Faith - Lesley Pearse [192]
David looked at Stuart and raised one eyebrow quizzically. He thought it astounding that Laura still had such affection and understanding for Belle.
‘Let’s forget the will for now and just deal with what you need to know about the appeal,’ Stuart suggested. ‘Goldsmith has been consulting counsel and he thought they’d get a date settled fairly soon. He’ll be in to tell you about that. David has got to go off to join his wife and kids, but I’m still going to be here. I will have to find some work, but I can visit you, and I’ll be cracking the whip so the lawyers don’t sit on their hands and do nothing. How are you coping with the waiting?’
She smiled at Stuart. ‘I’m doing fine. Reading a lot, writing too, I find it helps. And I’ve signed up to do a computer course. I read somewhere that by the year 2000 everyone will need to know how to use one. So I thought I’d better get prepared for if I do get acquitted.’
‘There’s no “if” about it, you will,’ Stuart said.
She smiled weakly and David remembered he needed to ask her about Fielding. He quickly explained how Calder the solicitor hadn’t wanted to admit he knew him. ‘Why do you think that was, Laura?’
‘I don’t think anyone who likes to be seen as an upright person would want to admit to knowing Robbie,’ she said with a wry smile. ‘You can bet your boots he got Calder to do something crooked back when he was young and hungry. I dare say he’s had the poor bloke over a barrel ever since – a bent solicitor would be very useful to him.’
The bell rang to warn them visiting time was over.
‘Do you think Fielding could have leant on Calder to discover the contents of Jackie’s will, and then instructed him not to inform anyone about it when she died?’ David asked quickly.
‘He could’ve done, I suppose. But why?’ she said. ‘What could have been in it for him?’
Everyone was leaving now, the sounds of chairs scraping on the floor and children yelling making it impossible for David to ask anything further.
Laura got up and went around the table to him and kissed him on the cheek. ‘Have a lovely holiday with your family,’ she said. ‘I can’t thank you enough for giving up so much of your time on my behalf. It was really kind of you.’
She turned to Stuart then, and David noticed she was struggling not to cry. ‘What would I have done without you?’ she said softly. ‘But don’t waste any more of your valuable time on me. You go back to work and let Goldsmith do what he gets paid for. If the appeal fails it won’t be your fault.’
David had to turn away as Stuart hugged her. He could feel his friend’s sorrow at leaving her here, and that his love for her hadn’t diminished over the years. If anything, it appeared to have grown stronger still while he’d been fighting for her.
On Saturday, after David had finally left the flat to go and pick up Julia and the children at the airport, Stuart felt lost.
He’d already stripped the sheets off David’s bed, washed up and tidied the flat. There was only the vacuuming left to do, and the weekend yawned before him with nothing to fill it.
The previous day he and David had had another meeting with Goldsmith and met the QC he wanted to defend Laura at the appeal. Goldsmith clearly had had a change of heart; he was beaming as if all his Christmases had come at once. Whether this was because he finally believed Laura deserved to be freed, or just that he saw signs he could win his case, Stuart didn’t know, but it was heartening to have him acting as though he really cared.
Everything looked great, and it was down to the lawyers to tie up loose ends, prepare their arguments and sort out the witnesses they needed to call. Stuart knew there was no more he could do. As Goldsmith had so succinctly put it, ‘It’s the police’s job to find and charge the real killer. I have spoken with the CPS and passed on all the many points you have made.