6.30pm Thursday 11th March 2010, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England.
A five-year old girl, Regina Balfour, is kidnapped in broad daylight from the Eden Shopping Centre, while her mother’s back is momentarily turned. Left behind is her ladybird shaped backpack, which contained supplies for her insulin pump. She needs her medication to live more than a few days, and her condition will rapidly deteriorate without it...
"Yes, it probably would have been best not to have mentioned that to them," says Jocelyn. "We've got a break in the case, and we can really use your help. I'll fill you in when we're in the car where hospital staff and nosy reporters can't overhear us."
"Perhaps honesty is not always the best policy," Simon admits. He nods eagerly and follows her to the car, intrested in the big break they had attained.
"It's an early lesson I learned at MI5," says Jocelyn, leading the way to the car. "Information is on a need to know basis. If they don't need to know, don't tell them."
"I suppose I should be thinking like a spy now, given I've somehow ended up in a Bond movie. Which I suppose makes you my Bond Girl." He turns and grins at Jocelyn , apparently forgetting she was the law enforcement here and he was just a consultant.
"So what did you learn?" He asks once they reach the car.
"The real world doesn't work like a Bond film," says Jocelyn. "Bond himself has a lot to learn about opsec. He keeps going around giving his real name and falling for every honeypot out there." When they're in the car with DS Bates and on the road, where she's sure the reporter can't overhear them, she shows Simon the text. "DC Sapru sent this to me from Oxford, where he'd been reassigned. Apparently he must have gotten word from the other coppers there. There's an armed standoff with Lindsay Peale, and it sounds like she's got Regina with her. We'll both be needed to negotiate with her."
Jocelyn is in the front and Simon in the back as DS Bates sets off for Oxford.
'The situation is fluid, we'll get the full story when we arrive, I can't get hold of Kris at the moment. We have officers on-site and as far as I can ascertain he's alright but shots have been fired. We have an armed response vehicle en route. I've got no definite confirmation of Lindsay Peale or Regina Balfour but this looks like a hostage situation so I hope you've recovered Simon, we might need you to talk to her. I understand you've done this sort of thing before Jocelyn.'
