Page 77 of Maybe Tomorrow

Jennifer arrived home to a warm house and a cold atmosphere. She entered the kitchen carrying her briefcase and found Malcolm sitting at the table with a glass of red wine in front of him. He did not look happy.

‘Good evening. Bad day?’ she asked, taking in his glacial expression.

‘You could say that. Sit down. We need to talk.’

Jennifer tried to read his face but couldn’t. Slowly, she pulled out the chair opposite and tentatively sat down. ‘What’s the matter?’

‘I’ve been removed from the education committee.’

‘Why?’

‘And Benedict Whitehead, the twat, has said he won’t back my nomination for the independent welfare committee.’ He spoke through gritted teeth, his face red with anger.

‘Why?’ Jennifer repeated. ‘What’s happened?’

‘You.’ He looked directly at her with tear-filled eyes.

‘Me?’

‘Yes. All everyone is talking about is Anthony Winstanley and when his name comes up, so does yours. Every single person in this town knows he’s guilty, except you. People don’t want to be associated with a Ripley because of you sticking up for a rapist and a murderer.’

‘Malcolm…’ Jennifer began.

‘You’re defending a guilty man.’

‘He’s not guilty.’

‘Really? Then why is he in a remand centre? Why wasn’t he given bail? Why do the police have a cast-iron case against him?’

‘Who told you that?’ she asked, aghast.

‘I went to the police station today. I spoke to DI Bishop. He told me Anthony is guilty. He told me that he’s never had a case where he’s been so assured of someone’s guilt.’

‘He’s lying.’

‘Why would he lie?’

‘Because he screwed up,’ Jennifer shouted. ‘By the time Bishop’s team realised Alice Patterson was murdered, the site where she was found had been trampled all over. Any footprints belonging to the killer had been lost. I also have it on good authority that he beat a confession out of Anthony Winstanley and paid a witness to falsify evidence. Anthony is innocent.’

‘How can you possibly know that?’

‘Because it’s the truth.’

‘It’s fiction. The jury will take one look at Anthony and find him guilty. You are going to ruin your career before it’s even off the ground, and you’re going to take me down with you,’ he said, standing up and storming out of the kitchen.

‘Where are you going?’

‘I’m going to meet Ralph for a game of squash. I need to get rid of some of this tension.’

‘We’re supposed to be going round to your mother’s for her birthday.’

Malcolm came back into the kitchen. ‘Oh, sorry, I forgot to tell you,’ he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. ‘Mum doesn’t want us round. She lives next door to Geoff Patterson’s mother and is, naturally, taking their side. You’re even alienating me from my own family now.’

He disappeared back into the hallway. A few seconds later, Jennifer jumped as the front door slammed.

She took a deep breath and slowly blew it out. She knew Anthony was innocent. She had to stand by him, even though the strain on her marriage would be immense. She doubted her marriage could survive the long wait for the trial to begin next spring. She hoped something would happen before then and the real killer was caught, and everything could get back to normal as soon as possible.

Jennifer reached across the table and picked up Malcolm’s discarded glass of wine. She swigged it all back in one mouthful, then went over to the kitchen counter for the rest of the bottle.