Chapter 7: Tracking A Bad Apple

Monday evening found Lewis and Ella knocking on the door of Jenny Winters house. It was a small two bedroomed terraced house. The door was opened by a very nice-looking young lady. ‘Good evening, are you Jenny Winters?’ Lewis asked putting his hand out.

‘Yes,’ she said shaking his hand. ‘I’m Lewis,’ he introduced himself and this is my girlfriend, Ella.’ Jenny shook her hand too. ‘I’ve a lot that I would like to tell you,’ Lewis said. ‘I also need to ask for your help. It’s a rather personal matter so I wonder if you would mind if we came in.’

‘That sounds intriguing,’ Jenny replied, ‘Please do.’ She liked the look of them both and it sounded interesting. They stepped straight into the lounge so Jenny indicated they should sit on the settee. She sat in the armchair.

‘Before I start,’ Lewis said, ‘Let me tell you that I brought Ella with me because I thought I might frighten you if I came alone. What I am about to tell you,’ Lewis continued, ‘Is not in any way official. I am still at school and in my spare time I do some voluntary counselling. It’s as a result of that we are here. If you want us to leave at any time, please just say so and we’ll go.’

As Jenny looked at him even more bemused, he continued, ‘I hope you won’t, because a lot of other people’s happiness could depend on you.’ ‘I don’t understand?’ Jenny said looking puzzled. ‘In my counselling,’ Lewis told her, ‘I see people who have had a lot of terrible things done to them. One of which is being raped.’

Jenny looked concerned as she wondered if this could be anything to do with her own experience. Seeing it, Ella chipped in, ‘Jenny he’s very good at what he does, he’s given a lot of very unhappy women who have been raped a new life ahead.’

‘That’s how we met,’ she told her. ‘I was raped by one of the teachers at school. Lewis had him thrown out of school and banned from working in education. He did all of that without involving me in any way because I was so embarrassed about it. No one else knows it was me. You are the first person apart from Lewis to know that.’

Lewis had looked surprised, that hadn’t been planned. ‘The reason I’m here,’ Lewis continued, ‘Is that I am on the trail of a serial rapist who is destroying people’s lives by using his job to collect victims.’

At that Jenny knew it was about Tyrone. She was scared, yet feeling at ease with Lewis and Ella, she tensed up a bit but said nothing.

‘One thing common to all victims of rape of all sexes,’ Lewis said, ‘Is absolute embarrassment at what happened to them. They can’t bear the idea of other people knowing what has happened. As a result, they rarely make an official complaint. The thought of having to go to court and describe in public what happened is understandably terrifying.’

‘I don’t work that way. I find out what they are up to in complete confidence. I never disclose any details about the person I’ve spoken to that would identify them. My aim is to catch the perpetrator in the act so he can be arrested without a leg to stand on.’

‘That sounds admirable,’ Jenny said, ‘But how can I help?’ ‘With my promise that no one will ever know we have spoken to you,’ Lewis told her, ‘You could tell us how Tyrone picked you up and what he did to you.’

‘I don’t know what you mean.’ Jenny blustered although she had already suspected that Lewis knew. Lewis smiled at her, ‘I understand,’ he said ‘And we are not here to put any pressure on you. Whether you do or don’t is entirely up to you.’

‘But I would ask you to think about three things. First, how you felt when it happened, and how it has affected you since. Do you really want to share in the responsibility of the same thing happening to other people?’

‘Second, if you help us, I will leave you my phone number. If you would like to come and see me privately, I can get the bad memories out of your head. Although I would prefer to have Tyrone locked up before you do that.’

‘Thirdly, there is no chance of you being named or having to give a statement or stand as a witness in any future court case no matter what you tell us.’

Ella chipped in then saying, ‘I felt like you and when I went to see Lewis, I didn’t think I could tell him anything about it. But I did and I never ever think about it now. Even having told you about it today, I know it won’t return to my memory.’

Jenny had been struggling with the aftermath of what happened ever since. Then when her mum had reported Tyrone without her knowledge she had been really annoyed with her mum. She only knew she was upset, nothing about the rape. She had refused to discuss it with the policeman who called to see her as a result of her mum’s complaint. She was terrified of the probable publicity. However, she had felt ever since that she had somehow let down those who would suffer at Tyrones hands afterwards.

Here was an opportunity to get it off her chest. Lewis and Ella seemed nice and very genuine. Her mind was in a turmoil. For more time to think she said, ‘Where are my manners, would you like a drink?’

‘Yes please,’ Lewis said, guessing why she was offering it now. ‘A coffee each please.’ he said. Jenny got up to go to the kitchen. Ella got up and said, ‘I’ll give you a hand.’

In the kitchen Jenny asked, ‘Ella didn’t you feel embarrassed telling Lewis what had happened to you?’ ‘No,’ Ella told her, ‘He’s such a nice person and a very good listener, it just seemed the natural thing to do.’

‘Can I ask you something really personal?’ Jenny asked, ‘Yes of course.’ Ella told her. ‘Now you’re his girlfriend, how does Lewis feel about you having been raped.’

‘It has never affected us at all,’ Ella said. ‘His attitude is that few people today are virgins when they meet their life’s partner. In effect being raped, terrible as it is, it is no different in that respect as having had sex with a previous boyfriend.’

‘You’re very lucky,’ Jenny told her. ‘I think you will find there are lots of men who would have the same idea,’ Ella told her. ‘In any case, once it’s all over and it’s no longer bothering you, there would be no need to mention it to anyone.’

They took the three coffees back to the lounge. As Jenny put out a plate of biscuits, she said, ‘I don’t know if I will be able to answer them, but if you’re sure no one will know it’s me that’s told you I’ll try. So, ask away.’

‘Thank you,’ Lewis said. ‘I’m not going to record this interview or write anything down, so if I do have occasion to talk about it to anyone, it will simply be a story I am telling.’

‘Can you tell me when it happened and how you met him?’ ‘I’ll never forget the date.’ she said, ‘It happened a year ago last Friday. I was driving home from shopping on Friday evening when a police car pulled me up. He told me one of my back lights was out and he’d have to give me a ticket.’

‘He seemed quite pleasant as he asked me about insurance etc. Then he said, ‘You seem very nice and I’m sure it wasn’t intentional. Tell you what I’ll forget about the ticket and just tell you to have your lights checked.’

‘I smiled at him and said, ‘Thank you very much, you’re very kind.’ ‘I’m going out for a meal tomorrow night,’ he said, ‘I really hate dining alone, would you like to join me?’

‘I had been feeling very lonely of late, and I hadn’t had a boyfriend for a couple of years. He had been so good, so I said, ‘I’d love to.’ He took my address and said he’d pick me up at seven o’clock.’

‘Where had you been shopping?’ Lewis asked. ‘The big Tesco supermarket on the edge of town.’ Jenny replied. ‘I don’t suppose you noticed any police cars around, as you came out of the store?’ Lewis asked.

Jenny thought back. ‘I can’t be absolutely certain,’ she said, ‘But now you mention it, I think there was one parked near to mine.’ ‘What time was it when you went shopping?’ ‘About six thirty,’ Jenny said, ‘I came in from work, and went out fairly soon afterwards.’

‘Thank you,’ Lewis said. ‘Now tell me what happened on Saturday.’ ‘He picked me up at seven,’ she answered, ‘He was very polite, and we went to a lovely restaurant. The meal was nice, and he was excellent company. After being alone for so long it was wonderful.’