The detective stood in the office of his supreme boss, the commissioner as he was looked over. He was tall and pleasant but his tantrums were legendary.

“You are probably wondering why I asked for you?”

The nervous officer nodded.

“I was fairly happy in Turin sir.”

“You are former special forces I understand?”

The detective smiled.

“I did ten years sir.”

“That is the kind of man we need here. “

“Don’t expect terrorists do you sir?”

The commissioner smiled.

“We expect anything here. Rome is a really special city. Your file indicates a love for wine and pizza. You should lose some of that weight.”

The detective smiled.

“My frame is no hindrance when I get on a trail sir.”

“So I understand. What did they call you?”

“Bloodhound sir.”

“Believe it or not Salini, that is precisely what Rome needs.”

The meeting was over and standing outside, the detective gazed around at his new job. He gazed upon the government buildings behind, and the commissioner's headquarters to the right.

“I better check into the office I suppose.”

He climbed inside his squad car and adjusted his grey trench coat.
As he headed for the station, his mind began clicking as usual.

The station was one of those modern buildings that looked out of sorts amongst the ancient buildings of the former empire. He reached the coliseum roundabout and took the directions of the traffic officer. Dressed in black with a peaked white cap, the white gloves pointed in the appropriate direction.

The squad car shot into the side street where the station was situated, and he was soon climbing the stairs.

“Morning sir,” the desk sergeant said.

“Morning. Where is my office?”

The sergeant pointed to the door to the right. When Salini opened it, he saw a short slim man with cropped hair looking at him.

“Sergeant Giovani sir. Welcome to Rome.”

“Nice to be here,” he said gazing around. “More modern than my last one.”

“Have you settled into your digs sir?”

“I certainly have. Now what’s the case load like?”

The sergeant smiled.

“Everything is rather quiet today sir.”

The detective smiled and sat behind his desk.

“After the last year sergeant, I could do with a rest.”

He was just starting to relax when the desk sergeant poked his head through.

“Sorry to disturb sir but there is a call on line one.”

The detective picked it up and listened. When he placed it down again he was smiling.

“Come on sergeant. We are off to north side.”

The sergeant guided the car through the busy streets as the detective filled him in.

“A young child was playing in the local park and simply failed to return home. The mom is frantic.”

When they reached north side, they saw the typical cracked walls of the complex.

An inside stair took them to the third floor where the woman lived.

“You took your time.”

“It was the traffic mam,” the sergeant explained.

They entered a squalid hovel, and the floor was littered with dog pooh. Trying not to hold their noses, the detective asked, “Which park was she playing in?”

“Trebonn of course.”

The sergeant smiled.

“Play there often does she?”

“Almost every day. My daughter is only six you know.”

The detective pricked his ears.

“A little young mam to be out on her own, don’t you think?”

“I prefer it like that,” the woman snapped back. “She gets under my feet.”

“What does she look like?”

The woman looked at him before dashing to the bedroom. When she returned, a photo was handed over.

“Quite lovely,” Salini said.

He was looking at a short but plump young lady, with a bright happy face.

“We shall certainly do our best mam. Come on sergeant.”

As they left, the detective looked grim faced.

“When we find her, she’s not going back there. I want social services to take up the case.”

“You don’t think she is a fit mom sir?”

“No I don’t sergeant. Not even a mutt should live there. Now where is this park?”

The smiling officer gunned the engine and they set off. Not that far away stood the park and stepping out they saw the coloured swings and the children playing.

“This is a bit of luck,” the detective muttered.

He walked over to a small group of dirty kids and smiled at them.

“We are looking for this girl. Have any of you seen here?”

A short but tough kid had his doubts.

“You don’t look like cops.”

As the sergeant smiled, the stunned detective asked, “What are we supposed to look like son?”

“You always carry guns.”

The smiling officer drew his trench coat to one side and displayed his side arm.

“Satisfied now?”

The kid nodded and gazed at the photo.

“I remember her. She went off with some geezer.”

The sergeant knelt down.

“Where did they go?”

The child thought deeply and pointed toward the old factory.

“He took her in there.”

As the officers glanced at each other the kid said, “We told her not to go.”

“That was good of you son,” the detective said before dashing off.

The factory had produced glass for over a century but today lay derelict and broken. As they reached it, Salini drew his weapon.

“Will that be necessary?”

“You just never know sergeant. I hope you carry one.”

Rather reluctantly, his sidekick drew his.

“I’ve never actually fired it sir.”

“I hope that you won’t have to mate. You take the left eh?”

As the sergeant crept off, the detective moved slowly right. Creeping over the tortured bricks, he continually scanned the surroundings.

Apart from large grey rats, there was neither sign nor sound of life. He heard a crack and knelt behind a rusted iron girder. Peeking around, he saw a dark figure sitting upon an old pile of bricks.

The detective cocked his firearm and crept forward slowly. As he skirted his way around to get a better view, he saw the child happily playing with a doll. The adult was talking slowly, obviously trying to explain something.

“At least you are alive,” Salini whispered.

He saw the sergeant and pointed slowly. He counted three before quickly dashing forward toward the startled suspect.

“No sudden moves!” the detective barked levelling his weapon.

The short and frightened man raised his arms as the girl just smiled.

“He brought me this dolly.”

The sergeant arrived and knelt beside her.

“You okay love.”

“Of course I am. That’s my daddy you know.”

Your daddy?” Salini asked.

“Of course I am. What did you think?”

Salini put the weapon away and groaned.

“You better explain yourself. The mom reported her missing.”

“That would be a first mate. She simply does not care. Have you been there?”

The officers nodded.

“Then you know how unfit she is. Look, I’m an ex con but I know what is wrong. I was released a month ago and used my time to track them down.”

“You want custody?” the sergeant asked.

“As soon as I can get it. I was about to explain to my daughter when you two interrupted.”

The detective nodded.

“I was going to hand her over to social services but if you really can take care of her.”

The father smiled.

“I live on a barge upon the Tiber. A lovely location.”

“Do you mind if we inspect it?” the detective asked.

“We could do with a lift.”

When they arrived after an hour’s drive, they spotted the old barge quite easily. After all, it was the only one. Stepping inside, they found the accommodation clean but Spartan.

“You have a lovely home here,” the sergeant muttered.

“Thanks. I suppose you’ll take her back now.”

Salini shook his head.

“You can keep her. We’ll inform social services and I’ll give them a positive report. You must go through proper channels though. No snatching eh?”

The grateful father smiled.

“As if I would sir.”

As the officers left the barge, Salini cheered up.

“I hope he gets custody sergeant. Come on, we have to inform the mom that she is being looked after and fill out the report.”

The young girl waived from a small porthole as the car sped away.