."

"It's not like her to not show up." Ronnie agreed as Matt neared the flat.

"Alesha was breaking in, apparently Kate was just laying on the floor."

"Who would want to hurt Kate Barker? Does she have any enemies?" Ronnie thought out loud, hoping that the young girl would be ok.

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"Alesha." Jake marched towards her with James and Henry at his side. "What happened?"

"Honestly?" Alesha sighed. "I have no idea. I had to break into her flat. She looked dead."

"Oh my God." Jake sat down on the plastic chair heavily. "I."

"The doctors are with her. It looks like she has been beaten up quite badly."

"But." Henry sat next to Jake. "She is a tough girl. She takes martial arts lessons."

"I don't know." Alesha watched as Jake closed his eyes. She knew her friend was a strict Catholic and part of her wondered if he was saying a prayer for Kate. She almost hoped he was. James sat next to her and remained silent, knowing none of them wanted to leave when they knew the new girl was fighting for her life.

"I'll ring George." James decided. Alesha nodded as he got to his feet and walked back to the main entrance in search of somewhere he could use his mobile phone.

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"Well, son." Ronnie stated as he walked around the flat as forensic officers worked around him. "The only sign of forced entry is where Alesha broke in."

"Which means Kate let whoever did this in." Matt answered.

"Why? What happened here?" Ronnie glanced at the smashed mobile phone on the floor and the photo frame smashed into pieces next to it. He knelt down and picked it up. Two blonde girls smiled up from the photo, both dressed in silly Christmas jumpers. One was clearly a younger Kate. He had no idea who the other girl was. Gently he removed the photo from it's frame. He turned it over and read the blue biro on the back. "Katie and Beth, Christmas Day 2000. Nanna Barker's house."

Ronnie frowned before handing the photo to Matt.

"Who's Beth?" Matt asked. Ronnie shrugged his shoulders.

"Dunno, but by the looks of that picture I'd say she is Kate's sister."

"She never mentioned a sister." Matt stared at the photo a moment longer. "I've not heard her talk about any of her family."

"Wonder why that is." Ronnie sighed as he looked at the photo of what looked like care free teenagers. "Wonder if this Beth can shed light on what happened."

"You think she is in trouble?" Matt moved as a forensic officer pushed past. He frowned at the burly officer for a moment before turning his attention back to Ronnie.

"Dunno." Ronnie sighed. "Knowing what I do of Kate I wonder if this girl is the cause of all the trouble. Tell you something son, we have to find her."

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A/N Ok, what happened before Alesha arrived? Will Kate be ok? Will there be a Kate/Jake romance? Please review