‘Very good. I’m assuming that your appearance and today’s emergency listing reflects that you have something urgent to tell the Court.’
Lilly nodded. ‘Your Honour, I wish to make an application that the case against the defendant be dismissed.’
The judge frowned. ‘Miss Valentine, I can see that things are strained. Are you sure this application is well advised?’
Lilly leaned heavily against the advocates’ table. She was so exhausted she could barely stand.
‘I am certain, your Honour.’
‘I am not prepared to waste time on an ill-conceived request, Miss Valentine,’ the judge said.
‘Nor am I,’ said Lilly.
They stared at one another for a moment.
At last the judge opened his palms. ‘Then begin.’
Lilly took a deep breath. She needed to be measured; not let her emotions get the better of her.
‘Your Honour is aware that my client is the only suspect the police investigated in connection with the death of Yasmeen Khan.’
‘I’m sure they looked into any other possible suspects.’
Lilly shook her head. ‘Raffique was the only person they chose to interview.’
‘No doubt the other lines of enquiry proved fruitless.’ Judge Chance took off his glasses and frowned. ‘We’ve
already had this discussion, Miss Valentine, and you will recall that I gave the police a week to provide the documentation in question.’
‘Well, that’s just it, Your Honour.’ Lilly held up a finger. ‘I think there was only ever one line of enquiry.’ She took a drink of water to steady herself. ‘I think the police decided that this was an honour killing by a member of the Khan family and looked to the most likely son.’
She turned to Raffy, dwarfed by the dock. ‘They chose the one shouting his mouth off.’
The judge pursed his lips. ‘I very much hope that you have dragged us all here today for something more interesting than a critique of police motivation in this case.’
Lilly heard Kerry sniggering to the side.
‘I’m afraid that those motivations are at the heart of this case,’ said Lilly. ‘They are the reason the investigating officer not only failed to investigate but actually suppressed evidence in respect of another suspect when it came to his attention.’
‘That is a very grave accusation, Miss Valentine.’
‘It’s not one I make lightly,’ said Lilly, and held out a piece of paper. ‘This is a letter from Dr Nathan Cheney to DI Bell confirming that the father of Yasmeen’s baby had been identified by his DNA and that he had a list of previous convictions as long as your arm.’
‘Where did you get that?’ Kerry tried to grab the letter.
Lilly held it out of reach. ‘And more importantly, that one of those convictions was for trying to kill his pregnant wife.’
‘Is this true?’ the judge thundered at Kerry.
‘I know absolutely nothing about this,’ stammered
Kerry. ‘And I object strongly to having evidence sprung on me like this.’
Lilly let out a laugh. ‘And I object to not being told that the victim’s lover had a history of violence against women.’
The judge held out his hand for the letter. The usher plucked it from Lilly and passed it over. The judge read it in stony silence. Lilly wished to God she could sit down but there was no way she was going to ask.
When he had finished Judge Chance laid the letter carefully in front of him. ‘This is very serious indeed.’ He stood. ‘I will adjourn for ten minutes, during which time the Prosecution must take instructions.’
When the judge had retired, Kerry leaned over and hissed. ‘Where did you get that?’
Lilly shrugged. She wasn’t about to land Jack in the shit.
‘This is police property.’ Kerry bared her teeth.
‘So arrest me,’ said Lilly.
Kerry glared at Lilly.
‘If I were you, love, I’d spend your time working out what you’re going to say next,’ said Lilly.
Kerry spun on her heel and pulled out her phone.
Lilly headed to Raffy.
‘I don’t want you to make Saira say anything,’ he scowled.
‘I’m not making her do anything.’
‘Seriously,’ he said, ‘I’m fine where I am. I can front it out.’
Lilly patted his arm. ‘You don’t need to.’
The judge returned to court, his face dark.
‘Miss Thomson,’ he frowned at Kerry, ‘this is a very grave matter indeed.’
Kerry leaped to her feet as if stung. ‘Your Honour, I recognise that, but I must point out the irregular nature of this private letter being shared with all and sundry.’
‘I’d take your point, Miss Thomson, if the letter were being bandied around at the pub, but this is a court of law and we are all here to see that justice is done.’
‘And justice must surely preclude the use of stolen correspondence.’
Lilly pulled herself to her feet. ‘With all due respect, the Defence should have been made aware of this correspondence in the first place. How we got it is an irrelevance. Now what have you got to say?’
‘Sit down please, Miss Valentine,’ the judge admonished.
‘The Americans would say that fruit of a poison tree is poisoned itself,’ said Kerry, grasping at straws.
Lilly threw up her hands. ‘This is Luton, not New Orleans. Now what have you got to say?’
‘Sit down, Miss Valentine,’ the judge shouted. ‘Frankly, you look like you need to.’
‘Thank you, Your Honour,’ Kerry said. ‘I was beginning to wonder if Miss Valentine remembered we were in court.’
Lilly sat back in her seat. Her cheeks blazed.
‘Thank you.’ The judge gave her a cold stare.
Kerry smirked at Lilly. ‘As I was saying, this piece of correspondence cannot possibly be taken into account. It is inadmissible.’
‘I think you’ll find that is my call,’ said the judge.
‘Of course, Your Honour,’ Kerry stuttered.
He held up the letter. ‘And frankly, I am all ears as to what you’ve got to say.’
Kerry opened and closed her mouth like a fish in a net.
‘Miss Thomson?’
Kerry cleared her throat. ‘The police do not believe that Rory Freeman is a suspect.’
Lilly couldn’t believe it. ‘You have got to be kidding.’
The judge glared at Lilly. ‘Miss Valentine, I will not tell you again.’
Lilly glared back and folded her arms across her chest. There was absolutely no way she would allow the police to gloss this over.
‘Miss Thomson,’ the judge continued, ‘what investigations have the police actually done into Mr Freeman?’
‘Sweet FA,’ Lilly whispered from the corner of her mouth.
Kerry ignored her.
‘Your Honour, I couldn’t say what exactly has been done. You’ll appreciate that I’m not the officer in the case.’
‘Then get him here,’ interjected Lilly.
The judge lifted his thumb and index finger. He gestured to the gap between them. ‘I’m this far away from having you removed, Miss Valentine.’
‘I agree, Your Honour, it’s outrageous,’ said Kerry.
The judge nodded. ‘The behaviour perhaps, but the sentiment is understandable. Have the officer brought over here to explain himself.’
‘But he could be anywhere,’ Kerry said.
The judge smiled. ‘I can wait.’
Lilly slotted a handful of coins into the vending machine and chose a Twix.
‘How can you even think of eating?’ asked Taslima. ‘Aren’t you nervous?’
Lilly shrugged. Heightened emotion rarely suppressed her appetite. In fact, she usually ate more if she was stressed. She pushed in another handful of coins and chose a Mars bar as well.
‘I thought you were sticking to one bar a day.’
Lilly could smell Jack behind her: the leather of his jacket and the lemon of his aftershave.
‘Pregnant women need more calories,’ she replied.
He chuckled to himself. ‘You’ll certainly need the energy when Bell gets here.’
‘Not a happy bunny?’
‘More like the big bad wolf.’
Lilly snapped the Twix in half and pushed one into Jack’s mouth.
‘Well, I ain’t little Red Riding Hood.’
It was now or never.
Cormack watched the woman pacing the foyer. She had the other one in tow, like they were stuck with bleeding glue. She didn’t look like she’d put up a fight, but you never knew.
At least the copper had buggered off.
He looked around. No one was paying any attention so he reached into his back pocket.
‘Is there anything more sickening than a bent copper?’
Lilly and Taslima strode down the corridor from the foyer to the court room.
‘I mean, everyone wants to win,’ said Lilly, ‘but hiding evidence is the lowest of the low.’
Taslima was incredulous. ‘I still can’t believe it.’
Lilly was about to point out that, after all these years, there was very little she wasn’t prepared to believe, when she saw the man out of the corner of her eye.
He was fiddling with his mobile again. Then she remembered. It was the estate agent. Or at least that was what he’d said. It hadn’t sounded right at the time, and the fact that he was here now made it even less likely. So why had he been taking pictures of her office? And why was he taking pictures of Lilly today?
She felt her pulse quicken.
‘What’s wrong?’ asked Taslima.
Lilly nodded at the man. ‘He’s been following me.’
‘Why?’
‘I don’t know,’ said Lilly. ‘I thought it might be something to do with the PTF.’
The man walked towards them, his eyes narrow.
Lilly looked around wildly for Jack but he was back in court.
When the man was feet away, Lilly put up her hand. ‘What do you want?’
The man stopped in his tracks. Lilly could feel Taslima shaking beside her.
‘Just tell whoever sent you, that I know what they’re up to,’ she said.
The man drew his bottom lip into his mouth.
‘Tell them that they cannot intimidate me,’ she said.
The man watched Lilly intently. Then, very slowly, he reached into his back pocket.
Lilly took a step back, her hand still out in front of her. What did he have? A knife? A gun? Lilly felt a scream
form in her throat. She knew she should run but the man’s eyes held her to the spot.
He moved forward swiftly, bringing the weapon out in a flash. Lilly braced herself.
‘Zahara Khan,’ he growled, ‘this is for you.’
He released Lilly from his glare and held something out in front of him. Lily’s eyes darted to the object.
Not a knife. Not a gun. It was a brown envelope.
The man waved it at Taslima and tentatively she plucked it from him.
The toilet lid was cold and hard.
Taslima moved her weight as she turned the letter over and over in her hands. She recognised the writing on the envelope immediately. Despite all the deceit, the secrecy, the hiding, they had found her.
‘Taslima,’ Lilly knocked on the toilet door, ‘let me in.’
After the man had given her the letter, Taslima had sprinted to the ladies’ toilets and had locked herself in. She didn’t know how long she’d been in there but she did know that Lilly had been shuffling around outside for most of it.
At last, Taslima opened the door. Lilly stood over her, concern etched around her eyes.
‘Is it from him?’ she asked.
Tears filled Taslima’s eyes. ‘It’s over.’
‘Don’t say that,’ said Lilly. ‘I’ll get every order in the book to keep him away. Hell, you can move in with me.’
Taslima smiled sadly. ‘You are a true friend.’
‘I mean it,’ Lilly smiled back. ‘I’ve dealt with worse than your ex-husband in my time.’
Taslima got up and hugged Lilly.
‘We’ll get a panic button,’ said Lilly, ‘patched straight through to the nick. Jack can sort it out.’
‘Lilly,’ Taslima whispered into her ear, ‘when I said it was over, I meant it.’
Lilly shook her head.
‘He’s been deported.’
‘What?’
Taslima couldn’t contain her tears. ‘He’s been sent back to Pakistan.’
‘Oh my God,’ said Lilly. ‘How?’
Taslima held up the letter. ‘My mum says he committed some sort of fraud on his original application.’
A smile slid across Lilly’s face. ‘So you and Rogon are safe?’
Taslima could hardly believe it. All those times he had beaten her and threatened to take her son away, she had prayed for Allah’s protection. She had thought he’d forsaken her but she should have known better.
She tossed back her head and laughed through tears. ‘I’m going home.’
Back in court, Lilly couldn’t force the smile from her lips. Taslima was free.
She could feel the hatred wending its way to her from Bell and Kerry, but she stuck her nose in the air.
Burying evidence was bad policing and they knew it. Nothing they could say would dissuade her. Soon her client would be exonerated and everyone would see that she had been right all along.
Bullies and their ilk, whether they be criminals like
Taslima’s ex-husband, or the PTF, or part of the establishment, could not be allowed to prevail. And when she got home tonight she would deal with Sam. He needed to know that she was disgusted with his behaviour, that she would not tolerate it. But he also needed to know that she loved him all the same. They would work this out. Together.
The judge entered and Kerry was on her feet.
‘So what have you discovered?’ he asked.
‘Your Honour, I’ve taken instructions, and the police are, as we speak, attempting to contact Mr Freeman.’
Lilly got up. ‘That’s all very convenient but what happens in the meantime? My client’s fifteen and languishing in prison.’
‘With all due respect,’ Kerry sighed, ‘the defendant is in a young offenders’ institution, not Alcatraz.’
‘However you dress it up, these are not places fit for children,’ snapped Lilly.
‘I’m sure the defendant is being well taken care of.’
Lilly pointed at Raffy in his wheelchair. ‘Does he look well cared for to you?’
The judge put up his hand. ‘Enough. What we need to ascertain is how long the police investigations will take.’
‘I’m guessing around ten years,’ said Lilly.
‘Enough,’ the judge barked. ‘Miss Thomson?’
‘There has been some difficulty finding Mr Freeman’s whereabouts,’ said Kerry.
‘Which is police speak for we have no idea where he is or how long it will take us to find him.’