Jeffrey Archer - Sons of Fortune

Su Ling laughed. ‘I’ll think about it,’ she said. ‘I’m sorry to rush, but I’m already late for my afternoon lecture.’

‘But how do I find you?’ asked Nat desperately.

‘You managed to find the Vietcong, Captain Cartwright, surely it shouldn’t be too difficult to find me?’

‘All rise. The state versus Mrs Anita Kirsten . His Honour Mr Justice Abernathy presiding.’

The judge took his place and looked towards the defence counsel’s table. ‘How do you plead, Mrs Kirsten?’

Fletcher rose from behind the defence table. ‘My client pleads Not Guilty, your honour.’

The judge looked up, ‘Are you representing the defendant?’

‘Yes I am, your honour.’

Judge Abernathy glanced down at the charge sheet. ‘I don’t think I’ve come across you before, Mr Davenport?’

‘No, your honour, it’s my first appearance in your court.’

‘Will you please approach the bench, Mr Davenport?’

‘Yes, sir.’ Fletcher stepped out from behind the little table and walked towards the judge, where the prosecution counsel joined them.

‘Good morning, gentlemen,’ said Mr Justice Abernathy. ‘May I enquire what legal qualifications you have that are recognized in my court, Mr Davenport?’

‘None, sir.’

‘I see. Is your client aware of this?’

‘Yes sir, she is.’

‘But she still wants you to represent her, despite this being a capital charge?’

‘Yes, sir.’

The judge turned to face the attorney general for Connecticut. ‘Do you have any objection to Mr Davenport representing Mrs Kirsten?’

‘None whatsoever, your honour; in fact the state welcomes it.’

‘I feel sure they do,’ said the judge, ‘but I must ask you, Mr Davenport, if you have any experience of the law at all.’

‘Not a great deal, your honour,’ Fletcher admitted. ‘I’m a second year law student at Yale, and this will be my first case.’ The judge and the attorney general smiled.

‘May I ask who your director of studies is?’ asked the judge.

‘Professor Karl Abrahams.’

‘Then I am proud to preside over your first case, Mr Davenport, because that is something you and I have in common. How about you, Mr Stamp?’

‘No sir, I qualified in South Carolina.’

‘Although it is most irregular, in the end it must be the defendant’s decision, so let us proceed with the case in hand.’ The attorney general and Fletcher returned to their places.

The judge looked down at Fletcher. ‘Will you be applying for bail, Mr Davenport?’

Fletcher rose from his place. ‘Yes, sir.’

‘On what grounds?’

‘That Mrs Kirsten has no previous record, and constitutes no danger to the public. She is the mother of two children, Alan aged seven, and Delia aged five, who are currently living with their grandmother in Hartford.’

The judge turned his attention to the attorney general. ‘Does the state have any objection to bail Mr Stamp?’

‘We most certainly do, your honour. We oppose bail not only on the grounds that this is a capital charge, but because the murder itself was premeditated. We therefore contend that Mrs Kirsten constitutes a danger to society, and may also try to leave the state’s jurisdiction.’

Fletcher shot up. ‘I must object, your honour.’

‘On what grounds, Mr Davenport?’

‘This is indeed a capital charge, so leaving the state is hardly relevant, your honour, and in any case, Mrs Kirsten’s home is in Hartford, where she earns her living working as a hospital cleaner at St Mary’s, and her children are both at a local school.’

‘Any further submission, Mr Davenport?’

‘No, sir.’

‘Bail refused,’ said the judge, and brought his hammer down. ‘This court is adjourned until Monday the seventeenth.’

‘All rise.’

Mr Justice Abernathy winked at Fletcher as he left the court room.

Thirty-four minutes and ten seconds. Nat couldn’t hide his delight that he had not only broken his personal best, but had managed sixth place in the university trials, and was therefore certain to be picked for the opening meet against Boston University.

As Nat warmed down, and went through his usual stretching routine, Tom walked over to join him. ‘Congratulations,’ he said, ‘and my bet is that by the end of the season, you’ll have knocked another minute off your time.’

Nat stared at the sour red scar on the back of his leg as he pulled on his sweat-pants. ‘Why don’t we have dinner tonight,’ continued Tom, ‘and celebrate, because there’s something I need to discuss with you before I go back to Yale.’

‘Can’t manage tonight,’ said Nat as they began to stroll across to the locker rooms. ‘I’ve got a date.’

‘Anyone I know?’

‘No,’ said Nat, ‘but as it’s my first for months, I have to admit I’m quite nervous.’

‘Captain Cartwright nervous? Whatever next?’ mocked Tom.

‘That’s the problem,’ admitted Nat. ‘She thinks I’m a cross between Don Juan and Al Capone.’

‘She sounds a good judge of character,’ said Tom. ‘So tell me all about her.’

‘There’s not that much to tell. We ran into each other on the top of a hill. She’s bright, ferocious, quite beautiful, and thinks I’m a bastard.’ Nat then recounted their conversation outside the refectory.

‘Ralph Elliot obviously got his version in first,’ said Tom.

‘To hell with Elliot. Do you think I should wear a jacket and tie?’

‘You haven’t asked for that sort of advice since we were at Taft.’

‘And in those days I needed to borrow your jacket and your tie, so what do you think?’

‘Full dress uniform with medals.’

‘Be serious.’

‘Well, it would certainly confirm her opinion of you.’

‘That’s exactly what I’m trying to disabuse her of.’

‘Well then, try looking at it from her point of view.’

‘I’m listening.’

‘What do you think she’ll wear?’

‘I have no idea, I’ve only seen her twice in my life, and on one of those occasions she was in her running shorts covered in mud.’

‘God, that must have been sexy, but I don’t suppose she’ll turn up in a tracksuit, so what about the other occasion?’

‘Smart and understated.’

‘Then follow her lead, which won’t be easy, because there’s nothing smart about you, and from what you say, she doesn’t believe that you’re capable of being understated.’

‘Answer the question,’ Nat said.

‘I’d go for casual,’ said Tom. ‘Shirt, not T-shirt, slacks and a sweater. I could, of course, as your advisor on sartorial elegance, join you both for dinner.’

‘I don’t want you anywhere near the place, because you’ll only fall in love with her.’

‘You really care about this girl, don’t you?’ said Tom quietly.

‘I think she’s divine, but that doesn’t stop her being very uncertain about me.’

‘But she’s agreed to have dinner with you, so she can’t believe you’re all bad.’

‘Yes, but the terms of that agreement were somewhat unusual,’ said Nat as he told Tom what he had proposed before she would agree to a date.

‘As I said, you’ve got it bad, but that doesn’t alter the fact that I need to see you. How about breakfast? Or will you also be having eggs and bacon with this mysterious oriental lady?’

‘I’d be very surprised if she agreed to that,’ said Nat wistfully. ‘And disappointed.’

‘How long do you expect the trial to last?’ asked Annie.

‘If we plead not guilty to murder, but guilty to manslaughter, it could be over in a morning, with perhaps a further court appearance for sentencing.’