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versa. A lot of unmarked weapons were ‘signed out’ from terrorists on loan to ordinary citizens for a few hundred quid. They’d be dumped after the crime, whatever it was, and they were impossible to trace. We used to joke that The Troubles saved the divorce courts a lot of work. But we were so busy with the bombs and bullets that some things were let slip.”
    “OK, thanks. And how easy would it have been back then to frame a terrorist for something they hadn’t done?”
    Liam gave a loud laugh. “You mean one of them got banged-up for someone they didn’t kill? Happy days.”
    Craig raised his eyes to heaven and smiled. Liam’s political incorrectness was legendary. It had been dialled down considerably in the run up to his recent promotion board but it was back now, alive and kicking hard.
    “Seriously, Liam. Would it really have been that easy to frame someone for murder?”
    Liam swallowed another laugh and attempted a serious voice. “I’d be lying if I said it hadn’t been tried, boss. There was a lot of frustration back then and the pressure was on to get these bastards off the streets. But…”
    “Yes?”
    “Unless there was some evidence, it would have been thrown out at trial. They’d never have been sent down if the evidence hadn’t been there. Who do you think was framed?”
    “A Provo called Jonno Mulvenna.”
    Liam’s tone changed to anger. “A cop-killer like Mulvenna was fair game. He would have been lifted as often as we could. What do you think he was framed for?”
    Craig sighed. The more Liam said the more he became convinced that Mulvenna had been a dupe.
    “The murder of Veronica Jarvis, back in 1983. I’ll update you later, Liam. Thanks for your help.”
    Before Liam could say any more Craig cut the call and turned to see the objection on Andy’s face.
    “No, Marc. We can’t do this, hey. We can’t re-open an old case. If Mulvenna didn’t kill Ronni Jarvis he killed plenty more. If we start questioning his conviction it will open a can of worms that will go on for years.”
    Craig stared at the file and turned to a black and white photo of a twenty-something man staring unsmiling at the camera. They could see the naked hatred in his eyes. He was a killer without a doubt, but was he Veronica Jarvis’ killer? And if he wasn’t then why had he been convicted for her death? Was it just exhausted police work or had he really been framed?
    He shook his head, trying to push away his doubts. The last thing he wanted was to defend a terrorist, but if he was innocent of this it had ramifications far beyond this case. If Mulvenna had been framed for Ronni Jarvis’ murder then Lissy Trainor’s murder mightn’t just be a copycat, the same man might have committed both. He could have been out there, running free for thirty years.. But if he had been free all that time then why hadn’t he killed between 1983 and now?
    He looked at Andy and nodded, ignoring his objections. He didn’t have the answers but he knew that the questions had to be asked, whether people wanted him to ask them or not.

Chapter Six
     
    The man watched from a distance as the woman in uniform climbed into the car and her husband indicated left at the end of the street. He knew where they were going, by the grave expressions their faces wore. To choose a way to remember their beloved child. Bury her or burn her, it didn’t matter. She was still dead. He smiled at the woman wearing her uniform. Nothing would get in the way of her career, not even her daughter’s death. Good to know that she hadn’t changed. She was still a cold, hard bitch.
    He cast a glance around the street and then crossed it stealthily, slipping down the house’s driveway to push open the garden gate. The flowers stood upright in neat borders, the hedges cut back to within an inch of their lives. She even controlled her garden. No sentiment, disposing of anything that wasn’t of use.
    He slipped a knife between the patio doors then