Alesha sighed heavily as she slipped out of her court robes. The whole trial had been months in preparation- a murder that had made the news for the shear brutality of it and the shock that the defendant had been given bail now compounded by the fact that he had failed to appear made her feel sick to her stomach.

"You ok?"

"Kate, why give him bail in the first place? I mean he butchered those women! Had past convictions for violence against women and children! And they expect him to turn up!"

"I'll take that as a no then." Kate smirked. She knew James and Jake would be having a similar conversation in the men's room while Henry and George exploded. She silently feared for their blood pressure.

"It's ridiculous. So much for justice for his victims! So much for their parents seeing the man who destroyed their family going to prison for a very long time "

"Alesha." Kate turned to her friend. "He will turn up. I bet there are officers out there already dragging him back here."

"There better be." Alesha huffed.

Xxxxxxx

"Joy, my love."

"Ronnie." The pathologist looked up as he walked towards her with Joe at his side. "Before you start, the report won't be available until later."

"Any idea who he is?"

"Ran his prints through the database. Matt's hunch is right. Someone didn't want Derek Lawson standing in that dock."

"Better ring the Guv." Joe stated as Ronnie nodded.

"You do that. I'll ring George." Ronnie frowned as Joy turned back to her computer. Joe shrugged, relieved he didn't have to go into the mortuary - the cutting room, as his mate Jack called it horrified him and terrified him at the same time.

"Right then. Any toxicology tests back?"

"Yes." Joy leant back. "Positive for ethanol but not greatly. Cannaboid and Barbiturates negative. "

"So he'd had a drink but not drunk."

"Exactly."

"Cause of death? Cmon Joy. Work with me ere, my ray of perpetual sunshine."

"Wait for the official PM."

"Joy."

"I'd bet money that he was dumped there. Killed elsewhere. Single stab to the heart. Pointy object. Almost like a poker or stake."

"Thank you." Ronnie sighed before ushering Joe back to his car.

Xxxxxxxx

"Dead." James raised his eyes.

"Aye." George looked at him. "Identity confirmed twenty minutes ago. Ronnie and Joe are on the way back now. Found him in a wasteland behind the factories on Sycamore Road."

"I know them." Alesha folded her arms . "My stepfather worked there when we were kids. Played on the wasteland when we were little."

"It's not improved since then. I've informed the Judge. This is a mess."

"Not of our making." Alesha glared at both men. "Blame the Judge who gave him bail in the first place. If he'd been in custody we'd be in court now getting justice for Tracey and Emily."

"Aye. Natalie and Sam are looking at that too."

"George?"

"He was murdered, no doubt about that but DCI Chandler believes it was a hit."

"And Judge Fisher was in on it? A bit far fetched." Henry spoke for the first time.

"Is it?" James snapped. "Doesn't seem it to me. Someone knew he was out and didn't want him to talk. Question is who?"