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‘If that turns out to be the case,’ said Sir Julian, ‘we’ll say nothing to Joanna or Beth other than that we’ve been unable to come up with any fresh evidence that would make it possible for us to apply for a retrial’
‘And if Arthur has been telling the truth?’
‘My next call will be to the DPP’s office to request a retrial’
‘You still haven’t told ive priority to this case?’
‘Desn er when he stood for president of the University Law Society, and you’d never believe who his main rival was The president’s job was a thankless task, but then Des on thankless tasks, which is why he’s ended up as DPP And now, after thirty years, I intend to call in my marker’
It wasn’t long after he’d climbed into bed that William heard the door open Suddenly he ide awake A sylph-like figure silhouetted in the lided across the roo him on the back of his neck
He didn’t have long to consider what he should do next Turn on the light and politely ask her to leave, was his first thought, or just get on with it but don’t tell Beth, was his second And then he wondered what Beth would say if he told her he’d rejected Christina’s advances and sacrificed the Ree for a masterpiece He wasn’t in any doubt which she would expect him to do
Professor Abrahams made a second stopover in London on his way back to New York, and once again he wason to what he described as his box of tricks
The followingSir Julian and Grace accompanied him to a room in the basement of Scotland Yard where, in the presence of an independent witness, he spent the next few hours closely exae statement that had been submitted at Arthur’s trial
Sir Julian and Grace returned to chambers, where they anxiously awaited the outcos It was Grace who spotted hi his box of tricks in one hand and a bottle of chane in the other She leapt in the air and cheered
After listening in silence to the professor’s pronouncements, they both bombarded him with questions to which he always had an answer Finally Sir Julian picked up the phone and dialled a private number When the Director of Public Prosecutions came on the line, all he said was, ‘Desmond, I need a favour’
A large re ade nearly two hours to load all sixty-nine crates on board They were then driven slowly, very slowly, down to the port, where it took another three hours to transfer them into the Christina’s hold After he’d seen the door of the hold locked and bolted, William went ashore and called Coht home
‘No you won’t,’ said Hawksby firmly ‘Get back on that boat and don’t let the Reht until you dock at Southampton’
‘But shouldn’t I be keeping an eye on Mrs Faulkner?’
‘No You should be keeping an eye on six Syndics froain’