The Door In The Wall

Chapter 2: A Missing Child

The Policewoman turned the pages backwards and forwards, reading and re-reading everything that Billy's parents had told her so far this morning.

"I just want to make sure everything is down in black and white, in case we have to come back to it later on." She said calmly, after Billy's father had snapped and asked why they were repeating it all again and again.

He muttered under his breath and carried on pacing around the living room. P.C. Caplin handed another pack of tissues to Billy's mother and subconsciously rubbed her on the shoulder.

'Mr Winter entered the child's room to waken him for school at seven thirty AM', she read to herself. The bed had been slept in, but the child wasn't in the room. The father was about to leave the room, assuming Billy was already up, when he noticed the stain on the carpet next to the wall on the right hand side of the room.'

"Why is it you touched the blood, Mr Winter?"

"I didn't know it was blood." He replied. "I just saw the stain, and wondered what Billy had spilled. It's only when I touched it and felt that it was sticky that I thought it might be..." Billy's father broke off his sentence and put his hands to his mouth.

"You then stood up, using the wall to steady yourself, and began to shout Billy's name."

Mr Winter nodded. "I ran downstairs and shouted for him until my wife came down to see what was wrong." Billy's mum sobbed. "I told her that I thought Billy was missing."

"Go on."

"My wife ran upstairs and searched each room and shouted for Billy too. I searched down here, then unlocked the front door and ran out to the street. I shouted his name again. I came back inside and my wife was on the phone to you."

The Policewoman looked back at her notes. "07:38 this morning the 999 operator says she received a call from a, erm, from yourself Mrs Winter, saying her son had been kidnapped sometime during the night." She looked at Billy's mother. "When did you last see Billy, Mrs Winter?"

Mrs Winter looked up, tears running down her face. "Last night when he went to bed. We both always make sure to see him to bed and tucked in, especially as it's a new home."

"And you, Mr Winter, that was the last time for you too?"

"Yeah, about nine o clock. Actually, no! I saw him in the early hours of the morning, about two I think it was. Billy came and woke me up."

Caplin looked up. "How come?"

"He's been having trouble sleeping since we moved. Nightmares."

"What about?"

"Just kids stuff I guess, imagining things that aren't there. Please, that's not helping. We want our son back. We need our son back."

"Believe me Mr Winter, we all do. We're doing everything we can. Let me go see if I can get an update for you." She gave a half hearted smile towards Mrs Winter and went outside to the Policeman sat in the car.

Mrs Winter looked at her husband. "Why didn't you mention what nightmares Billy was having?"

"It wouldn't do any good dear. Dreams are just dreams. We need him to be found, not have his dreams analysed."

The Policewoman was sat in the patrol car alongside her colleague and had filled him of everything she had been told. "It sounds to me," He began, "that the father knows more than he's letting on."

"You mean because he changed the subject when I asked about the nightmares?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out he's done it, you know."

"Done... What, exactly?"

"Murdered his son."

"Steve! That's a horrible thing to say!"

"Look at the facts. The father left a hand print on the wall in what appears to be the child's blood. They said kidnapped, not run away. The doors were locked, and the windows were shut. The boy was having nightmares which the Dad wouldn't talk about. Also, how do you forget about your kid waking you up at two AM? Hell, if my kids woke me up at that time I'd want to kill them too!"

P.C. Caplin was about to say that he had a point, when her phone rang.

"Hello? Yes it is. Are you sure? Alive? Where abouts? What? That's im... Are you sure? Right. How do they know it's him? I see. I'll let the parents know. How is that even... I just... I need to think. Thanks." She hung up, then looked at the Policeman. "They found him."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Alive?"

"He's in a coma, he was just about conscious when found."

"Where?"

"London."

"Eh? That's 200 miles from here, that's impossible!"

"I know."

"Right. Do they know it's him?"

"The boy told them his name and address before passing out."

"I see. We need to tell the parents."

"There's more. He was found around 2.30 this morning in the corridors of a London hospital."

"How is that possible? His Dad saw him at two! How the hell has he managed to travel 200 miles in half an hour? I just... I don't believe it."

The Policewoman shook her head.

"Me neither. Why would they lie about him being here last night?"

"Dunno. I suppose the dad isn't a murderer after all."

"I think Mr Winter needs to come down the station for a bit."

"You read my mind."

Chapter Three - Online by March 4th. Follow me for instant updates.