by Sam Fintz
“No! It can’t be,” Ben said, trying to open it on his own computer. Sure enough, completely empty. He searched for the email and found nothing. Gone! “It seems something went wrong here, D.I. Wilkes. I can’t even find the email I received with the attachment. I don’t know what happened, I am sorry,” he said.
“Not as sorry as I am, I assure you. Who was the guy at the taxi association? I can call him, can’t I?” Wilkes asked.
“Yes, yes of course. He will have it no doubt,” Ben said and gave Wilkes the name and number. Wilkes hung up without another word and called the taxi association. He had to wait a while until the man came on the line. He introduced himself and said what he was looking for.
“I am sorry sir, but we had a major computer failure here last week. I lost everything. I have lost emails and files. I can tell you, we are in chaos here. Sorry I can’t help,” he told Wilkes.
“Fucking hell, what is going on?” Wilkes said. Ah of course, the Harringtons is what is going on, he thought.
“What about the taxi driver?” he asked knowing already that it would be a dead end.
“Funny you should ask. He was here yesterday. Turns out somebody smashed his window and nicked the camera. Look, I have to go. Is there anything else I can help with?” he asked Wilkes.
“Help? Are you serious? If I find out you were paid off, I will send you to Strangeways on a one-way ticket,” he shouted and threw his phone down on the desk. He looked up and everyone was staring at him. He thought about calling Mike Chalmers and begging but he knew that Chalmers would laugh the idea right out the window.
He got up and stormed off to Max’s office.
“Nothing! Nothing at all. Someone got to the evidence there as well so it’s all lost,” he said to Max.
“For fucks sake, Wilkes. I swear to God man, you are useless. How you got to D.I. I don’t know,” Max said. “You had better hope that the witnesses are there today. You have checked with them, right?”
“Yes, we spoke to them day a couple of days back and they were all set. Look out, here’s counsel,” Wilkes said.
Charles Shepherd, prosecution counsel, knocked on Max’s door and entered the office. He could see that it wasn’t going well by the look on Wilkes’ face.
“Bad news,” Wilkes said. “The video evidence has vanished. Tried to get copies but that was a dead end.”
“You are kidding. What now? Do we even have a case?” Shepherd asked.
“We have three witnesses so that will have to do,” Max told him.
“You think that’s enough, Max?” he asked. His tone was one of irritation.
“It’s all we have for Christ’s sake,” he replied.
“Ok, well let’s hope the jury is sympathetic to us and not that poor rich boy,” Shepherd said. “We need to get over there for jury selection.” They got up, Max grabbing the evidence bag, and the three of them left in silence.
At the courtroom the court clerk selected the 12 jurors and they hoped he had chosen well. Now all that was left was to prepare to face the judge, who they knew would be incandescent with rage when she found out about the evidence.
Max was sitting marvelling at how this had all gone his way. He had put Wilkes forward to be D.I. and he did that because he knew he would need a scapegoat from time to time. He let Wilkes win mostly, but every so often he carefully guided the man into a real shitstorm. A bit like today.
Wilkes on the other hand was marvelling at how he had let this happen. He knew that Max would cover for him, he always did. But still, it was embarrassing. He was nervously looking out for the witnesses. So far nobody had shown up and it was getting close to starting time. He was starting to wish he had brought a change of underwear.
Chapter 69
Aiden had woken up early that morning. He had told Jason he wanted to stay alone that night feigning nerves for the trial.
Jason would meet him at the court before the trial. Good old Jason. Always dependable.
Aiden wasn’t alone though. He had lied. In the bathroom the shower had just started running.
“Aiden! The shower is ready!” Anna called from the bathroom. Aiden had asked her to stay over. If he did by some stroke of bad luck get locked up, he wanted his last night of freedom to be with her. They had made love three times before finally falling into a deep sleep.
“On my way!” he shouted back and made his way through to the shower.
When he was done showering and got dressed in a dark grey Hugo Boss suit with a crisp white shirt and a sombre tie a shade or two lighter than the suit, he put on his brogues and went to have breakfast with Anna at the dining table.
“I hope it goes well today Aiden,” she said. “But don’t worry I will visit you every week,” she joked.
“It will be fine. Thanks to you and Jason for your help with that investigator,” he said and smiled.
They finished breakfast and he left when the car arrived to take him to court.
When Aiden arrived at court Mike was there with Tim Harding. Jason had also just arrived and when he saw Aiden he came straight over. The two men hugged. Jason asked how he was. He replied he was fine. He turned to Mike who said: “Don’t worry, everything is in hand. Did you see the cameras outside?” Aiden was thinking to himself that he would be glad when this minor inconvenience was over.
“Yeah, I saw them. What about you Jase, did you get through ok?” he asked Jason.
“I had a few questions thrown at me, but I ignored them. This is about you, not me,” Jason said.
Suddenly there was a commotion behind them. They all turned just as Rose Winters and Fat Pat walked into the court. Rose was dressed in a plain black dress and black shoes and had her coat over her arm. Fat Pat was dressed in her usual oversized coat and red shoes. The two of them went to sit.
“Don’t worry, they aren’t witnesses. She doesn’t remember a thing,” Mike said to Aiden, who just nodded.
Max and Wilkes arrived next with Charles Shepherd and Sarah Blake from the CPS, who just nodded at Tim and Mike. They simply returned the gesture. There was no love lost between them, that was obvious.
The gallery was quite full by now, so Jason patted Aiden on the shoulder and went to get a seat.
Wilkes went outside to see if the witnesses were there. They wouldn’t be allowed in for the proceedings, but he wanted to be sure they were ready. He was in a panic when he saw they hadn’t arrived. He got out his mobile and dialled their numbers. The only one that rang was Anne Parfitt’s, but it eventually went to voicemail. She had listened to what Andries had told her. He left a heated and desperate message for her. Shit, what next? he thought as he headed back inside.
He went to Max and Shepherd and told them about the witnesses. Sarah Blake just stood there with her mouth wide open, not believing what she was hearing. This was the final straw for Shepherd. He called the two men outside, leaving Sarah standing there and told them: “When that judge comes in I am going to look like a right arse. You know the defence will move to dismiss. This judge is not going to hesitate when she knows that we are up the creek without a paddle. If they don’t materialise then I will recommend to Sarah Blake that to save face, we drop the charges and get out while the going is good. Those witnesses are probably never going to show up. You should have brought them here yourself Wilkes! Sometimes I despair. One minute you are a hotshot, the next a dodo. You need to get your act together!” Shepherd ranted at him. “Now get patrol cars out to their homes to see where the fuck they are! That’s our only hope!”
Max added that they could use the police chopper if need be, but he knew full well that wasn’t going to be necessary.
Wilkes went into the corridor outside the courtroom and called it in. He was told by the dispatcher that it would be treated as urgent. All that was left to do was wait. He hoped they would be in time. The trial was starting soon. He decided not to go inside again just yet. Instead he hung around the corridor, wishing he still smoked.
After twenty min
utes Wilkes’s phone buzzed. It was the dispatcher. They weren’t home. They had asked neighbours and two of them hadn’t been seen for a couple of days. Anne’s neighbours didn’t really know when they had last seen her. Typical, Wilkes thought. He thanked the dispatcher and went back to face the music.
A dumbfounded Charles Shepherd just looked at him when he told him. Max also looked dumbfounded, but that was just an act. He was about as relieved as he could have been.
“What about the drink driving and the drugs?” Wilkes asked. “Can’t we nail him on that?”
“What’s the point. The charge we brought was causing death by dangerous driving. There is no mention of the rest in the charge. It wouldn’t benefit anyone to try that angle now. It will look like we are grabbing at straws and the defence will have it thrown out anyway. Had I known you were going to fuck up like this I would have offered it in the beginning. I suggest you leave while you can still walk,” Shepherd told him.
“I agree with Charles,” Max said. “I will deal with you later Wilkes. I think for everyone’s sake you should disappear. I will see you at the HQ. Dismissed.”
Wilkes left quietly and the other two returned to the courtroom. “Sorry about that, I will deal with it,” Max told Shepherd.
“You had better. He really makes you look bad.”
“Don’t I know it,” he said, not really bothered. He had earned his money on this one. He was just biding his time until his retirement and he was good at covering his tracks.
When they got back to where Sarah Blake was, she had overheard it all and she told them: “No witnesses, I am guessing. It’s over gents. We are fucked. I am going with the recommendation. We are going to drop the charges and save face. It happens. You two can tell Donnelly, I am going back to the office. I can’t take any more of this shit!”
Max and Shepherd looked at each other and shrugged.
“Right, let’s get this over with. No point prolonging the inevitable,” Shepherd told Max.
The two men left the courtroom and went to the judge’s chambers where they asked to see Judge Shauna Donnelly. They were shown through and were soon seated in front of a very stern-faced judge.
“What is it gentlemen? We are due in court any minute, so this had better be important,” Judge Donnelly told them.
“My lady, we have bad news. Due to the disappearance of key evidence as well as no-shows from all three witnesses, the CPS has decided to drop the charges. We haven’t a hope in hell of getting a conviction based on what we have,” Shepherd told her.
“This is why our justice system is in shambles. Fine, you can submit the paperwork. I will instruct the clerk to dismiss the jury. Before you go though, don’t ever come to my courtroom again with this kind of diabolical mess. If you do, you will end up in the cell with the accused. Am I clear?” she asked, clearly angry.
“Yes, my lady, and please accept our sincerest apologies for wasting your time. This news has only just come to light,” Shepherd explained.
“I don’t care. Consider yourselves warned. You may go,” she said swiftly. The two men wasted no time leaving. Judge Connelly wasn’t one to be taken lightly. They took their time getting back to the courtroom.
By the time they did get back to the courtroom, the news had already broken. The clerk had just dismissed the jury, and everyone was leaving quickly.
In the gallery Rose just sat in stony silence. She couldn’t believe what she had just heard. Dismissed! Just like that! That man is going free! How is that possible?
Fat Pat looked at her and said: “Come on Rose, let’s get out of here. We’ll talk outside.” The two women got up and left the courtroom quickly, pushing through the crowd of reporters outside. This wasn’t the time to speak to them.
When they were finally clear of the reporters, Rose stopped suddenly and leant against the building they were standing next to. She was clearly upset and breathing heavily. The next thing she bent over double and threw up on the pavement. All Fat Pat could do was put her arm around her and shield her from the glare of passers-by. She carefully guided her back to her tiny car and took her home. Rose didn’t speak a word the whole way home.
Chapter 70
Mike, Tim, Aiden and Jason were still in the courtroom.
“Mike, thank you,” Aiden said.
“It’s nothing lad. It’s what I do,” he said feigning modesty.
“Can I buy you lunch?” Aiden asked.
“No thanks. I need to get back to work and I need to tell your Dad. He knew what the outcome would be all along, but I need to fill him in all the same,” Mike said.
“Ok. Thanks again. See you guys,” Aiden said. “Come Jason. We have celebrating to do,” and with that the two of them ran off.
Outside the court the news crews were still there. They were all shouting at Aiden who just smiled and waved as he and Jason ran over to the waiting Bentley. The large car sped off with a screech as soon as they were in the back.
“I hate the press!” Aiden said.
“They are the fucking worst,” Jason agreed.
The driver asked where they were headed. Aiden told him they were going to his apartment.
“We have some celebrating to do!” he said again as the car headed to his apartment.
When Mike and Tim came out of the court building the reporters were still there. They were yelling at Mike for a statement and with a smile he agreed.
“My client, Aiden Harrington was wrongly accused again. They had no evidence and should never have brought charges in the first place. This just highlights the incompetence of the police, The Crown Prosecution Service and the courts. This has been an enormous waste of public funds. My innocent client can now get on with his life after this harrowing experience. On behalf of the Harringtons, we offer our condolences to the family of the deceased and hope that they can now also get on with their lives. Thank you, that’s all I have to say,” he concluded, and the two men pushed through the reporters to Mike’s waiting car.
When they got in the car, Mike turned to Tim and said: “I am glad that’s over. I can get back to work now. Fancy a drink?”
“I am sure you are. You pulled a blinder there! Of course I fancy a drink. I am on the clock after all!” he said and they both laughed.
Chapter 71
At Rose’s house in Didsbury, Rose and Fat Pat had just got home and Rose was fuming. She was no longer silent.
“Pat how is this possible?” she asked. She was frothing at the mouth like a rabid dog.
Fat Pat had called Rose’s solicitor and he had just rehashed what they had heard in court. Nothing they could do, he said.
“Rose, please don’t dwell on it. You will make yourself ill,” Fat Pat pleaded with her.
“I know. It’s just so unfair. I need to go and see Stefan. Will you take me. I don’t think I should drive. But first I need a drink,” Rose said. “I will find a way to make them pay, I swear!”
Fat Pat went to get Rose a whisky and when she got back, they lit a cigarette and sat in silence. When Rose was done, they left and headed to the hospital in Fat Pat’s little car.
When the women got to Stefan’s room, he was asleep. He looked so peaceful. Rose didn’t know how she was going to tell him. Fat Pat had said she should probably not say anything. Rose didn’t really want him to find out from someone else. She had to be the one to tell him.
She pulled a chair closer and sat down and took Stefan’s hand. Fat Pat sat in the large chair on the other side of the room and just watched.
Eventually Stefan woke slowly looking a little confused at first. He still had an IV bag feeding him and he had lost a considerable amount of weight. The machine administering the drugs to keep his heart stable had been switched off for now. He couldn’t have too much as it could give him stomach problems on top of everything else.
Rose looked at him and said: “Darling, you know the court case was today, don’t you?”
He looked at her and nodded slowly. He still couldn�
�t speak. Rose wondered if he was still angry with her regarding the secret or if he was just ill. She also wondered if he would even remember and if not, should she tell him again or have the secret go to the grave with Jim?
“It didn’t go so well. He got off. He walked free,” she said, choking on a sob.
Stefan’s face was blank. He just looked at Rose and tears started to stream down his face. His skin started to go pale and he started to shake. His eyes went back in his head and the shaking got worse.
Fat Pat jumped up and ran to get help. Two nurses came running in. The monitors were beeping wildly. The nurses told Rose to step back as they worked on Stefan to try and stabilise him. Rose couldn’t see what they were doing. One of the doctors came running in with another nurse and quickly they were also working on Stefan desperately trying to get him under control. It was critical that they were quick as all this movement could cause further damage to his spine. Finally, he stabilised but he was unconscious. The machine alarm had stopped. His heart rate seemed to be under control. The doctor was checking his breathing and his pulse. He looked at Rose and said: “We don’t know what happened there. He is calm now. I am going to stay and observe him for a while.”
“Ok thank you,” Rose said.
The doctor said to Stefan: “Can you hear me Stefan? Open your eyes.” But he didn’t respond. The doctor was flashing a torch in his eyes to check his neuro obs. He was breathing on his own, but he was unconscious. The doctor told one of the nurses to page Doctor Bhakari urgently.
When Doctor Bhakari arrived, she went straight over to Stefan and began checking him over. She asked the nurse to order an urgent EEG and an ECG.
“Mrs Winters, what happened?” Doctor Bhakari asked.
“It’s my fault. I gave him bad news about the court case of the man that killed his father. He just started to shake. His eyes went back and now he is unconscious. What’s wrong with him?” Rose asked.