Page 56 of Deadly Cry

Stacey was confused. That was pretty much the sum of the evidence against him.

‘So…’

‘It was him, his manner, his attitude. He was cocky and arrogant, as though he was just going to get away with what he’d done to that poor girl. I mean, the majority of rape cases don’t even get to court, do they?’ Thelma asked, finding her stride. ‘I looked it all up, you see, and approximately eighty-five thousand women experience violent sexual crime every year and only fifteen per cent of those women report it to the police. Very few cases make it to court and conviction rates for rape are lower than other crimes: only around five per cent if memory serves me.’

‘So the numbers swung it for you?’ Stacey asked.

‘Not the numbers as such – but we knew we had a rapist sitting right in front of us. It’s like, well, if the victim believes he did it, the police believe he did it and the CPS as well, there must be something in it. If the case has made it this far in the process given all those negative numbers, how can we possibly let this man go?’

Stacey glanced at the jury demographic again. Seven women and five men. Was this some kind of sisterhood vote? Or had they treated the case like a civil case, on the balance of probability? Was it more likely he did it or not?

‘I stand by our decision. I still think he was guilty, and you should have seen his face when the verdict was read. Knocked the cocky smile right off his face.’

Yes, she was sure it had, and Stacey had a feeling she could guess exactly why.

Forty-Five

‘Where are you, Stone?’ Woody asked when she answered the phone.

‘En route back to the station for a check-in, sir,’ she replied as the rain from her hair continued to drip down her neck.

She and Bryant had continued to stand in the rain for a few more minutes, getting an update of the search areas from Inspector Plant. After realising there was nothing she or her team could add, she’d instructed Penn to head back to the station after lunch. Any updates would come directly from Inspector Plant.

‘Perfect. A slight detour, if you don’t mind.’

She frowned. ‘To where?’

‘Halesowen: the shopping centre. The EPT is meeting for a walk through.’

She wondered if she’d heard correctly. ‘Sir, you do know I’ve got—’

‘Don’t insult me with those next words, Stone. It’s ten minutes and we need the continuity. It’s just the operational staff, so it’ll be brief.’

She had never known any of these meetings to be brief.

‘Sir, I really think…’

‘Stone, you’ve been requested so just do it.’

The phone went dead in her hand as another protest was forming on her lips.

‘Bloody great,’ she growled, putting the phone back in her pocket.

‘What’s up?’ Bryant asked. ‘You gotta go play nice with the EPT crew?’

‘For that smug look on your face you’re now coming with me,’ she said as more rainwater seeped down her neck. She looked around. ‘Jesus, Bryant, don’t you have anything in this bloody car that I can use to dry myself?’

‘Nah, sorry. I had the mobile spa taken out. It took up too much room.’ He thought for a second. ‘The dog’s towel is in the back if you wanna use that.’

‘Bryant, you really can be a f—’

‘Think you’d better call Stace?’ he asked, cutting her off.

‘Good idea,’ she said, taking her phone back out.

‘Hey, Stace,’ Kim said when she answered. ‘Slight delay but should be with you in about half an hour.’

‘No probs, boss.’