“Yes Your Honor.”
“Ms Jensen?”
“Yes Your Honor.”
“All right, this case is adjourned until Monday morning.”
Wednesday, 26 August, 2009 — 18:00
Andi hadn’t told Gene about the adjournment. Instead she decided to do what Gene had done at the weekend and surprise her lover — in this case, with an unexpected mid-week visit. Of course Gene might catch a TV news report in which they’d mention that the court wasn’t due to reconvene until Thursday. But she was unlikely to make anything of it. And if she did, she’d phone and ask Andi if she was planning on coming home.
She decided, when she arrived at the airport in the early afternoon to go home while Gene was at work and have a hot dinner waiting for her in the oven, to be served on their best china on a lace tablecloth, complete with candlelight and wine. It was a long time since they had done anything romantic.
The house had been empty when she got home and she took this as a sign that Gene was working late as usual. Now as she prepared Boef Bourguignon in an empty house, she felt guilty about leaving Gene to shoulder this burden alone while she had been up in Oakland, fighting for that lowlife who was — as Gene had said — so unworthy of her efforts.
But at least, she told herself, it enabled her to surprise Gene with a beautifully laid table, when she finally came home. The only trouble was that as eight O’clock went by and blended into nine O’clock, there was still no sign of Gene. At first Andi tried to keep the food warm for Gene’s arrival, but had finally given in and turned it off altogether, rather than let it get overdone and dried out.
But now with nothing more to do but wait, a desolate loneliness swept over her. Being here alone, made her feel uncomfortable and she realized now how uncomfortable it must have been for Gene all these days in her absence.
Seized by guilt she went out to her car and drove off to the rape crisis center.
Wednesday, 26 August 2009 — 20:30
“Hi Bethel. How are you holding up?”
“Okay,” Bethel replied weakly.
“Did you see what happened in court?”
“Yes… on the TV…”
“Me too.”
“Oh.”
Bethel had been staying at a witness hostel in Oakland because she had to continue attending the trial until she was discharged, in case either party needed to recall her as a witness. But after the adjournment she had got a message on her cell phone that had changed all that
“I was afraid they were going to throw the case out.”
“But they didn’t,” said Bethel.
“I know. I guess now we know why the DNA implicated Claymore.”
“Yes but now that they’ve found out…”
Bethel trailed off, unable to get the words out.
“I know, I know. But that was always the risk. You know what the Italians say: Que Sera, Sera.”
“What?”
“What will be, will be.”
“Oh.”
Beth started to cry.
“Hey listen. I don’t want to hear any of that. At least you gave the bastard a good scare.”
“Yes but that’s not what I’m worried about.”
“There’s
“No, you don’t understand! I scratched you
“What are you talking about?”
“When I dug my finger’s into your arm. Don’t you remember?”
There was a moment’s hesitation.
“That was your
“Yes you’re right. I mean
“Well which of your hands did they take the nail clippings from, left or right.”
“The left I think. No wait a minute. I think they took from both. Two from the left and one from the right.”
“Okay well never mind. That’s nothing to worry about. They’re using Y chromosome DNA, and only men have that. Anyway, there’s nothing to compare it to — nothing from me I mean.”
“All right.”
“Okay well anyway, get a good night’s sleep… and stop worrying.”
“Wait!”
“What?”
“There’s something else… something weird happened on Saturday.”
“What?”
“I had a call from a woman. I don’t know how she got my number. But she said that she was going to make sure that Claymore got what he deserved.”
“And it wasn’t anyone you know?”
“It sounded familiar, but it was a bit distorted.”
“Did she say how she got your number?”
“No.”
“Did you ask her?”
“I didn’t think about it at the time. She caught me off guard.”
“And did she say who she was? Or
“No… but I think she said her name.”
“Her name?”
“I mean she told me a name, but it was kind of a weird name.”
“Well what was it?”
“I think it was something like… Lannosea. At least that’s what it sounded like.”
“Lannosea?”
“Yes. Does it mean anything?”
“No. But I think I’d better Google it and see what comes up.”
Wednesday, 26 August 2009 — 21:05
As she drove to the rape crisis center, Andi continued to dwell on her guilt feelings as she thought about what she was actually doing: helping a rapist who had allegedly reformed but who had grown rich on the strength
