a breast. Believe me, Iâve had enough access to statements that I can say what weâre talking about here is the deliberate, arrogant and systemic abuse of innocent young girlsâunderage girlsâby people who believe theyâre above the law. People so blessed and so famous that in the general run of things they probably get more free pussy than they can shake a stick at. And what do they do? They pick on vulnerable thirteen-, fourteen-, fifteen-year-olds, and they assaultthem and rape them, force them to do vile stuff, and then tell them they ought to be jolly grateful for getting raped by Danny Caxton or whoever. These girls end up so terrified, so fucked up, that often the rest of their lives are blighted. They see themselves as natural victims and thatâs what they become. All their lives, people abuse them just the way Caxton or whoever did all those years ago, and they canât stop it. They canât even figure out why. But even thatâs not the point. The point is that these bastards, and I mean bastards like Danny Caxton, have been getting away with it for years and making us look like the fucking Keystone Cops. Theyâve abused these girls and boys, just like those Pakistani grooming gangs in Rochdale and Rotherham, and nobody did a fucking thing about it. Not the parents. Not the social workers. Not us. Well, times have changed, mate, because here comes the cavalry, with a vengeance.â
âI never did think that,â said Banks.
âThink what?â
âThat this business is insignificant, that what weâve been asked to do doesnât matter. And Iâd certainly agree that some very influential people have got away with a lot of serious crimes over the years. Nothing new about that. Itâs just so bloody difficult to put a good case together after so long, like I said at the meeting. Thatâs all. Memories change; evidence gets lost. People become convinced that something happened when it didnât, or that things happened differently. Itâs damn near impossible to sort out whoâs right in most cases. All you end up with is a shifting sandstorm of accusations, lies, half-truths, minor transgressions and full-blown felonies. Nobody knows what the truth is, in the end.â
Burgess ran his hand over his unruly hair. âToo true. Too true. But weâre getting better. The CPS are building stronger cases, theyâre more willing to prosecute, getting more convictions.â
âSo we ride their wave of success?â
âWhy not? Isnât it better than riding a wave of failure? Besides, since when have you not risen to a challenge? This time they think weâre in with a chance. They rate this Linda Palmer as a credible complainant. According to them, sheâs definitely not some fucked-up alcoholic with a chip on her shoulder.â
âThatâs good to know,â said Banks. âDoes Caxton know weâre on to him?â
âProbably. He shouldnât, but I wouldnât be surprised. Heâs still got friends in high places. I want you to go and talk to him tomorrow. After that, weâll get a team in to search his premises before he gets a chance to destroy any evidence there might be in his papers and on his computer. You can talk to Linda Palmer today. I trust your instincts enough to know that you wonât need a child protection expert to figure out whether sheâs telling the truth. I know you, Banksy. I think once you get the bit between your teeth, youâll take to it like a duck to water, if youâll forgive the mixed metaphor, and youâll be only too glad to bring down the wrath of God on arrogant bastards like Danny Caxton.â
âI will?â
âI think so.â Burgess finished his pint. âAnother? I wouldnât mind having another word with that buxom Australian barmaid. I like the way she pulls a pint.â
âYou need real cask ale to get a full show of
Rhonda Gibson, Winnie Griggs, Rachelle McCalla, Shannon Farrington