Part Forty Two
Jo shut herself away in a quiet ante room of the Old Bailey, one of those dusty ancient rooms that the ghost of Charles Dickens might have walked into and had found himself at home, the sort of institution that he was well used to satirising.
Instead, Jo's mind furiously ran over the mesh of testimony that was offered but was forced to the conclusion that the picture that she was painting that would secure the conviction had been roughly defaced by Snowball's graffitti. The one particular part of the picture needed to be mended by recalling the very person who raised a feeling of total repulsion in her, from the shiftiness of his personality and what she had heard of him from John. Added to that, George's disclosure that Fenner had had sexual relationships with a number of prisoners supposedly in his care rang loud warning bells. Malicious bitch though George is, she would hardly risk her professional reputation by making false or exaggerated claims in court. The most dangerous verbal weapon in court trials is the bare substantiated truth
On the other side, she was faced with Snowball's grotesquely artificial personality. The very sound of her voice was as if a school blackboard were scraped by a sharp object that set her teeth on edge. She was used to frustrated actresses whose desire to assume a false persona was coldly calculated to make you believe what they wanted to believe. But this was different. This woman holding the attention of the court in a very calculated way, George and John included, shifted erratically from one persona to another with no logical join, a psychological Frankenstein's monster where what was real and what was counterfeit were blurred.
Jo threw down the pencil and paced round the room to gain inspiration. To hell with it, who of the two do I least distrust, Jo asked herself and she concluded, Fenner by a small margin. Her mind was made up to go for it. There was no other way. In the last resort, she trusted, not to legal precedents, but her instinctive ability to conjure out of the court proceedings the situation that she wanted.
The court came to life again from its sleepy summer lunchtime siesta as the gathering crowd filled it up, from the now familiar faces in the gallery, to John Deed up on high and Jo and George in their respective positions.
"My lord, I wish to raise a point of law. In view of new testimony given this morning, I wish to recall a witness to the stand." Jo's clear determined voice came like a bolt from the blue to all concerned.
John Deed took one look at the expression on George's face, expressing her furious outrage. There had been an uneasy peace between George and Jo in the last few days but John well knew that this was about as stable as a peace agreement as between the warring factions in the Middle East. The guns and missiles had in no way been melted down nor had peace broken out and goodwill to all humanity.
"In view of the audience participation during this case, I think that we will discuss this behind closed doors in my chambers immediately."
"Your turn next, Karen to cause trouble." Yvonne grinned."Me and Cassie have been the bad girls so far."
Karen smiled back but wondered just exactly what prompted this unexpected event and trying to anticipate the next scene in the unfolding story.
"Ms Channing, Mrs Mills, I request that you adjourn to chambers so that I can hear this point of law and give a ruling on it. I insist that the jury remain behind and do not leave the court buildings while this urgent matter is being sorted out. You must be readily available to court ushers as I have every expectation that the court hearing will resume. The same applies for witnesses to be available and I would suggest that our guests in the gallery follow the same procedure though they are not bound by it." John Deed spoke out as confidently and firmly as he could, though inwardly apprehensive at being MC to two very combative women and a court trial that was held in the balance.
George had closed her mouth, and now grabbed her bundle of papers under her arm and took short rapid furious steps in the direction of the small anteroom to catch up with John Deed. Jo followed behind in a more leisurely fashion.
"I knew this ceasefire wouldn't last," groaned John Deed as he passed by Coope who was following the business with intense interest and had arrived at her own conclusion.
"Can you leave this door in one piece please, George." John Deed joked nervously to George as he opened the door politely to let her pass. The tightening of her lips reminded him that light hearted humour was never one of George's qualities, least of all now.
The chamber was like a much smaller version of the court room in feel but without the imposing throne and the witness stands. For a judge who exploited the trappings of power and the assertion of his physical superiority, the chamber might diminish the judge and place him in a dangerous sense of equality. Not so John Deed who could hold his own in any setting, either formal or casually dressed except for one small area of his life, and that was in arbitrating between his mistress and his ex wife.
"My lord, I wish to recall Mr James Fenner to the stand. " Jo explained to George's outrage. "The testimony offered earlier by Mr Fenner does, as you recall, differ radically from the most recent evidence offered by Ms Pilkinton. There were several matters raised in cross examination by Ms Pilkinton, which the prosecution had no reason to consider to raise in examination of Mr Fenner."
"And, I suppose you are arguing that Mr Fenner is Dr Barnardo to all the waifs and strays that come under his wing, Jo," George snorted loudly and contemptuously, rolling her eyes for maximum theatrical effect."You had your chance earlier. The request is utterly preposterous and ridiculous. I absolutely oppose it."
Jo thought for a moment. True, George. But you know bloody well that I was constrained in my cross examination of Mr Fenner and I may have held back unconsciously from probing his evidence as much as I might have done or else he would have turned and ran. I would much rather have had him as a hostile witness as you did, George. She couldn't say this as, objectively, it was no excuse.
"And Ms Pilkinton is Julie Andrews, George? Need I say more?" Jo said simply and very effectively.
Now it was George's turn to hesitate. Miss Innocent, 'butter wouldn't melt in her mouth' was simpering at the Deed in her sneakiest manner. A little voice at the bottom of her mind told her that there was something in what Jo was saying but she shouted down that voice. She would far sooner have her own awkward way and be wrong than be right and have to back down, particularly to Jo.
"I quite fail to see the argument for recalling Mr Fenner to the witness stand. Unless it is your habit of having your cake and eating it, Jo. But then again, John, poor dear is bound to take your point of view as always." George continued the hostilities with her usual mixture of bolshiness and maliciously poised innuendo.
The two women sat in chairs, pointedly distant from each other and never facing each other directly.
"Your arguments were never sexy enough, George." Jo countered with a rapid verbal thrust to hit this woman where it hurt most. There were people around, usually women whom it gave Jo the utmost pleasure in using her facility for words to hit the spot that hurt the most and make it as painful as possible. This squared with her sense of morals
because it was because those sort of people who had it coming to them.
She knew that John had an erratic taste in women but what in heaven made him attracted to this bitch whose very voice, appearance and every little mannerism smelled of sheer gluttony for money. Her latest acquisition was to be publicly flaunted but was never enough for her. And, to make it worse, John must have walked blindfold in a total trance, up the aisle to sign the marriage contract and deliver himself into her sexually and financially rapacious hands.
"Ladies, ladies," John exclaimed, eyebrows raised on his long suffering face and praying to some justice above. "Can you please keep to the point and not scratch each other's eyes out. All I ask is a little give and take."
"If I give, she takes. You ought to know that John. After all you were married to her once." Jo replied curtly.
"The brazen nerve of this woman. John, you must for once in your life be firm. But then again, firmness was never your strong point."
John shook his head in wonder at how George could utter such outrageous lies and be so wilfully selfish and yet summon up such a theatrical air of being wronged and misunderstood. He wondered sometimes how she behaved in private with Neil Houghton and how far she could wrap him round her little finger allowing for the fact that she would run up against a ruthless bastard from his brief experience of lover boy. No one who had eyes to see could deny that this political ruthlessness is a badge of office of this present Cabinet. If they had the chance those sort of people would have the judiciary today under its thumb as much as Joseph Stalin did in the 1930s. They don't actually shoot people these days, that's all.
John got up from his seat and walked away to summon up his thoughts and pray for the right words, the right formulation to satisfy the needs of justice, two very strong women and, oh yes, he. That short walk helped and, mercifully, both Jo and George had sat there glaring in each other's general direction but had said and done nothing. That rather surprised him.
He stood in between them and said,
"Come here, both of you," And when neither moved he said, "Come on, it's not that difficult." Jo and George, both wondering what he was up too, moved towards him. Finally, he laid a hand on each of their shoulders making them face each other.
"Why do you not both try and at least look at each other. Come on, you are able to do it. You can be nice to each other. You will be nice to each other." John spoke in a repetitive hypnotic way and keeping that physical contact through him. "Otherwise, "and John added with a light hearted laugh, "you would compel me to commit the most outrageous act of my life……..by locking you in a cell together for twenty four hours, with no other company but each other, only a space ten feet by ten, with bars on the door and the key turned. But of course, that would be going too far, wouldn't it?"
Both women heard John Deed at his most relaxed and jovial and yet both were frozen rigid by the same joint vision of their worst nightmare. George, especially, knew that having locked her in a cell twice, a third time was equally possible. John was especially dangerous when he was joking. The threat to Jo was an equal slap in the face and she took in the whole scene of the three of them and not her tunnel vision antagonism
to George. In a blinding flash, she could see how she was playing her part in pushing John into a corner.
"I have considered the merits of this case and you should not lose sight of the plight of the jury, twelve lay members of the public with no especial legal training." John continued."You must agree that this is the most tortuous case for us to get our heads around. Just imagine how it must be for the jury to decide. I can very easily imagine the jury being literally unable to decide on a verdict and for all the parties to the trial, the defendants, the witnesses, those in the gallery, we would be failing in our duty for the process of law to fail to get to the bottom of this very entangled affair."
George and Jo could not help but agree and, for once in her life, George was forced to make a concession.
"All right, John, if you insist." George spoke tightly."I'll agree to Mr Fenner's recall as a witness. But in return." And George's tone of voice shifted to the hard and uncompromising with the expected sting in the tale."I absolutely insist, Jo that you agree that Karen Betts be recalled as well."
"For what purpose, George." Jo retorted. "Surely you are able for once in your life to make a concession with..."
"I'll cut a deal with you, Jo" George replied, looking directly at Jo."You agree to Karen Betts being recalled and I'll agree to Fenner being recalled."
"Why Karen Betts, George? On what point of principle, that is if you know the meaning of the word." Jo's voice tailed off in volume just to aggravate George that little bit more. Jo did not especially look for arguments but it was her experience that a real no holds barred, fight dirty, argument happened every time with another combative woman like George especially.
"Because, Jo" George said slowly and loudly so as to think of a half way feasible reason."For the very same reason as you. Ms Pilkinton cast a very interesting light on Ms Betts and I want, in fact I demand to hear what she has to say for herself. And, you don't get one sided agreements out of me." George finished, revealing in the last verbal flourish her real motivations which her deliberate emphasis of 'very' showed how she was going to operate.
"I am right in supposing that if the testimony by Merriman, will run its course , it will not be finished by the end of the day, Jo ……..Then Karen Betts and Fenner will be recalled to the stand on Thursday morning. Once Mr Fenner's availability can be confirmed by the court, can you, Jo, make arrangements that Karen Betts can confirm her availability likewise. I must know that both arrangements have been confirmed, not later than first thing Thursday morning. Are you both in agreement on this."
Jo nodded mute assent. She had no choice but to agree to the deal.
"Then we have an agreement for recall of both witnesses. Then let's resume the trial without delay."
John shut the door nervously after himself to reassure the door that severe damage would not result in major surgery at the hands of a skilled craftsman from the fury of a female barrister with more physical strength than a casual observer would suspect. He wanted to get the participants into their places while the going was good and bind both women to the agreement so that neither of them could back out.
They trooped out of the chamber where the hands of the clock had ticked away the time to half past three. Good gracious, were we wrangling about the matter for so long? Ah well, in the long run, it will pay.
"I had hoped to deal with the point of law in fairly short order but it took longer to resolve than I had anticipated. It is too late for Ms Pilkinton to be cross examined and I propose to carry on with the hearing tomorrow. I thank you all for your patience. Court is adjourned."
Bodybag tut tutted in irritation. All this legal red tape and messing about. And I suppose that I'll be on escort duty to take that murdering criminal back on another day's outing instead of being locked up in a cell with Gideon's Bible since she's so religious. Much quicker and easier for the British taxpayer to kick her back to America and have done with it with the electric chair. The only good side of this is another day's expenses.
The rest of the court audience had that let down feeling, wondering what had happened and what was going to happen tomorrow. Karen, Yvonne, Cassie and Roisin filed up the staircase with Lauren trailing up the rear in pointed disapproval. Babs, following on the heels of the other four, smiled benevolently with Christian blessings on them all. They clattered their way down the staircase and into the milling throng downstairs.
Jo shut herself away in a quiet ante room of the Old Bailey, one of those dusty ancient rooms that the ghost of Charles Dickens might have walked into and had found himself at home, the sort of institution that he was well used to satirising.
Instead, Jo's mind furiously ran over the mesh of testimony that was offered but was forced to the conclusion that the picture that she was painting that would secure the conviction had been roughly defaced by Snowball's graffitti. The one particular part of the picture needed to be mended by recalling the very person who raised a feeling of total repulsion in her, from the shiftiness of his personality and what she had heard of him from John. Added to that, George's disclosure that Fenner had had sexual relationships with a number of prisoners supposedly in his care rang loud warning bells. Malicious bitch though George is, she would hardly risk her professional reputation by making false or exaggerated claims in court. The most dangerous verbal weapon in court trials is the bare substantiated truth
On the other side, she was faced with Snowball's grotesquely artificial personality. The very sound of her voice was as if a school blackboard were scraped by a sharp object that set her teeth on edge. She was used to frustrated actresses whose desire to assume a false persona was coldly calculated to make you believe what they wanted to believe. But this was different. This woman holding the attention of the court in a very calculated way, George and John included, shifted erratically from one persona to another with no logical join, a psychological Frankenstein's monster where what was real and what was counterfeit were blurred.
Jo threw down the pencil and paced round the room to gain inspiration. To hell with it, who of the two do I least distrust, Jo asked herself and she concluded, Fenner by a small margin. Her mind was made up to go for it. There was no other way. In the last resort, she trusted, not to legal precedents, but her instinctive ability to conjure out of the court proceedings the situation that she wanted.
The court came to life again from its sleepy summer lunchtime siesta as the gathering crowd filled it up, from the now familiar faces in the gallery, to John Deed up on high and Jo and George in their respective positions.
"My lord, I wish to raise a point of law. In view of new testimony given this morning, I wish to recall a witness to the stand." Jo's clear determined voice came like a bolt from the blue to all concerned.
John Deed took one look at the expression on George's face, expressing her furious outrage. There had been an uneasy peace between George and Jo in the last few days but John well knew that this was about as stable as a peace agreement as between the warring factions in the Middle East. The guns and missiles had in no way been melted down nor had peace broken out and goodwill to all humanity.
"In view of the audience participation during this case, I think that we will discuss this behind closed doors in my chambers immediately."
"Your turn next, Karen to cause trouble." Yvonne grinned."Me and Cassie have been the bad girls so far."
Karen smiled back but wondered just exactly what prompted this unexpected event and trying to anticipate the next scene in the unfolding story.
"Ms Channing, Mrs Mills, I request that you adjourn to chambers so that I can hear this point of law and give a ruling on it. I insist that the jury remain behind and do not leave the court buildings while this urgent matter is being sorted out. You must be readily available to court ushers as I have every expectation that the court hearing will resume. The same applies for witnesses to be available and I would suggest that our guests in the gallery follow the same procedure though they are not bound by it." John Deed spoke out as confidently and firmly as he could, though inwardly apprehensive at being MC to two very combative women and a court trial that was held in the balance.
George had closed her mouth, and now grabbed her bundle of papers under her arm and took short rapid furious steps in the direction of the small anteroom to catch up with John Deed. Jo followed behind in a more leisurely fashion.
"I knew this ceasefire wouldn't last," groaned John Deed as he passed by Coope who was following the business with intense interest and had arrived at her own conclusion.
"Can you leave this door in one piece please, George." John Deed joked nervously to George as he opened the door politely to let her pass. The tightening of her lips reminded him that light hearted humour was never one of George's qualities, least of all now.
The chamber was like a much smaller version of the court room in feel but without the imposing throne and the witness stands. For a judge who exploited the trappings of power and the assertion of his physical superiority, the chamber might diminish the judge and place him in a dangerous sense of equality. Not so John Deed who could hold his own in any setting, either formal or casually dressed except for one small area of his life, and that was in arbitrating between his mistress and his ex wife.
"My lord, I wish to recall Mr James Fenner to the stand. " Jo explained to George's outrage. "The testimony offered earlier by Mr Fenner does, as you recall, differ radically from the most recent evidence offered by Ms Pilkinton. There were several matters raised in cross examination by Ms Pilkinton, which the prosecution had no reason to consider to raise in examination of Mr Fenner."
"And, I suppose you are arguing that Mr Fenner is Dr Barnardo to all the waifs and strays that come under his wing, Jo," George snorted loudly and contemptuously, rolling her eyes for maximum theatrical effect."You had your chance earlier. The request is utterly preposterous and ridiculous. I absolutely oppose it."
Jo thought for a moment. True, George. But you know bloody well that I was constrained in my cross examination of Mr Fenner and I may have held back unconsciously from probing his evidence as much as I might have done or else he would have turned and ran. I would much rather have had him as a hostile witness as you did, George. She couldn't say this as, objectively, it was no excuse.
"And Ms Pilkinton is Julie Andrews, George? Need I say more?" Jo said simply and very effectively.
Now it was George's turn to hesitate. Miss Innocent, 'butter wouldn't melt in her mouth' was simpering at the Deed in her sneakiest manner. A little voice at the bottom of her mind told her that there was something in what Jo was saying but she shouted down that voice. She would far sooner have her own awkward way and be wrong than be right and have to back down, particularly to Jo.
"I quite fail to see the argument for recalling Mr Fenner to the witness stand. Unless it is your habit of having your cake and eating it, Jo. But then again, John, poor dear is bound to take your point of view as always." George continued the hostilities with her usual mixture of bolshiness and maliciously poised innuendo.
The two women sat in chairs, pointedly distant from each other and never facing each other directly.
"Your arguments were never sexy enough, George." Jo countered with a rapid verbal thrust to hit this woman where it hurt most. There were people around, usually women whom it gave Jo the utmost pleasure in using her facility for words to hit the spot that hurt the most and make it as painful as possible. This squared with her sense of morals
because it was because those sort of people who had it coming to them.
She knew that John had an erratic taste in women but what in heaven made him attracted to this bitch whose very voice, appearance and every little mannerism smelled of sheer gluttony for money. Her latest acquisition was to be publicly flaunted but was never enough for her. And, to make it worse, John must have walked blindfold in a total trance, up the aisle to sign the marriage contract and deliver himself into her sexually and financially rapacious hands.
"Ladies, ladies," John exclaimed, eyebrows raised on his long suffering face and praying to some justice above. "Can you please keep to the point and not scratch each other's eyes out. All I ask is a little give and take."
"If I give, she takes. You ought to know that John. After all you were married to her once." Jo replied curtly.
"The brazen nerve of this woman. John, you must for once in your life be firm. But then again, firmness was never your strong point."
John shook his head in wonder at how George could utter such outrageous lies and be so wilfully selfish and yet summon up such a theatrical air of being wronged and misunderstood. He wondered sometimes how she behaved in private with Neil Houghton and how far she could wrap him round her little finger allowing for the fact that she would run up against a ruthless bastard from his brief experience of lover boy. No one who had eyes to see could deny that this political ruthlessness is a badge of office of this present Cabinet. If they had the chance those sort of people would have the judiciary today under its thumb as much as Joseph Stalin did in the 1930s. They don't actually shoot people these days, that's all.
John got up from his seat and walked away to summon up his thoughts and pray for the right words, the right formulation to satisfy the needs of justice, two very strong women and, oh yes, he. That short walk helped and, mercifully, both Jo and George had sat there glaring in each other's general direction but had said and done nothing. That rather surprised him.
He stood in between them and said,
"Come here, both of you," And when neither moved he said, "Come on, it's not that difficult." Jo and George, both wondering what he was up too, moved towards him. Finally, he laid a hand on each of their shoulders making them face each other.
"Why do you not both try and at least look at each other. Come on, you are able to do it. You can be nice to each other. You will be nice to each other." John spoke in a repetitive hypnotic way and keeping that physical contact through him. "Otherwise, "and John added with a light hearted laugh, "you would compel me to commit the most outrageous act of my life……..by locking you in a cell together for twenty four hours, with no other company but each other, only a space ten feet by ten, with bars on the door and the key turned. But of course, that would be going too far, wouldn't it?"
Both women heard John Deed at his most relaxed and jovial and yet both were frozen rigid by the same joint vision of their worst nightmare. George, especially, knew that having locked her in a cell twice, a third time was equally possible. John was especially dangerous when he was joking. The threat to Jo was an equal slap in the face and she took in the whole scene of the three of them and not her tunnel vision antagonism
to George. In a blinding flash, she could see how she was playing her part in pushing John into a corner.
"I have considered the merits of this case and you should not lose sight of the plight of the jury, twelve lay members of the public with no especial legal training." John continued."You must agree that this is the most tortuous case for us to get our heads around. Just imagine how it must be for the jury to decide. I can very easily imagine the jury being literally unable to decide on a verdict and for all the parties to the trial, the defendants, the witnesses, those in the gallery, we would be failing in our duty for the process of law to fail to get to the bottom of this very entangled affair."
George and Jo could not help but agree and, for once in her life, George was forced to make a concession.
"All right, John, if you insist." George spoke tightly."I'll agree to Mr Fenner's recall as a witness. But in return." And George's tone of voice shifted to the hard and uncompromising with the expected sting in the tale."I absolutely insist, Jo that you agree that Karen Betts be recalled as well."
"For what purpose, George." Jo retorted. "Surely you are able for once in your life to make a concession with..."
"I'll cut a deal with you, Jo" George replied, looking directly at Jo."You agree to Karen Betts being recalled and I'll agree to Fenner being recalled."
"Why Karen Betts, George? On what point of principle, that is if you know the meaning of the word." Jo's voice tailed off in volume just to aggravate George that little bit more. Jo did not especially look for arguments but it was her experience that a real no holds barred, fight dirty, argument happened every time with another combative woman like George especially.
"Because, Jo" George said slowly and loudly so as to think of a half way feasible reason."For the very same reason as you. Ms Pilkinton cast a very interesting light on Ms Betts and I want, in fact I demand to hear what she has to say for herself. And, you don't get one sided agreements out of me." George finished, revealing in the last verbal flourish her real motivations which her deliberate emphasis of 'very' showed how she was going to operate.
"I am right in supposing that if the testimony by Merriman, will run its course , it will not be finished by the end of the day, Jo ……..Then Karen Betts and Fenner will be recalled to the stand on Thursday morning. Once Mr Fenner's availability can be confirmed by the court, can you, Jo, make arrangements that Karen Betts can confirm her availability likewise. I must know that both arrangements have been confirmed, not later than first thing Thursday morning. Are you both in agreement on this."
Jo nodded mute assent. She had no choice but to agree to the deal.
"Then we have an agreement for recall of both witnesses. Then let's resume the trial without delay."
John shut the door nervously after himself to reassure the door that severe damage would not result in major surgery at the hands of a skilled craftsman from the fury of a female barrister with more physical strength than a casual observer would suspect. He wanted to get the participants into their places while the going was good and bind both women to the agreement so that neither of them could back out.
They trooped out of the chamber where the hands of the clock had ticked away the time to half past three. Good gracious, were we wrangling about the matter for so long? Ah well, in the long run, it will pay.
"I had hoped to deal with the point of law in fairly short order but it took longer to resolve than I had anticipated. It is too late for Ms Pilkinton to be cross examined and I propose to carry on with the hearing tomorrow. I thank you all for your patience. Court is adjourned."
Bodybag tut tutted in irritation. All this legal red tape and messing about. And I suppose that I'll be on escort duty to take that murdering criminal back on another day's outing instead of being locked up in a cell with Gideon's Bible since she's so religious. Much quicker and easier for the British taxpayer to kick her back to America and have done with it with the electric chair. The only good side of this is another day's expenses.
The rest of the court audience had that let down feeling, wondering what had happened and what was going to happen tomorrow. Karen, Yvonne, Cassie and Roisin filed up the staircase with Lauren trailing up the rear in pointed disapproval. Babs, following on the heels of the other four, smiled benevolently with Christian blessings on them all. They clattered their way down the staircase and into the milling throng downstairs.