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Erika could see there was a complaint letter included in the case file fro DCI Amanda Baker’s abrasive rudeness, and that the excavation had caused thousands of pounds daarden There had been an altercation between Aela, where Amanda had called her a cunt

A few days later, Amanda had discovered the existence of a halfway house in the next street, and reports were co in that one of its residents, a convicted paedophile called Trevor Marks up to Jessica going

Erika saw that Aust 15th, saying that they had arrested Trevor Marks in a halfway house four hundred yards away A halfway house that had been approved by Councillor Murray and the rest of the council the previous year

‘Amanda, that can’t have done you any favours,’ said Erika as she read through the file She hadn’t noticed that the cup coffee at her elboas now cold She thought about the way she had dealt with cases in the past, and how she’d made a name for herself as difficult, particularly with top brass

‘But it goes back to the sa,’ said Erika to herself ‘A ht of as decisive and driven, a woman does it and she’s a difficult bitch’

John had included in the file reports relating to Trevor Marksman He was questioned repeatedly, but it he had an alibi He had been in the communal television roo on the day when Jessica disappeared He had several witnesses, including the parole officer who lived in at the time could confirm this

Marksman’s room at the halfway house was searched, and officers found an album of photos he had taken of Jessica He had a cairls, including several videos of Jessica taken at the park The halfway house was searched and so were the grounds, but officers found nothing

The Collins family offered so caings

A year later, when the case had gone cold, Marksman had already been moved several times for his protection, when he was relocated to a house in North London On the night of Septeh his door The house burned to the ground, and he was pulled out of the flames badly burnt

Tomen, April Morrow and Kelly Crown had been seen outside his house and were arrested A search of April Morrow’s flat found photocopies of council files relating to the location of Trevor Marks and put the bla she had fed them the information There was no proof either way, but coupled with revelations of a relationship between Martin Collins, and DCI Baker, her reputation was daot up and etting light She hesitated then ht away

‘Sorry to call so early,’ said Erika

‘No probs I haven’t been sleeping much… Marcie wants to work out visitation ti in’

‘Damn I’m sorry, Paul…’

‘It’ my own fault I work too …’ he said His voice tailed off ‘What is it?’

‘I’ve been working h the Jessica Collins case files, which confirot to a suspect was Trevor Marks around Jessica and the fa up to when she vanished’