Page 112 of Dissection of a Murder
Julian delivers one of his smug looks to the jury.
“Mr. Millman, you do find yourself placed in sticky situations, don’t you? Quite the knight in shining armor. Forever at the mercy of the law, saving young women. It’s becoming quite a habit of yours, isn’t it?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“If convicted of this offense, you’ll receive life imprisonment. Say youwerecompletely innocent. You’d be prepared to risk thatfor a woman?”
“For the woman I love, yes.”
“That’s a very bold and unrealistic claim to make, isn’t it?” Julian sneers, directing the question to the jury.
“I don’t know what the relationship with your wife is like, Mr. Kesler, but I’d do anything to protect the woman I love.”
“Mr. Millman,” the judge interrupts.
Sharp intakes of breath and a few sniggers bounce around the courtroom. A quick glance at the jury confirms it; they all knowJulian is my husband. They would have seen the newspaper articles; it’s common knowledge. Their eyes flick between the two of us to see our reactions.
But I know one thing: Julian does not like being laughed at. He will make Jack pay for that. Julian firmly places his hands on the sides of the lectern in front of him. His knuckles turn white. His blue notebook sits open for reference, but he doesn’t need it.
“This story you’ve told us, casting allegations against the victim’s son, Quinn. Do you understand how serious it is?” Julian asks.
“Yes.”
“You say that Mr. Smythe initially came to your home to ask for the video, for which he offered to pay you a large sum of money?”
“Yes.”
“You claim that Quinn knew of the existence of this video, and that it caused him anxiety?”
“It did, yes.”
“This is the one thing that can prove you’re telling the truth. Something tangible, something these jurors can physically see. The one piece of evidence that would exonerate you. Your phone. Where is it?”
“I don’t know.” Jack shrugs.
Julian turns, slowly, to glance at the jury again. It’s theatrically done, intended to convey his sheer disbelief.I don’t believe this man, and neither should you.It’s convincing.
What a fucking disaster.
“The one piece of evidence…no, I’ll rephrase that. Themost importantpiece of evidence in this trial, and you’ve, what? Mislaid it?”
“I last saw my phone around 7 p.m., about three hours before Anton came round.”
“Yes, you sent a text message to X at that time.”
“It went missing after that.”
“Where were you?”
“I was working, so I was in the club. Innocence, not Temptation. That doesn’t open until 10 p.m.”
“What do you suppose happened to it? Because cell site places it at the premises where you live until 10:41 p.m.”
“I don’t know. And the ‘premises where I live’ is also a nightclub and bar. It was the last weekend before the kids went away to uni, so we were jam-packed. Maybe it fell out of my pocket, and someone took it.”
“It just happened to jump out of your pocket? This vital piece of evidence with a video on it that supposedly showed a man killing someone?”
“Yes.”
