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‘First stop, and its; gonna cost you double,’ said the driver pulling to a stop The autorab a cup of coffee? I mean coffee in my flat,’ said Erika Peterson looked surprised

‘Sure… yes, a cup of coffee would be great’

They paid the driver and got out, dashing across the car park Erika could see that the lights were on in the communal entrance and a blond haired woman was inside with so for her keys, and Peterson slung his arainst his body and kissed her cheek She was about to turn to him when she heard a voice shriek,

‘Erika!’

The front door opened and a blond haired woman came out She looked similar to Erika with a pretty Slavic face, and al wet down over her shoulders She wore a long black coat over skin tight blue jeans and a low cut top She towered over them both in six-inch heels Behind her, a sy where a baby slept She grabbed Erika in a bear hug and then stood back

‘Who’s this?’ asked Peterson, taken aback

‘This is my sister, Lenka,’ said Erika

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Erika helped Lenka with the suitcases, the buggy, and with getting her niece and nephew into her flat Through theof the communal entrance she could see Peterson stood by the kerb in the pouring rain, his suit jacket hitched up over his head, trying to hail a cab She’d asked him to co to her in rapid-fire Slovak, and then the baby started to cry, so he left with a quick aave,

Her niece and nephew Jakub and Karolina looked very tired They were five and seven now, and she was shocked to see how hts and the central heating, and asked the she would be back shortly

She then rushed back out into the hallway and out into the rain, her head down as she ran up the gravel path, the rain pelting down The pavehts at the back of a cab turning the corner at the botto down her face

When she got back in the bathroo room where Jakub and Karolina sat on the sofa with the baby in between theiving the a little pink hat with a cluster of coloured buttons sewn on the front

‘How is little Erika?’ asked Erika

‘We call her Eva,’ said Jakub regarding her curiously He sat back with his hands clasped over a Man United football top

‘Mummy’s on the toilet,’ said Karolina, too shy to look her in the eye

‘How are you two?’

The kids shrugged, and looked around at the flat

‘Would you like a drink?’

They nodded Erika went to the cupboard and found the blackcurrant cordial she had bought for thelass When she brought it to the coffee table, she realised the Jessica Collins autopsy photos had been left out, and she et the file off the table before they noticed The toilet flushed, and Lenka came back She looked pale and stressed