A Place Of Safety (33 page)

The trouble was, she had exactly eight pounds in her purse and her cashpoint card had been swallowed.

She thought about everything that had happened in the last few weeks. The lying and cheating. She had left home to make something of herself, to prove she was not a trustafarian with more shoes than brain cells. She didn’t want to be a stylist, or to work in PR. She wanted to be a journalist. She wanted to make her father proud.

She pulled out her mobile.

‘Daddy, it’s Lex,’ she said. ‘I need some cash.’

Catalina took the Bible in her tiny fingers.

‘I promise to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God.’

Lilly looked at her client, dwarfed by the courtroom, ludicrous in her dungarees. The only person who could tell her story was Catalina. It was up to her.

‘Tell me about the night you met three boys from Manor Park School.’

Jez flew to his feet. ‘Objection. My friend is leading her defendant as if she were a horse in a circus.’

‘He’s right, Miss Valentine.’

Lilly shrugged. ‘I apologise, but I just thought we should cut to the chase.’

Catalina glanced at the jury, then at Lilly. Her face was pink with shame.

‘I met them in the village and we went to the park,’ she mumbled.

The members of the jury craned their necks to hear her. Lilly could have advised her to speak up, but decided it was better coming out in Catalina’s own sorrowful way.

‘Everything was fine until…’

‘Until what?’ asked Lilly.

‘One of the boys pulled me to the floor and raped me.’

‘How did that make you feel?’

Catalina buried her head in her chest. ‘Like an animal.’

‘And afterwards?’

‘It was as though everything wasn’t real. Like I was there, but not there.’ Catalina shook her head as if it were a puzzle to her. ‘I felt like a robot.’

‘Lilly took a deep breath. This was the crux. On the day of the shooting, did you still feel like that?’

‘Yes. It felt like a dream.’

‘Miss Petrescu,’ Jez leaned on his elbow as if she were hardly worth the effort. ‘Do you seriously expect this court to believe you didn’t know what you were doing when you obtained a gun and went to a school with it?’

‘I didn’t think about it.’

Jez laughed. ‘Surely it seemed a little out of the ordinary?’

‘I didn’t think about it,’ she said. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘Don’t apologise to me,’ said Jez, inferring that there were others more deserving of her excuses. He leafed through his papers and Lilly sighed. Jez would know every letter in those files, he was simply putting Catalina under the scrutiny of the jury’s glare.

‘You say you were raped, Miss Petrescu.’

Catalina nodded.

‘Yet you didn’t go to the police?’

‘I didn’t think they would believe me.’

‘Why not?’ he asked. ‘They can perform tests, make notes of your bruising.’

‘They were rich boys, English boys,’ she said. ‘I thought they would say I was another lying asylum seeker. Just like you say I am lying.’

‘I don’t infer you made this up because I am a racist, Miss Petrescu,’ he said.

‘No?’

Jez shook his head. ‘Not at all. I am simply going on your track record.’

‘I don’t understand.’

Jez tore off a sheet of paper and handed it to Catalina. ‘Do you recognise this?’

‘Yes.’

‘Of course you do.’ Jez tapped it with his finger. ‘This is the statement you gave to the immigration authorities. Do you recall what you said?’

‘Not word for word.’

‘Then let me refresh your memory.’ Jez snatched back the statement. ‘You called yourself Anna Duraku. You said you were from Kosovo and that your family had been murdered by the Serbs.’

Catalina hid her face in her hands.

‘It’s a tissue of lies, isn’t it?’ roared Jez.

‘Yes,’ Catalina whispered into her fingers.

‘I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that,’ said Jez.

‘Yes,’ Catalina wailed.

‘Then answer me this.’ Jez lowered his voice. ‘If you were lying about that, why should we believe you about the rape?’

‘Not you two again.’

The woman with the bleached hair is letting the workers out of the back of a van.

‘Just give me what you owe me and I’ll never come back here again,’ says Luke.

‘Piss off,’ she says.

‘I worked hard.’ Luke sees the Ukrainian. ‘He’ll tell you that I did a good job.’

‘You need to leave,’ says the Ukrainian. ‘You have caused enough trouble.’

Luke’s eyes fill with tears. If he can’t get the money Caz will let some disgusting old man do it to her and he can’t bear it. It’s too much.

‘If you don’t give it to me I’ll go to the police.’

Everyone stays very still.

‘That’s right,’ Luke says, ‘I’ll tell them what you do. That everyone here is illegal.’

A rustle runs through the men. Many of them don’t speak much English, but they know about the police.

‘That’s enough, Luke,’ warns Caz.

‘You think I won’t do it, but I will,’ says Luke, tears streaming down his face. ‘I’ve got nothing to lose.’

Someone shouts at Luke, the words foreign, the tone universal.

‘You’ll all be sent home,’ screams Luke.

The Ukrainian grabs Luke by the neck. ‘No one is going home.’

‘He’s joking,’ says Caz. ‘Ha ha, hee hee, get it?’

‘It’s not funny,’ says the Ukrainian, his eyes boring into Luke’s.

‘Stick him in the back of the van,’ says the woman. ‘Teach him a lesson, the junkie scum.’

The Ukrainian drags Luke towards the van. He’s going to get the kicking of his life, and he’s terrified.

Without warning, Caz darts forward and aims a kick to the Ukrainian’s groin.

‘Ooph.’ He doubles over and lets go of Luke.

‘Leg it,’ shouts Caz, and they pelt down the road.

‘Little bitch,’ roars the Ukrainian, and chases them.

Luke’s breath is loud in his chest. He used to be so fit. Football, hockey, cross-country runs. All he does now is sit about and get off his head. Caz is even worse, trailing slightly.

They run towards the main road, at least five men seconds behind them.

Luke has never been so scared in his life.

He dives through the traffic, ignoring the horns, the cyclists’ shouts.

Caz has stopped to catch some air.

The men are right behind her.

‘Caz,’ Luke yells. ‘Quickly!’

She glances behind her, her eyes round as she sees how near their pursuers are. She runs into the road.

The car screeches to a halt but the thud is sickening.

Luke stands in the rain as the driver leaps out and hovers over Caz, her body bent and bleeding.

The Ukrainians melt away.

‘Do you know this boy?’

Alexia shoved the school photograph under the girl’s nose. She had dreadlocks down to her waist and kept spitting out the side of her mouth.

‘No comment.’

Alexia brandished fifty pounds like a fan.

The girl checked around as if MI5 might be watching and snatched the money.

‘His name’s Luke. He hangs with Mad Caz.’

‘Where will I find him?’

The girl shrugged.

Alexia sighed and handed over another tenner.

‘Most days they go to the Peckham Project.’

‘I did okay?’ Catalina brushed Lilly’s hand.

‘You did great,’ said Milo. ‘Just great.’

Lilly gave a small smile. Her client’s testimony had been exactly what she’d anticipated. ‘Tomorrow I will give my closing speech and then the jury will make up their minds.’

‘You will persuade them, Lilly,’ said Milo.

‘Let’s hope so.’

Alexia took the bus to Peckham and rang the doorbell of what looked like a community centre.

A middle-aged woman answered in a cloud of smoke. ‘Sorry,’ she said. ‘This is a resource for children.’

‘I know.’ Alexia waved away the fog. ‘I need to speak to you about one of them.’

The woman went to shut the door. ‘Our policy is “no involvement with the authorities”.’

‘I’m not the police, social services or immigration,’ Alexia laughed. ‘To be honest, I don’t even have a job right now.’

‘So what do you want?’

Alexia pushed the photograph under the woman’s nose. ‘I’m trying to find this boy.’

‘Is he in trouble?’ the woman asked.

‘Not that I know of.’

The woman paused as if deciding what to do.

‘I’m Jean. You’d better come in.’

*  *  *

Alexia warmed her hands around the chipped mug of tea. ‘What do you do here?’

‘Whatever we can,’ Jean lit another cigarette. ‘We offer everything from filling in forms to washing socks.’

‘And what do you do for Luke Walker?’

Jean touched the photograph. ‘He’s not like most of them, I could see that from the start.’

‘How?’

‘Some of these poor buggers, most of ’em really, never had a chance in the first place. Parents couldn’t give a damn about them.’

‘But not Luke?’ asked Alexia.

‘He’d obviously come from a nice home,’ said Jean. ‘And I don’t mean money. I hoped I could help him get back to his mum. Is that why you’re here?’

‘Sort of,’ said Alexia. ‘Luke witnessed a rape, and I need him to give evidence about what he saw.’

Jean laughed. ‘Good luck with that. Most of these kids would sooner gnaw off their arms than get involved in a court case.’

‘I understand that,’ said Alexia. ‘But a girl’s life depends on it. Another kid who never had a chance in the first place.’

Jean leaned back in her chair and blew smoke at the ceiling.

‘He hasn’t been in today, but when I next see him I’ll tell him you’re looking for him.’

‘That might be too late, the trial finishes tomorrow.’

The doorbell rang.

‘I can’t do more than that.’ Jean got up to answer it.

A tiny boy, no more than ten, came rushing in. He pointed to Alexia. ‘Who’s that?’

‘She’s leaving,’ said Jean.

Alexia smiled her thanks and moved towards the door.

‘Guess what, Jean?’ the boy squealed. ‘Mad Caz got run over. She’s in St Bart’s.’

Alexia let herself out.

‘How’s it going?’

David passed her a Harvey Nichols bag.

‘Not great.’ She pulled out a Prada trousersuit. ‘I don’t think the jury believed she was raped.’

‘I meant you,’ said David.

She wasn’t ready to think about the fire. Not yet.

‘Fine.’

She held the jacket against her. The tailoring was exquisite.

‘Do you like it?’ David asked.

‘I can’t afford designer stuff.’

‘Cara says you get what you pay for.’

Lilly smoothed her hand over the soft fabric. ‘Except she’s never the one paying.’

Her mobile rang.

‘I’ve found the boy,’ said Alexia.

‘Have you spoken to him?’

‘I thought that would be better coming from you.’

Lilly stuffed her £900 suit back in the bag. ‘Don’t let him out of your sight.’

Lilly shuddered as she entered the hospital. She felt sick at the thought of Rupinder still attached to all those tubes, and the smell always reminded her of Elsa’s last days—the tang of disinfectant attempting to mask decay and death.

‘He’s in there,’ whispered Alexia, and pointed to a teenage boy sitting by a bed. He was filthy and pale. His eyes were sunk into his face, but it was definitely Luke Walker.

‘Luke?’ Lilly approached the bed.

He didn’t answer. He was transfixed by the patient in the bed, both arms encased in bandages, the face so swollen it was impossible to say if it was a boy or a girl.

‘Luke?’ Lilly repeated.

This time he looked up, his eyes guarded.

‘Do I know you?’

Lilly see-sawed her hand. ‘My son attends Manor Park.’

She saw his eyes flicker around him as he looked for an escape route.

‘You’re not in any trouble, Luke,’ she said. ‘In fact, I’ve come to ask for your help.’

‘What do you want?’

Lilly moved towards him as if he were a wild animal that might take flight.

‘I represent Catalina Petrescu.’

She could see the name meant nothing to him.

‘Anna,’ she said. ‘The girl in the park.’

Luke sprang up, his chair flying behind him. ‘I didn’t do anything. If she says I did, she’s lying.’

Lilly put up her hands. ‘She’s not saying that, Luke. She’s never said that.’

Luke backed away. ‘What do you want?’

‘It’s a long story, Luke, but I need you to go to court and say she was raped.’

‘I’m not going near any court.’

Lilly nodded. ‘I know you’re frightened, but if you don’t do this Anna will go to prison for something she didn’t do.’

‘Just leave me alone,’ Luke shouted. ‘Leave us alone.’

A nurse arrived and put her hand in the small of Lilly’s back.

‘I think that’s enough, don’t you?’

Chapter Twenty-Six

Jez let out a whistle. ‘Looking foxy, Miss Valentine.’

Lilly did a small twirl.

The Prada suit was fantastic.

‘Shame your case isn’t up to the same standard,’ he said.

Lilly batted him around the head.

He was right. The case was hopeless. Catalina was going down.

Her mobile rang.

‘You look gorgeous,’ said Jack.

Lilly laughed. ‘Are you spying on me?’

‘Are you fecking kidding, woman, I’ve been stalking you all morning.’

‘Are you in court?’ she asked.

‘Just want to see the verdict. I just want to know that this is all over, one way or another.’

Lilly too was glad the trial would soon be over, that she could then see Jack again, that Sam could then come home—or as soon as she could get the decorators in. But the thought of Catalina spending years locked away made her heart turn to dust.

*  *  *

Luke had lain by Caz’s bed all night. Some of the other patients and their visitors had made rude comments about the smell, but he didn’t care.

He puts his cheek next to hers and breathes her in.

‘You need to brush your teeth,’ she says, her voice barely audible.

He can’t even smile. He looks up and down her broken body and blinks away tears.

‘Why did you do it, Caz?’

‘I was being chased by a gang of mad Russians,’ she says.

‘I mean, why did you look after me?’ he says. ‘You don’t know anything about me.’

She lifts her finger and rubs his hand. ‘I know what I need to know, soft lad.’

A memory flutters past. Tom, Charlie and Luke are wandering down the lane from the school to the village. It’s a cold night and spider webs lace the hedges. Tom is showing off and Charlie is laughing. Why did he go with them that night? Why didn’t he just tell them to get lost and finish his prep?

He kisses Caz’s head. ‘You are my best friend in the world.’

‘You are my only friend,’ she answers.

‘When you get better I’m taking you back home with me,’ he says.

‘I think your ma might have something to say about that.’

Luke shakes his head. ‘I don’t care. You can have my bed and I’ll sleep on the floor.’

‘Sounds nice.’ Her voice trails away.

‘You can have a hot bath every day,’ he says. ‘Twice a day if you fancy.’

Her eyes flicker shut.

‘Caz?’

He can’t feel her breath on his cheek.

‘Caz?’

He shakes her gently at first, then harder. ‘Caz!’

‘What a bitch.’

Snow White looks up from the pan of cheese sauce bubbling on the Aga.

Her son is watching the news.

‘The slut that killed Charlie is saying she did it because she was raped.’

‘She’s said a lot of things,’ says Snow White.

‘She shouldn’t be allowed to get away with it.’

Snow White is proud of her son. He has a clear sense of right and wrong.

‘They will find her guilty,’ she says.

‘Now that I’d love to see,’ he replies.

Snow White pours the sauce over cauliflower. It was Grandpa’s favourite. ‘Righty-ho,’ she says. ‘You can come to court.’

‘Really?’ he laughs. ‘Take a day off school?’

‘Some of the other mums are taking their boys,’ she says. ‘You’re all old enough now to understand that we each have to take responsibility.’

Calm, calm, calm.

Lilly tried to stop her hands shaking. This was it. Her last chance to make the jury understand what her client had been through.

The atmosphere in the courtroom was electric. The public gallery was packed. She could even see Manor Park parents and pupils dotted among the press.

She glanced at Catalina in the dock. The girl gave a small smile.

Calm, calm, calm.

‘Ladies and gentlemen of the jury.’ How Lilly wished she had something positive to give them. ‘You have now heard all the evidence that is to be put before you, and I would like to say a few things on behalf of my client.’

Lilly paused. What could she say?
Please believe my client, even without any evidence that she’s telling the truth.
This was hopeless.

The door burst open and Alexia fell into court.

‘Who let this person in?’ roared the judge, and a very spotty usher slunk to the back of the room.

‘I’m sorry, Your Worship,’ said Alexia. ‘But I have something important for the defence.’

‘You can’t just burst in here,’ said the judge. ‘There is a trial going on.’

Alexia turned to Lilly. ‘He’s here.’

‘What?’

‘He’s outside now.’

‘Can someone tell me what is going on?’ asked the judge.

‘Your Honour, we have a last-minute witness,’ said Lilly.

Jez jumped up as if scalded. ‘It’s too late, the defence have closed their case. My friend had already started her final speech.’

‘Come on,’ said Lilly. ‘I didn’t say a fat lot.’

‘Nevertheless,’ said the judge. ‘Mr Stafford is correct.’

‘Your Honour,’ said Lilly. ‘This whole case has turned upon whether or not my client was raped, and I now have someone who will say that it did happen.’

A shocked whisper ran through the court.

‘He’s here now,’ said Lilly. ‘Can we really say that without him Catalina Petrescu has had a fair trial?’

The judge bit his lip, no doubt weighing up the unorthodox nature of Lilly’s request against the country’s media breathing down his neck.

‘I’ll allow it.’

‘Is your name Luke Walker?’

The boy in the witness stand squirmed. His eyes were red, his hair matted. He had obviously not slept. At last he nodded.

‘Can you tell the court what happened to my client in the park?’ said Lilly.

Luke flicked a look at Catalina.

‘She came with us for a drink.’

‘With who?’

‘Me and Charlie Stanton and Tom Everard.’

‘And what happened?’

‘We were just having a bit of a laugh, you know, chatting her up and that. We had some cider.’

‘Sounds like harmless fun,’ said Lilly.

‘It was at first.’ Luke worried his lip with the edge of his thumbnail. ‘Then things turned nasty.’

‘In what way?’

‘She started dancing around and that, acting all crazy,’ he looked at her again. ‘Then Tom dragged her to the ground.’

‘That’s a lie!’

Lilly looked up to the gallery. Tom Everard was on his feet, his nasty gums on show. ‘You’re lying,’ he shouted, before someone pulled him back into his seat.

Luke ignored him. ‘He pulled her down and forced himself on her.’

The judge leaned over to Luke. ‘That is a very serious accusation, young man.’

‘He raped her,’ said Luke. ‘I was there.’

‘I understand you’ve been on the run, Luke?’

Jez was smiling at him. Lilly sensed danger.

‘I understand you’ve been living rough?’

‘Yeah,’ said Luke.

‘Drinking, I suppose?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Taking drugs?’

‘Sometimes.’

‘Has it made things hazy? A little less sharp?’ asked Jez.

‘I know what I saw.’

‘Perhaps your memory is fading,’ said Jez. ‘Or perhaps you misunderstood?’

‘There is no mistake. Tom had sex with her.’

Jez nodded slowly. ‘Is it possible that they did have sex, but that it was consensual?’

Luke stopped in his tracks.

Lilly gulped. Oh, no. Please, no.

‘Is that possible, Luke?’ asked the judge.

Luke looked at Catalina, then up to the gallery where Tom Everard was leaning over the balcony, flanked by other Manor Park boys. Lilly saw Jack was sitting up there too.

‘Luke?’ Jez prompted.

‘No,’ said Luke. ‘It wasn’t consensual.’

‘Do you know what that means, Luke?’ asked Jez.

Luke snorted. ‘Of course I know what it means. Just because I’m dressed like this, because I’m a bit of a mess, it doesn’t mean I’m stupid.’

‘I wasn’t implying…’

Luke stood tall. ‘You think you can dismiss me just because I’ve been homeless?’

Lilly had never before seen Jez Stafford flummoxed.

‘I was simply questioning your memory of events,’ he said.

‘Well, don’t,’ said Luke. ‘Because I know exactly what happened.’

In the gallery, Tom once again struggled to his feet. ‘Shut your mouth, Walker.’

Luke pointed at the other boy but didn’t take his eyes off Jez. ‘You think because he’s rich and goes to a nice school that he should be believed?’

Jez was speechless.

‘He put his hand over her mouth because she was screaming,’ said Luke. ‘And Charlie held down her arms.’

A shockwave ran through the court.

‘You fucking grass,’ shouted Tom.

‘He thought she didn’t matter,’ said Luke. ‘That she was nothing.’

‘You’re a traitor,’ spat Tom.

At last Luke looked up at his old school friend. ‘You treated her like an animal, but she is just as important as you and me.’

Tom roared at Luke. ‘We’re supposed to be friends.’

‘My only friend is dead,’ Luke held his old school mate’s glare. ‘You and I were never friends.’

The gallery erupted and Jack dragged Tom out of court.

‘Tom Everard, I am arresting you on suspicion of rape. You do not have to…’

‘This is preposterous,’ said Mrs Everard.

‘Tom can have his say at the station,’ said Jack.

‘You can’t take that boy’s word, he’s clearly deranged,’ said Mrs Everard. ‘The family he’s from are not the right sort.’

A woman Jack knew as Luella screwed up her nose. ‘She’s right. They’re just not one of us.’

Jack bridled. One of us? What century were these women living in?

Jack took Tom by the arm and began to lead him away.

‘We’ll have our solicitors on to you like a shot,’ said Mrs Everard.

‘And the papers,’ said Luella.

‘I’m already here.’ Alexia bounded up.

‘Then you should get this down,’ said Luella. ‘Police harassment.’

‘Oh, please,’ said Jack.

‘Why don’t you people spend your time solving real crimes?’ said Luella.

‘What,’ said Alexia, ‘like burning down Lilly’s house?’

‘Lilly’s house has been burned down?’ shouted Jack.

‘It was firebombed by Nazis two nights ago,’ said Alexia.

Jack was stunned. ‘Is Sam okay?’

Alexia nodded. ‘Not that those bastards cared less about that.’ She turned to Luella and Mrs Everard. ‘But I suppose his family are just not the right sort for you to care.’

‘Do you know who they are?’ asked Jack.

‘Oh, yes,’ said Alexia. ‘And I know exactly who helped them.’ She stared at Luella and Mrs Everard.

‘You’re not saying this pair were involved?’ Jack replied.

‘Nah,’ said Alexia. She gestured to Luella. ‘She’s a small-minded idiot but she’d never dare do anything other than talk.’ Then she pointed at Mrs Everard. ‘But if you check
her
computer you’ll see she’s a very busy bunny under the name “Snow White”’.

Jack grabbed Mrs Everard’s arm. ‘You are so nicked.’

Alexia whooped with delight and dialled the number for News International. What a story.

Lilly faced her client in the cell.

‘Now everyone knows I was raped,’ said Catalina.

‘Yes,’ said Lilly.

‘But will it be enough?’

Lilly looked at her client intently. Luke’s testimony had been electrifying. The stuff of Hollywood.

‘I don’t know if they’ll be able to get past the lies about where you came from.’

Catalina nodded as if this was exactly what she had suspected. She seemed strangely calm. Calmer than Lilly.

‘I want to give you something,’ she said.

She rifled through her bag of belongings, retrieved a tattered sheaf of paper and pressed the dog-eared bundle into Lilly’s hands.

Lilly locked the toilet door and sat on the lid. She knew that she needed to be alone, and in the mania of the Bailey this was the only place.

She looked at the crumpled pieces of paper covered in childlike writing, each word pressed heavily with a pencil, and began, at last, to discover who her client really was.

Lilly ran the cold tap over a wad of toilet paper and pushed it against her eyes. Milo and Dr Kadir had been right all along. Catalina had had every reason to do what she did. But could a jury forgive all those lies?

Her mobile rang.

‘Lirry.’

‘Rupes?’

‘Are you okay?’

Lilly could imagine the swelling to Rupinder’s lips and it made her wince.

‘What do you mean, am I okay? How the bloody hell are you?’

‘Sore,’ said Rupes. ‘But on the mend.’

Lilly’s knees began to tremble with relief and she leant against the sink for support.

‘How’s it going?’ asked Rupes.

‘Who knows, mate?’ said Lilly. ‘I’m about to close.’

Rupinder chuckled. ‘Sock it to ’em.’

*  *  *

Court reconvened, and Lilly took her place once again.

‘Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,’ said Lilly ‘I know I started this speech before…’

The jury laughed politely

‘What I didn’t know then was what on earth I was going to say.’

Lilly shot another glance at Catalina’s ‘statement’.

‘In truth, I still don’t.’

She turned to her client. ‘What I do know is that Catalina Petrescu is an amazing person. She escaped a situation that most of us couldn’t imagine in our worst nightmares.

‘And, yes, she lied about where she came from and took on a false identity, but I for one am not going to judge her for that, for who am I to say what I would have done in her situation.’

Lilly scanned the jury, hoping to see a glimmer of understanding.

‘To most of us, the way she was living, in a hostel, shunned by polite society, might not seem that great, but to Catalina Petrescu it was all she wanted because she was safe.

‘Then, one night, even that was taken from her.’

She pointed to the witness stand as if Luke were still in it.

‘A brave young man came forward and told us what happened. How Catalina was forced onto the ground and brutally raped. For most of us that would be a trauma we might never recover from but, for my client it was that last abuse, that last betrayal of her humanity, that pushed her over the edge.’