Plantation A Legal Thriller
Page 43
Chapter 43
On the morning of the hearing, Ashby rose early at five o'clock, drove to Haslemere station and took a train up to Waterloo, then the ‘Drain’ to Bank and from there, walked to Fenchurch Street. Throughout the journey, he knew the hearing would go against them but as yet, he had no way of proving the claim was a sham.
After meeting Wells, they collected Meredith from his office, consoled each other over a quick cup of tea in a nearby cafe and then called at Riordan’s chambers in Lincoln’s Inn. From Old Square, they took a short cut through the back door of the High Court building in Carey Street. In doing so, they were able to avoid the cathedral-like entrance in the Strand, the maze of corridors, stone stairways and the Bear Garden which was like Victoria Station in the rush hour. Soon, they reached a quiet corridor on the first floor where court fourteen was located.
Riordan said that he was as ready as he would ever be ; as it was only half past nine, they wandered off in a group to go over any last-minute points, out of ear-shot of their opponents who had so far, failed to materialise.
Meredith and Riordan both lit cigarettes to calm their nerves.
“Has anyone from the shipowners contacted you at all ?” asked Meredith in the vain hope of a compromise. When Ashby said they hadn’t, Meredith said “Fine, just checking. I’ll speak with Ridgefords when they get here.”
A short while later, there was a clamour of around ten people in the corridor outside the court, comprising all of the legal side representing the Greeks, Stuart Grant of City First Brokers and Spiro Thanakis. There was Ridgeford Anthony’s litigation partner, John Millward, Frances Keen, two articled clerks, a documents clerk, their leading counsel, Montague Ransome QC, their junior counsel Richard Garrick and a pupil barrister, self-conscious in a brand new, snow-white wig from Ede & Ravenscroft in Chancery Lane.
All of them looked supremely confident and were amused that the others had dared showed their faces. Riordan and Meredith caught the eye of Ransome and Garrick and the four of them walked away from the main group for a chat. After establishing that there was nothing on the table for discussion, they started to go through how either of them would present their case, how long they expected to take and whether there were any surprises which had so far not been revealed.
In the meantime, Thanakis asked Grant to introduce him to Ashby.
“I understand that Stuart has spoken to you, Mr Ashby about whether we could reach any agreement. Have you re-considered our offer ?”
“Do you mean the ten per cent discount ?”
“Yes – now that we are at the door of the court, does it sound more reasonable to you ?”
“Reasonable ? Not at all. In fact, knowing what I know now,” said Ashby as he looked Thanakis intently in the eye and then at Grant in the same way, “I’m more convinced than ever that this claim is a fraud – and I promise you, no matter what the judge says in this case or what the result will be, we will find out who is behind it – and when we do, we will make sure that criminal charges are brought against them – and I sincerely hope for your sake, Mr Thanakis, that you aren’t one of them because we are going to get them and they will go to prison for a very long time.”
Thanakis’ face had grown red and in a mixture of fear and anger he blurted out : “You’d better be careful, Ashby – and I warn you – don’t go making accusations which are untrue. The case today is against Plantation. The next case will be against you for defamation.” And then he stormed off.
Grant had tried to intervene in the middle of Ashby’s tirade by saying “Steady on, old chap, you’re going a bit too far there..” One of the journalists who had visited Ashby earlier in the week, appeared from nowhere and said “I couldn’t help overhearing what you said, Mr Ashby. You’re saying the claim is a fraud ?”
Simon Wells stepped in and said “Please, we have to go into court now. Can you let us get on with it ?” When the others had gone, he muttered to Ashby, “Was it wise to give the game away ? Thanakis will report back to Athens, they’ll pull down the shutters and we’ll lose our opportunity of getting at the truth.”
“I wanted to get the message across loud and clear that whatever happens, we’ll be coming after them, even if they win hands down and Plantation is in liquidation. I won’t let it rest. Whether Thanakis heard I was in Athens last week, isn’t important. Hellas Global Shipping knows and I want them to know that I’m gunning for them.”