She was dithering. Asking a junior officer such questions was ludicrous. ‘Sorry, Rob. Ignore me, it’s been a long bloody day.’ Questions assaulted her, as well as the nightmare logistical task of storming a hospital room, with hundreds of innocent civilians close by: half unable to escape if they needed to.

‘No worries, guv. What can I do?’

‘Call HQ and request armed backup at the Penrith and Lakes. If I need them I’ll notify the team. I’m going up to the female ward. There are two uniforms on the door. I’ll wait for the squad car before I go in and I’ll call the ward to find out exactly where Daphne is. If she’s on walkabout around the hospital I’ll abandon plan A and wait for backup. Got it?’

‘Yes, boss.’

‘Get someone to contact security here at the hospital and check all CCTV cameras.’

‘Guv.’

Rob was efficient and timely and, in under five minutes, she had confirmation that backup was on its way, and a squad car redirected from an estate in Penrith was three minutes out. Just enough time to get the lift to the eleventh floor to where Daphne was recuperating.

She realised that she hadn’t eaten all day and it was beginning to have an effect on her mood. Her conversation with Johnny was forefront on her mind and she was having a hard time pushing it away. She called the ward sister looking after Daphne and tactfully acquired the girl’s whereabouts. Sister said she was in her room and hadn’t moved since she’d been brought in. She hadn’t eaten but was hooked up to a drip and various electrolytes, and was apparently asleep.

Perfect.

The squad car radioed in and announced its arrival, as did Rob. Kelly waited by the lifts and tried to look insignificant. Nobody took any notice of her: she looked like an agitated relative, nothing more. Rob and the uniforms arrived together and they waited for a lift. They squeezed into one carrying a wheelchair, a drip and three children, all crying to their mother that they were hungry. The journey to the eleventh floor was tedious, but at least Kelly knew that there was no jumping out of this window.

When they arrived at the floor, they politely moved around the other passengers and filed out, looking for the correct entry to the ward. The sister was waiting for them.

No circumstances had changed. It was the best news they could have.

Kelly touched base with the armed response team waiting downstairs on standby. They were set to go. The sister took them to the room and left them, as Kelly instructed, and made herself scarce.

Kelly looked at Rob and the two uniforms who’d come in the nearest squad car.

They went inside.

The room was empty but the bathroom door was closed.