Have you got the note? asks Clough.
Debbie fishes in her bag and hands it to him. Clough shows the piece of paper to Judy. Its headed Norfolk Constabulary: Our Priority is You.
Its not my writing, says Judy.
I didnt know, Debbie sobs. I just s-saw the headed paper and I thought it was genuine. Im s-so sorry. She covers her face with her hands.
Judy stares at the childminder wondering if she ought to comfort her. Debbies saying that its all her fault but Judy knows thats not true. She knows whose fault it is. Shes aware of a commotion outside and of Nelson coming back into the room with a man who looks vaguely familiar.
Judy! The man rushes over and kneels at her feet, wrapping his arms around her.
Darren, says Judy.
Judy. Now Nelson is speaking to her over Darrens head. Judy focuses on him with relief. She knows what to do now. She has to listen to the boss and everything will be all right.
Do you recognise this woman? Nelson is holding out a photograph.
No.
Nelson shows the picture to Debbie. She shakes her head, still sobbing quietly.
Who is it? asks Judy.
Justine Thomas.
Clough is talking on his phone. He turns to Nelson. Justines at the Grangers house looking after the children. Apparently shes been there all day.
Double check, says Nelson. She may have gone out for an hour or so. Shes got her own car.
Boss? A policeman is hovering in the doorway. Judy doesnt recognise him.
This was posted through the door.
The PC is holding out a sheaf of free newspapers and flyers from Chinese restaurants. The sort of post that accumulates on every doormat. But on top is a sheet of A4 paper in a clear plastic folder. Nelson turns it so Judy can read the message.
Ive taken him. The Childminder.
Thank you for a lovely day, says Ruth, rather awkwardly. They are standing in the car park by the Mill Inn. After lunch they went for a walk by the river but Kate was tired and inclined to be grizzly. Frank carried her back which made conversation difficult, Ruth trailing behind unable to keep up with Franks long strides. Kate, though, cheered up enough to sing Wind the Bobbin Up again.
Interesting rhyme, says Frank. Probably goes back to the Victorian textiles industry. They may have used children to wind the bobbins.
Ruth looks back at the mill with its stark black tower. She doesnt like the thought of children – how old would they have been? eight? ten? – working in factories, though she knows it happened. Charles Dickens was working in the blacking factory at the age of twelve. Images come into her mind: brutal overseers, children forced to work thirteen-hour days, beatings and maimings and deaths.
Children used to lead terrible lives, she says.
Still do, says Frank putting Kate on her feet. Theres still child labour in many parts of the world.
This pronouncement seems to put a damper on them both. Ruth says again how nice it has been and thanks Frank for lunch (he had refused to let her pay half). He says that hes enjoyed himself. Kate, impatient with all this adult chat, rattles the car door and says, In!. Ruth settles Kate into her seat and turns to say goodbye to Frank. He extends his hand but, at the last moment, leans forward and kisses her on the cheek Bye Ruth. Bye Kate.
Bye, bye, bye! shouts Kate. Ruth contents herself with a small wave. She can feel that shes blushing.
Kate is asleep by the time they get home. Ruth carries her into the house, lays her on the sofa and goes into the kitchen. She knows that she has some silver cleaning stuff somewhere. Where is it? Eventually she finds the rusted can in the shed. Making herself a cup of tea she sits down by the window to clean Mother Hooks medallion. Flint jumps onto the table and sniffs at the cleaning fluid. Ruth pushes him aside.
Go away stupid cat. Its bad for you.
Flint purrs loudly.
After half an hours vigorous cleaning Ruth is no wiser. The medal definitely shows two heads and one looks to be a child. The other could be almost anyone. Is it a woman or a long-haired man? Is that a halo or tiny horns? Ruth sighs. She feels exhausted. She wouldnt last a minute in a Victorian factory. She had wanted to be able to tell Frank that shed solved one of the mysteries that surround Jemima Green but she has just added another layer of confusion. The tiny silver object gleams at her balefully. Shell have to see if she can get it X-rayed, which means explanations and possibly even apologies. Even so, shes not sure that a radiograph will show anything. X-rays can be very helpful in detecting metal lodged within some other substance, stone or soil for example, but she is not sure how much help it will be with an object that has already deteriorated so much.
Ruth looks at her watch. Five oclock. She should really wake Kate or shell never sleep tonight. She is just about to start some gentle stirring when the phone rings. She has a crazy feeling that it will be Frank but the caller is entirely unexpected.
Ruth? Its Dave Clough.
Clough! Without thinking, Ruth calls him by his surname as Nelson does. Clough doesnt seem to notice.
Ruth, could you possibly come over to Judys? I think she could do with some support.
CHAPTER 26
Ruth drives to Judys house in a state of frozen shock. Even Kate, sitting in her car seat at the back, is silent. Under the circumstances, Ruth feels that its tactless to bring Kate but what else can she do? Theres no time to sort out a babysitter and, besides, after what shes heard Ruth never wants to let Kate out of her sight again. She still cant believe it. Judys baby abducted. Michael taken by the same shadowy bogeyman who spirited away Baby Poppy. Looks to be the same person, Clough said. Of course, were not ruling anything out.
Clough was still talking like a policeman but Ruth could hear the shock in his voice. They may have had their differences but Ruth knows that Clough cares about Judy. The whole team are close in a way that she can never understand, never really be part of. To use the cliché, they are a family. Nelson is the father, to be teased and grumbled about but always ultimately obeyed. Clough is the rebellious son, seeing just how far he can push the boundaries. Judy is the studious daughter, always doing what Daddy wants but somehow not quite as close to him as the wayward son. Tim is the newcomer, the golden boy, resented by both siblings.
And, now, tragedy has hit the whole family. Hang on, Ruth tells herself, taking the turn into Judys road, a blameless suburban street now crowded with police cars and flashing sirens, its not a tragedy yet. Poppy was found safe and well. The odds are that the same will happen with Michael. But if Ruth were Judy she would not be thinking about the odds. She would be thinking about her baby, lost in the dark and cold, away from her. Instinctively Ruth glances in the mirror. Kate is wide awake, gazing entranced at the pretty blue lights. Stars, she says.
Theres a helicopter hovering overhead. Is that searching for Michael too? Its flying so low that the rotors are stirring the privet hedges. There are policemen outside the red front door but they recognise Ruth and let her through. Carrying Kate, she walks into the sitting room to find Judy and Darren sitting on the sofa, both of them staring straight ahead, not speaking.
Judy. Ruth puts Kate down and tries a hug. Judy doesnt respond at all, her body as stiff and cold as a statue. Darren, though, stands up and shakes hands awkwardly.
Thanks for coming, Ruth.
Clough told me. I just came to see if there was anything I could do.
Thats kind of you, Ruth, says Judy politely, but there isnt anything anyone can do.
Both sets of parents wanted to come over, says Darren, but Judy wouldnt let them.
Can I make you a cup of tea?
Judy laughs hollowly. If I drink another cup of tea I think Ill be sick.
Everyones been very kind, says Darren. Nelsons here now. Hes just making a phone call.
Despite everything, Ruth is still capable of feeling disconcerted at this news. She has only been thinking about Judy and Michael. She hadnt considered that she would have to face Nelson though, of course, its inevitable that he would be here. This is a serious crime, on his patch, and involving one of his officers. Will he be pleased to see her or will he think that shes in the way or, worse, pushing herself forward, wanting to be involved in the crisis? Stop it, she tells herself. It doesnt matter what he thinks about you. Its only Michael that matters.
Ruth sits down on a chair opposite the couple. Kate climbs into her lap. She has no idea what to say or do. Why on earth did Clough think that shed be any help? Judy obviously doesnt want support of any kind. She sits rigidly on the sofa, staring into space. Darren, on the other hand, seems to appreciate having someone to talk to.
Nelson says that this Childminder person will look after Michael, he says. After all, they looked after Poppy didnt they?
Of course they did, says Ruth, not daring to look at Judy.
Nelson says that its probably someone who wants to look after children, he says. Its just that theyre a bit … His voice tails off and Ruth knows that hes trying to avoid saying the words mad or deranged. She hurries into the gap.
Im sure hes right, she says. Nelson knows what hes doing. And theyve got the note, havent they? Theyve got clues.
Theyve got fuck all, says Judy. Its the first time that Ruth has ever heard her swear and the words effectively cast a spell of silence on the room.
When Nelson comes in, they are all still sitting there, Darren and Judy on the sofa, Ruth in the chair. No-one is speaking. Kate is asleep on Ruths lap. Its nearly seven but still light outside. They can hear children playing in the street. Youre it. No, youre it. Ip dip sky blue …