‘It’s not in there yet, sir. I only uncovered this information on the weekend just gone. I tried to write it all down, to structure it. But, I think I needed to talk it out with someone first… to find my thoughts.’
Dawes nodded, waiting.
Harriet forged ahead, ‘Helene said that Grant convinced June to have an abortion on the basis that it was too soon to have a child, and they could do so later, once their careers were established. She complied. Told no one. Not even her mother, Dorothy was left wondering what had happened to end the pregnancy. June refused to say. Then Grant left her for Helene.’
Harriet brought her hands together before her, clasping them tight. ‘After that history, June and Helene were not friends. Though she originally said she took the bus, June later admitted that she borrowed Helene’s car. When she collected the car, Helene said June was in a state, said Grant was ‘doing it again.’ I think… I think…’
Dawes had sat up straight, eyes fixed on Harriet’s pacing body.
‘June lost her baby because of Grant. He betrayed her. Now, 20 years later June remains single and without a child of her own. She finds herself living with her nephew, who she comes to love like a son. She falls into having an affair with Grant. She is a mix of emotions - guilt over her betrayal of her sister, but also the joy of having a child and the man she has always loved. Then the letter comes. Grant is going for sole custody, based on Eloise’s mental state…’
Harriet stopped and looked at Dawes, ‘She had her baby again. She had Jacob. A replacement for the child she lost twenty years ago. And Grant was going to take that away from her. He was ‘doing it again’, taking a child. So she killed him.’
Randell cocked his head to the side. ‘Using her sister’s scissors?’
‘The perfect cover is it not? Use Eloise’s scissors. Drop your car to a garage in Salcombe. Say you caught a bus, but really take the car of someone you used to know. Someone who owes you. Drive to Beesands. Stab Grant. Go home and clean up. If you make it back in time no one will know.’
‘Except your sister, who is at home.’
‘Your sister who told you she would be out walking with Jacob and the dog, but it rained, so she was home early. June even said how she’d forgotten her jacket when she went to Salcombe, not expecting the weather…’
‘So Eloise was unexpectedly home. June returns covered in blood. Eloise goes into shock and can’t remember any of what happened.’
‘Only that her sister was covered in blood. And that she couldn’t find her scissors. She couldn’t find them because June took them. They were never in the house for Eloise to find!’
Harriet slumped down into her chair, suddenly exhausted and rested her hands on her knees. She looked up at Randell and waited, pensive.
Dawes’s eyes were far away, shifting side to side, calculating. Harriet forced herself to breathe, the hope of understanding was almost choking her.
Then Dawe’s eyes met hers and the hope dissipated, leaving her more exhausted than ever. She sat back in her chair and waited.
‘It is a good theory Harriet. A strong theory,’ he began. ‘But it has some holes. And if we run the defence that she did not do it, we cannot risk holes. That path leads to prison.’
He paused, placing his hands on the desk before him. ‘The car discrepancy is interesting, but a dangerous tactic before a jury. Asking June about it gives her leave to discuss her distress at finding her sister covered in blood. We have to assume her emotion would be very believable.
‘But that’s not the biggest challenge. Eloise was seen in Beesands and returning home in her jacket. June was not. Eloise left her son unaccompanied, indicating she was already distressed before her sister returned home. The DDP’s claim that she found the custody application and it triggered her mental illness fits. Additionally, Eloise’s jacket and her shirt were covered in blood. June saw the jacket on the couch when she came home, where Eloise had discarded it.’
‘June could have lied.’
‘It is most common for one to remove one’s wet jacket when returning indoors,’ Dawes said calmly. ‘Expected behaviour sits with June’s story. The jacket was bloody before June arrived, which rather undermines your theory.’
Harriet chewed on the inside of her cheek. ‘I’m missing something. It’s like the key is right there before me, but I just can’t get it in the lock.’
Dawes fixed her with his eyes. ‘Then walk the case Harriet. Review the evidence. Place all the pieces before you and see what is missing. But if it isn’t there, then you have to accept it. We can’t make the facts what we want. Most often our clients are guilty, Harriet. That is the nature of defence.’
Harriet nodded, solemn, defeated.
‘So, as we are in Court for arraignment in under a week, shall we get back to the case at hand? Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity, Automatism.’
‘Of course,’ Harriet replied forcing the disappointment and doubt aside, and pulling her chair closer to Randell’s desk in preparation.
‘Right, these are the details I need more on…’
Hours later Harriet walked through the grey twilight of London, the dirty cream stone buildings channelling the evening breeze down Embankment. She looked out over the Thames, the dark waters reflecting the first lights of the city at night, sparkling pink, purple and blue over the tidal current. The city felt alive with promise, possibility and adventure. Great things were done here. Great and terrible things.
Pulling her coat around her against the spring evening chill, she joined the throng of commuters on the steps into the station. The scent of warm pastry drifted to her nose and she diverted momentarily to grab dinner on the run, a warm pie to enjoy on her journey home from Paddington. Running for her train she pondered the days ahead. Five days to carry out Randell’s directions. Five days to finalise the evidence. Five days to come up with a plan to prove that Robert Fields was wrong. The heat of desire scored her cheeks at the thought of his dark eyes. No, he didn’t deserve her interest. She’d thought he was different, but he was just another unreliable man like her father, like Grant Huxley, like Tyler fucking Marks. And Harriet wouldn’t see Eloise lose her freedom because of another man’s arrogance. She had to focus.
Because she was sure, more sure than she had ever been of anything before. Sure that Eloise Lane-Huxley was innocent. It was no longer just about creating doubt. Now it was about justice.
April
22: Arraignment
Harriet had failed.
Eloise sat motionless in the courtroom, her blonde hair pulled back into a long plait, the dark roots of her re-growth sat like a cap over her crown. She glanced Harriet’s way, unease in her eyes. Harriet smiled reassuringly and Eloise smiled back, lips trembling.
It was done. Plea entered: Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity, Automatism. The prosecution had not challenged it. Trial start date set for Friday April 5. Beside her Randell was picking up his notes and slipping them neatly into his briefcase. Court officers arrived to return Eloise to The Orchard. Harriet nodded to her and gave a small smile. Eloise, tears in her eyes now, waved back. How much did she understand of what had just happened? Harriet wondered, fighting the distress that pressed on her chest. The heavy weight of failure.
She had returned home last week and worked through the nights, combing through witness statements, DNA, forensics, anything she could find as she sat in her dining room, the background music of Billy’s war games filling the silence. Her days were filled with Randell’s requests. Between them they finalised the case, and it was solid. Even if Harriet felt it was wrong. She couldn’t prove it. No, the case for Automatism is strong. The right defence.
Frowning to herself she glanced over at Bella and Don Huxley, Grant’s parents. They sat straight backed, faces fighting to hide the storm of emotions that must be raging just below the neutral surface they strained to cultivate. It was the first time Harriet had seen the bereaved in person. The defeat that sat heavily across their countenance s
ank into her guts. In losing Grant, their only son, they had lost everything. Two rows back from the Huxleys sat the Lanes, up from Salcombe for the day. Dorothy Lane, sitting primly by her husband, watching Eloise being led away. Only June was absent, presumably caring for Jacob; a courtroom was no place for a child. Harriet was glad of it. She wasn’t sure how she would react to the sight of the woman whose innocence she so strongly doubted, yet whose guilt she could not prove. Harriet felt her heart stutter. Seeing these people all together in a room: parents all facing the loss of a child, in one way or another, bound by their history and their love of Jacob, what challenges and pain they had to face. Alone and together. A unity and peace destroyed by the murder of Grant Huxley.
Facts were king, and it seemed her instincts had been wrong when it came to Eloise Lane-Huxley.
Sighing to herself she gathered up her notes and followed Randell out of the courtroom.
‘Harriet, wait up!’ a familiar voice called behind her.
Harriet rolled her eyes, slowing her stride as she continued along the corridor out of the court house. Randell, walking beside her, caught her eye and said, ‘I will see you at my office on Wednesday, 2 p.m.?’
‘Yes, it’s in my diary.’
‘All right,’ he glanced up at the man now standing waiting at Harriet’s back. A small frown creased his aged brow. ‘You did well today Harriet,’ he said kindly. ‘Don’t forget that.’
‘Thank you,’ Harriet managed. ‘See you Wednesday.’
Without another word Randell turned and walked away.
Harriet took a deep breath and faced Robert Fields. Sitting on the opposite side of the court that morning had been the first she’d seen of him since that Saturday. He’d smiled at her. She’d averted her eyes, quickly. Not the time for those emotions.
‘It’s good to see you Harriet,’ Robert began awkwardly, hope in his eyes.
Harriet huffed an annoyed breath, ‘What do you want DS Fields?’ she said sharply. ‘I have a trial to prepare for. As do you.’
The hope faded from his face, ‘Harriet, about Saturday night. It wasn’t what you think.’
‘No?’ Harriet drawled sarcastically. ‘So that wasn’t your wife unexpectedly returning home for the night?’
‘Well…’
‘The wife you lead me to believe was no longer in the picture?’
‘I…
‘Look,’ Harriet snapped, her patience at an end. ‘I don’t know why you’re worried. Nothing happened. This,’ she gestured between them, ‘this was only ever about the case. I came to warn you, nothing more. If you got other ideas that’s your problem, not mine.’
‘Harriet, please. You know that’s not strictly true.’
Harriet’s eyes narrowed fiercely, ‘Do not presume to tell me what I do and do not know DS Fields.’
‘Harriet, please let me explain.’
‘Save your breath,’ Harriet snapped. ‘It’s irrelevant anyway.’
‘It’s not irrelevant…’
‘It is. Because I don’t care. Now, if you’ll excuse me. I have a busy afternoon and a client to speak with. Good afternoon DS Fields,’ she said and walked briskly away.
Later that evening as Harriet and her brother sat slumped on her couch, neck deep in pizza grease and beer, the buzzer for her apartment sounded loudly across the room.
Harriet looked over at Billy in surprise, ‘You ordered something else?’
’Nup,’ Billy shrugged, eyes not leaving the TV. Grand designs, the big reveal. It was a repeat, Harriet had seen it before. But she enjoyed the scenes at the end of this one, when you got to see just how badly the build had gone and how compromised the final result was. Sighing, she heaved herself up out of the couch and padded to the buzzer.
After exchanging a few words down the wire she stepped back, shocked.
‘So, who is it?’ Billy called.
‘Crystal,’ Harriet murmured.
‘What!’ Billy’s voice echoed from the lounge, She heard her brother stalking quickly to the entranceway. A soft knock sounded on her door just as Billy came up beside her.
‘Shit,’ he breathed, quickly running his hands through his hair and wiping pizza grease from his chin. Harriet looked him over and frowned.
‘Go change, freshen up,’ she said. ‘I’ll mind Crystal until you are ready.’
His eyes whipped to hers, ‘Sure?’
‘Yes, now go!’ She shoved him up the hall and turned to the door. Smoothing out her shirt and quickly licking off a drop of red tomato sauce from the corner of her mouth, Harriet opened the door.
And almost lost her breath.
There before her stood the most beautiful woman Harriet had ever seen. Crystal stood a good two inches taller than Harriet, not that that was much of a challenge, but it was her presence, the way she held herself that caught the eye. She stood calm and still, dark skin glowing in the corridor light, hair braided to her head, one hand cupping the swell of her baby. She looked like a fertility goddess. Carrying my niece or nephew, Harriet realised, stunned.
She had known about the pregnancy since Christmas of course, but seeing Crystal’s belly, curving out from her floral dress and jacket made it suddenly very real.
Crystal smiled at Harriet, genuine warmth in her eyes.
‘You must be Harriet,’ she said, voice rich with kindness. ‘You could never deny Billy was your brother. I’m Crystal.’ She smiled again.
Harriet stood mute a moment more, then forced herself into action.
‘Yes, I’m Harriet. I’m so pleased to met you Crystal. Please come in.’
Crystal nodded and stepped into the apartment. ‘Billy’s just freshening up,’ Harriet explained, locking the door behind them. ‘Come with me. Can I offer you tea? Juice?’
‘A water would be lovely,’ Crystal replied as they came into the lounge.
‘Please, take a seat,’ Harriet gestured to the couch, then groaned inwardly and rushed to clear up the pizza boxes and scattered beer bottles. It looked like a bunch of uni students lived here, not a respected solicitor. Shame flushed her cheeks. She certainly couldn’t deny being Billy’s sister, not living like this.
‘Don’t fuss,’ Crystal said, ‘I’ve arrived unannounced and you are family. You have no need for appearances with us.’ She patted her bulging belly and then eased herself down onto the couch. Harriet bustled into the kitchen and filled a glass of water from the tap. Was tap water ok for unborn babies? She didn’t know. Unsettled she rushed back in to Crystal.
‘Ah, thank you!’ Crystal sighed, taking the drink and giving Harriet a smile as though she’d presented her with a diamond. She gulped the water down and settled back into the couch. Harriet hovered a moment, unsure if she should take up the free spot on the couch, before pulling over a dining chair and perching in front of Crystal.
Crystal looked up at her. ‘I’m sorry. I owe you an explanation. It must seem very rude to you that I have just appeared at your door.’
‘No, it’s ok, really,’ Harriet stammered, mind still bemused by this vision before her. What on earth does she see in Billy? she thought.
Crystal nodded, eyes creasing in amusement as though she’d read Harriet’s unspoken words. ‘I thank you for your understanding. I didn’t want to ring, in case Billy chose to be out when I arrived. It’s been too long enough since we talked, I think. Time to resolve this silly tiff. There is Esmerelda to consider.’
‘Esmerelda?’ Harriet eyed Crystal’s belly, joy spreading through her chest. ‘It’s, it’s a girl?’
Crystal smiled indulgently and smoothed her shirt over her stomach. ‘She is.’
‘Esmerelda is a lovely name,’ Harriet offered.
‘Isn’t it?’ Crystal agreed enthusiastically. ‘Anyway,’ she continued, ‘I want Billy home. And you want your apartment back too, I am sure.’ She scanned the lounge room, the detritus of 6 weeks of Billy clearly on display. A wry smile curving her lips
‘It’s probably time.’ Harriet agreed.
<
br /> Just then Harriet heard the scuff of Billy’s shoes on the floor and looked up. He’d washed his face, changed to a blue shirt Harriet didn’t know he owned and was wearing, cologne? She blinked in surprise. Billy shot her a hard look, a warning. Harriet cleared the surprise from her face and stood. ‘Well,’ she said, ‘I’ve much to do before Friday, so I’ll leave you both to it. And Crystal, the spare room is made up fresh. Billy rarely uses it,’ she paused, inwardly cursing herself for mentioning her brother’s slovenly couch habits. ‘You are very welcome to stay the night. I don’t imagine you would be driving back to Ellesmere tonight.’
‘That is most kind Harriet, thank you.’
‘Yeah, cheers, Hare,’ Billy echoed as he walked passed her, eyes fixed on Crystal. His face wore an expression of reserved hope and something else… wonder.
‘Woah, you got huge,’ he exclaimed, taking in Crystal’s belly full of baby girl.
Crystal pressed her lips together, the first sign of annoyance Harriet had seen the woman reveal. That didn’t bode well.
‘But still so beautiful,’ Billy finished.
Crystal’s eyes glowed with love as she gazed at Billy. Her brother crossed the room and pulled Crystal into his arms. ‘I’m sorry my love,’ he said into her neck. Crystal didn’t reply, but she brought her arms up around him and buried her face in his chest.
Harriet breathed a quiet sigh of relief and exited the room as silently and swiftly as she could, collecting up her notes and heading for the sanctuary of her room and her work.
A soft knock broke into Harriet’s subconscious, pulling her from sleep. She blinked against the glare of her ceiling light, still on. She lay sprawled on her bed, surrounded by papers, legal texts and notes. Sitting up she rubbed her tired eyes. Had she dreamed the knock?
‘Hare?’ Billy’s voice whispered through the door. Harriet sighed and came to her feet. She opened the door. There stood Billy, two cups of steaming tea in his hands.
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