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Authors: David Thomas
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or has any message for me?’
‘She has not said anything about you, or passed on any messages for you, I can tell you that much,’ Iqbal replied.
I tried to mask the stab of disappointment with a business like approach: ‘So what happens now?’
‘Ah, well, the police can only hold a suspect for thirty-six hours. After that time they have to apply to the magistrate’s court for an extension and we have the chance to apply for bail, or, if it is appropriate, for the accused to be moved to a medical facility. There are always complications finding a bed and getting health authority funding, but I’m sure we can find a solution, should it ever come to that.’
‘If Mariana needs medical care, I’ll pay for that too. Perhaps she could be looked after in a private hospital …’
Iqbal made a note on a pad in front of him. ‘To be honest, I am not sure about that. I will have to look into it. Some private hospitals do have secure facilities for those patients who have been sectioned. But whether they would be considered secure enough for someone accused of murder, I cannot tell you.’
‘When will this hearing at the magistrate’s court be, then?’
‘Let me see … your wife was arrested at approximately nine o’clock last night, which would mean that the hearing would naturally occur at nine tomorrow morning. I think we will know a lot more then.’
At least something was happening and decisions would be made. But once again, it was all based on the assumption that Mariana was essentially a criminal, and I wasn’t ready to accept that.
‘What then?’ I asked. ‘Is there anything I can do, anything that will help my wife?’
‘The best thing you can do is simply to let the process take its course and leave the professionals to do the hard work. The criminal justice system does not move quickly. These matter can take months, even years to resolve. In the meantime, my advice to you, Mr Crookham, is to try to carry on in as normal a fashion as you can. It is not easy, I know. But it is for the best.’
11
‘Well, to do the bloke justice, I can see his point,’ said Nick Church.
I’d gone round to the practice out of a sense of duty. I was a senior partner. I ought to show my face at least. As I walked through the main office, trying to look purposeful and composed, I encountered for the first time something to which I was about to become very accustomed: the confused and helpless looks of people who have not got a clue what to say. I didn’t blame them. I didn’t know what I wanted to hear. As for Nick, I’d hoped he’d share my righteous indignation about Iqbal’s apparently laid-back attitude. Yet here he was, apparently taking the lawyer’s side.
‘I mean, face it, there’s not a lot you can do now except pay the bills and be there for Mariana. If you really think she’s innocent …’
‘What do you mean, “if” she’s innocent? You know Mariana. Do you think she could kill anyone?’
I could see Nick thinking he’d have to handle me with kid gloves.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘It’s just that, you know, you’ve lost your brother and … well, no one would blame you for finding it hard to forgive her, that’s all.’
‘How do you know there’s anything to forgive?’
A look of surprise crossed Nick’s face: ‘Well that’s what everyone … I mean, it just looks bad for her, I suppose.’
‘Yes, it does. And that’s why I’ve got to stand by her. Someone has to. Look, it’s bad enough losing Andy. I still half expect him to call up and say why don’t we have the pint we missed last night. But if I lose Mariana as well … what would I have to live for?’
‘Even so, Pete, you’ve got to trust the lawyers. I’m sure they’ll do the best for her. And they’re the experts. It’s like when we build a house. We’re constantly telling clients things they don’t want to hear. This is the same, only you’re the client, not the professional …’
Yes, I
‘She has not said anything about you, or passed on any messages for you, I can tell you that much,’ Iqbal replied.
I tried to mask the stab of disappointment with a business like approach: ‘So what happens now?’
‘Ah, well, the police can only hold a suspect for thirty-six hours. After that time they have to apply to the magistrate’s court for an extension and we have the chance to apply for bail, or, if it is appropriate, for the accused to be moved to a medical facility. There are always complications finding a bed and getting health authority funding, but I’m sure we can find a solution, should it ever come to that.’
‘If Mariana needs medical care, I’ll pay for that too. Perhaps she could be looked after in a private hospital …’
Iqbal made a note on a pad in front of him. ‘To be honest, I am not sure about that. I will have to look into it. Some private hospitals do have secure facilities for those patients who have been sectioned. But whether they would be considered secure enough for someone accused of murder, I cannot tell you.’
‘When will this hearing at the magistrate’s court be, then?’
‘Let me see … your wife was arrested at approximately nine o’clock last night, which would mean that the hearing would naturally occur at nine tomorrow morning. I think we will know a lot more then.’
At least something was happening and decisions would be made. But once again, it was all based on the assumption that Mariana was essentially a criminal, and I wasn’t ready to accept that.
‘What then?’ I asked. ‘Is there anything I can do, anything that will help my wife?’
‘The best thing you can do is simply to let the process take its course and leave the professionals to do the hard work. The criminal justice system does not move quickly. These matter can take months, even years to resolve. In the meantime, my advice to you, Mr Crookham, is to try to carry on in as normal a fashion as you can. It is not easy, I know. But it is for the best.’
11
‘Well, to do the bloke justice, I can see his point,’ said Nick Church.
I’d gone round to the practice out of a sense of duty. I was a senior partner. I ought to show my face at least. As I walked through the main office, trying to look purposeful and composed, I encountered for the first time something to which I was about to become very accustomed: the confused and helpless looks of people who have not got a clue what to say. I didn’t blame them. I didn’t know what I wanted to hear. As for Nick, I’d hoped he’d share my righteous indignation about Iqbal’s apparently laid-back attitude. Yet here he was, apparently taking the lawyer’s side.
‘I mean, face it, there’s not a lot you can do now except pay the bills and be there for Mariana. If you really think she’s innocent …’
‘What do you mean, “if” she’s innocent? You know Mariana. Do you think she could kill anyone?’
I could see Nick thinking he’d have to handle me with kid gloves.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘It’s just that, you know, you’ve lost your brother and … well, no one would blame you for finding it hard to forgive her, that’s all.’
‘How do you know there’s anything to forgive?’
A look of surprise crossed Nick’s face: ‘Well that’s what everyone … I mean, it just looks bad for her, I suppose.’
‘Yes, it does. And that’s why I’ve got to stand by her. Someone has to. Look, it’s bad enough losing Andy. I still half expect him to call up and say why don’t we have the pint we missed last night. But if I lose Mariana as well … what would I have to live for?’
‘Even so, Pete, you’ve got to trust the lawyers. I’m sure they’ll do the best for her. And they’re the experts. It’s like when we build a house. We’re constantly telling clients things they don’t want to hear. This is the same, only you’re the client, not the professional …’
Yes, I
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