Without prejudice, p.19
Without Prejudice, page 19
Amery walked over to the door. He hated conferences in prison. Formica tables. Bad lighting. Terrible coffee, if you were lucky enough to get any at all. And the profoundly depressing feeling of being locked up, even though he knew he and his solicitor would be out of there within the hour. Besides, he never liked parking his car anywhere near a prison. It wasn’t the prisoners he was worried about, it was the screws.
He looked at his watch. They had been doing this for two hours. He had hoped to be able to wrap this up earlier. Now he wouldn’t be able to change before the reception at Ellenburg’s firm. Nothing like the smell of prison and cigarette smoke on your clothes to make friends and influence people.
‘You don’t believe me, do you?’ the young man asked.
Amery almost laughed out loud. If he’d had a fiver for each time he had been asked that question, he would be even richer than he was already. Why did defendants always want to know whether you believed them or not? As if it mattered. They always asked, and he always gave them the same answer.
‘Of course I believe you, Steve.’
Stephen Payne relaxed into his chair again. ‘Good. The guys in here, they really rate you. Word is, the Rottweiler is the business, you know? Especially for this sort of thing.’
‘Well, lucky for you you don’t have previous for “this sort of thing” – although the others could come out in court.’
‘They were a long time ago, man. What’s that got to do with anything?’
‘They weren’t that long ago, just a couple of years. Petty dishonesty. Violence. The prosecution could say to the jury, if you were dishonest before, how can they trust you now? As for the violence, well, rape is considered an act of violence. Of course, whether they can refer to it depends on what you say. It’s unlikely to come out, though. And you’re a reformed character now, aren’t you, Steve?’
‘That’s right.’ He smiled at his barrister, evidently a stranger to irony. At last, someone who understood him. ‘Anyway, I don’t need to rape. I got ’nuff women out there – black, white, all kinds.’
‘So you told the police. But this one’s a real looker. You’d have to go a long way to beat that.’
‘True, but it’s not always the face that I’m interested in, know what I mean?’
‘Yes, I know.’ Amery walked back to the table, smiling. He was beginning to like this man. He looked over at the only other person in the room, a young trainee solicitor who was doing her best to hide her discomfiture. Well, if women wanted to do these cases, they just had to tough it out. Besides, he didn’t want a man. In the light of the recent publicity, she was just the window-dressing this case needed.
‘Funny thing is,’ Steve continued, ‘I was beginning to like this one. She wasn’t clingy, like the others. I wasn’t going to give any of them up, mind you. But I could have cut back for her. She could have been my number one.’
Amery threw the small folder of photographs, taken by the police, down on the table. ‘So how are we going to explain these injuries, then?’
‘I told you, sometimes we just got carried away.’ Steve paused. ‘I knew her from school, man.’
‘Were you sleeping with her then?’
‘No, but I heard things.’
The young trainee piped up. ‘Well, hearsay isn’t relevant …’ Amery quietened her with a look.
‘Go on,’ he said.
‘She was very popular in school, know what I mean? From about fourteen. Nobody could control her – not that she had any family around to do that, anyway.’
‘Hmm. Interesting. So she wasn’t exactly saving herself.’
‘No, but she’d probably tell you that herself. She doesn’t pretend to be something she’s not.’
‘Sounds like my kind of woman. If I weren’t a happily married man, of course.’ The young solicitor looked at him with open disgust, but Amery didn’t care. The man she worked for was a good friend of his, and the client liked him, so what could she do?
‘She’s got this other friend who went to school with her. I met her the night we all went out – you know, the night she claims I raped her. She’s in your line of work too, I think. Liza, Leanne – something like that.’
‘Really? Any last name?’
Steve thought for a moment, then shook his head. ‘Can’t remember, but I saw her on the news a couple of months ago, just briefly. Black woman. Tall, darker than me, short hair.’ Steve wrinkled his nose in distaste. ‘One of them no-nonsense women. She was with that guy who had been in all the papers – you know, the young one with all the money. That big court case.’
Recognition hit. ‘Her last name’s not Mitchell, by any chance?’
‘Yeah.’ Steve slammed his hand down on the table. ‘Yeah, that’s it. You know her?’
‘I met her recently. Well, well.’ Amery leaned back. ‘Were they friendly at school?’
‘Nah. She kept herself to herself. Always in a book. Quiet. She was in Simone’s class, though. I heard Simone slept with some guy she liked one time.’
Amery was writing furiously now. ‘Could be useful. We’ll see. Anyway, what about you? Anyone who could come to court to say how wonderful you are? What about all your women friends?’
‘Well, the one I was with when the police arrested me, she’s married, so she won’t come. The others, well, they don’t exactly know about each other.’ Steve paused. ‘I’m sure I can find someone. I’ll just have to think, that’s all.’
‘You do that.’ Amery stood up abruptly. ‘Listen, Steve, I’ve got to go. Duty calls.’
‘So when will the case come up then? I can’t stand it in here.’
‘Don’t worry. You’ll be out by Christmas. Keep the fags.’ He turned to the young woman. ‘Can I give you a lift anywhere, Stella?’
‘No, thank you,’ she replied shortly. She stalked out of the conference room in front of him. Amery smiled at her as he stood aside to let her pass. The view from behind wasn’t bad. Not bad at all. Luckily for her he never took these things personally. And besides, he could afford to be indulgent. Looks like this was going to be even easier than he thought.
Chapter Nineteen
Ray heard footsteps behind him as he walked from his car. He almost turned round to see who it was, which wasn’t like him. He was surprised at his own reaction. After all, no one would give him any trouble, not round here. He’d lived here all his life; half the area knew him and the other half were afraid of the Willis family.
He never parked directly outside his house, not if he could help it – he couldn’t be too careful, especially now – but he usually tried to get fairly close. Having to walk two hundred yards to his front door in the rain wasn’t his idea of fun on a Saturday night.
As he neared the gate, it was clear that the party next door was in full swing. He didn’t mind, it wasn’t as if they did it every night; and they had invited him, but he’d refused. Still, the walls would be jumping tonight.
Ray Willis, having a quiet night in, he thought grimly. Who’d have believed it? But he hadn’t felt much like going out lately – he wouldn’t until he’d settled a few scores. Best to let Lee finish her trial first. He owed her that much. Besides, then she’d be free to defend him again.
A car was double-parked outside his house. From next door, no doubt. That always happened when there was a party round here. Nice motor, though. His step slowed as he realized whose it was. How long had he been here? he wondered. Still, there was no way he’d be running and hiding from him, not round here. This was his turf. And his visitor needed setting straight on a few things.
He walked up to the side of the car and tapped sharply on the rear passenger window. It glided silently down.
‘What the fuck do you want?’ Ray asked.
The man in the back laughed. ‘Well, well, Ray, is that any way to greet a business associate?’
Ray put one hand on the roof of the car and leaned inside. He spoke deliberately and slowly. ‘I said, what the fuck do you want?’
The laughter died. ‘I need to speak to you.’
‘Go on then.’
‘Not out here. Where’s your manners, Ray? Aren’t you going to invite me in?’
‘Piss off. You’re not setting foot in my house. I don’t want anything more to do with you or your poxy solicitor.’
‘Come on, Ray. I thought you had more sense than that. Fifteen minutes, that’s all I want. Do you really want to have a public conversation with an accused criminal right in front of your house? Surely we can do our business quietly without drawing attention to ourselves?’
When Ray didn’t respond, Clive shrugged. ‘Oh well, have it your way. Parker?’ His driver picked up the car phone and began to dial.
Ray’s mind was racing. He could call his bluff, but he didn’t want the police snooping around at the moment. He was still on a suspended sentence. Besides, Clive might think he had something to hide.
‘You’re getting ten,’ he said finally. He turned and walked to his front door.
As always, Parker accompanied Clive. Ray looked at him scornfully. ‘Christ, it’s Me and My Shadow.’ He looked down at his feet. ‘What’s that doing here?’
‘He’s my protection.’ Clive bent down and patted the Rottweiler’s head. ‘But don’t worry, he’s harmless. He only looks the business. You know what I call him? Judas.’
Ray looked at the animal. He’d been around dogs all his life, so it didn’t scare him. It was on a leash, even though it wasn’t muzzled. Indeed, it seemed abnormally docile, almost as if it had been drugged. All the same, he was glad he had the knife. He didn’t check his pocket – he knew from experience that Parker never missed anything.
The front door opened straight on to the small living area and stairs. There was no hallway. The way Clive was looking around the unkempt room made Ray even more angry.
‘You got anything to say about my sister, then?’ he demanded.
‘She told me she was only your half-sister.’
‘She’s still family. She’d just turned sixteen, for Christ’s sake! You think you can come slumming anytime you need a good blow job?’
‘Nothing like that happened. Don’t you believe what you read in the papers?’
‘Don’t take me for a fucking fool.’ Ray took a step towards him. Parker and the dog also stepped forward, putting themselves between him and Clive. ‘It was only because she begged me on her knees not to touch you that you’re not in hospital right now.’
‘Yeah, she told me last night what a favour she’d done me.’
Ray bristled.
‘Except there’s the little matter of your suspended sentence, let’s not forget. And Sergeant Lambert.’
‘I’ve been inside. You think I’m scared of that?’
‘God, you can hardly hear yourself think around here.’ The music from next door was reverberating through the walls. In contrast to Ray’s anger, Clive’s tone was calm and nonchalant, almost as if he was discussing the weather. ‘Anyway, relax, Ray. It was her sixteenth birthday that night. And I didn’t make her do anything she didn’t want.’ He smiled, remembering. ‘It’s a wonder I didn’t crash the car.’ Before Ray could react, Clive wandered over to the small coffee table. There was a stack of books and magazines piled underneath it. He squatted down and looked at them carefully. When he stood, he had a bemused look on his face. ‘So it’s really true; a Peckham lad who reads Shakespeare as well as Loaded.’
Ray tasted bile in his throat. He had to play this one carefully. ‘Yeah. Amazing, innit? Anyway, what’s it to you?’
‘I’ve been told you and my barrister have been getting quite cosy.’
Ray didn’t even bother to ask how he knew. ‘Don’t know what you’re talking about.’
‘Now who’s taking who for a fool?’ Clive was still smiling, his tone still conversational, but as he walked towards Ray his eyes were glacial. ‘I’ve got her earmarked for myself. You muscling in, Ray?’
So that’s what this was all about. Ray would have breathed a huge sigh of relief had not both his visitors been watching him like hawks. ‘You haven’t seen the guy she lives with, have you?’
‘Oh, but I have. He’s a musician, and right at this moment he’s somewhere in America on tour.’ He saw Ray’s surprise and remarked, ‘I’m the reason he’s still there, Ray. I’ve taken over the financing of his tour. Extended his stay, though he doesn’t know why. So come on, what were you two doing, meeting at a pub in Brixton, discussing Shakespeare?’
‘Having a drink.’ Ray stared him straight in the eye. ‘That’s what people do in pubs, or hadn’t you heard?’
‘You’re a real comedian tonight,’ Clive said. He wasn’t smiling now. ‘Don’t you think so, Parker?’ His driver nodded. ‘One last time, Ray. What did you tell her?’
‘Like I said, we were just having a drink together. She’s been my brief for years.’
Clive appeared satisfied with this, because once again he was smiling. He stepped back. Parker was still facing Ray. Clive turned and walked towards his driver. When he had gone a few steps past him, he stopped and turned to face Ray once again. ‘OK. No hard feelings, Ray. I had to ask. I just want you to know I’ll always consider you a friend.’
As he uttered the last word, Parker let go of the leash.
Clive had never seen a dog jump for a man’s throat before. Or realized a human being could make such inhuman noises. Good job the party was on next door. That was a real stroke of luck. He looked at Ray writhing on the ground, completely unaffected by it all, and continued to watch until the only movement his body made was caused by the dog.
‘Well, it’s obviously true, then,’ he commented. ‘You don’t have to say kill for a dog to attack.’
‘No. Any trigger word will do, even friend,’ Parker replied. It was the first time he’d spoken that night.
‘There’s nothing on the dog to link it with me, is there?’
‘No, I made sure of that. What shall we do with it?’
‘Just leave it here. It’s not the kind of dog people would associate with me, anyway. That should throw police off the scent.’ Clive looked at Parker and laughed at his own appalling pun as he left the house.
Giles Townsend looked up impatiently as he heard the knock on his door. He glanced at his watch. Not yet nine. As far as he knew, the only other people in this early on a Monday morning would be the clerks. He had hoped he wouldn’t be disturbed. It had been so long since he’d prosecuted a criminal trial that he could certainly use the extra hours of preparation. It was either that or ‘confer with his colleagues’ – in other words, ask their advice. An honourable course, but not for him. Not for the Head of Chambers. He wouldn’t give them the satisfaction. The knock came again.
‘Oh, come in then, Tom,’ he said irritably.
The door opened. It wasn’t Tom.
‘Good morning, Giles. Could I have a word with you, please?’ Lee asked.
Giles groaned inwardly. A real criminal lawyer, and the last person he wanted to see. ‘Can’t it wait, Lee? I’m awfully busy at the moment.’
‘No, it can’t,’ she replied, politely but firmly. ‘I’m sorry, Giles, but I’ve been trying to speak to you for some time and it always seems to be inconvenient. This can’t wait any longer.’
Giles let out an exaggerated sigh. ‘Will it take long?’
‘Not really. I’ve got work to do too.’
‘Very well. Have a seat.’ He motioned to a chair near his desk – not the soft armchair Simone had sat in but a straight-backed, upright wooden chair, the one he always gave people when he wanted them to spend less than five minutes.
Lee had been in Chambers too long not to know that trick. She sometimes used it herself. ‘Thank you,’ she said as she sat in the armchair. She stared at the array of books and papers on the desk. ‘Is that it, then? Simone’s case?’
‘It’s the prosecution brief in the case of Regina v Payne, if that’s what you mean. You know I act on behalf of the Crown, not Mrs Wilson.’
Lee tried to remain pleasant. ‘Yes, Giles, I do know that.’
‘I’m not about to discuss the prosecution evidence with you, Lee, even if you are her friend.’
‘I know. I wouldn’t ask you to do that.’ In any event, she could get as much from Simone herself. ‘I just wanted to say,’ Lee leaned forward, her voice earnest, ‘if I can be of any assistance, in any way, you will let me know, won’t you?’
‘Thank you for your offer, but I can manage,’ Giles replied stiffly.
‘I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. I’m glad Simone has someone as senior as you prosecuting this case.’ She paused. There was no tactful way of putting this, especially to her Head of Chambers. It was a pretty presumptuous thing to do, even for her, but for Simone’s sake she had to try. ‘But it’s been a while since you prosecuted a criminal case, and I thought—’
‘Are you doubting my competence?’ Giles snapped.
‘No,’ Lee replied slowly, ‘but—’
‘Good, because I don’t recall your ever having prosecuted a criminal case. Something about the greater power of the state ranged against the poor helpless individual, wasn’t it? Well, now Mrs Wilson is relying on “the greater power of the state” to put her rapist in jail. It’s different when it’s someone you know, isn’t it?’
Touché. If Lee had been white, her face would have been red. She and Giles had never been close, but she suddenly realized how much worse their relationship had become in the past few months – ever since she got the Omartian brief, in fact. But at least if he was this sharp, maybe Simone wasn’t in such bad hands after all. ‘My political views are my own, Giles. I just came to offer you my support, that was all.’ She paused. ‘There was one other thing.’
Giles made no attempt to hide his impatience.
‘A month or so ago, when I was due to start the Omartian trial, I understand from Tom that you instructed that my pupil should be kept free for the duration of the trial.’
