‘It was never made clear, sir. She seemed to believe she would be cheated. At one stage she indicated she was dispensing with her legal representatives.’
‘Cheated!’ said Keflin-Brown, stressing artificial bewilderment. ‘Cheated of what? By whom?’
‘I never discovered that, sir.’
‘Was there a particular line of enquiry you were pursuing at this time?’
It was coming, thought Jennifer, and Jane said, ‘ You bet your sweet ass it is.’
‘There was, sir.’
‘Tell my Lord and the jury what that was.’
‘I had discovered Mr Lomax’s involvement with a member of staff and wanted to establish Mrs Lomax’s awareness of it.’
‘You mean a sexual involvement? An affair?’
‘Yes, sir.’
There was a stir from both the jury and the press.
‘What was Mrs Lomax’s reaction?’
‘She became hysterical. And collapsed.’
‘Were you able to resume that interview at a later date?’
‘No, sir. When I attempted to do so I was told by Mrs Lomax’s legal advisors that she declined to speak to me further.’
‘How long have you been in the police force, Superintendent?’
‘Twenty-eight years, sir.’
‘A man of considerable experience?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Including, regrettably, experience of murder cases?’
Speaking directly towards the jury again, Bentley said, ‘A total of twelve. All of which have led to a conviction.’
‘In that considerable experience, have people collapsed under questioning before?’
‘Several times.’
‘And in your opinion, based upon your considerable experience, was Mrs Lomax’s collapse genuine? Or faked?’
‘In my opinion, sir, it was faked.’
Keflin-Brown turned away from the detective, to face the jury again. ‘As I told you at the beginning of this case, you must at all times be guided on the questions of law by my Lord. But I would advise you that it has been the law in this country, since 1994, that juries are allowed to draw inference of guilt or innocence from a defendant’s insistence upon remaining silent.’
Jeremy Hall was annoyed but professionally so, still totally under control. Keflin-Brown had massaged the presentation to within a hair’s-breadth of what was permissible and if he’d been the counsel to attempt it Mr-Justice-Bloody-Jarvis would have cut him off at the knees. But then it had been a very long time since anyone had seriously tried to advance a case that the law, any more than life, was fair.
‘There is a lot more with which you can help the court, isn’t there, Superintendent?’ Hall spoke as he stood, a Keflin-Brown type mannerism.
‘I’m not sure that I can.’
No ‘sir’, Hall noted. ‘You were aware of something else at the time of the attempted interview about which you’ve told the court, quite apart from any affair that Gerald Lomax might have been involved in, weren’t you?’
‘I am not sure,’ repeated Bentley.
Trying to hold the knee-jerk temper, gauged Hall. ‘That surprises me.’
‘I am afraid I don’t understand.’
‘You’re a police officer of twenty-eight years’ experience? You’ve successfully solved twelve murders, a commendable record?’
‘Is there a point here, Mr Hall?’ demanded Jarvis.
It was an attempt to help the detective, but Hall saw at once how to use it to his advantage. ‘Very much indeed, my Lord. I am seeking to establish the credibility of this witness.’
‘Credibility?’ queried Jarvis, still to Hall’s benefit although not intending it to be.
‘Very much so, my Lord.’
‘How?’
Beside Hall, Keflin-Brown stirred, discomfited. In the witness-box the colour had begun to suffuse Bentley’s face. Hall said, ‘Upon the very essence of detection, I would have thought. His observation – about which Superintendent Bentley has already talked to this court – and of an incomplete record of an encounter at which, to the great benefit perhaps of my client, I was fortunate to be present.’
‘ Watch him drop you right in the shit! ’
Jennifer tightened her slightly relaxed grip but there was no movement.
‘Proceed,’ allowed the judge, reluctantly.
Bentley’s face was blazing and Hall was surprised it had been so easy. He said, ‘Mrs Lomax’s remark about Jane didn’t remain inexplicable to you, did it?’
Expectation surged through the press gallery.
‘No.’
‘Did you not make some comment about it, during the aggressive and unsuccessful interview with Mrs Lomax to which you’ve referred?’
‘I may have done.’
The qualification was a mistake, which the man appeared to realize as soon as he spoke. At once the impatient Jarvis said, ‘Well did you or didn’t you, Superintendent? Yes or no?’
‘I made reference to Mrs Lomax hearing voices in her head.’
‘Be quiet!’ snapped Jarvis, at the noise that rippled through the media.
Jane said, ‘ Jeremy’s on my side, not yours! He’s making it easy for me! I can relax! ’
Once more there was no impulse to move. Remembering, Jennifer looked enquiringly at the handkerchief-holding wardress, touching her mouth. The wardress shook her head.
‘Voices?’ pressed Hall. ‘Or just one voice?’
‘Just one voice.’
‘Mrs Lomax’s defence to this charge is that she is possessed, by the first wife of Gerald Lomax, isn’t it?’
The reaction, which was varied but all noisy, was general throughout the court and the judge’s fury wasn’t specifically directed. It still took several minutes to subside. Eventually Bentley said, ‘That is what I understand it to be.’
Hall felt very much in charge, enjoying himself. ‘Do you believe in ghosts, Superintendent?’
The tight-faced man allowed himself a frigid smile. ‘No.’
‘Or spirit possession?’
‘No.’
‘ He’s opening the door to the asylum for you! ’
‘And you didn’t believe Mrs Lomax’s collapse was real, either?’
‘No.’
‘Despite the fact that a doctor – a doctor who will be called during this trial to testify – categorically assured you that it was, within a very short time of it occurring?’
‘No.’
‘You have medical training then?’
‘No.’
‘So you are prepared to argue a medical, clinical opinion with a qualified doctor?’
‘In my professional opinion, it was a faked collapse,’ persisted Bentley, temper completely lost. ‘I’m certainly prepared to argue about ghosts and people being possessed!’
‘You shall, Superintendent, you shall,’ promised Hall, abruptly sitting.
Malcolm Rodgers, who followed Bentley into the witness-box, loyally supported his chief that the collapse was phoney and even agreed the apparent intention to fire her legal team could have been intended as a diversion, to avoid an interview. Conscious of looking remiss to a jury he intended to show he’d overlooked nothing, Keflin-Brown took the inspector in detail through every minute of every encounter with Jennifer Lomax. Who sat listening to Jane’s mental reminders of how insane it made her sound, although not needing to be told because that was precisely how every accurately recounted word made her appear.
‘Did you properly and completely carry out every part of a murder investigation, with the exception of a satisfactory interview or of obtaining a statement from the accused?’ concluded Keflin-Brown.
‘I did, sir,’ agreed Rodgers.
‘Absolutely?’
‘Absolutely.’
Jeremy Hall had no questions, which Jarvis seized to end the day’s proceedings. As they were tidying their files, the clerk hurried up to Perry with a folded note, from which the solicitor immediately looked up to Hall.
‘Jarvis wants to see us in chambers before we start tomorrow.’
Overhearing, Keflin-Brown said, ‘I’ll still take the lesser plea, if she’ll agree.’
Which Jennifer didn’t, fifteen minutes later, when Hall reached her in the cell. He thought Jennifer looked more than simply drained: she appeared hollowed out, a shell of a person.