‘Continuing in laymen’s terms, infections caused by bacteria?’
‘Not always, but predominantly.’
‘Virally created infections?’
‘Yes.’
‘What are antibodies? And antigens?’
‘Bodies that form in the blood to resist a toxin.’
‘Formed how? By what?’
‘I am sure the court is fascinated by this expedition into the mysteries of microbiology and serology,’ broke in Bartle, noisily grating back his chair as he stood. ‘But is there to be a practical point to emerge from this dissertation?’
‘A question that was beginning to exercise my mind,’ said the judge. ‘Mr Beckwith?’
‘A very practical and relevant point indeed, your honour,’ responded Beckwith, at once. ‘It is to establish the importance of the
…’ The pause was intentional, a verbal marker as all the man’s other theatrical hesitations had been. ‘… omissions to which I wish to draw the court’s attention.’
‘My patience is limited, Mr Beckwith,’ reminded the judge.
‘And will not be stretched much further,’ promised Beckwith. Going back to Abrahams the lawyer said, ‘You were about to help the court with an explanation of antibodies and antigens.’
‘Both are traceably formed – created – within the blood by a patient’s natural immunity or resistance to a disease or infection, as well as by the induced resistance of antibiotics,’ said Abrahams.
There was a lot of movement now – sufficient to attract the judge’s frowned attention – between the two lawyers to the right of the court and the people directly behind them, Bartle finally getting up from where he sat to lean over the rail for closer consultation.
As aware of the activity as Jordan, Beckwith stopped his examination, looking between the animated groups and the judge and said, ‘Your honour, does the court require a recess here?’
‘I do not intend a recess but I might very well require an explanation,’ said the judge.
Bartle turned, startled, back into the court, standing fully. ‘I apologize if I have caused the court inconvenience, your honour.’
‘You have and it will not be tolerated again,’ snapped Pullinger, the redness of his irritation pricking out on his bloodless cheeks. ‘Any more than I will tolerate ill-prepared cases being prematurely brought before me or much more deviation from expected presentations. You will precede, Mr Beckwith, with the limitations of my patience in the forefront of your mind.’
‘Dr Abrahams,’ resumed Beckwith. ‘If an infection is resisted – defeated – by natural immunity or medication, do such antibodies or antigens remain traceable within a patient’s blood?’
‘For a time,’ replied the doctor. ‘That length of time depends, understandably, upon the type of infection or disease and the treatment to defeat it.’
‘Let us come to sexually transmitted diseases and infections,’ invited Beckwith.
For the first time the lawyer’s pause was for breath, not to tempt the judge’s impatience but Pullinger seized it. ‘Not a moment too soon, Mr Beckwith.’
‘Observing, as always, your honour’s guidance,’ responded Beckwith, just as swiftly. To the doctor the lawyer continued, ‘You have extensive experience of the identification and treatment of sexually transmitted disease, do you not, Dr Abrahams?’
‘I do.’
‘Is the manifestation of antibodies and antigens that you have described applicable in sexually transmitted diseases?’
‘Yes.’
‘In syphilis?’
‘Yes.’
‘In gonorrhoea?’
‘Yes.’
‘What about chlamydia or to use its more accurate clinical name, Chlamydia trachomatis?’
‘Yes.’
‘Within the last month you examined the man I represent in court today, Harvey William Jordan, for venereal infection, specifically Chlamydia trachomatis, did you not?’
‘I did. I also extended that examination to include syphilis and gonorrhoea.’
‘Can you describe, as simply as possible for the court’s benefit, how you conducted those examinations?’
‘I took invasive urogenital swabs, as well as those from the throat and rectum. I also took blood and urine samples.’
‘What were your findings?’
‘Negative, to every test for every possible infection.’
‘Specifically in the case of chlamydia, the tests are clinically referred to as polymerase chain reaction, PCP, or ligase chain reaction, LCR, a sensitive detection method for chlamydia DNA?’
‘Yes.’
‘Which were negative?’
‘Your expert witness has already attested to that,’ came in Pullinger.
‘I am anxious that there should be no doubt whatsoever of the findings, your honour,’ said Beckwith.
‘You have established that to my satisfaction, Mr Beckwith. I am still waiting to discover the other point you have promised me.’
‘Dr Abrahams,’ returned Beckwith, ‘had my client, Harvey Jordan, suffered any venereal infection that required medical treatment would the antibodies or antigens resulting from that treatment have been evident in his blood, even though he had been successfully cured by treatment from a doctor or specialist other than yourself of which you had been unaware.’
‘Yes, in the case of syphilis and HIV, possibly in the case of chlamydia’
‘Were there any such antibodies or antigens?
‘No.’
‘What is the irrefutable medical conclusions from the absence of any antibodies or antigens from the blood of Harvey Jordan?’
‘That he has never suffered or contracted a venereal infection.’
‘Which is very specifically spelled out and made clear in Dr Abrahams’ medical report already supplied to this court!’ exploded the now very visibly flushed Mr Justice Pullinger.
‘But not in any other medical report laid before this court, those of Alfred Appleton and Leanne Jefferies, both of which were delayed until the very last possible moment for presentation before your honour,’ Beckwith pointed out, finally sitting beside Jordan.
Pullinger did recess the court, from which Bartle and Wolfson hurried out, trailed by their respective clients and the two venerealogists. Beckwith went through the rail for another, although brief, consultation with Abrahams.
Reid crossed from his table when Beckwith returned and said, ‘That was brilliant.’
‘I was flying by the seat of my pants from the conversation I had with Dr Abrahams,’ admitted Beckwith.
‘Even more brilliant,’ insisted Reid.
‘I’d only heard of Pullinger by reputation,’ said Beckwith. ‘I didn’t imagine he’d really be such a son of a bitch.’
‘You think there’s something to be found in the medical reports of the other side?’ prodded Jordan.
‘That’s the way Abrahams told me to go,’ said Beckwith. ‘I’m going to press as hard as I can to find out.’
‘And I’m going to risk trying an application about Sharon Borowski: as many applications as I can, while I think Pullinger will be favouring us,’ disclosed Reid. ‘If he slaps me down, he slaps me down.’
Jordan saw that Alyce was still staring straight ahead, ignoring everybody. When he pushed his chair back Beckwith said, ‘Where are you going?’
‘Stretch my legs. Say hello to Alyce. No reason why I shouldn’t, now that we’re in court, is there?’
Beckwith shrugged.
Reid said, ‘Keep it brief.’
Alyce didn’t look in his direction as Jordan approached and there was a hesitation even when he reached her table and said, ‘Hi!’
‘Hello.’
‘How are you?’
‘Hating every moment of it! I was looking forward to it – facing him down – but now I’m here I feel… ashamed, I suppose. We had to sneak in… There were television cameras… It was awful.’
‘Did they get photographs of you?’
‘Bob doesn’t think so.’ She looked across at the two remaining lawyers. ‘What’s going on… I don’t understand what Dan is doing?’
‘The medical reports on your husband and the woman are incomplete.’
‘Does it matter?’
‘It could, quiet a lot,’ said Jordan, carefully.