The judge didn’t react when the public gallery erupted, as spellbound as everyone else by Peter’s evidence.
Dan let the noise subside. He glanced to the press benches and saw that the reporters were typing furiously. Just what he wanted.
He turned back to Peter. ‘How did you get to know Sean Martin?’
‘I was young, nearly twenty, and I was going out with a girl, Emily. She was a couple of years younger than me, and she was so sweet, so nice. Her older sister was going out with Sean.’
‘That would be Trudy Martin, Sean’s second wife?’
‘Yes, Trudy Williams she was called then,’ and the light bounce in his voice disappeared. ‘She was so different from Emily, who was bubbly and outgoing. Trudy came across as quieter, but there was something deeper going on.’
‘How do you mean?’
‘She was headstrong, independent, wanted to live a wilder life, felt Highford was holding her back, that it was too small for her. She used to argue with her parents all the time, until the arguments became too much and she left home. That was probably why she was attracted to Sean, because he made out like he was different from everyone else. Too big for the town, if you know what I mean. He had a canal boat painted up like an old gypsy caravan. Back then, Sean lived on the water, but it was all image, the rebellious free spirit and all that, because he spent most nights at Trudy’s house. Emily loved her older sister, idolised her, so we were at Trudy’s house most weekends. It was fun at first, excitement, but when I look back now, Sean wasn’t nice.’
‘Why do you say that?’
‘He drank too much, and he insulted Trudy all the time, sitting in his chair with his bottle of vodka, calling her useless or weak. He hit her too, because occasionally I saw her with a black eye. I never found out the reason.’
‘Did she say why she put up with it?’
‘The same reason we all put up with his abuse and temper,’ Peter said. ‘He was charismatic and dominating. I see now that he was a loud drunk who thought he was better than everyone else, but it was easy to get swept along. We’d talk politics late into the night. Or, rather, he did, lecturing us because he thought he knew more than anyone else and had insights no one else had. I was much younger than him, ten years or so, and he was like the big brother I never had. And it was sexy, sort of.’
‘What do you mean, sexy?’
‘We had nowhere else to go to be together, Emily and me, because we were both still living at home and our parents were always in. Trudy and Sean were very… you know, all over each other. Sometimes we got so drunk that it got out of hand.’
‘Sexually?’
‘Yeah. I don’t mean too extreme, but Sean always wanted to take it to the next level. One night we all got so drunk that we ended up having sex in the same room. Not with the lights on, but Sean was with Trudy in the chair and I was with Emily on the sofa, and we just got carried away. That was when it started, looking back.’
‘When what started?’
‘When it all changed between Sean and me, and Trudy. One night Emily and I, we were, you know, getting carried away, and I looked up because I heard a laugh. We’d got carried away because Sean and Trudy had, and it seemed like it was all right, but when I looked up, I could see them, watching. Just faint shadows but I could see them staring, like we were putting on a show for them.’
‘Why did that change things?’
‘Because Sean tried to join in, but Trudy was having none of it, nor was Emily. He shuffled over, half-naked himself, and started to run his hands along Emily’s leg.’ He shook his head. ‘I don’t know who shouted first, me or Emily or Trudy, but it all kicked off. Emily was trying to cover herself up and Trudy was hitting her, pulling at her, Sean trying to push her back.’
‘What happened after that?’
‘Emily and I got dressed and left. Trudy was still shouting, Emily was crying, but Sean was sitting in his chair, rolling a joint, like he’d just enjoyed the best show ever. We didn’t see each other for a while, but Emily and Trudy were sisters and close, and eventually we drifted back together. Trudy said how sorry she was, and how sorry Sean was, and that it was just one of those silly nights when booze had made it go wrong.’
‘Your friendship resumed?’
‘For a while, yes, but Sean couldn’t help himself. It was the same all over again. Too much booze, and Sean was joking and messing about with Emily, grabbing at her, and I could tell she didn’t like it, but I was too drunk to stop him.’
‘How do you mean, “grabbing at her”?’
‘Trying it on, his arms round her, trying to kiss the back of her neck. Emily was struggling, crying, but it just made him worse. His hands were on her breasts, like, holding them, and then he was trying to put his hand down her trousers.’
‘What did you do?’
Peter swallowed. ‘I encouraged him, I suppose. I laughed along, told her not to be so boring.’
‘You wanted Emily to sleep with Sean Martin?’
‘It wasn’t as simple as that. I wanted to please Sean, which meant that I didn’t worry enough about Emily.’
‘You treated her like something you could give away. Like a possession, not a person.’
He nodded.
‘And Trudy?’
‘She went along with it at first, but she became angry when Emily became upset, because Emily was talking about going to the police, saying he’d just sexually assaulted her. I’ve seen Trudy get angry, and it’s pretty wild, but this was different. It was more frightening, because it was, like, silent fury. She rushed at Emily and threw her out.’
‘Did you go with her?’
Peter shook his head. ‘I was too drunk and stupid, and I felt she’d spoiled the party because it was just Sean acting up.’
‘Do you still think that?’
‘No, but back then I was in his thrall. I know now that Emily was just a goal, a notch to him. He wanted her whether she consented or not.’
Dan knew he was getting to the dangerous part, because Peter had been sketchy on some parts and he hadn’t had time to get all the detail he wanted. It was Peter’s testimony though, and if the facts didn’t help him, Dan knew he’d sleep well enough. Whatever the reason, Peter had killed an innocent woman.
He settled for the simplest question of all. ‘What happened next?’
‘Sean went back to his chair and drank some more, insulting Emily, telling me how I was wasting my time with her, because she had no courage. That she was a wallflower. A spectator, never a participant.’
‘He was talking about Trudy’s sister. How did Trudy react?’
‘Like she couldn’t hear Sean and was focused only on me. That’s when I realised I’d read everything wrong.’ He turned towards the jury. ‘I thought it had all been down to Sean, but it wasn’t. It was Trudy.’
Dan was confused. He tried to hide it but asked, ‘What do you mean?’
‘Trudy said to me, “Do you have courage?” What could I say except yes? She told me that if I promised to keep it from Emily, she would show me something that would change my life. She got close to me, her hand on my leg, and I’m ashamed to say I liked it. It was all wrong but that’s just how it was.’
‘And what did you say?’
‘I agreed. It was the worst decision of my life.’
‘Why?’
‘Because of Trudy, people died, including Lizzie.’