Part Thirty One
On the Monday morning, George felt serene, happy and thoroughly unable to keep the smile off her face that had been there since Friday. As she dressed and applied her perpetual layer of makeup, she couldn't wait to get to court to see Karen. Having not seen her since Saturday, George knew she would be getting withdrawal symptoms if she didn't see her soon. Once she looked like her usual immaculate self, she stood in front of the mirror and sternly told herself not to act like an adolescent, that behaving in any way inappropriately in public was not an option, and that hoping for any more than she was likely to get from Karen would only lead to disaster. As she went downstairs to make a cup of tea and to check her e-mails before going to court, too many of her appointments for this week having been postponed, the phone rang. It was Jo, asking if George would give her a lift to court because her car wouldn't start. Briefly rolling her eyes and deciding that her e-mails would have to wait till later because of rush hour traffic, George slammed her front door and throwing her handbag in to her car, backed out of her driveway. As she paused at the end of the road, waiting for a mother with two children to cross in front of her, she spied a red Ferrari in her rearview mirror, with what looked like Yvonne behind the wheel. Remembering that Karen had said Yvonne lived round here, George briefly waved, receiving a smile in return. As Yvonne followed George's sleek, black BMW, she couldn't help finding her driving funny. George was a nightmare to pedestrians and other motorists alike, always overtaking whenever she could, and using hand gestures that wouldn't have looked out of place in Larkhall to broadcast her displeasure to all and sundry. But when George turned off to collect Jo, and Yvonne did the same to fetch Crystal, Josh wanting the car to take the children out today, they parted company.
When she drew up in front of Jo's house, Jo dropped a bulging briefcase on to the backseat and got in beside her. "Thanks for this," Jo said as she did up her seatbelt. "Oh, my pleasure," George replied as she pulled out in to the stream of traffic. Having borrowed Karen's Carolyn Johnson CD from her on Saturday, George now had it playing on the car stereo, the cheerful rhythm and happy lyrics serving to enhance her current mood of relative euphoria. As she weaved her way through the slowly flowing London traffic, she occasionally found herself accompanying the singer on the CD, only stopping when she remembered Jo's presence beside her. But Jo didn't mind. It made a change to see George as happy and vibrant as she currently was, and she wasn't about to complain. After one song who's chorus ended with the words, "Love is always worth the ache," Jo found her voice. "You sound like you had a good weekend," She commented. George grinned wickedly. "Oh, didn't I just," She couldn't help gloating. Then seeing the brief shadow that had crossed Jo's face, she strove to reassure her. "Don't look like that," She said gently. "It wasn't with John. You ought to know by now that whenever I do have a particularly good evening with John, I do my best not to flaunt it." Jo was forced to admit that this was true. George had always done her utmost to be discrete about the time she spent with John, knowing that even though this three-way relationship had been Jo's suggestion, that this didn't mean Jo was even now entirely happy with it sometimes. "Anyone I know?" Jo asked, trying to lighten the mood. "Well now," Said George with a smirk. "I'd say that was for me to know, wouldn't you?" "As you wish," Jo replied, though not quite able to hide the fact that her curiosity was peaked. "I know I should get some sleep, I'm at the beginning of another long week. But I don't want you to go. No I don't want you to go," Sang George, sounding happier than Jo had ever heard her. "If I didn't know better," Jo said, the realisation slowly dawning on her. "I'd think you were in love." George just smiled. "You are, aren't you?" Persisted Jo, a smile now lighting up her own face. "In love is such an adolescent phrase," George said noncommittally. "But seeing as I feel like I'm fifteen again, yes, I suppose I am." "And you won't tell me who?" "I can't," Said George seriously. "Not yet." "At least tell me if I know them?" "Jo!" George complained with a laugh. "I'm itching to tell someone, anyone as it is, so yes, you would fit the bill nicely, but I can't." "And with your urge to talk that must be horrendous," Jo commented dryly. "Oh hilarious," Threw back George, the broad smile still lighting up her face. "You'll just have to be patient."
When George brought her car to a stop next to Yvonne's Ferrari, Yvonne and Crystal were just getting out. "For someone who's supposed to be upholding the law," Yvonne said as George locked her car doors. "You're a bloody nightmare." "Tell me about it," Jo said, seeing that Yvonne was only winding George up. "I wouldn't have asked for a lift if I wasn't desperate." "I'm not that bad," George protested, but knowing she was. "I'm amazed you haven't got a string of driving offences," Said Jo. "How do you know I haven't?" Quipped back George. "Go on," Said Yvonne with a grin. "How many points have you got on your licence?" "Only three at the moment," George said, fishing it out of her handbag. "That's what comes of having friends in high places," Yvonne said with a wry smile. As they walked towards the court building, Jo couldn't help wondering just who George's new beau might be.
Once inside, Jo and Yvonne separated from them and George and Crystal walked upstairs. "I heard it didn't go too well on Friday," Crystal said quietly. "No, not brilliantly," George replied. "I think Lauren will have needed the weekend to recover from that." When they reached the gallery, they saw that all the others were already there except Karen. As Crystal moved to sit down next to Barbara and George sat on the end beside Nikki, George found herself really feeling like one of these women. They greeted her like an old friend, making her feel far more welcome than she'd ever felt at all those social gatherings where sycophantic women talked about work and only work, in an endless effort to climb the professional ladder. When Karen arrived not long after and sat down next to George, she said, "There was a bloody traffic jam not far from the prison, and I was so wound up by the time I got there, that I gave Sylvia a verbal warning." Then, lowering her voice so that only George could hear, she said, "If we weren't in present company, I'd kiss you." "That's good to hear," Said George with a smile. "I thought I was going to get withdrawal symptoms if you didn't turn up this morning." "That'll wear off," Said Karen with a laugh. "It doesn't, believe me," Said Nikki on George's other side. George looked round at her with a slight blush. "When I first met Helen," Said Nikki quietly. "One smile from her would keep me going for an entire week." But before they could continue this conversation, the clerk called out "All rise," and the second week of the trial began.
When Meg Richards had sworn the oath, Jo moved forward to begin her questioning. "Dr. Richards, what was your initial impression of Lauren Atkins?" "When I first met Lauren Atkins," Meg began in that quiet, controlled, utterly self-confident voice Karen knew so well. "She was angry, confused and without doubt highly disturbed. For a while, she resented having to talk to me, clearly not wanting to admit that there was anything wrong with her. She seemed to think it made her less of a person to be suffering from a psychiatric illness than to be guilty of murder." George felt a brief moment of sympathy for Lauren. "Dr. Richards, before we turn in detail to your report on Lauren Atkins, what, in short, was your eventual diagnosis of her state of mind?" "Lauren Atkins is suffering from a type of psychosis that has made it impossible to come to terms with the fact that her brother and her father are dead. She cannot entirely escape from both her father's and her brother's encouragement." "How does this manifest itself?" John asked. "I will come to this, My Lord," Jo replied. "It is not uncommon for Miss Atkins to either hear her father's or her brother's voices, or to actually se them as if they were in the room with her," Meg said, turning to look up at John. Having witnessed something of the kind on the previous Friday morning when Lauren was on the stand, John understood. "Let us now turn to your report," Jo continued. "3B in your bundle, My Lord." Meg's psychiatric report on Lauren ran as follows:
Lauren Atkins: psychiatric report
Name: Lauren Atkins. Case Number: 240073. Date: 15/03/04. Attending Psychiatrist: Dr. Margaret Richards.
I was invited, by council for the defence, Jo Mills QC, to examine Miss Lauren Atkins and to give evidence in the case of the Crown versus Atkins. Lauren Atkins has been charged with the brutal murder of Mr. James Fenner, a principal officer of Her Majesty's Prison Larkhall, on the fifth of October 2003. Whilst Miss Atkins is not denying that she committed this act, she is mounting a defence of diminished responsibility. With this in mind, my examination of Miss Lauren Atkins will take in to account the three following areas: Lauren Atkins' thoughts and feelings with regards to Mr. Fenner's murder; her severe distress and inability to allow herself to grieve following the suicide of her brother, Ritchie Atkins, on the 29th of August 2003; and her general attitude with reference to the breaking of the law.
To begin with, I have talked at length to Miss Lauren Atkins with regards to the death of Principle Officer James Fenner. Miss Atkins does not deny what she did, one might almost say she has been extremely co-operative about her involvement in this act. She has explained the course of her actions, beginning with stalking Mr. Fenner, progressing to abducting him and to eventually injuring and killing him. She has described her actions both to the police, to her barrister, and to myself with as much openness and amiability as could be expected in such a situation. Miss Atkins has stated that she felt high on Sunday the fifth of October 2003, to quote her specifically, "Higher than on any drug." Whilst she had clearly been planning this act for some time, it was on this particular Sunday that Miss Atkins felt a distinct need to fulfill her mission. When asked to provide an explanation as to why she deemed it necessary to kill James Fenner, Lauren Atkins replied that it simply needed to be done. When asked to elaborate, she would not at first disclose her motive. It was only after some further discussion, and on feeling that she could trust me, that Lauren Atkins began to explain her unlawful actions.
On the 29th of August 2003, Lauren Atkins suffered two tragedies within hours of each other. First, she was forced to watch as her brother, older than her by four years, was sentenced to ten years in custody. Only hours later, she was informed that her brother had committed suicide, by an overdose of barbiturates. The day after her brother's suicide, when her mother had returned home after identifying Ritchie Atkins' body and collecting his personal belongings, Lauren Atkins was given a letter addressed to her from her brother, which he had clearly written just before he took his overdose. I have attached a copy of this letter to my report, but its main purpose was to plead with Lauren to kill Mr. James Fenner. Lauren Atkins saw this as her brother's dying wish, a dying wish that she could not ignore. He told her that he was proud of her, gave her the kind of compliment she hadn't received since the death of her father, Charlie Atkins, two years before. Ritchie Atkins' letter instructed Lauren not to inform their mother of his request, as by his own words, she wouldn't understand. It is my professional opinion that Ritchie Atkins achieved his goal by playing on his sister's insecurities, by telling her precisely what she needed to hear at a time of deepest sorrow. He clearly and calculatingly took advantage of his sister's wavering loyalty towards their dead father and the principles of Atkins justice he and they had once stood for. Lauren Atkins saw it as her duty to fulfill her brother's dying wish, to regain some of her past life, seeing it through the rose-tinted spectacles through which we all see departed loved ones. During this time, it was a perfectly natural reaction for Lauren Atkins to emotionally cling to the life she'd once known. I believe that she wanted to recapture the days when her father was proud of her criminal achievements, and her brother still loved an respected her. In his letter, Ritchie Atkins reminded his sister that she was and is an Atkins by blood, not simply an Atkins by name as their mother is. His words persuaded Lauren in to thinking that it was her duty to uphold the Atkins family values, to commit one last act of Atkins-style justice in the name of her father and her brother.
Whilst this may all appear slightly fanciful to any cross-examining barrister, the effect these words and the feelings associated with them would have had on Lauren Atkins must in no circumstances be underestimated. Lauren Atkins is not denying that she undertook to kill James Fenner in such a brutal and inhumane fashion, but she is simply attempting to provide an explanation of why she chose to do this. The sense of duty Lauren Atkins felt towards her family and its values is clearly an area of deep-rooted thinking that cannot be undone overnight, simply by the choice her mother took on leaving prison to keep to the proverbial straight and narrow. This was far easier for Yvonne Atkins than it would ever have been for her daughter Lauren. Yvonne Atkins chose to marry in to the Atkins family, whereas Lauren Atkins was brought up surrounded by the family code of practice from the time of her birth. Lauren Atkins is the last of Charlie Atkins' bloodline, and she may have felt pressured by her brother's suicide letter in to, at least for this one act of retribution, continuing what her father had started many years before. This hypothesis can be strengthened further when questioning Miss Lauren Atkins on the subject of law breaking. Within a very short time, it became clear to me that Lauren Atkins sees absolutely nothing wrong in breaking the law to satisfy her own ends. She knows that in the grand scheme of things it is wrong to play a significant part in organised crime, but she cannot help but see this as a way of life. As Ritchie Atkins said in his last letter to his sister, she was Charlie Atkins' protege. This meant that he taught her to shoot at a very early age, and that whilst both Charlie and Yvonne Atkins were in prison, Lauren was able to take over the family business without any difficulty. Lauren Atkins must not be entirely blamed for this. Her father was a sadistic, ruthless individual who bent every person he met to his will. In other words, disobey or challenge Charlie Atkins, and you end up in an early grave. Ritchie Atkins had chosen to duck out of his father's life, to make his own way in the world, but Lauren didn't feel able to do this. Like her mother, Lauren Atkins knew that she either had the choice of staying and adopting Charlie Atkins' way of life, or of going in to hiding, being constantly on the run and in fear of her life.
My recommendations to the court are as follows: 1. That Lauren Atkins is not questioned too closely on the death of her brother, as she is inclined to extreme emotional outbursts if provoked, which would be neither productive nor appropriate in such a setting as a courtroom. 2. That Lauren Atkins needs psychiatric treatment, not a custodial sentence. She has a serious lack of closure with regards to her brother's death, and she currently cannot adequately cope with the legacy of Atkins family duty that both her father and her brother have left to her. 3. That the defence of innocent by virtue of diminished responsibility be upheld, as, in my professional opinion, Lauren Atkins had an enormous amount of pressure put on her, let us not forget from beyond the grave, to commit this act of violence. Lauren Atkins had no person with whom to plead her case, as both her father and her brother were dead. For her entire life, Lauren Atkins' feelings, judgments and opinions have been built on extreme loyalty, both to her father and to the values he upheld. Whether this loyalty was engendered by way of fear, rather than respect cannot be wholly estimated, but such levels of loyalty both to a person and to a way of life should not be ignored. Lauren Atkins requires treatment, rehabilitation and understanding, facets not usually present in the type of psychiatric treatment provided within Her Majesty's prisons.
"Dr. Richards, you have stated in your report that when Lauren Atkins was asked why it was necessary to kill James Fenner, she simply said that it was something that needed to be done. Please could you explain this?" "My Lord," Said Neumann Mason-Alan, getting to his feet. "Surely it is for the defendant to explain her words, not her psychiatrist." "Sit down," John said, sounding thoroughly bored with the man's antics. "If you'd wanted Miss Atkins to explain this particular sentiment, you should have asked her when you had the chance. Please continue," He said, turning his attention back to Meg. "The way in which Lauren Atkins approached the killing of James Fenner was entirely single-minded. It occupied every minute of her day, resulting in the kind of unbending focus that many professionals apply to their work. I have come across surgeons, barristers and prison governors who do likewise, leaving themselves little time for a life outside their professional pursuits." "That sounds familiar," Said Karen, exchanging knowing smiles with Helen and George who had the capacity to be as focused and single-minded as she did. "It would be fair to say," Meg Richards went on. "That Lauren Atkins approached the task of removing James Fenner with the same kind of total dedication. For the six weeks between the death of her brother and the death of James Fenner, it was all she thought about, all that mattered to her. She would have maintained the appearance of a normal, day-to-day existence, but this would have only been on the surface. Every moment she was alone, she would have returned, mentally if not actually, to the matter in hand." "And could you also offer any explanation as to why Lauren Atkins felt so euphoric immediately following her killing of James Fenner?" "For some people, doing something as horrifically dangerous as killing someone, can give them an enormous rush of adrenalin, almost like a drug-induced high. It can even go as far as to be a sexual arousal for some of them, though I would hasten to add that this was definitely not the case with Lauren Atkins." "Dr. Richards," John intervened again. "If, as you say, Lauren Atkins finds it impossible to escape from the sights and sounds of the two people who have influenced her so greatly, what would your reaction be to a suggestion to place Miss Atkins in a secure hospital, somewhere like Broadmoor for example." "No!" Came the unguarded plea from Roisin, who knew only too well the fear and uncertainty that resulted from being confined in such an environment. All eyes turned upwards to the gallery, but John made no comment. "Actually, I would agree with such a response," Meg said in to the resulting silence. "Lauren Atkins would definitely not benefit from being confined in any kind of closed environment alongside severely disturbed people." "But why," Persisted John. "If her form of psychosis has been the cause of her committing a pretty brutal murder?" "My Lord," Jo interrupted. "Might I draw your attention to what my client said when I questioned her? Lauren Atkins' words were: Charlie taught me to shoot with that gun, and it seemed fitting to commit my first and last murder with his weapon." "Precisely," Agreed Meg. "I do not believe that Miss Atkins will ever again be in the position she was after her brother's suicide." "But you cannot be certain of this?" Asked John. "Nothing is certain, My Lord, least of all the random thoughts and electrical impulses that make us react in the ways we do." "Dr. Richards," Jo continued, trying to regain the reins of her case. "You have also stated in your report that, it is your professional opinion that Ritchie Atkins achieved his goal by playing on his sister's insecurities, by telling her precisely what she needed to hear at a time of deepest sorrow. You have also said that Ritchie Atkins, clearly and calculatingly, took advantage of his sister's wavering loyalty towards their dead father, and the principles of Atkins justice he and they had once stood for. Please could you explain this in greater detail?" "What the court needs to understand if Lauren Atkins is to receive a fair hearing, is that from day one, she was put under enormous pressure by her father to grow up an Atkins. Whilst Yvonne Atkins may have suffered at the hands of her husband, she did not have to deal with the same amount of expectation. Yvonne Atkins was only an Atkins by name, not an Atkins by blood as both Lauren and her brother were. The family, and their absolute loyalty to his way of life were the two most important facets of Charlie Atkins' character. Both of his children would have grown up believing that the family and loyalty to the family were all that mattered. As I wrote in my report, the extent to which Lauren's loyalty was bought by fear or respect, I couldn't possibly begin to estimate, though I suspect it was a mixture of both. When Ritchie Atkins wrote that last letter to his sister, pleading with her from beyond the grave to carry out his last wish, she had no one with whom to plead her case, no one to whom she could explain her feelings. Ritchie had specifically told his sister not to discuss what he'd asked her with their mother, thereby removing Lauren's one possible listener. As a result of the extreme loyalty she had for her father, despite the numerous things he had done to hurt her, it could never have been within Lauren Atkins' nature to disregard her brother's last wish. Ignoring what he had asked her to do, or discussing it with anyone simply wasn't an option for her." "Dr. Richards," John interrupted yet again, dramatically raising Jo's blood pressure. "Precisely why does Lauren Atkins exhibit on the one hand, a level of loathing for who her father was, to rival that which I find myself occasionally feeling towards the establishment, and on the other, a strength of will and sincere loyalty that has influenced her into stalking, abducting and killing a man?" "My Lord," Put in Jo, barely concealing the irritation in her tone. "If I might be allowed to question my own witness, I feel sure that these facts will be revealed." But knowing that it was the Judge who ruled and not either barrister, Meg answered him. "This is possibly the most obvious symptom of the type of psychosis that Lauren Atkins is experiencing," Meg began. "She cannot align what would have been expected of her by her father and brother, with the hurt and anger she feels for both of them as a result of what both she and her mother have gone through over the years. If the expectation of her loyalty were nowhere near as strong, Lauren Atkins would never have had a problem in consigning any wish to please her father to the recesses of her mind. But as this emotional hold on her is still so strong, this need to fulfill both what her father had taught her to be and what her brother asked her to do, have remained well and truly on the surface of her consciousness, providing her with an internal battle from which she cannot escape." "Finally, Dr. Richards," Continued Jo. "Please would you outline to the court, exactly what course of action you would recommend for Lauren Atkins?" "I would unerringly stand by what I said in my report, that Lauren Atkins should not be given a custodial sentence, and that what she requires is psychiatric treatment, support and understanding. Lauren Atkins needs to be encouraged to grieve for the death of her brother, and to be helped, possibly via cognitive behavioral therapy, to detach herself from the stringent expectations placed on her by her father. Such in-depth psychiatric treatment as I would recommend for Lauren Atkins, is not routinely available or possible within Her Majesty's prisons. During the times when she is not receiving psychiatric treatment, Lauren Atkins needs to be at home, where she can benefit from the love and support given to her in unstinting quantities by her mother. At present, Yvonne Atkins cannot support and help her daughter as much as she would like, and it has become clear to me whilst examining Lauren Atkins that she will not begin to deal with her problems until her mother can give Lauren her full, undivided attention." "No further questions, My Lord." "As it is later than I thought," John decided. "I think it will be more convenient to adjourn till this afternoon." As they all rose to watch him depart through the door behind the Judge's bench, Karen said to George, "He wouldn't really do that, would he?" "What, commit her to a psychiatric hospital? I don't know. You never can tell with John. He has before and he will again, so who knows." When they reached the foyer, Karen's face broke in to a smile as she saw Meg walking towards them. "Long time no see," Karen said, walking forward to give her a hug. "And whose fault is that?" Meg asked seriously, briefly returning the hug. "I know, I'm sorry," Karen said a little sheepishly. "I've been busy." "Yes, so I've heard," Said Meg dryly. As the two women stood a little apart from the rest, clearly catching up, Nikki spoke discretely to George. "You might want to wipe that gloriously self-satisfied smirk off your face before Yvonne appears, because it won't take her two minutes to work out who it's for." George blushed scarlet, hating the fact that she was so transparent. "Is it that obvious?" She asked. "Just a bit," Nikki replied with a broad smile. "Helen was always far better at discretion than I was, and I was the one who'd had the practice." "Is it ridiculous, feeling so elated?" "No, of course not," Said Nikki with a fond laugh. "Just make sure you enjoy every minute of it." Hearing the sheer sincerity in Nikki's words, George vowed to take her at her word. No matter how long this, whatever it was lasted, whether it be a few weeks, a few months or even longer, she would enjoy everything it had to offer. With this in mind, she walked over to Karen, only to hear Meg's last few words. "Karen, when all this is over, you must come and see me." "Are you saying that as a psychiatrist or as a friend?" Karen asked dryly. "Both," Meg replied firmly. "I mean it. You haven't been to see me in either capacity for well over a year, and I think it's long overdue." "I will, I promise," Karen said quietly. "Well, don't just think about it, do it," Meg affirmed sternly. As she walked away, Karen turned to see that George was standing next to her. "I guess that's me told," She said with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Have you known her long?" George asked, privately thinking that Karen was far braver than she was for even thinking of seeing a psychiatrist, never mind having one as a friend. "I've known Meg since I was a nurse," Karen said with a smile. "I've worked with her on and off for years, and she's right, I haven't been to see her in her professional guise for far too long." Then she grinned. "You know, I should recommend Meg to John. He'd never succeed in getting passed her like he did his previous therapist. Meg's been in the job too long to fall for his charms." "Is someone taking my name in vain?" Came a voice from behind them. Turning round, Karen said, "Yes, I think I've found you a new therapist." "Not the woman who was in court this morning?" He asked looking slightly wary. "The very same," Karen said with a broad smile. "You'd never pull your usual stunt on Meg Richards, though I have to admit, it would definitely be amusing to see you try." "Trust you to know someone like her," John said ruefully. "She's the most powerful, down to earth psychiatrist I've ever seen in the witness box." "And you've still got an afternoon to get even more acquainted with her," Said George, knowing that never in a million years would John take therapy from someone he wouldn't be able to seduce if things got too difficult for him.
On the Monday morning, George felt serene, happy and thoroughly unable to keep the smile off her face that had been there since Friday. As she dressed and applied her perpetual layer of makeup, she couldn't wait to get to court to see Karen. Having not seen her since Saturday, George knew she would be getting withdrawal symptoms if she didn't see her soon. Once she looked like her usual immaculate self, she stood in front of the mirror and sternly told herself not to act like an adolescent, that behaving in any way inappropriately in public was not an option, and that hoping for any more than she was likely to get from Karen would only lead to disaster. As she went downstairs to make a cup of tea and to check her e-mails before going to court, too many of her appointments for this week having been postponed, the phone rang. It was Jo, asking if George would give her a lift to court because her car wouldn't start. Briefly rolling her eyes and deciding that her e-mails would have to wait till later because of rush hour traffic, George slammed her front door and throwing her handbag in to her car, backed out of her driveway. As she paused at the end of the road, waiting for a mother with two children to cross in front of her, she spied a red Ferrari in her rearview mirror, with what looked like Yvonne behind the wheel. Remembering that Karen had said Yvonne lived round here, George briefly waved, receiving a smile in return. As Yvonne followed George's sleek, black BMW, she couldn't help finding her driving funny. George was a nightmare to pedestrians and other motorists alike, always overtaking whenever she could, and using hand gestures that wouldn't have looked out of place in Larkhall to broadcast her displeasure to all and sundry. But when George turned off to collect Jo, and Yvonne did the same to fetch Crystal, Josh wanting the car to take the children out today, they parted company.
When she drew up in front of Jo's house, Jo dropped a bulging briefcase on to the backseat and got in beside her. "Thanks for this," Jo said as she did up her seatbelt. "Oh, my pleasure," George replied as she pulled out in to the stream of traffic. Having borrowed Karen's Carolyn Johnson CD from her on Saturday, George now had it playing on the car stereo, the cheerful rhythm and happy lyrics serving to enhance her current mood of relative euphoria. As she weaved her way through the slowly flowing London traffic, she occasionally found herself accompanying the singer on the CD, only stopping when she remembered Jo's presence beside her. But Jo didn't mind. It made a change to see George as happy and vibrant as she currently was, and she wasn't about to complain. After one song who's chorus ended with the words, "Love is always worth the ache," Jo found her voice. "You sound like you had a good weekend," She commented. George grinned wickedly. "Oh, didn't I just," She couldn't help gloating. Then seeing the brief shadow that had crossed Jo's face, she strove to reassure her. "Don't look like that," She said gently. "It wasn't with John. You ought to know by now that whenever I do have a particularly good evening with John, I do my best not to flaunt it." Jo was forced to admit that this was true. George had always done her utmost to be discrete about the time she spent with John, knowing that even though this three-way relationship had been Jo's suggestion, that this didn't mean Jo was even now entirely happy with it sometimes. "Anyone I know?" Jo asked, trying to lighten the mood. "Well now," Said George with a smirk. "I'd say that was for me to know, wouldn't you?" "As you wish," Jo replied, though not quite able to hide the fact that her curiosity was peaked. "I know I should get some sleep, I'm at the beginning of another long week. But I don't want you to go. No I don't want you to go," Sang George, sounding happier than Jo had ever heard her. "If I didn't know better," Jo said, the realisation slowly dawning on her. "I'd think you were in love." George just smiled. "You are, aren't you?" Persisted Jo, a smile now lighting up her own face. "In love is such an adolescent phrase," George said noncommittally. "But seeing as I feel like I'm fifteen again, yes, I suppose I am." "And you won't tell me who?" "I can't," Said George seriously. "Not yet." "At least tell me if I know them?" "Jo!" George complained with a laugh. "I'm itching to tell someone, anyone as it is, so yes, you would fit the bill nicely, but I can't." "And with your urge to talk that must be horrendous," Jo commented dryly. "Oh hilarious," Threw back George, the broad smile still lighting up her face. "You'll just have to be patient."
When George brought her car to a stop next to Yvonne's Ferrari, Yvonne and Crystal were just getting out. "For someone who's supposed to be upholding the law," Yvonne said as George locked her car doors. "You're a bloody nightmare." "Tell me about it," Jo said, seeing that Yvonne was only winding George up. "I wouldn't have asked for a lift if I wasn't desperate." "I'm not that bad," George protested, but knowing she was. "I'm amazed you haven't got a string of driving offences," Said Jo. "How do you know I haven't?" Quipped back George. "Go on," Said Yvonne with a grin. "How many points have you got on your licence?" "Only three at the moment," George said, fishing it out of her handbag. "That's what comes of having friends in high places," Yvonne said with a wry smile. As they walked towards the court building, Jo couldn't help wondering just who George's new beau might be.
Once inside, Jo and Yvonne separated from them and George and Crystal walked upstairs. "I heard it didn't go too well on Friday," Crystal said quietly. "No, not brilliantly," George replied. "I think Lauren will have needed the weekend to recover from that." When they reached the gallery, they saw that all the others were already there except Karen. As Crystal moved to sit down next to Barbara and George sat on the end beside Nikki, George found herself really feeling like one of these women. They greeted her like an old friend, making her feel far more welcome than she'd ever felt at all those social gatherings where sycophantic women talked about work and only work, in an endless effort to climb the professional ladder. When Karen arrived not long after and sat down next to George, she said, "There was a bloody traffic jam not far from the prison, and I was so wound up by the time I got there, that I gave Sylvia a verbal warning." Then, lowering her voice so that only George could hear, she said, "If we weren't in present company, I'd kiss you." "That's good to hear," Said George with a smile. "I thought I was going to get withdrawal symptoms if you didn't turn up this morning." "That'll wear off," Said Karen with a laugh. "It doesn't, believe me," Said Nikki on George's other side. George looked round at her with a slight blush. "When I first met Helen," Said Nikki quietly. "One smile from her would keep me going for an entire week." But before they could continue this conversation, the clerk called out "All rise," and the second week of the trial began.
When Meg Richards had sworn the oath, Jo moved forward to begin her questioning. "Dr. Richards, what was your initial impression of Lauren Atkins?" "When I first met Lauren Atkins," Meg began in that quiet, controlled, utterly self-confident voice Karen knew so well. "She was angry, confused and without doubt highly disturbed. For a while, she resented having to talk to me, clearly not wanting to admit that there was anything wrong with her. She seemed to think it made her less of a person to be suffering from a psychiatric illness than to be guilty of murder." George felt a brief moment of sympathy for Lauren. "Dr. Richards, before we turn in detail to your report on Lauren Atkins, what, in short, was your eventual diagnosis of her state of mind?" "Lauren Atkins is suffering from a type of psychosis that has made it impossible to come to terms with the fact that her brother and her father are dead. She cannot entirely escape from both her father's and her brother's encouragement." "How does this manifest itself?" John asked. "I will come to this, My Lord," Jo replied. "It is not uncommon for Miss Atkins to either hear her father's or her brother's voices, or to actually se them as if they were in the room with her," Meg said, turning to look up at John. Having witnessed something of the kind on the previous Friday morning when Lauren was on the stand, John understood. "Let us now turn to your report," Jo continued. "3B in your bundle, My Lord." Meg's psychiatric report on Lauren ran as follows:
Lauren Atkins: psychiatric report
Name: Lauren Atkins. Case Number: 240073. Date: 15/03/04. Attending Psychiatrist: Dr. Margaret Richards.
I was invited, by council for the defence, Jo Mills QC, to examine Miss Lauren Atkins and to give evidence in the case of the Crown versus Atkins. Lauren Atkins has been charged with the brutal murder of Mr. James Fenner, a principal officer of Her Majesty's Prison Larkhall, on the fifth of October 2003. Whilst Miss Atkins is not denying that she committed this act, she is mounting a defence of diminished responsibility. With this in mind, my examination of Miss Lauren Atkins will take in to account the three following areas: Lauren Atkins' thoughts and feelings with regards to Mr. Fenner's murder; her severe distress and inability to allow herself to grieve following the suicide of her brother, Ritchie Atkins, on the 29th of August 2003; and her general attitude with reference to the breaking of the law.
To begin with, I have talked at length to Miss Lauren Atkins with regards to the death of Principle Officer James Fenner. Miss Atkins does not deny what she did, one might almost say she has been extremely co-operative about her involvement in this act. She has explained the course of her actions, beginning with stalking Mr. Fenner, progressing to abducting him and to eventually injuring and killing him. She has described her actions both to the police, to her barrister, and to myself with as much openness and amiability as could be expected in such a situation. Miss Atkins has stated that she felt high on Sunday the fifth of October 2003, to quote her specifically, "Higher than on any drug." Whilst she had clearly been planning this act for some time, it was on this particular Sunday that Miss Atkins felt a distinct need to fulfill her mission. When asked to provide an explanation as to why she deemed it necessary to kill James Fenner, Lauren Atkins replied that it simply needed to be done. When asked to elaborate, she would not at first disclose her motive. It was only after some further discussion, and on feeling that she could trust me, that Lauren Atkins began to explain her unlawful actions.
On the 29th of August 2003, Lauren Atkins suffered two tragedies within hours of each other. First, she was forced to watch as her brother, older than her by four years, was sentenced to ten years in custody. Only hours later, she was informed that her brother had committed suicide, by an overdose of barbiturates. The day after her brother's suicide, when her mother had returned home after identifying Ritchie Atkins' body and collecting his personal belongings, Lauren Atkins was given a letter addressed to her from her brother, which he had clearly written just before he took his overdose. I have attached a copy of this letter to my report, but its main purpose was to plead with Lauren to kill Mr. James Fenner. Lauren Atkins saw this as her brother's dying wish, a dying wish that she could not ignore. He told her that he was proud of her, gave her the kind of compliment she hadn't received since the death of her father, Charlie Atkins, two years before. Ritchie Atkins' letter instructed Lauren not to inform their mother of his request, as by his own words, she wouldn't understand. It is my professional opinion that Ritchie Atkins achieved his goal by playing on his sister's insecurities, by telling her precisely what she needed to hear at a time of deepest sorrow. He clearly and calculatingly took advantage of his sister's wavering loyalty towards their dead father and the principles of Atkins justice he and they had once stood for. Lauren Atkins saw it as her duty to fulfill her brother's dying wish, to regain some of her past life, seeing it through the rose-tinted spectacles through which we all see departed loved ones. During this time, it was a perfectly natural reaction for Lauren Atkins to emotionally cling to the life she'd once known. I believe that she wanted to recapture the days when her father was proud of her criminal achievements, and her brother still loved an respected her. In his letter, Ritchie Atkins reminded his sister that she was and is an Atkins by blood, not simply an Atkins by name as their mother is. His words persuaded Lauren in to thinking that it was her duty to uphold the Atkins family values, to commit one last act of Atkins-style justice in the name of her father and her brother.
Whilst this may all appear slightly fanciful to any cross-examining barrister, the effect these words and the feelings associated with them would have had on Lauren Atkins must in no circumstances be underestimated. Lauren Atkins is not denying that she undertook to kill James Fenner in such a brutal and inhumane fashion, but she is simply attempting to provide an explanation of why she chose to do this. The sense of duty Lauren Atkins felt towards her family and its values is clearly an area of deep-rooted thinking that cannot be undone overnight, simply by the choice her mother took on leaving prison to keep to the proverbial straight and narrow. This was far easier for Yvonne Atkins than it would ever have been for her daughter Lauren. Yvonne Atkins chose to marry in to the Atkins family, whereas Lauren Atkins was brought up surrounded by the family code of practice from the time of her birth. Lauren Atkins is the last of Charlie Atkins' bloodline, and she may have felt pressured by her brother's suicide letter in to, at least for this one act of retribution, continuing what her father had started many years before. This hypothesis can be strengthened further when questioning Miss Lauren Atkins on the subject of law breaking. Within a very short time, it became clear to me that Lauren Atkins sees absolutely nothing wrong in breaking the law to satisfy her own ends. She knows that in the grand scheme of things it is wrong to play a significant part in organised crime, but she cannot help but see this as a way of life. As Ritchie Atkins said in his last letter to his sister, she was Charlie Atkins' protege. This meant that he taught her to shoot at a very early age, and that whilst both Charlie and Yvonne Atkins were in prison, Lauren was able to take over the family business without any difficulty. Lauren Atkins must not be entirely blamed for this. Her father was a sadistic, ruthless individual who bent every person he met to his will. In other words, disobey or challenge Charlie Atkins, and you end up in an early grave. Ritchie Atkins had chosen to duck out of his father's life, to make his own way in the world, but Lauren didn't feel able to do this. Like her mother, Lauren Atkins knew that she either had the choice of staying and adopting Charlie Atkins' way of life, or of going in to hiding, being constantly on the run and in fear of her life.
My recommendations to the court are as follows: 1. That Lauren Atkins is not questioned too closely on the death of her brother, as she is inclined to extreme emotional outbursts if provoked, which would be neither productive nor appropriate in such a setting as a courtroom. 2. That Lauren Atkins needs psychiatric treatment, not a custodial sentence. She has a serious lack of closure with regards to her brother's death, and she currently cannot adequately cope with the legacy of Atkins family duty that both her father and her brother have left to her. 3. That the defence of innocent by virtue of diminished responsibility be upheld, as, in my professional opinion, Lauren Atkins had an enormous amount of pressure put on her, let us not forget from beyond the grave, to commit this act of violence. Lauren Atkins had no person with whom to plead her case, as both her father and her brother were dead. For her entire life, Lauren Atkins' feelings, judgments and opinions have been built on extreme loyalty, both to her father and to the values he upheld. Whether this loyalty was engendered by way of fear, rather than respect cannot be wholly estimated, but such levels of loyalty both to a person and to a way of life should not be ignored. Lauren Atkins requires treatment, rehabilitation and understanding, facets not usually present in the type of psychiatric treatment provided within Her Majesty's prisons.
"Dr. Richards, you have stated in your report that when Lauren Atkins was asked why it was necessary to kill James Fenner, she simply said that it was something that needed to be done. Please could you explain this?" "My Lord," Said Neumann Mason-Alan, getting to his feet. "Surely it is for the defendant to explain her words, not her psychiatrist." "Sit down," John said, sounding thoroughly bored with the man's antics. "If you'd wanted Miss Atkins to explain this particular sentiment, you should have asked her when you had the chance. Please continue," He said, turning his attention back to Meg. "The way in which Lauren Atkins approached the killing of James Fenner was entirely single-minded. It occupied every minute of her day, resulting in the kind of unbending focus that many professionals apply to their work. I have come across surgeons, barristers and prison governors who do likewise, leaving themselves little time for a life outside their professional pursuits." "That sounds familiar," Said Karen, exchanging knowing smiles with Helen and George who had the capacity to be as focused and single-minded as she did. "It would be fair to say," Meg Richards went on. "That Lauren Atkins approached the task of removing James Fenner with the same kind of total dedication. For the six weeks between the death of her brother and the death of James Fenner, it was all she thought about, all that mattered to her. She would have maintained the appearance of a normal, day-to-day existence, but this would have only been on the surface. Every moment she was alone, she would have returned, mentally if not actually, to the matter in hand." "And could you also offer any explanation as to why Lauren Atkins felt so euphoric immediately following her killing of James Fenner?" "For some people, doing something as horrifically dangerous as killing someone, can give them an enormous rush of adrenalin, almost like a drug-induced high. It can even go as far as to be a sexual arousal for some of them, though I would hasten to add that this was definitely not the case with Lauren Atkins." "Dr. Richards," John intervened again. "If, as you say, Lauren Atkins finds it impossible to escape from the sights and sounds of the two people who have influenced her so greatly, what would your reaction be to a suggestion to place Miss Atkins in a secure hospital, somewhere like Broadmoor for example." "No!" Came the unguarded plea from Roisin, who knew only too well the fear and uncertainty that resulted from being confined in such an environment. All eyes turned upwards to the gallery, but John made no comment. "Actually, I would agree with such a response," Meg said in to the resulting silence. "Lauren Atkins would definitely not benefit from being confined in any kind of closed environment alongside severely disturbed people." "But why," Persisted John. "If her form of psychosis has been the cause of her committing a pretty brutal murder?" "My Lord," Jo interrupted. "Might I draw your attention to what my client said when I questioned her? Lauren Atkins' words were: Charlie taught me to shoot with that gun, and it seemed fitting to commit my first and last murder with his weapon." "Precisely," Agreed Meg. "I do not believe that Miss Atkins will ever again be in the position she was after her brother's suicide." "But you cannot be certain of this?" Asked John. "Nothing is certain, My Lord, least of all the random thoughts and electrical impulses that make us react in the ways we do." "Dr. Richards," Jo continued, trying to regain the reins of her case. "You have also stated in your report that, it is your professional opinion that Ritchie Atkins achieved his goal by playing on his sister's insecurities, by telling her precisely what she needed to hear at a time of deepest sorrow. You have also said that Ritchie Atkins, clearly and calculatingly, took advantage of his sister's wavering loyalty towards their dead father, and the principles of Atkins justice he and they had once stood for. Please could you explain this in greater detail?" "What the court needs to understand if Lauren Atkins is to receive a fair hearing, is that from day one, she was put under enormous pressure by her father to grow up an Atkins. Whilst Yvonne Atkins may have suffered at the hands of her husband, she did not have to deal with the same amount of expectation. Yvonne Atkins was only an Atkins by name, not an Atkins by blood as both Lauren and her brother were. The family, and their absolute loyalty to his way of life were the two most important facets of Charlie Atkins' character. Both of his children would have grown up believing that the family and loyalty to the family were all that mattered. As I wrote in my report, the extent to which Lauren's loyalty was bought by fear or respect, I couldn't possibly begin to estimate, though I suspect it was a mixture of both. When Ritchie Atkins wrote that last letter to his sister, pleading with her from beyond the grave to carry out his last wish, she had no one with whom to plead her case, no one to whom she could explain her feelings. Ritchie had specifically told his sister not to discuss what he'd asked her with their mother, thereby removing Lauren's one possible listener. As a result of the extreme loyalty she had for her father, despite the numerous things he had done to hurt her, it could never have been within Lauren Atkins' nature to disregard her brother's last wish. Ignoring what he had asked her to do, or discussing it with anyone simply wasn't an option for her." "Dr. Richards," John interrupted yet again, dramatically raising Jo's blood pressure. "Precisely why does Lauren Atkins exhibit on the one hand, a level of loathing for who her father was, to rival that which I find myself occasionally feeling towards the establishment, and on the other, a strength of will and sincere loyalty that has influenced her into stalking, abducting and killing a man?" "My Lord," Put in Jo, barely concealing the irritation in her tone. "If I might be allowed to question my own witness, I feel sure that these facts will be revealed." But knowing that it was the Judge who ruled and not either barrister, Meg answered him. "This is possibly the most obvious symptom of the type of psychosis that Lauren Atkins is experiencing," Meg began. "She cannot align what would have been expected of her by her father and brother, with the hurt and anger she feels for both of them as a result of what both she and her mother have gone through over the years. If the expectation of her loyalty were nowhere near as strong, Lauren Atkins would never have had a problem in consigning any wish to please her father to the recesses of her mind. But as this emotional hold on her is still so strong, this need to fulfill both what her father had taught her to be and what her brother asked her to do, have remained well and truly on the surface of her consciousness, providing her with an internal battle from which she cannot escape." "Finally, Dr. Richards," Continued Jo. "Please would you outline to the court, exactly what course of action you would recommend for Lauren Atkins?" "I would unerringly stand by what I said in my report, that Lauren Atkins should not be given a custodial sentence, and that what she requires is psychiatric treatment, support and understanding. Lauren Atkins needs to be encouraged to grieve for the death of her brother, and to be helped, possibly via cognitive behavioral therapy, to detach herself from the stringent expectations placed on her by her father. Such in-depth psychiatric treatment as I would recommend for Lauren Atkins, is not routinely available or possible within Her Majesty's prisons. During the times when she is not receiving psychiatric treatment, Lauren Atkins needs to be at home, where she can benefit from the love and support given to her in unstinting quantities by her mother. At present, Yvonne Atkins cannot support and help her daughter as much as she would like, and it has become clear to me whilst examining Lauren Atkins that she will not begin to deal with her problems until her mother can give Lauren her full, undivided attention." "No further questions, My Lord." "As it is later than I thought," John decided. "I think it will be more convenient to adjourn till this afternoon." As they all rose to watch him depart through the door behind the Judge's bench, Karen said to George, "He wouldn't really do that, would he?" "What, commit her to a psychiatric hospital? I don't know. You never can tell with John. He has before and he will again, so who knows." When they reached the foyer, Karen's face broke in to a smile as she saw Meg walking towards them. "Long time no see," Karen said, walking forward to give her a hug. "And whose fault is that?" Meg asked seriously, briefly returning the hug. "I know, I'm sorry," Karen said a little sheepishly. "I've been busy." "Yes, so I've heard," Said Meg dryly. As the two women stood a little apart from the rest, clearly catching up, Nikki spoke discretely to George. "You might want to wipe that gloriously self-satisfied smirk off your face before Yvonne appears, because it won't take her two minutes to work out who it's for." George blushed scarlet, hating the fact that she was so transparent. "Is it that obvious?" She asked. "Just a bit," Nikki replied with a broad smile. "Helen was always far better at discretion than I was, and I was the one who'd had the practice." "Is it ridiculous, feeling so elated?" "No, of course not," Said Nikki with a fond laugh. "Just make sure you enjoy every minute of it." Hearing the sheer sincerity in Nikki's words, George vowed to take her at her word. No matter how long this, whatever it was lasted, whether it be a few weeks, a few months or even longer, she would enjoy everything it had to offer. With this in mind, she walked over to Karen, only to hear Meg's last few words. "Karen, when all this is over, you must come and see me." "Are you saying that as a psychiatrist or as a friend?" Karen asked dryly. "Both," Meg replied firmly. "I mean it. You haven't been to see me in either capacity for well over a year, and I think it's long overdue." "I will, I promise," Karen said quietly. "Well, don't just think about it, do it," Meg affirmed sternly. As she walked away, Karen turned to see that George was standing next to her. "I guess that's me told," She said with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Have you known her long?" George asked, privately thinking that Karen was far braver than she was for even thinking of seeing a psychiatrist, never mind having one as a friend. "I've known Meg since I was a nurse," Karen said with a smile. "I've worked with her on and off for years, and she's right, I haven't been to see her in her professional guise for far too long." Then she grinned. "You know, I should recommend Meg to John. He'd never succeed in getting passed her like he did his previous therapist. Meg's been in the job too long to fall for his charms." "Is someone taking my name in vain?" Came a voice from behind them. Turning round, Karen said, "Yes, I think I've found you a new therapist." "Not the woman who was in court this morning?" He asked looking slightly wary. "The very same," Karen said with a broad smile. "You'd never pull your usual stunt on Meg Richards, though I have to admit, it would definitely be amusing to see you try." "Trust you to know someone like her," John said ruefully. "She's the most powerful, down to earth psychiatrist I've ever seen in the witness box." "And you've still got an afternoon to get even more acquainted with her," Said George, knowing that never in a million years would John take therapy from someone he wouldn't be able to seduce if things got too difficult for him.