Jack Hawthorn nodded sombrely. "Yes. The lady came in distressed, looking for her little girl. I got the station announcer to ask for help over the tannoy but after a while, when no-one came, I thought it best to call for you."

"That was the right thing to do. The quicker we are on to things the better. So no-one said they had seen the little girl."

"Nobody, I'm afraid."

Sandra Pane shuffled over to Hayes, racked with tears. "I only turned away for a minute," she sobbed. "Where's my baby?"

"I've got the regular police involved, searching the surrounding area, and I've been in touch with the On Train Manager of every train that's left since April disappeared. We'll find her Mrs. Pane, don't worry." The WPC moved over and put her arm around Sandra's shoulders again, desperately hoping that the little girl would turn up soon.

At that moment, April was in the dark, about twenty feet away, drugged and unconscious......(cont)