Episode 1:
"We are gathered here today for the hearing of the Crown versus Gavin Cochran, Mr Cochrane would you please stand whilst the charges are being read!" The Judge called out, and a confident Gavin immediately complied waiting for the clerk to the court to begin as he scanned the public gallery searching for one face in particular.
"Gavin Cochran you are here to day charged with the crime of murder of one John Raymont how do you plead?"
"Not Guilty your honour." Gavin's strong baritone rang out causing a flurry of whispers and fierce pencil scribbling from the press gallery.
"Very well as you have pleaded not guilty, a trial by jury will be conducted at a later date to be set by the crown court, Mr Stanson I understand your client has petitioned for bail…."
"Yes your honour." The Barrister quietly agreed.
"And do the prosecution service have any objections?"
"We do your honour, Mr Cochran is accused of a capital offence and he is not a man of insignificant means or connections, we believe there is a significant risk of abscondment therefore bail should be denied!"
"Your Honour!" Stanson objected. "My honourable colleague must forgive me but I was under the naive impression that we are all equal under the law and as such my client should not be discriminated against on the basis of his bank account!"
"Indeed, however the prosecution do have a valid point what ties does Mr Cochran have that will keep him simply disappearing!" The Judge snapped.
"I can assure you your honour my client has every intention of clearing his name and will remain in this country to do so; in addition he has a family to consider, a fiancé and child on the way, and she is prepared to post the bail, I can assure your lordship he has absolutely no intention of abandoning them!" Stanson argued.
"Very well Mr Stanson on this basis I am willing to grant bail at two million, I just hope for your sake Mr Cochran she thinks you are worth such an auspicious amount…Court Dismissed." He added bringing the gravel down hard as the police officials carted Gavin back to the cells for that last long wait before his bail was posted.
- - - -
Down in the cells Gavin paced like a caged animal, it had been two months, two long miserable frustrating months and now where the hell was she? He knew how much she had hated visiting him in prison, not that he had been allowed many visits that is but perhaps he should have realised something was wrong when suddenly the excuses started, she couldn't come this week because she had a doctors appointment or some important art expert was visiting. At the time he had put it down to all the hassle she got at every visit, the bitchy comments from the other women as they verbally slagged her off, making snide remarks about her designer clothing and her airs and graces, and if that wasn't bad enough she also had to put up with the lecherous guards and other prisoners, eying her up and making the most vile suggestions of what they would like to do to her given five minutes alone.
But today was important and she should have cancelled everything to be there for him, unless of course she had changed her mind about him? Perhaps she wouldn't post the bail after all, then she could be free to leave him behind without any risk of him coming after her…
"Mr Cochran?" A polite yet nervous looking James muttered as he stood nervously hanging around the doorway.
"We're all done here sir are you ready to leave?"
"Where's Meredith?" Gavin demanded, relieved that she had kept her promise, his fears somewhat assuaged by her chauffeur's presence but still her continued absence puzzled him.
"She sends her apologies sir but she said she will see you later!" James replied glancing around over his shoulder as if he expected some monster to come leaping out of the shadows.
"Oh she did did she!" Gavin hissed his eyes narrowing in anger, grasping his jacket he pulled it roughly on striding passed the worried looking chauffeur and all the guards all the while muttering under his breath. She was not going to do this to them again, he was damned if he was going to let her, he was out now and it was time to get back all the things he considered his own, he was going to get his life back and no one, not DCI Jordan, Danny Abrams or even Meredith Gates was going to stop him.
- - - -
Meanwhile across town Meredith paced up and down in her apartment her agitated glances fleeing back and forth between the window and the piles of boxes that littered her once pristine living room. It just wasn't fair she kept muttering over and over, she shouldn't have been made to feel like a prisoner in her own home, but a quick glance down at the pavement confirmed her suspicions, the little worm was still there, despite his best efforts to conceal himself it had only taken her five minutes to spot the little rot bag. He was the reason she hadn't gone to court, she knew that the moment she stepped outside her door there he would be, in her face snapping away, saying the most vile things just to try and get a reaction and today would be worse than usual.
Sighing Meredith moved away, glancing quickly in a nearby mirror checking that her hair was still perfect; she had to look just right it had been so long since it had just been the two of them, alone together, without guards looking on or police officers. Just the thought of being in the same room with him made her skin tingle in anticipation and deep down she knew in her bones she was doing the right thing. It hadn't been without cost, the price had been higher than she had anticipated, being stalked by the paparazzi was bad enough but had it been that alone she could have coped, but to have been ostracised from her peer group had been a blow she hadn't expected.
The art world had closed ranks on her and she had been left out in the cold, John had obviously had more friends in death than he ever had in life, either that or this was just the perfect excuse to get rid of her. All those little people she had trodden on to get to where she was today had finally gotten the revenge they always dreamed of, she had virtually lost everything, her gallery was under investigation by the insurance company hunting the missing Picasso's and unless they miraculously turned up it looked like she would never be able to open so much as a tea shop in the future let alone a multi-million pound gallery. Her reputation was ruined, no one would ever approach her to host anything from now on and even if she could get insurance the premiums would literally cripple her.
She still had her apartment of course but as she scanned around it, the stark bleak empty walls seemed glaringly bare, reaching out she ran her fingers across the spot where her favourite Matisse had hung, it was long gone sold along with most of her personal collection to cover their mounting legal costs. She hadn't been able to tell Gavin, he had enough problems of his own trying to hold on his remaining assets, the gallery was in his name but what good is a gallery without any paintings? It didn't take a genius to work just who had taken them, and Meredith mentally cursed Danny. It was hardly a surprise when a week after Gavin's gallery was robbed one of his clubs was fire bombed, the week after that it was something else and then something else until just this last week she had had a call from a certain panicking landlord informing her he would not be renewing Gavin's lease on his apartment and she had just two days to pack and ship all his belongings, that was the reason for all the clutter.
Suddenly her silent ponderings where shattered by three loud honks. Smiling she grabbed her purse and coat and dashed down the stairs ignoring the routine flash of the camera as the paparazzi swine came jumping out from his unoriginal hiding place behind the bin.
"Gavin Cochran has been released on bail any comments Ms Gates?" The journalist barked out deliberately stepping between Meredith and her car.
"No Comment!" Meredith hissed trying to side step him.
"Oh come on Meredith darling just a few words…"
"I SAID NO COMMENT!" She snapped trying to get in the car door where she knew Gavin would be waiting behind the blacked out windows.
"You are such a frigid bh!" The chap hissed. "Come on loosen up, give me something to work with!" He added in his best pleading voice, something totally incongruous with his short fat and balding appearance.
"NO COMMENT!" Meredith screeched. "Now get out of my way!"
"I'll be waiting you know when you get back, just give me a few words and I'll leave you alone…"
"If only!" Meredith hissed glaring at him with such ferocity a lesser man would have quaked in his boots.
"If you don't I'll have to start digging for a story!" He retorted reaching into his pocket and waving a recognisable yet scanty pair of lacy black panties. "See I have something already, Meredith Gates the woman with so much money she never bothers to wash her clothes she just throws them out and buys new ones!"
"You sick pervert!" Meredith gasped resisting the urge to slap him round the face, recoiling in disgust when he clasped her panties to his face and sniffed them.
"Ahhh spring fresh!" He muttered dreamily.
"You…You are disgusting!" Meredith gagged pushing past him and dragging the car door open before collapsing gratefully inside missing the gasp of surprise from the other occupant as she struggled to close it behind her, the paparazzi having realised just who else was there was snapping away like his life depended on it.
"James Drive!" Gavin commanded, leaning over and helping Meredith with the door as the Jag sped away from the pavement finally slamming it shut as they rounded the corner.
Turning round Meredith found herself mere inches away from him, suddenly nervous she offered him a slight smile. "Come here often?" She teased reaching out and gently sliding her hand into his larger one.
"Yes I make a habit of turning up in jaguars and rescuing beautiful damsels from sweaty photographers! When I'm not in court alone fighting for my freedom that is!" Gavin retorted somewhat coldly but his eyes softened as they traced over her, noting for the first time a pronounced bulge around her middle.
"I was going to come but…"
"But what you got a better offer?" Gavin retorted.
"No you don't understand its been hell, I've been living in a prison as well, it might not have bars like yours, but it has hordes of screaming swearing paparazzi, malicious phone calls at all hours, my entire life has been invaded, I have no privacy and no rights and I'm sorry Gavin I just couldn't face it…" Meredith trailed off unable to keep the choked up sound from her voice, this wasn't the way it was supposed to be, she had planned this get away so carefully so they could have a few days respite before having to deal with all the fallout.
"It's alright." Gavin whispered pulling the now unusually tearful Meredith into his arms and holding her tightly.
"My Pride was hurt, nothing more I shouldn't have said that I didn't mean it."
"You did!"
"At the time but it doesn't matter now, we're together and that's all that matters." He added soothingly planting featherlike kisses across her temple before cupping her chin softly and kissing her properly until they both had to come up for air.
"I've missed you something rotten." He whispered brushing stray hairs from her face.
"Well I should bloody well hope so Mr Cochran!" Meredith retorted shifting round and resting her head against his chest, finally letting the weeks of tension and uncertainty seep out of her as she listened to the steady thump of his heartbeat
"Am I allowed to ask where you are taking me?" Gavin chuckled.
Sighing in contentment Meredith nuzzled deeper into his arms. "Far away where they can't find us…Just you me a secluded hotel and…."
"And?"
"The largest king size bed this side of the Atlantic!" She giggled watching as his eyes lit up in delight.
"Is it far?" He whispered conspiratorially skimming his fingers across the exposed sensitive skin of her wrist, smiling naughtily as Meredith moaned softly.
"Maybe a little too far…" She trailed off her eyes locking with his, watching as they widened in shock as she seized his hand in hers and slid them both down her thigh and then under the hem of her skirt shifting around on her seat before moaning throatily as Gavin took full advantage his other hand quickly pressing a button and sliding up the blacked out divide between them and James, catching the chauffeur's eye at the last moment Gavin could have sworn he caught a knowing smile on the drivers face before he disappeared from view.
- - - -
However had Gavin been aware of a meeting that was taking place in the very heart of London then he might have thought twice about their little jaunt into the country. In the back room of one of the corporations strip joints a motley crew all sat around waiting for the boss to arrive, they knew something was up as Danny had never seen fit to call such a meeting before but then perhaps after the accident things had changed, up till now he had contacted them through other people many of them had never met him face to face. They didn't have to wait long, however instead of the tall arrogant latino stud they had been expecting in strode a petite tanned blonde, her once attractive face now set in a permanent scowl as she surveyed the bunch of miscreants in front of her.
"Hey Blondie go get back on the pole this is a private meeting!" One of the less intelligent thugs called out, sniggering so hard at his own joke that he missed the pointed look the blonde shot one of her bodyguards.
However what he couldn't miss was the sudden shooting pain as he was dragged out of his seat and slammed up against the wall, his right arm forced up behind his back so far he was practically crying from the pain before the heavy brought him over to grovel at her feet.
"My name Melissa Cochran, but you can all call me BOSS! As of today I am taking over from Danny Abrams who I am sad to say finally passed away last night. Any questions?" She added spitefully her blue eyes narrowing as she scanned the room but no one met her eye. "Excellent Perhaps someone can finally make something of this operation after all!"
- - - - -
