Part Thirty Seven
When Karen arrived at court on Monday morning, she looked fresh, serene, as if a light had been turned on somewhere inside her. After dropping Denny off yesterday, Karen had gone home, opened all her windows, including the doors on to the balcony, and allowed the early evening air to permeate her soul. She'd put on some soppy music, sat out on her balcony and allowed her memories of that morning to replay over and over again. Nothing could have dulled her mood, not even the thought that the very next day, she would have to listen to Ritchie justifying his worming his way under all her defenses. When she sat down between Cassie and Yvonne in the public gallery, Cassie said,
"You're looking extra specially radiant this morning?" Karen quietly laughed. Yvonne briefly touched Karen's hand.
"She's right," Yvonne said softly in her ear. Karen simply smiled.
When Ritchie took the bible in his right hand, Karen was shocked to see how thin he was. No longer did he look like the charismatic, young stud who'd figuratively picked her up last year. He had the all too familiar prison pallor and Karen felt a brief moment of pity for him. George moved forward to open her case.
"Mr. Atkins," She began. "How did you first come to be at Larkhall prison in May last year?"
"I was visiting my mum," Said Ritchie, and Karen reflected that whilst his looks might have changed somewhat, his voice still held the old seductive charm that had lured her to his bed.
"And how long had it been since you'd had contact with your mother," Went on George.
"About four years."
"And why was this?"
"Here it comes," murmured Yvonne, knowing that George would exploit this event time and time again.
"The last time I saw my mum, before I visited her in prison," Said Ritchie, making sure he captured the attention of every member of the jury, "She stood and watched while my dad threatened to nail me to the warehouse floor."
"She didn't do anything to stop this?"
"How fucking thick can you get?" Muttered Lauren, "Like anyone could have stopped dad from doing anything."
"No," Went on Ritchie. "My mother didn't even think of standing up for me."
"Jesus," Said Yvonne in disgust. "You had more chance than I did." Karen went to take Yvonne's hand but on receiving a monumental frown from Lauren, she withdrew.
"So why, after four years did you decide to make contact with your mother?" Asked George.
"I figured that with dad dead, it was safe to come home," Replied Ritchie. "My sister Lauren had everything," He continued, "And I thought I was entitled to some of it."
"Yeah," Said Lauren, her anger quietly rising. "But your sister Lauren worked for it."
"Did you send your mother a bouquet of flowers?" Asked George.
"Yeah, the best way to win mum over's always been with flowers."
"Yeah, and I bleedin fell for it an' all," Said Yvonne deprecatingly.
George moved to the evidence bench and picked up the card from the bouquet.
"What words did you instruct the florist to write on the card?"
"I love you, Mum. No more, no less."
"And did you ask your mother for money?"
"Yeah. Well, let's face it, mum's rolling in the stuff."
"And what was her response?"
"She got Lauren to give me fifty grand. Fifty grand, that's like a fiver compared to what they're sitting on." Yvonne winced.
"Now, please would you tell the court about your brief liaison with Karen Betts?" George wanted to move him swiftly away from pure recrimination.
"She was the sexiest woman I'd seen in a long time," Said Ritchie, a briefly fond expression on his face. "I've never met anyone who liked it as rough as she did." Karen blushed scarlet and wanted nothing more than to disappear off the face of the Earth. Wondering if Ritchie had happened not long after Karen had been raped by Fenner, Jo began to put two and two together as to why Karen had so easily fallen in to Ritchie's trap.
"That will do, Mr. Atkins," Deed's voice resonated round the court. George scowled at John and returned to her witness.
"Mr. Atkins, was it you, or was it Karen Betts who made the initial contact?"
"It was Karen Betts," Said Ritchie, and the way her name rolled off his tongue made Karen's skin crawl with a combination of disgust and remembered excitement.
"Can you tell the court how this was done?" Asked George. Ritchie smiled for the first time that morning. He was clearly aware of Karen's presence in the public gallery, and was putting on this show just for her.
"My mum wanted my phone number, and I asked Karen for a pen for mum to write it down. She must have overheard me saying my mobile number and either remembered it or wrote it down herself." Karen took a breath to protest that Ritchie had said his number louder than necessary to make sure she heard it, but Cassie put a quick, restraining hand on her arm. "Later that night," Went on Ritchie, clearly enjoying himself. "She sent me this fairly suggestive text message." Now Karen really did want to hide. She turned her face away from Yvonne and found herself looking straight in to Cassie's eyes. About to turn away from her too, she felt Cassie's hand on her arm again and heard her say softly,
"Hey, calm down." Looking for any non-judgmental, inanimate object to focus her gaze on, Karen's eyes briefly met John's. He gave her a reassuring smile as if to say, we've all made fools of ourselves, it happens. Ritchie continued his lurid tale.
"So, I texted her back. Who wouldn't for someone with legs like hers."
"That's it," Muttered Karen. She got up, moved passed Cassie and Roisin and walked out of court as quickly as possible. She ran down the stairs, through the quiet foyer and out in to the sunshine. There was a fountain outside the court, with benches near it and she sat on one of them, feverishly looking for her cigarettes. She thought Yvonne probably wouldn't even want to look at her again after this, never mind anything else.
Back in court, George was saying,
"I have submitted the mobile phone records of Karen Betts' mobile to substantiate this evidence. 3K in your bundle, My Lord."
"Go and see if she's all right," Said Yvonne quietly to Cassie. It had been something of a shock for Yvonne to hear how Karen had acted with her son, but she also knew that Karen would probably be afraid of Yvonne's reaction. As soon as Ritchie's testimony was over, she'd go and find Karen to put her right on that score. No-one as pathetic as her son would make Yvonne think twice about her budding relationship with Karen.
When Cassie walked outside, she could see Karen smoking, with a brooding expression on her face. She sat down next to her.
"Yvonne asked me to make sure you were okay," Said Cassie opening the conversation. Karen laughed mirthlessly.
"I don't know why," She said taking a long drag.
"Perhaps because she's concerned about you?" Ventured Cassie sardonically.
"Yeah, and she's just heard her son describing A how I threw myself at him, and B, what I was like in bed."
"You obviously don't know Yvonne as well as you think you do," Said Cassie quietly. "When it comes to people, she judges them on her impressions and hers alone. Nobody can tell Yvonne what someone's like, she finds that out for herself. She'll no more listen to what Ritchie said than she would Fenner. You need to have a bit more faith in her, and a lot more in yourself." Cassie also lit up a cigarette.
"I can't believe I fell for it," Said Karen, all her fury directed at herself. "He was so charming, so..." She couldn't find the right words to describe the effect he'd had on her. Cassie finished her sentence.
"He was so different from Fenner," Cassie said quietly. Karen blew a smoke ring at a passing pigeon.
"Probably," She conceded. Cassie took a deep breath.
"Look, I don't know what happened with Fenner, and I don't want to know. But I'm guessing you were ripe for the picking where Ritchie was concerned, and that isn't your fault. It's his for being a total wanker. After Maxi Purvis, Yvonne might be one of the least forgiving people I've ever known, but she won't let this get in the way of whatever you and her have got going for each other, because for a start there's nothing to forgive, and second, you're too special to her." Karen was deeply touched by this.
"She's turned me in to a total neurotic," Said Karen with a smile.
"She does have that effect on people," Said Cassie, remembering the time she'd been utterly humiliated to realise Yvonne knew how she'd felt about her.
"Mr. Atkins," Continued George. "Did you plant the gun in Karen Betts' handbag, the last time she stayed with you in your hotel room?"
"No," Was his unequivocal answer.
"Do you have any idea who did?" Asked George, playing on the fact that they only had circumstantial evidence against Ritchie on this point.
"Your guess is as good as mine," Said Ritchie, the charm up to full strength.
"You lying bastard," Muttered Yvonne.
"Now, Mr. Atkins, as I know the prosecution will ask you this if I don't, why precisely did you phone the prison and ask for Snowball Merriman on the fifteenth of June last year?"
"I'd known Snowball for quite a long time before she got sent to Larkhall, so I kept in touch with her. She told me that the vicar was a bit of a push-over and that he'd let her use his phone. All I said was, Is Snowball Merriman there, that hardly constitutes aiding and abetting a criminal, does it?"
"Actually, Mr. Atkins," Replied Deed, "I think it does."
"Well, good for me you're not on the jury then, isn't it."
"On the jury I may not be," Said John nailing Ritchie with the forcefulness and power of his position and personality. "But there's the slightest possibility that I may be the judge to sentence you." If Yvonne hadn't known better, she would have questioned whether or not that was really Charlie sitting down there. Ritchie was his father through and through.
George glared at John, daring him to threaten her witness again. Jo simply gave her a slightly smug smile, as if to say, keep going, let your witness dig himself in to as big a grave as possible.
"Mr. Atkins," George continued. "Please would you tell the court about the day on which you were shot?" Ritchie gave the most theatrical shudder Yvonne had ever seen, even from Merriman herself.
"I only agreed to meet up with Snowball to try and persuade her out of making a run for it. I had no idea she was going to bring a hostage."
"Bollocks!" Exclaimed Yvonne, her voice louder out of anger.
"Mrs. Atkins," Said Deed sonorously, "I have warned you once before, I will not have audience participation in my court. Disobey me again and I will consider banning you from the public gallery." Yvonne looked a little sheepish. Roisin gave her an encouraging smile. Ignoring his mother's little outburst, Ritchie continued.
"When Snowball turned up with Karen Betts, she was half crazy. I think the adrenaline of taking someone hostage had gone to her head. When it looked like she was going to shoot Karen, I had to stop her. Karen Betts might have been easier to pull than a whore in Soho, but she didn't deserve to die." On hearing these words, Yvonne rose swiftly to her feet, hurt and fury evident in her eyes. Lauren and Roisin each grabbed one of her arms and forced her to sit down. Roisin thanked god that Karen hadn't been here to listen to that.
"Mr. Atkins," Said John sounding like a volcano preparing to erupt. "I will not have a mouth like yours in my court. Either tone down your insults and learn some basic courtesy, or get out. If you continue to describe Karen Betts or anyone else in such unnecessary terms, I will have you removed from my court and you will be held in contempt, which you can hardly afford. Do I make myself clear?"
"Crystal, Judge," Said Ritchie, not sounding the least bit contrite. George, seeing the case for one of her clients crumbling before her eyes, thought it best to cut her losses.
"No further questions, My Lord," She said tonelessly.
"Court is adjourned until two this afternoon. During the break, it would be appreciated if Ms Channing would teach her client some common decency."
Yvonne barely gave the usher time to say "All Rise" before she stalked out of the public gallery and down the stairs. Knowing Karen would have gone somewhere she could smoke, Yvonne went outside and saw Karen and Cassie sitting on the bench. As she walked over, she tried to bring her anger at Ritchie's behaviour under control. Cassie stood up and walked towards Yvonne. Her back to Karen, she gave Yvonne a little thumbs up. When Yvonne sat down next to her, Karen looked studiously away from her.
"I'm sorry I flipped," Karen said, still not looking at Yvonne.
"At least you didn't get bawled at by the judge and threatened with a ban from the public gallery," Replied Yvonne, trying to make Karen smile. It worked.
"Are you serious?" Karen asked, half smiling at her.
"Yeah," Said Yvonne beginning to laugh. "He said something about not having audience participation in his court."
"What made you say whatever you said?" Asked Karen, though she already had a fairly good idea.
"Nothing important," Said Yvonne turning serious again. Karen knew Yvonne was avoiding telling her something Ritchie had clearly said about her, but she didn't press the matter. "Did you really think I'd take a blind bit of notice of what he said?" Asked Yvonne.
"I don't know," Admitted Karen.
"You need to learn to trust me," Said Yvonne quietly. "I make up my own mind about people."
"Cassie said that," Answered Karen.
"She obviously looks deeper in to a person than I've given her credit for," Said Yvonne with a smirk. Then she slid along the bench and put her arm round Karen. "Nothing," She said, her face very close to Karen's, "Is going to spoil what's between us. I mean that." As if to strengthen her argument, Yvonne leaned forward and softly kissed Karen on those full lips she was beginning to know so well.
Walking out of the front doors of the court for her own nicotine fix, Jo stopped at the top of the steps as she witnessed Yvonne softly kissing Karen. Knowing now that she had definitely won her bet with John, her face lit up like a child's on Christmas morning. As she took her first, long, satisfying drag, George joined her, digging for her own cigarettes.
"I didn't think you usually indulged, George?"
"I don't," Replied George. "But this case is more stressful than most." Then she took a closer look at Jo's face. "What are you so pleased about?" She asked.
"I've just had unquestionable proof that John is going to lose a bet," Said Jo gleefully. George's face brightened.
"Tell me more," She said in the slow, upper class drawl that had attracted John to her in the first place. Jo gestured at Yvonne and Karen who were still kissing tenderly on the bench by the fountain. George looked to where Jo had pointed and a brief, rare smile touched her face.
"John didn't believe me that they were more than friends," Jo enlightened George, "So I made him bet on it."
"Broad mindedness never was John's strong point," Said George. "I wouldn't mind being around when he finds out though."
"I think we're being watched," Said Yvonne to Karen. "And I need to see how Lauren's doing."
"I'm sorry," Said Karen. "I seem to be doing nothing but taking you away from her recently." Yvonne knew she was referring to what had happened yesterday afternoon.
"I think Lauren's just finding it hard to accept that her mum is no longer who she thought she was," Said Yvonne, but knowing that all the talk of Karen in court wouldn't have done the situation any favours.
When Karen arrived at court on Monday morning, she looked fresh, serene, as if a light had been turned on somewhere inside her. After dropping Denny off yesterday, Karen had gone home, opened all her windows, including the doors on to the balcony, and allowed the early evening air to permeate her soul. She'd put on some soppy music, sat out on her balcony and allowed her memories of that morning to replay over and over again. Nothing could have dulled her mood, not even the thought that the very next day, she would have to listen to Ritchie justifying his worming his way under all her defenses. When she sat down between Cassie and Yvonne in the public gallery, Cassie said,
"You're looking extra specially radiant this morning?" Karen quietly laughed. Yvonne briefly touched Karen's hand.
"She's right," Yvonne said softly in her ear. Karen simply smiled.
When Ritchie took the bible in his right hand, Karen was shocked to see how thin he was. No longer did he look like the charismatic, young stud who'd figuratively picked her up last year. He had the all too familiar prison pallor and Karen felt a brief moment of pity for him. George moved forward to open her case.
"Mr. Atkins," She began. "How did you first come to be at Larkhall prison in May last year?"
"I was visiting my mum," Said Ritchie, and Karen reflected that whilst his looks might have changed somewhat, his voice still held the old seductive charm that had lured her to his bed.
"And how long had it been since you'd had contact with your mother," Went on George.
"About four years."
"And why was this?"
"Here it comes," murmured Yvonne, knowing that George would exploit this event time and time again.
"The last time I saw my mum, before I visited her in prison," Said Ritchie, making sure he captured the attention of every member of the jury, "She stood and watched while my dad threatened to nail me to the warehouse floor."
"She didn't do anything to stop this?"
"How fucking thick can you get?" Muttered Lauren, "Like anyone could have stopped dad from doing anything."
"No," Went on Ritchie. "My mother didn't even think of standing up for me."
"Jesus," Said Yvonne in disgust. "You had more chance than I did." Karen went to take Yvonne's hand but on receiving a monumental frown from Lauren, she withdrew.
"So why, after four years did you decide to make contact with your mother?" Asked George.
"I figured that with dad dead, it was safe to come home," Replied Ritchie. "My sister Lauren had everything," He continued, "And I thought I was entitled to some of it."
"Yeah," Said Lauren, her anger quietly rising. "But your sister Lauren worked for it."
"Did you send your mother a bouquet of flowers?" Asked George.
"Yeah, the best way to win mum over's always been with flowers."
"Yeah, and I bleedin fell for it an' all," Said Yvonne deprecatingly.
George moved to the evidence bench and picked up the card from the bouquet.
"What words did you instruct the florist to write on the card?"
"I love you, Mum. No more, no less."
"And did you ask your mother for money?"
"Yeah. Well, let's face it, mum's rolling in the stuff."
"And what was her response?"
"She got Lauren to give me fifty grand. Fifty grand, that's like a fiver compared to what they're sitting on." Yvonne winced.
"Now, please would you tell the court about your brief liaison with Karen Betts?" George wanted to move him swiftly away from pure recrimination.
"She was the sexiest woman I'd seen in a long time," Said Ritchie, a briefly fond expression on his face. "I've never met anyone who liked it as rough as she did." Karen blushed scarlet and wanted nothing more than to disappear off the face of the Earth. Wondering if Ritchie had happened not long after Karen had been raped by Fenner, Jo began to put two and two together as to why Karen had so easily fallen in to Ritchie's trap.
"That will do, Mr. Atkins," Deed's voice resonated round the court. George scowled at John and returned to her witness.
"Mr. Atkins, was it you, or was it Karen Betts who made the initial contact?"
"It was Karen Betts," Said Ritchie, and the way her name rolled off his tongue made Karen's skin crawl with a combination of disgust and remembered excitement.
"Can you tell the court how this was done?" Asked George. Ritchie smiled for the first time that morning. He was clearly aware of Karen's presence in the public gallery, and was putting on this show just for her.
"My mum wanted my phone number, and I asked Karen for a pen for mum to write it down. She must have overheard me saying my mobile number and either remembered it or wrote it down herself." Karen took a breath to protest that Ritchie had said his number louder than necessary to make sure she heard it, but Cassie put a quick, restraining hand on her arm. "Later that night," Went on Ritchie, clearly enjoying himself. "She sent me this fairly suggestive text message." Now Karen really did want to hide. She turned her face away from Yvonne and found herself looking straight in to Cassie's eyes. About to turn away from her too, she felt Cassie's hand on her arm again and heard her say softly,
"Hey, calm down." Looking for any non-judgmental, inanimate object to focus her gaze on, Karen's eyes briefly met John's. He gave her a reassuring smile as if to say, we've all made fools of ourselves, it happens. Ritchie continued his lurid tale.
"So, I texted her back. Who wouldn't for someone with legs like hers."
"That's it," Muttered Karen. She got up, moved passed Cassie and Roisin and walked out of court as quickly as possible. She ran down the stairs, through the quiet foyer and out in to the sunshine. There was a fountain outside the court, with benches near it and she sat on one of them, feverishly looking for her cigarettes. She thought Yvonne probably wouldn't even want to look at her again after this, never mind anything else.
Back in court, George was saying,
"I have submitted the mobile phone records of Karen Betts' mobile to substantiate this evidence. 3K in your bundle, My Lord."
"Go and see if she's all right," Said Yvonne quietly to Cassie. It had been something of a shock for Yvonne to hear how Karen had acted with her son, but she also knew that Karen would probably be afraid of Yvonne's reaction. As soon as Ritchie's testimony was over, she'd go and find Karen to put her right on that score. No-one as pathetic as her son would make Yvonne think twice about her budding relationship with Karen.
When Cassie walked outside, she could see Karen smoking, with a brooding expression on her face. She sat down next to her.
"Yvonne asked me to make sure you were okay," Said Cassie opening the conversation. Karen laughed mirthlessly.
"I don't know why," She said taking a long drag.
"Perhaps because she's concerned about you?" Ventured Cassie sardonically.
"Yeah, and she's just heard her son describing A how I threw myself at him, and B, what I was like in bed."
"You obviously don't know Yvonne as well as you think you do," Said Cassie quietly. "When it comes to people, she judges them on her impressions and hers alone. Nobody can tell Yvonne what someone's like, she finds that out for herself. She'll no more listen to what Ritchie said than she would Fenner. You need to have a bit more faith in her, and a lot more in yourself." Cassie also lit up a cigarette.
"I can't believe I fell for it," Said Karen, all her fury directed at herself. "He was so charming, so..." She couldn't find the right words to describe the effect he'd had on her. Cassie finished her sentence.
"He was so different from Fenner," Cassie said quietly. Karen blew a smoke ring at a passing pigeon.
"Probably," She conceded. Cassie took a deep breath.
"Look, I don't know what happened with Fenner, and I don't want to know. But I'm guessing you were ripe for the picking where Ritchie was concerned, and that isn't your fault. It's his for being a total wanker. After Maxi Purvis, Yvonne might be one of the least forgiving people I've ever known, but she won't let this get in the way of whatever you and her have got going for each other, because for a start there's nothing to forgive, and second, you're too special to her." Karen was deeply touched by this.
"She's turned me in to a total neurotic," Said Karen with a smile.
"She does have that effect on people," Said Cassie, remembering the time she'd been utterly humiliated to realise Yvonne knew how she'd felt about her.
"Mr. Atkins," Continued George. "Did you plant the gun in Karen Betts' handbag, the last time she stayed with you in your hotel room?"
"No," Was his unequivocal answer.
"Do you have any idea who did?" Asked George, playing on the fact that they only had circumstantial evidence against Ritchie on this point.
"Your guess is as good as mine," Said Ritchie, the charm up to full strength.
"You lying bastard," Muttered Yvonne.
"Now, Mr. Atkins, as I know the prosecution will ask you this if I don't, why precisely did you phone the prison and ask for Snowball Merriman on the fifteenth of June last year?"
"I'd known Snowball for quite a long time before she got sent to Larkhall, so I kept in touch with her. She told me that the vicar was a bit of a push-over and that he'd let her use his phone. All I said was, Is Snowball Merriman there, that hardly constitutes aiding and abetting a criminal, does it?"
"Actually, Mr. Atkins," Replied Deed, "I think it does."
"Well, good for me you're not on the jury then, isn't it."
"On the jury I may not be," Said John nailing Ritchie with the forcefulness and power of his position and personality. "But there's the slightest possibility that I may be the judge to sentence you." If Yvonne hadn't known better, she would have questioned whether or not that was really Charlie sitting down there. Ritchie was his father through and through.
George glared at John, daring him to threaten her witness again. Jo simply gave her a slightly smug smile, as if to say, keep going, let your witness dig himself in to as big a grave as possible.
"Mr. Atkins," George continued. "Please would you tell the court about the day on which you were shot?" Ritchie gave the most theatrical shudder Yvonne had ever seen, even from Merriman herself.
"I only agreed to meet up with Snowball to try and persuade her out of making a run for it. I had no idea she was going to bring a hostage."
"Bollocks!" Exclaimed Yvonne, her voice louder out of anger.
"Mrs. Atkins," Said Deed sonorously, "I have warned you once before, I will not have audience participation in my court. Disobey me again and I will consider banning you from the public gallery." Yvonne looked a little sheepish. Roisin gave her an encouraging smile. Ignoring his mother's little outburst, Ritchie continued.
"When Snowball turned up with Karen Betts, she was half crazy. I think the adrenaline of taking someone hostage had gone to her head. When it looked like she was going to shoot Karen, I had to stop her. Karen Betts might have been easier to pull than a whore in Soho, but she didn't deserve to die." On hearing these words, Yvonne rose swiftly to her feet, hurt and fury evident in her eyes. Lauren and Roisin each grabbed one of her arms and forced her to sit down. Roisin thanked god that Karen hadn't been here to listen to that.
"Mr. Atkins," Said John sounding like a volcano preparing to erupt. "I will not have a mouth like yours in my court. Either tone down your insults and learn some basic courtesy, or get out. If you continue to describe Karen Betts or anyone else in such unnecessary terms, I will have you removed from my court and you will be held in contempt, which you can hardly afford. Do I make myself clear?"
"Crystal, Judge," Said Ritchie, not sounding the least bit contrite. George, seeing the case for one of her clients crumbling before her eyes, thought it best to cut her losses.
"No further questions, My Lord," She said tonelessly.
"Court is adjourned until two this afternoon. During the break, it would be appreciated if Ms Channing would teach her client some common decency."
Yvonne barely gave the usher time to say "All Rise" before she stalked out of the public gallery and down the stairs. Knowing Karen would have gone somewhere she could smoke, Yvonne went outside and saw Karen and Cassie sitting on the bench. As she walked over, she tried to bring her anger at Ritchie's behaviour under control. Cassie stood up and walked towards Yvonne. Her back to Karen, she gave Yvonne a little thumbs up. When Yvonne sat down next to her, Karen looked studiously away from her.
"I'm sorry I flipped," Karen said, still not looking at Yvonne.
"At least you didn't get bawled at by the judge and threatened with a ban from the public gallery," Replied Yvonne, trying to make Karen smile. It worked.
"Are you serious?" Karen asked, half smiling at her.
"Yeah," Said Yvonne beginning to laugh. "He said something about not having audience participation in his court."
"What made you say whatever you said?" Asked Karen, though she already had a fairly good idea.
"Nothing important," Said Yvonne turning serious again. Karen knew Yvonne was avoiding telling her something Ritchie had clearly said about her, but she didn't press the matter. "Did you really think I'd take a blind bit of notice of what he said?" Asked Yvonne.
"I don't know," Admitted Karen.
"You need to learn to trust me," Said Yvonne quietly. "I make up my own mind about people."
"Cassie said that," Answered Karen.
"She obviously looks deeper in to a person than I've given her credit for," Said Yvonne with a smirk. Then she slid along the bench and put her arm round Karen. "Nothing," She said, her face very close to Karen's, "Is going to spoil what's between us. I mean that." As if to strengthen her argument, Yvonne leaned forward and softly kissed Karen on those full lips she was beginning to know so well.
Walking out of the front doors of the court for her own nicotine fix, Jo stopped at the top of the steps as she witnessed Yvonne softly kissing Karen. Knowing now that she had definitely won her bet with John, her face lit up like a child's on Christmas morning. As she took her first, long, satisfying drag, George joined her, digging for her own cigarettes.
"I didn't think you usually indulged, George?"
"I don't," Replied George. "But this case is more stressful than most." Then she took a closer look at Jo's face. "What are you so pleased about?" She asked.
"I've just had unquestionable proof that John is going to lose a bet," Said Jo gleefully. George's face brightened.
"Tell me more," She said in the slow, upper class drawl that had attracted John to her in the first place. Jo gestured at Yvonne and Karen who were still kissing tenderly on the bench by the fountain. George looked to where Jo had pointed and a brief, rare smile touched her face.
"John didn't believe me that they were more than friends," Jo enlightened George, "So I made him bet on it."
"Broad mindedness never was John's strong point," Said George. "I wouldn't mind being around when he finds out though."
"I think we're being watched," Said Yvonne to Karen. "And I need to see how Lauren's doing."
"I'm sorry," Said Karen. "I seem to be doing nothing but taking you away from her recently." Yvonne knew she was referring to what had happened yesterday afternoon.
"I think Lauren's just finding it hard to accept that her mum is no longer who she thought she was," Said Yvonne, but knowing that all the talk of Karen in court wouldn't have done the situation any favours.