Twenty quid. Cabs don’t come cheap in the metropolis. Nor do lawyers. Tom knew his client to be guilty. After all, the man had a known history of violence.
Jake sat across the counter and observed his attorney. Tom had always been a friend, someone he could trust. Thomas Bainbridge, QC, looked up at Jake and smiled reassuringly at his client, as though he were a benevolent headmaster about to let his naughty ward off with nothing more than a warning.
“Good evening Jake”.
“Good evening Tom. Good to see you still have my back.”
Tom grimaced at the flippant tone of his client’s voice. “Why dont you tell me exactly what happened? And remember Jake, I need the truth. All of it.”
Jake leaned forward, and although he knew privacy was guaranteed, lowered his voice to a whisper. “I lost my cool Tom. That female cheated on me.”
Tom sat back a little straighter on his chair and observed the man on the other side of the counter. They had both been married at about the same time, but his wife was a chip off the old block. Loving, caring, supportive and loyal. Thank God for the little mercies.
“There were rumors. I always thought them to be untrue. Well, what do you want me to say? You know I’ve always had a bit of a temper, Tom. I mean, what would you do?”
“We can indulge in the hypothetical once we’ve got the facts straightened Jake. It’s you who’s going to be on trial for murder. Now run the facts by me, from the top and don’t leave anything out.”
Jake took a deep breath began his version of the story. Things he wouldn’t have cared to spill out in confession.About his wife Mary and some millionaire playboy. James Something. The bloody man had some nerve, he said, and he said it not without considerable feeling. He seduced married women, because he enjoyed the challenge. A regular Casanova, with boyish good looks and a charm that made married women want to mother him and sleep with him at the same time. Mary was always weak. And easy. The stupid man made one mistake though. He messed around with the wrong man’s wife.
“How do you know she cheated on you Jake? Do you have any evidence to support this claim?”
Jake lowered his head and said in an even tone “The man has a Baronetcy. Sir James whatnot. The family crest is embossed on his accessories. I found a pair of red socks with the Family crest (JJ) on them in the laundry that morning. It was almost as if he had deliberately left it behind to mark his conquest. The next thing I knew, I had shot my wife with the hunting rifle. ”
An hour later, Tom emerged from Central jail, armed with all the facts of the case. As he sat back in his cab and thought the case through, he felt thankful that it was not he who had gotten engaged to Mary. He felt sorry for his client although he couldnt empathise with his insecurities. He would have to struggle manfully through the case and come up with a convincing line of defence to buy any sort of sympathy with the jury.
Thomas Bainbridge sat down at his study table and began preparing the groundwork for what was undoubtedly going to be a high- profile case in the months to come. Five hours later, he felt he could do with a cup of English tea. As he walked past the living room, still turning the case over in his mind, his eyes rested on his hunting rifle hung over the fireplace. He smiled ruefully, since it was Jake who had bought him the thing in the first place. He walked over and lifted it off of its resting place, wondering what must have possesed the damn man to pull the trigger. As he cradled the rifle and walked across to the kitchen, he froze in his tracks. Lying amongst his articles of laundered clothing was pair of red socks with the crest JJ.....