Part One Hundred And Nine
"Prison officer found dead!"
It was half past six on the Sunday evening, and Karen couldn't believe what she was seeing on her television. She stood in the center of her lounge, the glass of wine she was carrying slipping from her hand without her noticing. She stared and stared at the television, totally unable to move a muscle.
"Prison officer James Fenner was found dead earlier today. He was found shot in the abdomen and buried in the middle of Epping forest. Forensic experts estimate that he has been dead up to a week..."
Karen stood and watched the news clip unfold. So, it had happened, Fenner had been found. Eventually, she became aware of the wine and broken glass surrounding her bare feet. Red wine looked like blood in the wrong light, and the shards of broken glass represented the fragments that her career and her life could well be in by this time tomorrow. In a daze, she cleared up the wine, all the time hearing the newsreader's voice.
"Prison officer found dead... Prison officer found dead... Prison officer found dead..." There was only one thing she could do, phone Yvonne.
"It's Karen," She said, as an opening to the conversation. "Have you seen the news?"
"Yeah," Said Yvonne slowly. "That little reprieve didn't last long, did it."
"Yvonne, this isn't funny," Said Karen sternly.
"do I sound like I'm laughing?" Asked Yvonne, just as seriously.
"How's Lauren?" Asked Karen, ignoring Yvonne's jibe.
"she's taken the dog for a walk, said she wanted to do something normal."
"Yvonne, what do we do now?"
"You're guess is as good as mine, sweetheart, we wait and see."
"But I think we both know where they'll start looking," Said Karen bitterly. "If anyone has, or should I say had, a legally documented grudge against Fenner, it was me. The police will get their hands on my initial statement of rape quicker than I snapped the handcuffs on Merriman."
"Karen, you don't know that that's what they'll do."
"Well, maybe you do then," Replied Karen sarcastically. "After all, you've been there, done that, got the mug the T-shirt and the poster. Soon I'll be asking you what it's like behind bars, that's if I don't find that out for myself in the meantime."
"Sweetheart, I don't want to have a row. We'll deal with whatever happens, and we'll deal with it together."
"Oh, such optimism," Said Karen dryly, "You just better hope you're right."
Jo and John were sat close together in Jo's living-room. They'd come here after Legover's party, and now simply wanted some peace. Jo picked up the remote control and switched on the television in time for the early evening news. They sat, stunned, as the news clip ran before their amazed eyes.
"Prison officer found dead! Prison officer James Fenner was found dead earlier today. He was found shot in the abdomen and buried in the middle of Epping forest. Forensic experts estimate that he has been dead up to a week..."
They watched as shots were taken from the air of first Epping Forest and then Larkhall prison. The news helicopter cruised over the surrounding area of both the sites, to the speech from an inspector from The Metropolitan police who said that no stone would be left unturned in the hunt for this man's killer. When the report came to an end, John switched it off.
"I suppose that puts an end to any possible court case," He said quietly. Jo looked at him slightly aghast.
"Is that all you can say?"
"Well, what do you want me to say, Jo? The man's dead, clearly by some unorthodox means, which would by extension put an end to Karen's civil or criminal case."
"George needs to know about this," Said Jo, moving to pick up the cordless phone.
George was slumped in a heap on her sofa. She was tired after having to maintain her act at Legover's party, and all she really wanted to do was nothing. She was listening to some soft music and drinking white wine. She knew that drinking probably wasn't a good idea, what with the distinct lack of food she hadn't eaten that day, but the cool, sharp, crispness of the Frascati was making her feel slightly less volatile. When the phone rang, she had half a mind to ignore it, but seeing Jo's number, she answered.
"George, have you seen the news?" Asked Jo's careful voice.
"No, why?"
"Fenner's been found dead."
"What?" Asked George sharply. "When?"
"Earlier today."
"Where?"
"Epping Forest of all places."
"Jo, why am I getting a really bad feeling about this?"
"He was shot." George went suddenly quiet.
"Jo, I think we have a problem," She said eventually, "One that John probably needs to hear as well." Jo switched the phone on to hands free so that George could talk to both of them.
"when did either of you last see Karen Betts?"
"Over two weeks ago," Replied Jo, "When I brought her to see you."
"And how did she seem to you then?" Asked George.
"Perfectly normal, under the circumstances. Why?" Then the penny dropped. "George, no, she wouldn't."
"You didn't see her last Monday," Replied George, laughing mirthlessly. "Guilt written all over her face, though at the time I didn't recognise it for what it was." John had remained quiet throughout the entire exchange. But George hadn't forgotten his presence.
"John," She said, not letting him avoid the issue, "You didn't answer my question."
"Yes," Said John with a heavy sigh, "I did see her last week, Thursday to be exact."
"Oh, yes," Said George, sarcasm dripping from every syllable. "You went to Larkhall to supposedly check up on my punishment. So, are you going to enlighten us as to the lovely Ms Betts' apparent state of mind?" Jo could feel the icy trickle of dread running down her spine.
"She seemed relatively normal," Said John slowly, as if trying to remember, though the two women were perfectly well aware of his instant, accurate memory for such things.
"And are you saying that as a lawyer or as a lover?" Asked George. Jo let out a slightly hysterical laugh, the incongruity of the situation finally catching up with her.
"Do you know something," She said to George, the bite of sarcasm present in her voice also. "I said exactly the same thing to him once, though I believe that was concerning Lady Francesca Rochester."
"I don't doubt it," Replied George. "John, answer the question," She said firmly.
"I don't consider that such a fatuous question requires a response," Said John, furious with George for putting the thought of such a possibility in to Jo's head.
"Oh, I don't know," Said Jo, "I must admit to being a little intrigued."
"She seemed a little on edge," He admitted eventually, "As if there was something she wanted to tell me, but couldn't."
"The nail hit well and truly on the head," Replied George. "She was exactly the same with me when I saw her last Monday."
"this is utterly ridiculous," Said John firmly. "Karen Betts would no more have murdered Fenner than any of us would have done."
"John, will you for once, please extract your libido from the situation," Said George, earning a fruitless glare at the phone from John. As he reached out to pick it up, clearly with the intention of walking out of Jo's hearing to have a furious argument with George, Jo took his hand in hers and held on to it.
"When I saw her," Continued John, ignoring George's jibe, "She was talking about how everyone Fenner had ever abused, deserved to see him pay for what he'd done, but that she wasn't altogether sure that she did. I remember, the mere mention of his name made her look guilty and horrified all at once. I didn't think about it at the time, but now it makes sense. I will not be persuaded, except by her own confession, that Karen Betts killed James Fenner. However, she certainly knows far more about this than she ought too."
"George, do you really think she did this?" Asked Jo quietly.
"Well," Said George, "If a man had held you down, forced his way inside you, and then virtually walked away Scot free, wouldn't you want to see him beg for his life?"
"No, I wouldn't," Said Jo without a moment's thought. "I'd want to see him rot behind bars."
"That's what I used to think Karen wanted," Said George, her voice having lost its bite in favour of a miserable finality, "But it seems we were all wrong. The question is, how on Earth to we get her out of this?"
"Stop, right, there," Said John firmly. "If Karen Betts has committed murder, and I say if, neither of you should become involved. You both know far too much about her and would therefore have no choice but to end up becoming far too emotionally involved with her case."
"Only a man would say something like that," Said Jo scornfully.
"Quite," Replied George, "If she did do it, and I'd almost put my Munnings on the fact that she did, she had the best reason in the world for wanting rid of him." John was forced to admit that whilst some may say that hell was being cooped up in eternity with your friends, hell for him was being backed in to a corner by his lover and his ex-wife.
"If Karen is in any way involved in this," Said Jo, "We have got to help her. It's our duty if nothing else. What would you do, sign her over to some thoroughly fickle idiot such as Brian Cantwell or Neumann Mason-Alan?"
"God forbid," Put in George.
"don't you think you'd better find out if you're right," Added John, "Before you start planning her defence?"
"Fine," Said George without a pause, "tomorrow morning, we'll give her a version of the third degree that she isn't likely to forget. I'm not leaving this one to our lackeys in the Metropolitan police. If she's got something to confess, I would suggest that two people she knows and possibly trusts are far more likely to get at the truth than a couple of bumbling detectives with nothing better to do." Jo couldn't help smiling at George's turn of phrase.
"Yeah, well, you're doing this in chambers," Said John firmly, "I'm not having you tare her to shreds without a witness or someone to back her up."
"You just can't entertain the possibility that someone you were preparing to seduce might just be guilty of murder, can you."
"George," Said John slowly, but with the clear edge of warning in his voice, "I wasn't preparing to seduce anyone, least of all someone who's been through everything that she has."
"You really are a terrible liar, John Deed," Said George mockingly. "I'm just glad that I no longer have to put up with your wandering. Jo, you clearly deserve a medal for perseverance. Will you contact Karen in the morning, or will I?"
"Leave it to me, George. I think this needs the gentle approach." When George had put the phone down, Jo simply looked at John.
"It's all supposition, you know," He said gently. "I have never attempted or thought about attempting to seduce Karen Betts."
"I hope so, John," Jo replied resignedly, "But I'm not about to forget that George knows you better than I do, and let's face it, Karen Betts is, at least physically, your type."
"do you really think Karen Betts would have done such a thing?" He asked, trying to change the subject.
"George's reasoning couldn't have been more to the point," Replied Jo, "Who knows what that kind of torment might do to a person's mind. I'm certainly not going to dismiss it as a possibility. Above anything else, John, you really must keep an open mind about this."
"Oh, and that's really what you and George are doing," he threw back.
"What's important," Replied Jo, "Is that George and I are prepared for the possibility. You've had just as much faith in Karen Betts as we have, but you might have to face the prospect of letting go. The people we put our trust in, are always capable of letting us down. Don't forget that."
"Prison officer found dead!"
It was half past six on the Sunday evening, and Karen couldn't believe what she was seeing on her television. She stood in the center of her lounge, the glass of wine she was carrying slipping from her hand without her noticing. She stared and stared at the television, totally unable to move a muscle.
"Prison officer James Fenner was found dead earlier today. He was found shot in the abdomen and buried in the middle of Epping forest. Forensic experts estimate that he has been dead up to a week..."
Karen stood and watched the news clip unfold. So, it had happened, Fenner had been found. Eventually, she became aware of the wine and broken glass surrounding her bare feet. Red wine looked like blood in the wrong light, and the shards of broken glass represented the fragments that her career and her life could well be in by this time tomorrow. In a daze, she cleared up the wine, all the time hearing the newsreader's voice.
"Prison officer found dead... Prison officer found dead... Prison officer found dead..." There was only one thing she could do, phone Yvonne.
"It's Karen," She said, as an opening to the conversation. "Have you seen the news?"
"Yeah," Said Yvonne slowly. "That little reprieve didn't last long, did it."
"Yvonne, this isn't funny," Said Karen sternly.
"do I sound like I'm laughing?" Asked Yvonne, just as seriously.
"How's Lauren?" Asked Karen, ignoring Yvonne's jibe.
"she's taken the dog for a walk, said she wanted to do something normal."
"Yvonne, what do we do now?"
"You're guess is as good as mine, sweetheart, we wait and see."
"But I think we both know where they'll start looking," Said Karen bitterly. "If anyone has, or should I say had, a legally documented grudge against Fenner, it was me. The police will get their hands on my initial statement of rape quicker than I snapped the handcuffs on Merriman."
"Karen, you don't know that that's what they'll do."
"Well, maybe you do then," Replied Karen sarcastically. "After all, you've been there, done that, got the mug the T-shirt and the poster. Soon I'll be asking you what it's like behind bars, that's if I don't find that out for myself in the meantime."
"Sweetheart, I don't want to have a row. We'll deal with whatever happens, and we'll deal with it together."
"Oh, such optimism," Said Karen dryly, "You just better hope you're right."
Jo and John were sat close together in Jo's living-room. They'd come here after Legover's party, and now simply wanted some peace. Jo picked up the remote control and switched on the television in time for the early evening news. They sat, stunned, as the news clip ran before their amazed eyes.
"Prison officer found dead! Prison officer James Fenner was found dead earlier today. He was found shot in the abdomen and buried in the middle of Epping forest. Forensic experts estimate that he has been dead up to a week..."
They watched as shots were taken from the air of first Epping Forest and then Larkhall prison. The news helicopter cruised over the surrounding area of both the sites, to the speech from an inspector from The Metropolitan police who said that no stone would be left unturned in the hunt for this man's killer. When the report came to an end, John switched it off.
"I suppose that puts an end to any possible court case," He said quietly. Jo looked at him slightly aghast.
"Is that all you can say?"
"Well, what do you want me to say, Jo? The man's dead, clearly by some unorthodox means, which would by extension put an end to Karen's civil or criminal case."
"George needs to know about this," Said Jo, moving to pick up the cordless phone.
George was slumped in a heap on her sofa. She was tired after having to maintain her act at Legover's party, and all she really wanted to do was nothing. She was listening to some soft music and drinking white wine. She knew that drinking probably wasn't a good idea, what with the distinct lack of food she hadn't eaten that day, but the cool, sharp, crispness of the Frascati was making her feel slightly less volatile. When the phone rang, she had half a mind to ignore it, but seeing Jo's number, she answered.
"George, have you seen the news?" Asked Jo's careful voice.
"No, why?"
"Fenner's been found dead."
"What?" Asked George sharply. "When?"
"Earlier today."
"Where?"
"Epping Forest of all places."
"Jo, why am I getting a really bad feeling about this?"
"He was shot." George went suddenly quiet.
"Jo, I think we have a problem," She said eventually, "One that John probably needs to hear as well." Jo switched the phone on to hands free so that George could talk to both of them.
"when did either of you last see Karen Betts?"
"Over two weeks ago," Replied Jo, "When I brought her to see you."
"And how did she seem to you then?" Asked George.
"Perfectly normal, under the circumstances. Why?" Then the penny dropped. "George, no, she wouldn't."
"You didn't see her last Monday," Replied George, laughing mirthlessly. "Guilt written all over her face, though at the time I didn't recognise it for what it was." John had remained quiet throughout the entire exchange. But George hadn't forgotten his presence.
"John," She said, not letting him avoid the issue, "You didn't answer my question."
"Yes," Said John with a heavy sigh, "I did see her last week, Thursday to be exact."
"Oh, yes," Said George, sarcasm dripping from every syllable. "You went to Larkhall to supposedly check up on my punishment. So, are you going to enlighten us as to the lovely Ms Betts' apparent state of mind?" Jo could feel the icy trickle of dread running down her spine.
"She seemed relatively normal," Said John slowly, as if trying to remember, though the two women were perfectly well aware of his instant, accurate memory for such things.
"And are you saying that as a lawyer or as a lover?" Asked George. Jo let out a slightly hysterical laugh, the incongruity of the situation finally catching up with her.
"Do you know something," She said to George, the bite of sarcasm present in her voice also. "I said exactly the same thing to him once, though I believe that was concerning Lady Francesca Rochester."
"I don't doubt it," Replied George. "John, answer the question," She said firmly.
"I don't consider that such a fatuous question requires a response," Said John, furious with George for putting the thought of such a possibility in to Jo's head.
"Oh, I don't know," Said Jo, "I must admit to being a little intrigued."
"She seemed a little on edge," He admitted eventually, "As if there was something she wanted to tell me, but couldn't."
"The nail hit well and truly on the head," Replied George. "She was exactly the same with me when I saw her last Monday."
"this is utterly ridiculous," Said John firmly. "Karen Betts would no more have murdered Fenner than any of us would have done."
"John, will you for once, please extract your libido from the situation," Said George, earning a fruitless glare at the phone from John. As he reached out to pick it up, clearly with the intention of walking out of Jo's hearing to have a furious argument with George, Jo took his hand in hers and held on to it.
"When I saw her," Continued John, ignoring George's jibe, "She was talking about how everyone Fenner had ever abused, deserved to see him pay for what he'd done, but that she wasn't altogether sure that she did. I remember, the mere mention of his name made her look guilty and horrified all at once. I didn't think about it at the time, but now it makes sense. I will not be persuaded, except by her own confession, that Karen Betts killed James Fenner. However, she certainly knows far more about this than she ought too."
"George, do you really think she did this?" Asked Jo quietly.
"Well," Said George, "If a man had held you down, forced his way inside you, and then virtually walked away Scot free, wouldn't you want to see him beg for his life?"
"No, I wouldn't," Said Jo without a moment's thought. "I'd want to see him rot behind bars."
"That's what I used to think Karen wanted," Said George, her voice having lost its bite in favour of a miserable finality, "But it seems we were all wrong. The question is, how on Earth to we get her out of this?"
"Stop, right, there," Said John firmly. "If Karen Betts has committed murder, and I say if, neither of you should become involved. You both know far too much about her and would therefore have no choice but to end up becoming far too emotionally involved with her case."
"Only a man would say something like that," Said Jo scornfully.
"Quite," Replied George, "If she did do it, and I'd almost put my Munnings on the fact that she did, she had the best reason in the world for wanting rid of him." John was forced to admit that whilst some may say that hell was being cooped up in eternity with your friends, hell for him was being backed in to a corner by his lover and his ex-wife.
"If Karen is in any way involved in this," Said Jo, "We have got to help her. It's our duty if nothing else. What would you do, sign her over to some thoroughly fickle idiot such as Brian Cantwell or Neumann Mason-Alan?"
"God forbid," Put in George.
"don't you think you'd better find out if you're right," Added John, "Before you start planning her defence?"
"Fine," Said George without a pause, "tomorrow morning, we'll give her a version of the third degree that she isn't likely to forget. I'm not leaving this one to our lackeys in the Metropolitan police. If she's got something to confess, I would suggest that two people she knows and possibly trusts are far more likely to get at the truth than a couple of bumbling detectives with nothing better to do." Jo couldn't help smiling at George's turn of phrase.
"Yeah, well, you're doing this in chambers," Said John firmly, "I'm not having you tare her to shreds without a witness or someone to back her up."
"You just can't entertain the possibility that someone you were preparing to seduce might just be guilty of murder, can you."
"George," Said John slowly, but with the clear edge of warning in his voice, "I wasn't preparing to seduce anyone, least of all someone who's been through everything that she has."
"You really are a terrible liar, John Deed," Said George mockingly. "I'm just glad that I no longer have to put up with your wandering. Jo, you clearly deserve a medal for perseverance. Will you contact Karen in the morning, or will I?"
"Leave it to me, George. I think this needs the gentle approach." When George had put the phone down, Jo simply looked at John.
"It's all supposition, you know," He said gently. "I have never attempted or thought about attempting to seduce Karen Betts."
"I hope so, John," Jo replied resignedly, "But I'm not about to forget that George knows you better than I do, and let's face it, Karen Betts is, at least physically, your type."
"do you really think Karen Betts would have done such a thing?" He asked, trying to change the subject.
"George's reasoning couldn't have been more to the point," Replied Jo, "Who knows what that kind of torment might do to a person's mind. I'm certainly not going to dismiss it as a possibility. Above anything else, John, you really must keep an open mind about this."
"Oh, and that's really what you and George are doing," he threw back.
"What's important," Replied Jo, "Is that George and I are prepared for the possibility. You've had just as much faith in Karen Betts as we have, but you might have to face the prospect of letting go. The people we put our trust in, are always capable of letting us down. Don't forget that."