Read The Witness: A Novel for Free Online

want to assimilate. Didn’t George Bernard Shaw say that we were ‘two people separated by a common language’? I think we’re separated by lots more than the way we speak.”
    “Our legal systems differ also, but there are many common factors. In both our countries police depend on the willingness and goodwill of witnesses to help them stem the tide of crime.”
    “Are you asking me if I’m willing to be a witness?”
    “For now I’d just like you to think about your readiness to participate in the interview process,” he said. “If the events are still too traumatic for you to speak of, I need to know.”
    “Will Sergeant Hartley be coming back?”
    “No, I’ll be assigning another officer, either a male or a female, whichever you prefer.”
    “Why do I have to do this at all? You’ll have scientific evidence.”
    “Jenny, we have only your description of the man who assaulted you. We need to identify him and locate him. And before we interrogate him, we need to know from you everything that happened.”
    “It’s hard to think about telling everything to a stranger,” she said slowly.
    Victims of sexual violence were usually interviewed by specialists, but it wasn’t easy to establish rapport with people who were frightened or in pain. Jenny was both. How long would it take a new officer to gain her trust? A witness had to have confidence in the police. They were the first representatives of the criminal justice system they encountered.
    “Then talk to me,” he said.
    “Now?”
    “No, after lunch. I’ll bring another officer with me, and we’ll make an official record of what you say.”
    She felt cornered. She hadn’t been able to get away from the monster, and now it appeared she couldn’t get away from the police. But maybe if she gave them the information they wanted, they’d leave her alone for a while. “After lunch,” she confirmed.

CHAPTER 10
    S inclair returned to the hospital in early afternoon to show Jenny the photo display that included Scott’s picture. “As you know, we have a sketch based on your description of your attacker. We’ve tried to match the sketch with photographs. We need to see if you can identify your attacker’s photograph when compared with other similar ones. If his picture isn’t here, please say so. We want to be certain before we arrest someone.”
    He handed her twelve photos. It had taken some time to compile them, since the only photographs they had of the man they suspected showed him in evening wear or some other type of specialised clothing. Sinclair didn’t want her choice to be affected by differences in dress. Facial features alone needed to be the determining factor.
    “He’s the one,” she said shakily when she saw the twelfth picture. Seeing her attacker—even smiling, as he was in the photo she held—made her dizzy with fear. “There’s no doubt.”
    She had pointed to the photo of Cecil Scott. “Are you willing to testify in court to that effect?” he asked, trying to conceal the excitement he felt.
    “Testify? I can’t face that! I can hardly stand up.”
    “Jenny, he needs to be in prison, and you can help us accomplish that. May I count on your cooperation?”
    “What do you think I’ve been doing?”
    “I’d like to encourage you to consider taking a further step.”
    “Why? Why do I have to be the one?”
    “Because there’s no one else. Are you aware that there were other victims? What you may not know is that none of them survived.”
    “Into the valley of death rode the six hundred,” she said bitterly.
    He recognised the Tennyson quote. “Jenny, this isn’t a suicide mission. The Metropolitan Police have a world-wide reputation for excellence and integrity, and we can protect you from any threat. We’ve provided protection for you since you were found, one officer while you were in intensive care and now two. I understand that it’s difficult for you to trust anyone just now, but that’s rather