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‘DI Moss will go, won’t you,’ said Erika If Moss was disappointed she hid it well

‘Yes, of course I’ll go and keep you posted’

‘We need to talk to you,’ said Erika

‘I don’t know anything about the pills, I didn’t know they would be bad for her!’

‘No, ant to talk to you about Jessica’s father Gerry O’Reilly’

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Erika and Peterson sat with Laura in the living room of Avondale Road It was still and silent A clock ticked out in the hallway and the painting of the Virgin Mary seely toward the tableaux below

Erika had laid the copy of Jessica’s birth certificate out on the polished surface of the coffee table in front of Laura

Laura had been silent for aat it in fear and disbelief, and then she had started to retch

‘Laura,’ said Erika grabbing her hand, ‘It’s okay, we’re here, and it’s going to be okay’

‘No, it’s not!’ she cried, tears running down her cheeks ‘It’s not’

‘Start at the beginning,’ said Erika Peterson handed her a tissue and she took it wiping her face A calan to talk,

‘I loved living in Ireland We had a se by the sea We didn’t havesites and Mum was at home with me, but ere happy I met Gerry when I was thirteen’

‘Where did you meet him?’

‘At the local Catholic youth club, a little hut on the hill at the top of the beach It may have ben filled with pictures of Our Lady, and they assu and cards, but the older kids would slope off to the beach, anant’