The plan had worked perfectly and Katy had leant over the railings, looking down from the second level to the ground floor as Bayliss was carted off to the block, screaming about being set up. Despite the fact that her cell had been turned upside down as the drugs squad had torn it apart looking for banned substances, Katy considered it a good job well done.
Friday morning arrived far too soon. The teenager had packed the night before to make sure she was ready to go straight after breakfast, although she couldn't eat much because she was far too nervous. The Julies and Tina had piled her plate up, determined that she'd get a decent last meal at Larkhall.
"You've got to eat your last porridge!" Julie J informed her seriously as the teenager turned her nose up at it.
"Or else you'll be back to eat it." Julie S added.
"But I don't like porridge." Katy told them.
Tina shook her head. "You have to! It's for luck."
"Alright!" She agreed, not having the heart to argue with them.
Taking the porridge to a table, she poked at it with her spoon, putting her chin in her hand and staring at the gloop. Even though she was looking forward to getting out, now that she had got her head around the fact that she was likely to get off, she had a strange sinking feeling in her stomach.
"You OK?" Pat asked gently, slipping into the seat opposite. "The Julies give you the porridge speech?"
"Yeah. I don't even like porridge."
"Here." Pat swapped the bowl for a plate of bacon and hash browns; the teenager's favourite. "I got extra."
"Cheers, Pat." Katy grinned at her.
Noticing that she still wasn't eating, the woman tilted her head to one side. "Nervous?"
"Terrified." She admitted. "What if they decide I did it?"
"You said you've got witnesses now, right? You'll be fine."
"I hope so."
"Katy?" A refined voice asked, easily recognisable as Phyl's. The teenager looked up to see the Costa Cons standing beside the table with their trays. "We just wanted to wish you luck today."
"Thanks, Phyl, Bev." Katy smiled as they walked away.
Before she knew it, Hollamby appeared beside the table telling her it was time to go. Taking a deep breath, Katy gathered up her things and said goodbye, hugging the Julies and Tina. Pat looked at her awkwardly for a moment and Katy didn't expect a hug off her, knowing that the woman disliked showing her emotions. The teenager was surprised when the lifer pulled her towards her and gave her a tight squeeze.
Katy was even too nervous to wind the guard up as she escorted her to the registration block to sort out the paperwork before they left. Karen smiled at her as she passed the office, a look that Katy returned weakly.
"It looks like you'll have to put up with me today, Katy." The governor said gently. "Mr Jackson isn't well."
Katy just nodded and allowed herself to be taken outside. Her stomach was flipping as the transport van drove towards the court. Hollamby fixed the handcuffs around her wrists as soon as Katy stepped foot out of the van, muttering about criminal tendencies and it being in the teenager's blood. Katy bit her tongue, knowing that making a scene was the last thing she should do.
As they walked through the halls towards the courtroom, the woman's words finally got too much.
"Shut up about my family. You know nothing about them, you stupid cow!" Katy almost shouted at her, losing her temper.
"Katherine Mitchell." A remarkably familiar voice snapped. "Manners!"
"Ron!" Katy called, a broad, beaming smile spreading over her face at the sight of her sister. She took in Ronnie's smart, black skirt suit and perfect hair and makeup. She smirked. "Who died?"
"You will if you don't reign in the cheek."
"Sorry…" The teenager muttered.
Katy glanced up and noticed the look of surprise on Hollamby's face. She guessed that she was shocked at how easily the blonde could control her. For a moment, the teenager considered shooting her a sarcastic comment, but knew that Ronnie would just tell her off and she didn't fancy being told off in front of Bodybag again.
"Come on, you." The guard said starting to walk further along the corridor.
"Katy?" Karen said, more gently.
Shooting a final look at Ronnie, Katy allowed herself to be pulled along by the prison officers on either side of her. She said nothing as the court officials went through the paperwork and explained how the trial was going to work. She didn't even say anything as she was led to the dock.
Glancing towards the viewing gallery, the teenager felt tears stabbing at her eyes as she realised that her whole family had turned out for her. Ronnie and Roxy were there, sitting in the front row with Jack, Tyler, Auntie Peggy, Aunt Sal, Shirley, Phil, Ben and Jay. In the row behind them Katy spotted Derek, Billy and Lola. They all shot her reassuring smiles, which she tried her best to return. For a moment she considered the fact that the only time the Mitchells turned out in force looking smart was when someone had died or was up in court.
The judge appeared and Katy was handed a Bible and a slip of paper. She swore the oath, before taking a deep breath and preparing herself to face the questions that were thrown at her.
"Miss Mitchell," Ritchie started, "where were you on the evening of Friday July 20th 2012?"
"I was in a house in Kensington with two friends from when I lived in Newport."
"Can you tell us their names?"
"Paul Turley and Nathan Parry."
"When you were interviewed by the police, you claimed that you'd been kidnapped by Mr Turley and Mr Parry." Ritchie said. "Why was that?"
Katy took a breath, wishing she didn't have to lie. She glanced towards her family, taking strength from their reassuring smiles. "We had an argument and I wanted to leave. I didn't have any way of getting home and they refused to take me, so I was stuck there with no way of leaving. When the police asked me about it, I was still really angry with them."
"And what was this argument about?"
"Money; Paul reckoned I owed him from a while back and when I reminded him that it was actually Nathan's brother, Dean, who owed him they got angry."
"And why would you owe Mr Turley any money?"
The teenager clenched her jaw. "I borrowed some money from him to survive when my Mam was ill. But then Dean offered to pay him back for me."
"Why was that?"
"He was my boyfriend at the time. I got pregnant and... he wanted me to have an abortion. He said that he would pay back the money I owed Paul if I agreed." Katy said, completely truthfully. She heard gasps from the viewing gallery and realised that she had never actually told anyone apart from Ronnie and Roxy about that.
"How old were you when you had the abortion, Miss Mitchell?"
"Umm… it was the month after I turned fifteen."
As Ritchie stood down, Katy briefly had time to wonder why she'd highlighted the abortion, before the prosecution started on her. She answered the questions, denying ever having been to the address in question or seeing the jewellery that had been found in her pockets.
Finally she was allowed to stand down and Ritchie called Nathan to the stand. Katy was returned to the dock, where she glanced sideways at her family. Ronnie sent her a reassuring smile while Roxy nodded.
"Mr Parry, is it true that you've known Katy for several years, starting when she lived on an Estate in Newport." Ritchie asked.
"Yeah."
"And what is your relationship with the defendant now?"
Nathan looked at Katy and smirked. "She's the mother of my daughter."
"No!" Katy shouted before she could stop herself, gripping the ledge of the dock so tightly her knuckles went white. "She's not yours!"
There was a furious muttering from where her family were sitting and the judge banged his gavel, calling for order. Katy chewed on her bottom lip, feeling the sting of tears in her eyes.
"So you were in a relationship with Miss Mitchell?"
"It wasn't exactly a relationship." Nathan said, his smirk even wider as he stared at Katy. "More of a one-time thing."
"And were you with Miss Mitchell on the night in question? Friday July 20th 2012?"
Nathan looked at Katy and she knew what was about to happen seconds before he opened his mouth. "No."