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Night watch

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Daisy had got up early that spring morning because she was working on a case in the nearby town.

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She arrived at her office with a paper bag in her hand containing fresh cream buns at a quarter to eight and was dying for a cup of coffee.

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As she put the key in the lock, a woman’s voice called out, "It’s open, Daisy."

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It was Pam, the cleaner.

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"How about some breakfast, Pam?" said Daisy with a smile and then noticed Pam had obviously been crying.

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"Pam, whatever has happened?

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Come on sit down and have some breakfast with me.

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Please tell me what’s bothering you."

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Pam was a hard-working woman with two children to bring up.

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She did the cleaning for the whole building which meant seven offices.

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"Jim has been on to me again about the children.

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You know he has no legal right to see them and he really couldn’t care less about them, and never has."

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"Let’s put the kettle on."

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Daisy began preparing the instant coffee and offered Pam a bun,

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"Now, why don’t you start from the beginning?"

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Pam looked extremely troubled and went on:

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"You see, when we got divorced he didn’t even ask to see his children.

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Now he’s got no money, he’s trying to torture me into giving him some with the threat that otherwise he’ll get the children away from me."

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"I don’t think he can do that easily, Pam," Daisy reasoned.

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Pam accepted another bun.

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"No Daisy, not easily, but he’s very vindictive and he’s threatened to make my life a hell."

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"Well, we’ll just have to wait and see.

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Look, if he gets violent all you have to do is call the police."

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"I know Jim, if I don’t give him money he’ll be as good as his word."

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Three days later Daisy got a telephone call.

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"Daisy, it’s Pam. I’m going round the bend.

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Jim’s been coming round to my house every night after the pubs close trying to see through my bedroom window and making strange noises.

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He’s trying to get on my nerves so that I’ll give in and hand over all the money he asks for.

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I haven’t slept for three days."

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" Have you informed the police about it?"

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"Jim telephoned me just now and said that if I call the police in, he’ll tell them I’m imagining things and hysterical and mentally ill and shouldn’t have his children in my custody.

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What am I going to do Daisy? I feel desperate."

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"All right Pam, tell me your address and I’ll see what I can do."

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Daisy went round to Trends, her local television, radio and computer shop, and asked to speak to Mr. Ranjee, the owner of the shop.

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"Mr. Ranjee, do you think you could lend me a camcorder for a couple of days?"

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Daisy had found the thief who was stealing from the shop a few months’ ago

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and Mr. Ranjee had always said that if ever she needed something, please to come and ask for it.

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"Of course, Miss Hamilton. You say you want one that works in the dark.

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Mm - take this. Do you know how to use it? Let me show you."

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Mr. Ranjee spent the next half hour teaching Daisy some elementary camcorder tricks.

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Daisy decided to go around to Pam’s house at about ten that evening armed with the camcorder and its rain-proof co