Kingston Bridge

by Ian Todd

  Ma learned friend mentions the voices ae victims. Wan voice you conveniently won’t hear during this trial is that ae Collette James hersel…unavailable due tae ill health, seemingly,” he said scornfully, as the two female procurator fiscals stiffened in their seats. “Ma learned friend speaks aboot victims…aw female, bit whit aboot the unattractive, sad aulder men wae healthy pension pots and mortgages nearly paid aff, falling fur the charms ae a younger, attractive Mati Hari type colleague? It isnae beyond the realms ae you the jury tae figure oot how these types ae liaisons could end up…younger seductresses, feeling spurned because they didnae get whit they wur seeking or believed they deserved. Ma client, Teddy Bare, unfortunately ended up in jist such a situation. He won’t be happy wae me stating that fact, bit there wis premeditated planning gaun oan within his marriage, bit it hidnae originated fae him. The history ae any big organisation involving powerful men and younger wummin, is littered wae infidelity. That’s life. Ye only hiv tae open the pages ae the Sunday newspapers each week tae understaun that hell hath nae fury than a wummin scorned. Lesley Bare goat whit she wanted when she married ma client, bit it wisnae enough. The way ma learned friend spoke, ye wid think the polis force in Glesga wis a bed ae promiscuity, wae affairs between senior officers and poor wee innocent poliswummin a regular occurrence. Nothing could be further fae the truth. Some ae you may look across at ma client and think that there’s nae fool like an auld fool. That’s as may be, bit it isnae a crime tae fall fur the charms ae a younger wummin, despite the age gap between them. In conclusion. Ah’d jist like tae echo whit ma learned friend said. Listen tae the evidence carefully before making yer mind up. Ah’d also like ye tae remember that it’s no only ma client whose life and freedom is at stake here. There’s a thirteen year auld boy, a stepson, who still calls Lesley Mum, despite hivving tae witness whit wis gaun oan behind his back. Thank you fur your understanding,” The QC said, his voice breaking, sounding emotional, as two ae the wummin in the jury burst intae tears and Teddy Bare, sitting in the dock between the two turnkeys, blew his nose loudly wae his handkerchief before gieing they wet eyes ae his a good dab.

  “Thank you, ladies and gentlemen of the jury. It’s now twenty five past one,” Lord Campbell said, looking up at the clock oan the wall at the far end ae the room. “This seems to be the right time to break for lunch. Can I remind everyone that we will reconvene at two thirty PM sharp.”

  “All stand!” the Clerk shouted, as the judge stood up and disappeared through the door tae his left.

  Chapter Forty Four

  Pricilla sat nervously waiting fur her name tae be called oot. The Crown Witness Room wis busy wae aw the other nervous ex-poliswummin, who’d hung aboot the day before waiting tae be called up. They wur noo intae the third day ae the trial and at last, there hid been movement. The first two days hid been kicked aff by The Crown, who wur leading the prosecution against Bare. The defence or ‘the other side,’ as Glenda Metcalfe, the wee assistant tae the Crown Advocate, Maureen Bankheid, referred tae them as, wid soon start their rebuttal ae the charges against Teddy Bare wance aw the prosecution witnesses hid been called up and The Crown rested their case against him. Bare’s QC wis seemingly questioning and grilling everything and anywan that wis suggesting anything negative against his client. She’d heard that he’d hid a few run-ins wae the judge within five minutes ae the trial starting. Her and the other wummin hid been informed that up until five o’clock, the day before, The Crown witnesses that hid been called up tae gie evidence hid mainly consisted ae the polis officers who’d first arrived at the murder scene and who’d subsequently gone oan tae investigate the case, followed by the scene ae crime forensic and technical experts fae the polis force. The pathologist fae The Victoria, who’d first examined Lesley Bare’s body efter she’d arrived at the hospital, D.O.D or deid oan arrival, hid a terrible stutter, so hid taken longer than his anticipated thirty-minutes oan the stand. Roseanne Cardone, the forensic pathologist fur the city, who’d carried oot the post mortem oan Lesley, hid then spent the rest ae the efternoon being grilled and challenged by Bare’s QC, John Howdy, who the newspapers hid described as a cross between a second-hand car salesman and an eighteenth century dandy in the previous night’s papers. It wis the waiting tae be called up that hid been getting tae everywan. Oan the Monday, efter a sleepless weekend, the wans that couldnae be reached by phone hid been met oan the front steps ae The High Court building and sent hame, being telt tae come back oan the Tuesday at nine o’clock sharp, as they widnae be getting called up that first day. Oan their return oan the Tuesday, under the baleful scowls ae some ae The Irish Brigade, who’d been hinging aboot ootside hivving a fag, aw the wummin hid been ushered intae the building and alang tae The Crown Witness Room. Staunin waiting fur them hid been Glenda Metcalfe, the wee procurator fiscal and right haun wummin ae Maureen Bankheid, The Lord Advocate and QC fur The Crown. She’d been brilliant, welcoming them and explaining whit wis expected that day.

  “Now remember, ladies, don’t be shy about asking for a moment to compose yourselves, if the line of questioning from the other side becomes too much. A glass of water will also be available, should it be required.”

  She’d also invited everywan tae take part in a group hug where hauf the wummin, which included Pearl Campbell, hid aw burst intae tears. Efter that, it hid jist been a matter ae hinging aboot aw day waiting. It hid been obvious, judging by the expressions oan the faces ae the wummin, that they’d been disappointed aboot no being called up oan the Tuesday. The strain hid been evident oan everywan’s faces. Elvis, her man, hid been sitting watching the proceedings wae aw the other families in the public gallery efter managing tae get time aff his work. He’d telt her that first night whit tae expect.

  “Aye, ye wur right. It looks like Teddy Bare’s gonnae be playing the ‘scorned wummin being dumped’ card against youse.”

  She’d tried tae persuade the stupid bugger tae gie the trial a miss, bit he wisnae hivving any ae it. He’d then gone oan and recited their marriage vows.

  “Fur better or worse,” he’d said, causing her tae burst intae tears.

  Glenda Metcalfe hid warned them that the defence wid get torn right intae them by accusing them ae being bitter spurned ex-lovers and girlfriends, seeking revenge efter being dumped by married men fur becoming too demanding. She said that they’d be accused ae being everything under the sun, such as gold-diggers and loose wummin, trying tae wangle themselves intae the erms ae aulder guys wae fat pensions.

  “It’ll be grim and quite challenging,” the wee procurator fiscal hid admitted. “Howdy and Barker Associates are renowned for not taking any prisoners when they have someone up on the stand at their mercy. The main thing is, no matter what they throw at you, keep calm and remember, we’ll be well prepared when they roll out their main witnesses, The Irish Brigade. We’re confident that we’ll be successful at the end of the day. Whatever’s thrown at you will be nothing to what awaits Daddy Jackson and company from Maureen Bankhead, believe you me, ladies,” she’d said confidently, efter interviewing and taking statements fae her and aw the other wummin ten days earlier.

  Her and that man ae hers, Elvis, hid vowed tae keep nothing between them fae the start ae their relationship back in the early 60s. Their marriage hid been a happy wan…that wis, until Collette James, the determined wee poliswummin fae Possil, hid turned up at her door clutching a bunch ae envelopes tied up in a wee pink ribbon. Throughoot their relationship, he’d never questioned who Lisa Marie’s real da wis. He wis that type ae guy. He lived fur the moment and wore his heart oan his sleeve…literally. When she’d first started gaun oot wae him, she’d thought he wis the maist amazing person she’d ever met, despite the laughter that followed in their wake whenever they walked doon the street, haun in haun. Him, decked oot in his Elvis gear and her in her white bobby socks, polka dot dress and matching necktie. At the time, the only Elvis impersonators in the toon hid been him and Teddy Bare. They wur deadly rivals. The crowning glory
hid come when her Elvis won the ‘Elvis Is The Main Man’ event in The Plaza Ballroom the previous year. He’d been waiting so long tae finally prove tae a world that if she wis honest, couldnae really gie a shit, that he wis the best in the business. She didnae know whit tae expect oan the other side ae the door. Efter Elvis hid come hame fae his work early and found her sitting wae the two detectives fae the south’s murder squad, the same day that Teddy Bare hid murdered his wife, things hid changed between them. Although she hidnae realised it at the time, she’d been heiding fur a nervous breakdoon. It hid been during that dark period that she’d blurted oot tae him some ae the details ae whit hid happened tae her, leaving oot who Lisa Marie’s da wis. Of course, Elvis hid been brilliant and understanding, although she’d detected shock in they dark eyes ae his at some ae her revelations before she’d hid time tae quickly back-pedal. Why the hell could he no jist’ve gone tae his work insteid ae wanting tae sit through the trial, she cursed tae hersel again.

  “Ah’ll be there tae make sure ye know that Ah’m wae ye aw the way, hen,” he’d said, cuddling her the night before.

  Glenda Metcalfe said that John Howdy wid focus oan the typed statement that she’d passed oan tae Collette James tae gie tae Lesley Bare, tae force her tae assist them in exposing whit The Irish Brigade hid done tae aw the wummin o’er the years. Collette hid awready approached The Showgirls, Glesga’s answer tae the famous Pankhurst suffragettes, wae the letters that her and aw the ex-poliswummin hid written in support ae Susan McFarlane three years earlier. Unfortunately, The Showgirls hid been convinced that Collette wis an undercover plant, so hid forced her tae prove she wisnae, by getting her tae remove a file fae The Cove, in the crime and intelligence section in Pitt Street. The file in question hid been that ae a young nurse who’d seemingly been murdered efter overhearing the death bed confessions ae some auld gangster up in Stobhill Hospital tae a polis inspector, The Stalker, who wis currently oan remand, alang wae others fur silencing her. In exchange fur Lesley’s assistance in getting access tae the file tae haun o’er tae The showgirls, she’d informed Lesley she wis willing tae exclude Teddy’s name fae the sexual assault allegations that she hid made. Priscilla and Collette hid redrafted an excerpt fae her original accusation against Leslie’s man, Teddy, tae act as an inducement fur her tae co-operate. Of course it wis blackmail, bit they wur desperate tae get The Irish Brigade fur everything they’d done tae the ex poliswummin o’er the years. She’d also deliberately omitted in her wee redrafted statement that Leslie’s man, Teddy, wis actually the father ae Lisa Marie, Elvis’s stepdaughter. At the time, she knew that it meant that she widnae get her day in court, bit the other wummin wid…plus, Elvis widnae find oot who Lisa Marie’s real da wis. It wid destroy him tae find that oot. She’d been prepared tae sacrifice her ain position so the others wid get justice, bit noo…her day hid come. She’d been sitting praying that Elvis wid’ve goat bored and heided hame or back tae work, bit she knew that this wis wishful thinking oan her part. It hid been Pearl Campbell’s screaming heidline, exposing whit hid been gaun oan in the polis force wae new female recruits o’er the years that hid sealed the deal fur her and the other wummin tae agree tae gie statements tae Glenda Metcalfe, backed up wae Susan McFarlane getting in touch wae her and explaining how Pearl Campbell hid jumped in tae save her when she wis assaulted roond in her new flat by Willie Burke, the father ae her wean. It hid been an emotional reunion fur everywan and noo here they wur, aboot tae tell their story at long last, confronting the people that hid been responsible fur inflicting so much misery oan her and the other wummin fur so long. She’d been yearning fur this day, bit noo that it wis here, unlike the others, she didnae want tae go through wae it. The thought ae Elvis, her anchor, the only father her daughter hid ever known, sitting next door, no hivving a bloody clue whit wis aboot tae come showering doon roond aboot they ears ae his, made her want tae puke. Wis this the justice that she’d been yearning fur, fur aw they years? Where wis the justice fur Elvis and her daughter? She couldnae get her stomach tae stoap churning. That mooth ae hers wis dry, bit she didnae want tae staun up and go and take a drink fae the wee water fountain across in the corner. She wisnae sure if her legs wid carry her. The frightened, worried looking faces aroond aboot her only confirmed that she wisnae alone. Susan McFarlane hid been first up, followed an hour and a hauf later by Pearl Campbell, the wee fiery red haired journalist fae The Glesga Echo. Efter only twenty five minutes, Lord Cameron hid ordered a ten minute recess efter Bare’s QC hid ruthlessly destroyed Susan oan the stand. They wurnae allowed tae be present or hear whit wis gaun oan in the courtroom, bit the wee female usher sitting in the room wae them, hid telt them that Susan hid hid tae be led away in tears, she wis that distressed. Seemingly it hidnae goat any better efter the recess hid reconvened, as Susan hid been put through the mill a second time. A few minutes efter Susan hid been shouted through tae the witness stand, the revelation that Pearl Campbell, the young journalist fae The Glesga Echo, hid been waylaid and assaulted in wan ae the lanes in the toon centre by a couple ae big sergeants who’d warned her tae back aff fae investigating Teddy Bare, hid turned everywan’s fears aroond fur a while. It hid gied everywan succour tae go through oan tae that stand and shaft the basturts. Tae listen tae the wee freckled lassie wae the red curly hair, cracking jokes and wan liners, hivving everywan in stitches aboot her exposes ae sheep shaggers and pervy church ministers up in the Highlands taking advantage ae the local rich spinsters, hid lifted everywan’s spirits. Her words seemed tae turn everywan’s fears tae anger, as she kept reminding everywan that it wis them that wur the victims and no the basturts in their well pressed uniforms and polished medal ribbons, hinging aboot ootside smoking oan the steps ae the building. It wis only efter Pearl’s name hid been called oot, that everywan’s fear hid returned. And noo it wis her turn. She looked up at the gaping door, startled oot ae her thoughts. Her name wis being called.

  “Mrs Presley? Ye’re wanted,” the court usher said quietly, efter scanning the witness room, myopically peering through her thick spectacles at everywan until she found her, before haudin open the door fur her tae pass through the courtroom.

  “Good luck, hen.”

  “Go, get the basturts.”

  “S…see youse oan the other side,” she stammered, as the door intae the courtroom swallowed her up, leaving everywan sitting silently, their ears straining, listening intently fur any sign ae absolution fur the fate that awaited them.

  Pricilla glanced nervously aboot the courtroom efter she’d been asked tae place her haun oan the bible and swear that everything she said wid be the truth and nothing bit the truth or God wis gonnae come and get her. She’d wanted tae feel comforted when she caught Elvis’s eye. Their eyes hid locked fur a millisecond, before he’d gied her a wee wink and a nod ae encouragement. She wanted tae shout oot tae him and acknowledge that she didnae deserve his requited love and that if he’d furgive her, gie her another chance, she’d somehow make it up tae him, bit the moment hid disappeared jist as quickly as it hid arrived.

  “Now, ladies. When you enter the court and sit on the stand, you don’t have to look at the defendant. Fur some people, that’s exactly what they do for reasons known only to themselves. For other witnesses, they ignore the person in the dock. Do what you feel will be best for you. The main thing to remember is, he’s the one in the dock and not you,” Glenda Metcalfe hid said tae them reassuringly earlier in the morning before the day’s proceedings hid goat underway, efter her and Maureen Bankheid, The Crown Advocate, hid come in tae wish them aw good luck.

  “Could you please state your name, age and occupation please? You don’t have to give your home address,” The Crown Advocate said.

  “Ma name’s Pricilla Presley and Ah’m 36. Ah’m currently a full-time housewife. Me and ma man changed oor name by deed pole in 1967 or 68. Ah wis called Jessie McBride before that.”