Chapter 21
I never saw her again. The words echo in Matthew’s ears after the doctor stops talking.
It’s sent a chill through him, the starkness of the phrase, the contrast between the ruddy normality of the doctor’s countenance and the horror of what he’s relayed to the court.
He’s not the only juror to be affected by it, either.
He can sense that just by a quick look around the rest of his number.
They’re shifting in their chairs, holding themselves closer.
When he glances down, he can see that Emma is shaking, as if she’s in tears, though he dismisses this immediately as some kind of performative emoting.
But Matthew can see the tension in Dharam’s shoulders and knows that none of that is for show.
Mr Alexander takes his seat back at the table and Miss Brodie stands up in his place, ready to cross-examine for Eliza.
Matthew can’t think how she can argue with anything that the doctor has said.
But at least she’s trying. Not like Isobel’s advocate, who seems to have given up, as far as Matthew can see.
‘You said in your evidence that everything was as it should be, more or less. It’s right that you’d seen a deterioration in Christian’s condition, hadn’t you?’
‘I wouldn’t go as far as that,’ the doctor replies. ‘But I had seen her in better health. I was concerned that she might not be taking such good care of herself.’
‘You asked her if she was smoking, didn’t you?’
‘Yes.’
‘And she replied yes.’
The doctor shakes his head, but agrees. ‘I told her she needed to stop. I said it was one of the worst things she could do to herself.’
‘And you asked her if she was taking drugs or drinking alcohol?’
His eyes close for a moment. ‘I did, yes.’
‘And her reply?’
‘That it was really none of my business if she wanted to, but that yes, she was drinking. She’d started hiding vodka in her bedroom.’
‘Did you explain to her how bad this would be for her heart, given her condition?’
‘I did, yes.’
‘You said that you contacted her parents immediately after the appointment?’
‘Yes.’
‘But you didn’t think to tell them about your concerns?’
The doctor’s shoulders go back, head high. ‘She was sixteen years old. There is such a thing as patient confidentiality, you know.’
‘Even under circumstances like these?’
‘Even under circumstances like these. I told her she needed to be careful. I told her she should talk to her parents if she was unhappy. But she shrugged it off. There was nothing more that I could do.’ He speaks with conviction, but Matthew senses doubt in his eyes.
It’s too late for that now.
As usual, Isobel’s advocate doesn’t cross-examine. No further questions. It’s really starting to look off. All the jurors comment on it as they’re sent out to their room after the doctor leaves the court.
‘What the hell is she even being paid for?’ That’s Jasmine speaking.
She bangs her water bottle down on the table.
‘No one has spoken up for the girl at all. There’s Brodie asking question after question on behalf of Eliza, but Isobel is being totally ignored.
Her name’s Goodly but she’s doing her job a bit shit-ly if you ask me. ’ She snorts at her own joke.
‘There will be some plan,’ Aisha says. Matthew’s assessment was correct – a very sensible woman. ‘The advocate will know what she’s doing. I’m sure we’ll find out.’
‘Maybe,’ Jasmine says. ‘But I don’t like it. I’m feeling really sorry for the girl.’
Matthew can’t argue with this.
The jurors mill around getting themselves coffee and tea, most of them sitting down at the table while Russell and Dharam stand at the window and look out. Matthew joins them.
‘They’ve set the scene,’ Dharam says. ‘I wish they’d get on with telling us what the girls have to do with it, though.’
Matthew nods.
‘Easier if there’d been a full opening speech. We’d know exactly what the prosecution case was by now.’
‘But where would be the fun in that?’ Aisha says, moving over to stand next to them. ‘This way it’s all a surprise.’
‘You’re enjoying it?’ Dharam says.
‘It’s more interesting than work, I’ll say that.’
‘What do you do?’ Matthew says.
‘I work in a funeral parlour,’ Aisha says. ‘There’s not much conversation.’
‘At least they don’t argue back.’ It’s Emma. She’s pushed into the group even though no one seems keen to include her. ‘I have to deal with arguments all the time.’
No one replies until Aisha takes pity on the woman. ‘What do you do?’
‘I’m a teacher,’ Emma says. ‘I work with teenagers. I know all about this age group. They’re a fucking nightmare. Most of them, at least. I’d believe anything you said about them – they’re totally capable of murder.’
Great. Just what the jury needs – an unbiased member of the public who is willing to listen to the evidence with an open mind. They’ve only just managed to shut down her desire to tell them more about the case than they ought to know; now they need to battle her preconceptions as well.
But before Matthew can work out a suitable response, the jury officer calls them back.
‘I’d only just made my coffee,’ Emma says, but no one listens to her complaint. They all file past her back into court. Matthew, for one, is relieved to walk away from her. Between her and the demonic experience, he’s had quite enough of the day already.