The Next Girl(Detective Gina Harte #1)(5)

‘Will do,’ replied Jacob.

Gina glanced up at the library. ‘We need to secure the library’s CCTV. Call the out-of-hours number at the council and get someone onto it? Mrs Craneford, would you go and wait with the man who found the baby? I’ll be there in a moment.’ The woman nodded and padded back towards her house, almost tripping up the step as she entered.

‘Anything to go on so far?’

‘PC Smith hasn’t found any witnesses as yet and a lot of people are out,’ said Jacob. ‘The ones that were in had their curtains shut and their TVs on. Are you alright?’

Gina shivered and wrapped her arms around her body. ‘Yes, just cold. I was in the middle of a bath when you called. Nothing new there. I hope the mother’s okay. Did the paramedics give any indication as to the age of the baby?’

‘Yes, newborn and slightly premature looking. They won’t know any more until she’s been properly examined. I did notice a slight smell of diesel on the towel.’

‘Diesel, interesting,’ said Gina, gazing at the scene around her. Her bath was now a distant memory. ‘What a way to spend an evening.’

‘You’re telling me. Not that I’m complaining, but I had to break a date with Abigail, the one I was telling you about who works at the café in town.’ He paused. ‘Anyway, at least the baby’s getting the best possible treatment now. Our only objective is to find the mother and see if she’s okay. Sounds straightforward.’ Jacob wiped the rain off his face and swept his damp hair back.

‘Let’s hope so. I best start thinking about a press statement too, see if anyone’s seen or heard anything. I’ll go and ask our chap in there some questions. Can you get the items that the baby was wrapped in before the ambulance leaves? Bag and tag them, and send them to Keith in forensics. We need them to check for anything that might help us find the parents. Ask them to test for the usual – hair, blood and traces of anything else that may help. And diesel, too. You never know.’

‘Will do,’ DS Driscoll replied as he pulled his hood up and walked towards the ambulance.

The rain began to pelt as Gina stepped away from the canopy. She rushed towards Mrs Craneford’s house and knocked as she entered the slightly open door. She shuffled through the cluttered hall. ‘Hello. DI Harte,’ she said, almost knocking a pile of coats off a stand before entering the cluttered lounge. The electric fire radiated a cosy warmth and the flashing multicoloured Christmas lights added to the chaos of the room. An elderly man was sitting on the settee, staring at the wall.

‘Oh, Detective. This is Mr Thomas, the man I was telling you about who found the baby. Can I get you a cup of tea?’ the woman asked as she stepped backwards towards the kitchen.

‘I’m fine, thanks,’ Gina replied, sitting down beside the frail man. His hands trembled as he pulled the blanket over his shoulders.

‘My neighbours, Mark and Jean, will be wondering where I am. They do worry,’ the man said as he checked his watch.

Gina took out her phone. ‘Shall I call them for you?’ Albert nodded and replied with their home number. She called and explained that they were asking Albert a few questions and they would drop him to theirs shortly. ‘Jean said she’ll put your steak and kidney pudding in the microwave. Mr Thomas—’

‘Albert, you can call me Albert.’

Gina smiled and took out her notebook and pen. ‘Albert, tell me what happened in your own words.’

‘I came out of the Angel about seven thirty. It was rainy and horrible. Well, I crossed the road and headed alongside the houses towards the library. I stopped at the library for a look. It used to be Cleevesford Village Hall, you see. Lillian and I used to dance there. I wanted to think about those times. You understand?’ Gina nodded and smiled. ‘Only, when I stopped, I saw something and thought it was rubbish. I went to pick it up and realised then it was a baby. I managed to get this kind lady to open the door and she went out and tended to the baby thereon. Is the baby alright? It was so cold when I touched its head. Is it, you know…?’

‘The baby is receiving treatment now. You and Mrs Craneford did a good job.’

The man took a deep breath.

‘It’s hard to believe a mother could leave such a helpless little baby on its own,’ Mrs Craneford said as she bit her bottom lip. ‘I mean, if she didn’t want it, there are plenty of people who can’t have kids and—’

‘We don’t know this woman’s circumstances – that’s what we’re here to find out,’ Gina replied kindly. With her experience in child protection and domestic violence, she knew things weren’t always as clear-cut as people assumed. The mother may have been underage or abused, or might even be under some kind of threat. It was her job to unravel the mysteries and solve the case, and in her experience, jumping to conclusions wouldn’t help. Only the facts helped. She glanced at the frail man beside her. He looked down and wiped his nose with the back of his hand. ‘Here’s my number, should you remember anything else. I’ll get someone to drop you home.’ She called PC Smith who arrived within moments.

‘Thank you,’ Albert said, as he dropped the blanket onto the settee and left with the police officer.

Mrs Craneford smiled as she tapped her foot on the floor. Her daughter entered from the kitchen carrying a drink. The girl smiled and went upstairs.