Chapters (130)
- Cover
- FIND THEM DEAD
- Dedication page
- Maps
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- FOUR MONTHS LATER
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 31
- 32
- 33
- 34
- 35
- 36
- 37
- 38
- 39
- 40
- 41
- 42
- 43
- 44
- 45
- 46
- 47
- 48
- 49
- 50
- 51
- 52
- 53
- 54
- 55
- 56
- 57
- 58
- 59
- 60
- 61
- 62
- 63
- 64
- 65
- 66
- 67
- 68
- 69
- 70
- 71
- 72
- 73
- 74
- 75
- 76
- 77
- 78
- 79
- 80
- 81
- 82
- 83
- 84
- 85
- 86
- 87
- 88
- 89
- 90
- 91
- 92
- 93
- 94
- 95
- 96
- 97
- 98
- 99
- 100
- 101
- 102
- 103
- 104
- 105
- 106
- 107
- 108
- 109
- 110
- 111
- GLOSSARY
- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
- NOW A MAJOR ITV SERIES
- I FOLLOW YOU
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- DISCOVER THE ROY GRACE BOOKS
- FIND THEM DEAD
- The Detective Superintendent Roy Grace books in order
- Also by Peter James
Two ‘guilty’. Seven ‘not guilty’ – eight, including herself. If she could get just one more ‘not guilty’, she would be home free, if the judge allowed a majority verdict.
The missing vote and unknown quantity was O’Brien, still preoccupied with his spreadsheets.
‘Rory,’ she prompted. ‘Could you let me have your decision?’
‘I’m sorry,’ he said, ‘not yet, no. I’m going to need more time.’
‘How much more?’ she asked, politely, not wanting to put him under pressure.
‘Several hours at least,’ he replied.
‘What!’ Mark Adams exclaimed, furious. ‘This is ridiculous! Surely we’ve all heard enough to make a decision about the defendant’s guilt. Do we have to drag this out for yet another day?’
Meg turned to the jury bailiff. ‘I think you need to let the judge know that we will not be reaching a decision today.’
Toby exclaimed, ‘Don’t say we are all now going to be sequestered in some bloody shabby hotel. What a nightmare!’
‘That happens in films, Toby,’ Roberts said. ‘It only happens in real life if a judge has concerns there might be an attempt to interfere with the jurors.’
Meg felt her face smarting and hoped it didn’t show. If Roberts was her mystery friend, he was keeping up a remarkable poker face.
The bailiff suddenly made an announcement. ‘His Honour would like you all back in court, please.’
When they were seated in the jury box, Jupp addressed them. ‘Have you elected a foreperson? If so, will that person please stand.’
Meg stood, suddenly a bag of nerves.
‘I understand you are still making your deliberations?’
‘That’s right, Your Honour.’
‘No problem, you can continue tomorrow but I intend to adjourn the court for today. You may all go home, but I will remind you that you must discuss neither this case, nor your deliberations, with anyone, not even your loved ones and closest family. It is also important that you don’t talk to each other about this case either or undertake any research. This includes when you come back to court tomorrow morning and may find yourselves in the retiring room together. Discussions cannot continue until you go back to the room with the jury bailiff. Court is adjourned until 10 a.m. tomorrow.’