"I don't believe it," Nick commented with slight agitation before clicking his tongue. "Clever girl. No wonder we couldn't find her."

"That's right," Blaketon replied with equal frustration. "Turns out she's known for her tales back at her home in Whitby. The police there have been running around after her like headless chickens."

"What about her parents?"

Blaketon sighed. "Aye. Mrs Anderson ` asn't seen nowt of her for four days. Filed a missing person's report two days ago."

"About the time Greengrass was accused," Nick stated.

Blaketon nodded. "I checked wi' a few cases they had involving the girl's tales, and they all match Greengrass and Alf's story exactly. Pretends to fall nearby, and when some poor sucker goes to help, she yells for help, spouting nonsense about abduction and the like."

Nick raised an eyebrow. "I was under the impression of assault, Sarge."

Blaketon nodded. "Aye, that's the assumption of onlookers jumping the gun as usual."

"Well, that certainly helps us out, but we haven't got a leg to stand on unless we find her."

Blaketon frowned. "Exactly, and assuming this has gone to court before, I don't think statements of false accusation from Whitby station will cut it this time. We need a definite confession if we wanna smooth over what's happened `ere. You know what they say, fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me, and I don't like that one bit."

"No, Sarge."

Kate didn't want to rush in to defend the girl, but it seemed like everyone was against her from the start. "Has anyone stopped to listen as to why she's doing these things?"

Blaketon looked sternly at Kate. "She can say her piece once we find her - in court."

Kate huffed. "Don't you think you're being a bit harsh, Sergeant Blaketon? She is just a girl and no older than eleven as I understand it."

Blaketon refused to answer and looked at Nick. "Find her."

"Yes, Sarge."

….

Nick and Kate tiredly returned home, glancing grimly at their boarded window. "Nice of 'em to clear the glass," Nick commented with a slight smile. Kate sighed when Nick turned to her. "What's wrong?" When Kate looked at him, he immediately knew his answer. "You're worried about her."

Kate hunched. "I can't help but wonder about these accusations, Nick. They're all so – I dunno – juvenile."

Nick smiled. "Well, like you said, she is just a kid. At best, she's got half of Aidensfield looking for her, and more reluctantly, Whitby police too. We'll find her soon, I'm sure."

"Well, juvenile or not, it's beginning to cause serious problems."

Nick grimaced. "I know."

…..

Nick half laid over Kate as he kissed her lips before moving down to kiss her neck, trying to ignore the fact that she seemed distracted. His hands moved to stroke her arms before sliding down her sides.

"That's it!"

Nick pulled back slightly with a raised eyebrow and a slight grin. "I don't know what that means, but I'll take the compliment."

Kate slightly glowered at him. "I'm talking about the girl. She's doing all this for attention!"

Nick flopped on his back and watched Kate sit up. "I want your attention, does that mean I have to involve the entire force?" He almost chuckled at his joke, but the look on Kate's face told him she wasn't impressed.

"Nick, I'm serious," she replied and turned to him, almost with an apologetic smile. "It could be a number of things why she would say such things just to get attention. Poor home life, loss of a parent perhaps…. We only know of the mother."

Nick sighed and sat up against the headboard, causing Kate to shuffle over and snuggle up against him. Nick wrapped an arm around her, stroking her arm again and kissed her head. "Kate, whatever the reason, she's in big trouble."

Kate smiled sadly. "I know."

….

Nick rode his bike down the road past the village green and slowed to a stop when he heard his radio. "Yeah, go ahead, Phil." As Nick looked up, he immediately spotted a young girl in a phone box a small distance from his position. "Another sighting on the old campsite near Mrs Millar you say?" Nick demounted his bike and slowly walked toward it. "Hang on, will ya. Is the caller on the phone right now?" Nick smiled when Phil replied with a yes. "Is that so." Nick stood right outside the phone box, and since the girl had her back turned, she hadn't seen him yet.

"I spotted the girl again. She's just hiding behind the trees. Probably scared."

Nick rolled his eyes and, with a small sigh, opened the door quietly and took the phone away with ease. The girl looked up in shock. "Phil?" Nick looked down at the girl. "It appears that our caller and the missing child are one in the same. Tell the Sarge I've found her." Nick hung up and tried his best to be stern. "Janey Anderson? I think you and I need to have a chat." Nick hissed when the girl booted him in the shin and ran for it. "Oi!" Nick ran after her, trying not to pursue her too threateningly. "Hold up! I just wanna talk."

As Nick ran over the green, the girl suddenly tripped and fell across the connecting pave stones. Nick stopped with a wince and a sigh of dismay. "Great." He watched her for a moment as she curled slightly and sobbed. "Come on, Janey. I'm not falling for it." As she turned to sit, Nick saw that her knee was badly grazed, and trickles of blood had started running down her leg. He suddenly felt guilty, but who could blame him after what happened to Alf and Greengrass? Nick crouched beside her, and she looked up at him with tear-filled eyes but a slight frowny pout.

"You're not helping me up. Thought policeman were all about helping people."

Nick smiled kindly. "We are, but I think you know the reason why I might hesitate, isn't that right?"

Janey fell silent and winced when she tried to move. "I won't do owt to yer," she whispered before glancing up at him again.

Nick nodded, wondering if maybe he could get through to her after all. "Look, my wife's a doctor, and if you're not to cause any trouble, I can take you to the police house." Nick noticed her eyes brighten as she looked over at his bike and back to him with a smile, which he could tell was genuine.

"On that?"

Nick smiled with a slight chuckle. "If you like." He then pointed a finger. "But slowly."

…..

Janey watched from the kitchen table as Kate cleaned her wound with cotton wool soaked with boiled water and vinegar. Kate smiled apologetically when the girl flinched slightly, but now that most of the wound had been cleaned, it wasn't nearly half as bad as it looked. "There's no grit. It's a nasty graze, but it will heal in a few days." Kate unwrapped a small gauze pad and taped it to Janey's knee. "All done."

Janey smiled at Kate, a feeling of warmth spreading through her that she hadn't felt in a long time. "Thanks."

Kate smiled and began clearing away the used items. "You were brave. I've treated grown men who flinched more than you." She jokingly looked up at Nick with an amused chuckle.

"Oi," Nick grumbled defensively. "The butt end of a gun is hardly a comparison." Kate stood up and kissed him on the cheek as a means of amends. "I should think so," he responded humorously. They fell silent when they almost forgot the girl was still sitting there. She looked up at them with a guilty face, and Nick realised that this might be the first time she had been caught out and probably the only time she felt guilty about it.

"I'm in trouble, right?"

Nick glanced at Kate, who expressed her concerns and sympathy for the girl, and he was reminded of her words not to be harsh with Janey and to hear her side of the story, but he couldn't help but be slightly apprehensive since Janey's lies had caused quite a bit of backlash that affected not only his colleague but Kate's reputation too, just because he was a police officer. Nick gestured for Kate to leave the kitchen; she was a little offended but understood that this was still a police matter and would rather he question her here in the comforts of a home than make her feel intimidated at the station. Before Kate could leave, Janey grabbed her wrist. Nick and Kate shared a worried glance.

"I want Kate to stay."

Kate looked at Nick for an answer; how could he say no? This hardly seemed like the actions of a girl who constantly made false statements. Nick's police instincts warned him that this could be a trick of hers to get away with her actions, but for now, he would give Janey her request to continue the case. The last thing they needed was for Blaketon to take over. Blaketon was fair on kids, but the more considerate approach was best for everyone right now. Kate sat beside Janey, and Nick took the seat directly opposite her, wondering where to begin. "Janey," he began slowly. "You live in Whitby, is that right?"

"Yes."

"Do you have any family here?" Kate asked. Nick decided it would benefit them all if Kate interviewed her with him rather than being just there for moral support. It seemed that Kate's natural kindness and profession had gained some of Janey's trust.

"No. Me dad took me fishing `ere at times."

Nick smiled. "Sounds nice."

Janey shrugged sadly. "Were, til he died last year."

Nick glanced at Kate, sharing her solemnity. "I see. You must miss him very much."

…

Nick was starting to think Kate was right about the attention. After hearing Janey's story, they had a better understanding. When Janey's dad died, her mum shut herself off from the world, and it had some negative effects on Janey. Mrs Anderson barely acknowledged the girl's existence, and her only crime was that she looked like her dad. Janey's mum hardly ever left the house, and it forced Janey to grow up quickly. The girl felt abandoned, and until recently, she tried to pursue attention from schoolmates, but due to her mother's lack of attentiveness, Janey's appearance and ragged clothing caused them to shut her out, and bullying had occurred. Janey started skipping school, and soon, she became desperate for attention, and that's when the false accusations began. They learned that James, Janey's dad, was a fireman and had died trying to fight the flames of a terrace house to save a boy and his mother when the ceiling collapsed, trapping everyone inside.

By now, Kate had her arm wrapped comfortingly around Janey as she sobbed. "I din't mean the things I said…."

Nick sighed, catching Kate's solemn glance, and smiled sadly, wondering what to do now. Janey had been through so much already, but he was certain that she was sorry, and with a little push in the right direction, Nick felt confident that Janey would go to court if Kate and him were by her side to tell her story. "Janey," he started softly. "Did you ever hear the story of the boy who cried wolf?" It seemed the perfect analogy for Janey's situation, and Nick hoped it would help her see how her lies could have other serious consequences if she continued this way. Janey shook her head slowly, wiping away tears with her sleeve before Kate handed her a tissue. "There was a village, much like this one, maybe smaller. Anyway, a boy who lived there was a bit of a trickster and liked playing people for fools for a laugh. Often, he would shout about a wolf coming, and when everyone ran away and got their sheep in the barns, the boy would rejoice and laugh about it." Nick smiled when Janey protested that she never found her lies funny because all she wanted was time and the love that she was unable to get from her mother. "I know. It's alright, I understand."

Janey asked hesitantly, "What happened next?"

Nick looked at Kate but couldn't discern her approval of his method, so he continued. "The next day, when he was out playing, a wolf did appear, but when he went and shouted his warnings to the villagers, no one believed him, thinking he was trying to fool them again, so they ignored him and told him to go away. The wolf came and ate the sheep. In another version, the wolf eats the boy too."

Janey gasped. "That's `orrid!" Nick almost chuckled at her reaction, but she seemed to grasp the meaning of the story, and her head lowered. "Am I goin' t'jail?"

Kate rubbed her arm with a light squeeze. "Of course not."

Nick smiled slightly and leaned forward. "Janey, if Kate and I came with you, do you think you might be brave enough to tell your story in a court room?" Janey looked at him with an apprehensive stare, and Nick thought she would refuse. "It would help us out a lot, you know. The friend I work with might lose his job, and nobody will come to see Kate for help when they're ill because I'm a policeman and her husband. I think if you tell your story, they'll see that it's all okay again."

Janey looked at Kate with such sorrow that Kate almost cried herself. "I'm sorry. I din't mean trouble for yer." She looked down at her feet. "You're nice…." Janey looked up at Nick and smiled. "And you too."

Nick chuckled. "That's kind of you to say."

Kate smiled. "We think you're very nice too. We know you didn't mean to cause everyone trouble like this."

"So how about it, Janey?"

Janey nodded. "Okay."

"Good girl."

Kate patted her hand. "Just tell them exactly what you told us, and we'll stand by you. Then, when it's over, Nick and I will come back to Whitby with you to see how we can help your mum. Does that sound okay?"

Janey's face brightened. "You really mean it?"

Nick nodded and stood up to reach for the phone, but before he could pick it up to put a call through to Blaketon, it rang. "Aidensfield police?"

Janey turned to Kate. "Can I stay wi' yer for a bit? I mean, til I tell my story?"

"Oh, hallo Sarge, I was just about to-"

Kate smiled at Janey. "Don't be silly. You've probably got a worried mum at home waiting for you. She'll want to know you're alright, I'm sure."

Janey sighed sadly. "Probably doesn't even know I'm not there."

Kate looked at her with a slightly stern gaze. "That's not true. She filled out the missing person report to the police. She must be worried sick about you."

Nick pulled a face and touched his fingers to his ear. "Sorry, Sarge, could you repeat that?" Kate and Janey heard his tone and instantly hushed. "What?" Nick immediately locked eyes with Kate, and she instantly saw his expression fall into distress, eyes wide in shock. "When did that happen?" As Nick listened, Kate tried not to think the worst, but as she watched her husband rub his forehead anxiously, her mind filled with dreadful thoughts. "Right. Yeah. That's what I wanted to tell you, Sarge. She's agreed to tell her story in court." Nick frowned slightly. "After? Yeah, I know, but Sarge-" Nick sighed, feeling incredibly awful about what he would have to do next. "I understand. I'll see to it." Nick put the phone down and turned to Janey with a forced smile as though nothing had happened. "It looks like you might be with us for a few days, so why don't you go wash up a bit. Kate will come up and help you find something else to wear, then we'll take you out for fish and chips."

Janey hopped off the chair in excitement. "Really? Thanks!"

Nick nodded to the stairs. "Second door on the right."

Once Nick was sure Janey was out of earshot, he turned to Kate grimly. Kate stood up and stepped beside him. "What's happened?" she asked fearfully.

Nick glanced at the kitchen entrance before turning to Kate and lowering his voice. "Two officers went round to Mrs Anderson to tell her that we found Janey, and there was no answer. When they checked the window, she was slumped in the armchair."

Kate covered her mouth with wide eyes. "Oh, Nick, no…"

Nick looked at her gravely. "She's dead, Kate." He wrapped his arms around Kate when she grasped his shirt and pulled him to her. "Suspected deliberate overdose, they reckon. Circumstances certainly fit, don't they."

Kate pulled back slightly. "I can't believe this, Nick. How are we supposed to tell her?"

Nick grimaced, knowing that Kate wasn't going to like this one bit. "That's the thing. With all the trouble Janey's accusations have caused, Blaketon doesn't want her to know until after the court hearing."

Kate looked at him in horror. "Nick, they can't do that. She has every right to know. Sod the bloody court."

Nick reached up to rub her arms. "I know that, love, and I'm sure Blaketon feels the same way, but he's worried she might not go through with it. I'm sorry I know it sounds harsh, but it's not just Alf and Greengrass' livelihoods at stake. The ones she accused in Whitby deserve to have their lives back too."

Kate shook her head. "I don't believe this…."

Nick kissed her forehead. "It's out of my hands."

Kate looked up at him sternly. "Nothing's changed, Nick. I'm standing by her in court. Somebody has to be on her side." Kate left his arms abruptly when Janey called down to her that she was ready.

Nick sighed and watched her leave. "What a mess," he mumbled.

...

The phone rang again. "Aidensfield police," Nick answered gravely before straightening when his sergeant's voice replied. "Yes, Sarge." Nick looked up when Janey and Kate appeared. Nick closed his eyes with resignation. "Right. I'll go check it out now." Nick hung up and looked at Kate. "Bit of a mishap at the grocery store. Owner reckons two lads have gone off with some stock, probably a bunch of sweets or something."

Kate gave him a one-shoulder shrug. "It's fine. We'll manage."

Nick's face fell, realising that Kate wasn't happy with him either. "Right. I'll see you later then." Nick forced a smile when he looked at Janey, noting that she was dressed in a long white frilly dress with a brown cardigan. When Kate had based her surgery at the police house temporarily, villagers had donated clothing of all sizes should any incidences happen, like children vomiting. Even when the temporary surgery stopped, Kate kept the donation box for emergencies, but it was mainly kids' clothing, so Nick suspected she kept them 'just in case.' "That's better, ay?"

"I've never 'ad a dress like this before. Me dad always said I could wear what I wanted, and I always wanted to dress like him."

Nick smiled. "I'm sure he would be proud of you." Janey gave them a little twirl. It was amazing that, given small acts of kindness, she was practically a different girl.

"Bet mam will hardly recognise me in this."

Nick looked at Kate regrettably, but she held back her sorrow and tapped the girl's shoulder. "Come on then, let's go get you something to eat, shall we?"

Kate gave him one last glance before heading out the door with Janey holding her hand. Nick sighed and leaned against the countertop as he watched them walk away through the newly fitted window. "Bye."

…..

It was late when Nick returned home and stepped quietly through the door. He hung his greatcoat along with his helmet before stepping into the lounge after seeing the glow emanating from the fireplace. Kate looked up when he stopped beside the sofa. "I didn't expect you gone this long," she said with a hint of worry, although Nick knew she was still feeling bitter about their tension from earlier.

"Sorry. I was called to the station after the grocery store to sort out some paperwork in time for the court. I put both our names down for Janey's support. Not too sure Blaketon was best pleased with that, but given the circumstances…."

Kate looked at the fire crackling away, holding a glass of wine, before reaching over to hand Nick the glass she had poured him. Nick gave a small smile. "Thanks, I needed this." He sat slowly beside her, unsure if his close presence would be accepted, but he relaxed when she scooted up beside him.

"I'm sorry for being off with you. I shouldn't have been."

Nick laid his head over hers. "All a bit of a mess isn't it. Can't imagine how Janey will feel once we tell her…"

Kate shuffled to lean back against him, looking sadly at the fire. "It was hard not to say anything today… Nick, this is awful."

"I know."

"I'm certain her mum was severely depressed. She just needed help through all this to realise not all was lost, and now it's too late…. I wanted to help her – for Janey's sake, not just hers."

Nick tightened his hold. "I'm sure you could have, love." He moved his hand to stroke her forehead. "You were right, you know." Kate inclined her head further to catch his smile. "Sometimes it helps to listen. Because maybe there's a good reason for their actions."

….

Nick stepped into the kitchen dressed in uniform save for his jacket. Kate was already pottering about making toast and bacon rashers. She turned to him with a smile before pressing a kiss on his lips and returning to the stove. "Feeling any better?" Nick asked softly.

Kate placed a plate with him as he sat at the table. "No, but we have to be there for Janey now, and that's what matters."

Nick glanced around. "Speaking of. Janey not up yet?"

Kate shook her head. "Poor thing has been exhausted. I doubt she's had much sleep in quite some time, so I didn't want to disturb her so early."

Nick hated the harshness part of his job sometimes, and even more when it affected someone he loved; Kate had become too involved with this one. "The court's in two hours. Maybe you should…." He gestured above him to wake Janey.

"I know." Kate looked to the archway and hesitated before making her way to the stairs. "Janey! There's toast and bacon for breakfast!" When there wasn't a reply, Kate looked to Nick, who already had his mouthful, and he shrugged unhelpfully at her. She rolled her eyes and proceeded up the stairs. Just as Nick bit into his last slice of toast, Kate called to him loudly before barrelling down the stairs, causing him to abandon his plate and quickly stand. "Nick," Kate rushed in. "Janey's gone."