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Chapters (130)
  1. Cover
  2. FIND THEM DEAD
  3. Dedication page
  4. Maps
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. FOUR MONTHS LATER
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
  53. 48
  54. 49
  55. 50
  56. 51
  57. 52
  58. 53
  59. 54
  60. 55
  61. 56
  62. 57
  63. 58
  64. 59
  65. 60
  66. 61
  67. 62
  68. 63
  69. 64
  70. 65
  71. 66
  72. 67
  73. 68
  74. 69
  75. 70
  76. 71
  77. 72
  78. 73
  79. 74
  80. 75
  81. 76
  82. 77
  83. 78
  84. 79
  85. 80
  86. 81
  87. 82
  88. 83
  89. 84
  90. 85
  91. 86
  92. 87
  93. 88
  94. 89
  95. 90
  96. 91
  97. 92
  98. 93
  99. 94
  100. 95
  101. 96
  102. 97
  103. 98
  104. 99
  105. 100
  106. 101
  107. 102
  108. 103
  109. 104
  110. 105
  111. 106
  112. 107
  113. 108
  114. 109
  115. 110
  116. 111
  117. GLOSSARY
  118. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  119. NOW A MAJOR ITV SERIES
  120. I FOLLOW YOU
  121. 1
  122. 2
  123. 3
  124. 4
  125. 5
  126. 6
  127. DISCOVER THE ROY GRACE BOOKS
  128. FIND THEM DEAD
  129. The Detective Superintendent Roy Grace books in order
  130. Also by Peter James

Sapsed continued. ‘On the first count, do you find the defendant guilty or not guilty of the charge?’

‘Guilty, Your Honour,’ she managed to say, finally.

There was an audible gasp throughout the court. A woman up in the public gallery shouted, ‘Oh my God, no!’

The judge looked up, with clear annoyance, and waited for silence. The court clerk addressed Meg again. ‘Is that the verdict of you all?’

She glanced at the sheet of paper for reassurance. ‘It is a majority verdict, Your Honour, 10–1.’

Meg continued to read the verdicts of the jury for the other five counts against Gready. Each verdict was guilty by a majority of 10–1.

Sapsed cast her eye over the entire jury. ‘Your verdict, by a 10–1 majority, is that the defendant is guilty on all counts.’ The jurors looked back at her, a couple nodding.

Meg shot a glance at the dock. Gready was still staring dead ahead, impassive.

The judge told Meg she could sit down, then turned to Gready. ‘Terence Gready, you have been found guilty on all the counts you faced. Tomorrow morning, I will sentence both you and your co-defendant, Michael Starr.’ He switched focus to the two guards behind him. ‘Please take the defendant down.’

After Gready was gone from the dock, Jupp turned again to the jury. ‘You have given diligent and dutiful service throughout what has been a challenging and at times extremely complex trial. I appreciate some of you will have suffered both inconvenience and financial loss due to the trial running into a third week. Tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. I will be sentencing both defendants. There is no obligation on you to attend, as your duties have now been discharged, but should you wish to attend, you will be most welcome.’ He paused before continuing.

‘It just remains for me to thank you for your service. You may like to know, if you do not already, that juries date back to the twelfth century, to Henry the Second, who set up a system to resolve land disputes. A jury of twelve free men were assigned to arbitrate in these disputes. Members of the jury, you will be pleased to know that juries have consisted of female and male jurors as far back as the thirteenth century. Ahead of their time maybe. In my opinion, they have served the model of justice, on which this country can rightly pride itself, well. I thank you for maintaining that tradition.’

‘All rise.’

104

Thursday 30 May

Throughout her train journey back to Hove, fighting off tears, Meg repeatedly tried to get in touch with Laura. No response.

A vortex of thoughts raged inside her head. What to do? What could she do? She had failed. What would she say to her tormentor when he called, as he undoubtedly would?