Nell dodged puddles as she strode across the plaza towards Exeter Law Courts. With her keen architectural eye, she always took a brief moment to take in the clean lines of the modernist building. Inside was a three-storey atrium, but today, her business related to one of the criminal court rooms that the building housed. She checked the time. Surprisingly, given the amount of increased traffic on the roads now that kids were back at school post-Christmas, she’d got here with time to spare.
Ray Bartholomew, one of the court ushers, greeted her as she entered. He broke into a smile, transforming his stern, no-nonsense face. “Good morning, chief inspector. I trust you had a crime-free festive season?”
“If only, Mr Bartholomew.” She smiled. “I’m here for the Franklin case.”
He checked his notes. “Court one. It’s listed third, but the two preceding ones are remand hearings, so they’re likely to be short.”
“Thank you.” She picked up a coffee from the cafeteria and settled down to refresh her memory of the specifics to the Franklin case. Not that she’d forgotten much of it. How could she? Arson and the attempted murder of Lexi and her toddlerson Kyle, both linked to domestic abuse, on a stinking hot day last August. It’d made the national headlines and brought her and Mattie into the same orbit. So much had happened between them in the five months since then. Nell fiddled with the wooden stirrer. Was Mattie back in the UK now? A different reporter had been sending reports from Turkey forWorldwide Newsin the past few days, so Nell was presuming so, though Mattie hadn’t been in touch.You haven’t got in touch with her either. She growled at the persistent inner voice and turned back to the report.
Attending court tended to involve far too much waiting and hanging around. Nell had absorbed the Franklin file and was immersed in reading an update of plans for the domestic charity’s big fundraiser she was spearheading when a familiar voice called her name. She pushed her chair back to greet Christine Govan. A proficient lawyer for the Crown Prosecution Service, she had a quick wit and was formidable in full stride. They shook hands. “Are we ready to proceed?” Nell asked.
“We are.” Christine tapped her bulging briefcase. “You’re observing for CID today?”
“Yes, and filling in as Lexi’s liaison officer while hers is on annual leave,” said Nell.
They exchanged pleasantries until the case was called. She checked her uniform cravat was neat at her collar, took a deep breath, and went into the courtroom. Previously, Franklin had been remanded in custody when he was first charged, and today, he was due to enter a plea. Nell’s lips twisted in distaste as Lexi’s former partner entered the dock, flanked by two prison guards. His gaze ranged around the public gallery. Who was he hoping to see? Lexi, family members, or friends? If he was hoping for support, he’d be sorely disappointed.
Franklin confirmed his name, date of birth, and that he was currently of no fixed abode. Each individual charge was readout to him. He stared at the wall on the opposite side of the sterile courtroom. To Nell’s utter relief, he replied “Guilty” to every one of them. Behind her back, she clenched her fists. Guilty pleas meant Lexi was saved from the trauma of having to give evidence, of reliving every single moment of the ordeal that Franklin had put her through. Nell couldn’t wait to let her know. She could tell her by phone, but she wanted the opportunity to check in with Lexi in person. Fourteen years ago, Nell had vowed to do everything in her power to support people who’d suffered domestic abuse, to ensure their voices were heard. Today was one of those days.
The drive from Exeter to the safe house that Lexi had moved into once she’d finally been discharged from the hospital would take an hour, according to her GPS. The roads were clear and easy, which gave Nell’s mind plenty of time to replay flashbacks of the days since she’d outed herself while standing in a puddle of spilt salad cream. On Boxing Day, she’d returned to the family home with Caroline, ostensibly to collect her car that she’d left on her parents’ driveway the night before.
“This is ridiculous,” Caroline had said as she stood on the threshold. “Come inside and talk to them.”
Nell had rested against her car, arms folded. “Not unless they both invite me.”
Despite Caroline’s entreaties, the awkward stand-off had continued until Caroline had thrown her arms in the air in defeat. Nell had studiously ignored the stream of messages from the family WhatsApp chat group until she arrived home. Declan had been voracious in his contempt, but Caroline had stood up for her and their other brothers’ comments had been along the lines of “WTF.” The hurt lingered but, surprisingly, the mental bruising wasn’t as bad as Nell feared. She chose to focus on Caroline’s response. It’d been honest and confused but eager to comprehend, just as she’d been when Nell had finally confessedabout Gavin. Not for the first time, Nell considered if she should have made a formal complaint against him for his controlling and coercive behaviour. Would it have made a difference? Hard to say, especially so many years later. She had her self-respect, a job she valued, and a good friend in Angie. What about Mattie? Nell hadn’t been able to come up with an answer to that one.
Nell pulled up outside the safe house that Lexi and the other women left homeless by the fire had moved to. She gripped the steering wheel as she looked at the nondescript building. At least she had good news to share. So often, with house calls, it was the opposite. So why was she feeling particularly emotional?Mattie. All roads led to her. The fire. The scars. The trauma. Mattie’s story was indelibly wrapped up in Lexi’s in unforeseen ways. Nell took in a deep breath and exhaled incredibly slowly. Lexi needed to be at the centre of her attention now.
Aisha, a woman in her thirties with a thick mane of black frizzy hair, showed her into the apartment. She and Lexi had become friends while living at the refuge, and when Lexi had finally been discharged from hospital, Aisha had moved in with her to support Lexi and Kyle.
“Lexi’s in here,” said Aisha, leading the way down a short hallway.
Nell’s heart twisted as Lexi struggled to pull herself up from the sofa. She was pale, her breathing shallow. Clearly, she was expecting bad news, her whole body agonisingly tense and braced for the blow.
“Please, no need to stand.” Nell rushed over and knelt in front of her. Desperation mingled with hope in Lexi’s eyes. “He pleaded guilty.”
“He did?” Lexi sounded as disbelieving as she looked.
“He did. I was there in court. I heard him admit to starting the fire at the refuge and to attempting to kill you and Kyle,” Nell said.
Lexi clutched the arm of the sofa. “I thought he’d deny it. He always does.”
Nell smiled. “It’s over, Lexi.”
“I thought he’d force us to go to court and relive...” Lexi broke down and struggled to catch her breath, a legacy of the lung damage she’d sustained in the blaze.
Aisha wrapped her arm around Lexi’s shoulders as she cried. Nell moved away to give them space. She bit the inside of her cheek to prevent her own tears from welling over. Lexi’s muffled tears eventually slowed, but her breathing remained raspy. Nell waited patiently as Aisha comforted her. The bond between the two women was so heartwarming.
“What happens next?” Lexi asked, wiping her cheeks with a tissue.
“His case was adjourned for reports,” said Nell, “and he’ll be back before the judge next month. The evidence is damning, and he’s got previous convictions for harming you. He’ll be locked up for many years.”
Rustling came from a cot in the corner as Kyle woke from a nap. He used the cot’s bars to pull himself up to standing. Aisha picked him up and brought him over to Lexi. She kissed the top of her little boy’s head as he snuggled in her lap. “I made a promise to myself when I woke up in hospital.” Lexi’s voice was steadier now. “I refuse to hide. I want to tell the world what he did to us.”
“That’s brave.” Nell hoped her face remained impassive.Why the hell would you want to do that?was on the tip of her tongue, however.
Kyle grizzled, so Aisha fetched a soft bear with a soggy ear from his cot and handed it to him. “Lexi, you don’t have to do this.”
