‘Fine.’ Jodie got to her feet. ‘It’s no problem. He’s on the sex offenders list, no doubt I can get access to that somewhere. Thanks for your time.’

Emma shook her head. ‘Sit down, you don’t understand.’

Jodie sat and folded her arms again. ‘Don’t tell me he’s dead because I don’t believe it.’

‘As far as I know, he’s still alive and well.’

‘As far as you know?’ Jodie gave an uncertain laugh.

‘The general public–’ Emma pointed a finger at Jodie to encompass her in this collective ‘–think that being put on the register of sex offenders for life means that. Well, I hate to break the bad news to you but it means life in much the same way as someone who is sentenced to life in prison.’

‘What?’ Shock caused Jodie’s mouth to drop open. She shut it with an audible snap. ‘That can’t be right.’

‘It may not be right, but it is the law. After fifteen years on the register an offender can apply to have his name removed.’ Emma lifted both hands, palms upward and fingers splayed as if to say it was all out of her hands. ‘They simply need to prove they are no longer a risk to the public.’ She pulled the keypad of her desktop computer nearer and tapped a few keys. ‘I have an excellent memory for names so I remember seeing his application was granted. My memory for dates isn’t quite so good.’ She looked at the screen then back to Jodie. ‘Victor Hill was removed from the register four weeks ago.’

Shock kept Jodie silent, her eyes blinking in confusion. Her brain, processing, latched onto one point. ‘If he could have had his name removed years ago, why did he wait so long?’

Emma tapped a few more keys and shook her head. ‘He did apply, more than once in fact, but it wasn’t until this application that they were convinced he proved no risk to the public. He had, it appears, attended a clinic which purports to treat sexual deviancy.’

Jodie stared at her in disbelief. ‘Seriously?’

‘According to the reports, this particular clinic works on the basis that sexual deviancy is an illness and as such can respond to treatment. Victor spent a month there following which he reapplied to have his name removed. This time the application was granted.’

‘He’s no longer considered a threat?’

‘No.’ Emma looked back to the screen and frowned. ‘It seems a letter sent to him came back as undelivered so it looks as if he’s moved from where he was too.’