Ben Schroeder threw the bag containing his robes on to the floor in the corner of the room behind his desk, and sat down wearily. He ran his hands through his hair, and looked through the large sash window out over the Middle Temple gardens. It was a calming sight after the exertions of the day. He had spent much of the afternoon trying to persuade a judge at the Old Bailey that there was some mitigation for his client, who had tried to solve his financial problems by driving the getaway car for two of his mates who had made an unsuccessful attempt to rob a bank using sawn-off shotguns. The judge had disagreed, and the client was now beginning a 12-year stretch, a sentence with which, despite his strenuous efforts to mitigate, Ben wholeheartedly agreed. That did not make the experience any easier when he had gone down to the cells to advise his client that there was no reasonable basis for appeal. It was fair to say that the client had not reacted well to that news.
Ben was a strikingly handsome man in his early thirties, with dark features. He had been a member of chambers for about eight years. As usual, he was immaculately turned out in a dark three-piece suit, a crisp white handkerchief fluted in the top pocket of his jacket and, despite the travails of the day, he somehow still managed to look as fresh as when he had started out first thing in the morning.
His copy of The Times lay on his desk. He picked it up, opened it, and began to search for the daily law report. Just as he found it, Merlin knocked and entered without waiting to be invited. The senior clerk’s usually imperturbable demeanour seemed to have deserted him. He was breathing quickly, as if he had been running, and his cheeks were flushed.
‘Sorry to disturb you, sir, but we have a bit of a crisis.’
‘Oh?’
Before Merlin could reply, Jess entered the room with Barratt Davis and Geoff Bourne, the two partners in the firm of Bourne & Davis. Their office was nearby in Essex Street, just outside the Middle Temple, and they were frequent visitors to chambers. Both sent their work in the courts to Two Wessex Buildings. Barratt specialised in criminal law; Geoff dealt with the firm’s civil and family work. Jess had first met Ben when she worked for Bourne & Davis after leaving university and was thinking about her career options. Since then, she and Ben had married, and she was starting her own practice as a barrister. She looked pale. She had been out of court for the day, working on an opinion, and was dressed informally in a brown blouse and grey slacks. Her luminous light brown hair was tied back, held in position by a bright green band. In her flat brown shoes she was shorter than Ben’s six feet two, but not by much. He saw the lack of colour in her cheeks at once, and walked over to meet her.
‘What on earth has happened?’ he asked, hugging her.
Merlin closed the door and gestured all present to sit down.
‘It’s the Lang case, Mr Schroeder, which I have with Miss Farrar,’ Geoff said. ‘The police called this afternoon. It appears that our client, Mr Lang, killed his wife earlier today.’
‘What?’
‘They had been to see the court welfare officer. It seems he stabbed her in the street after the meeting. He’s going to be charged with murder. I don’t know anything more at this stage. I told Barratt, and we both thought we ought to come to chambers immediately. He will need criminal representation now.’
Ben nodded.
‘Yes, I see.’ He paused. ‘Wait a minute. Am I getting mixed up or…? Jess, isn’t the wife represented by…?’
‘By Harriet. Yes.’
‘Oh, my God,’ Ben said. ‘Where is she?’
‘She’s with Mr Smith-Gurney, Mr Schroeder,’ Merlin replied. ‘She’s very distressed, but he has promised to look after her. She won’t be in chambers long. I think he’s arranging for her to spend the night with one of her close friends.’
‘I should see her before she goes,’ Jess said. ‘I hope to God she doesn’t blame me for this.’
‘She could have no possible reason to,’ Ben replied.
‘Even so…’
‘It might be better to leave it, Miss Farrar,’ Merlin suggested. ‘I’m sure she will be back in chambers in a day or two.’
Reluctantly, Jess sank back into her chair.
‘We still represent Henry in the family proceedings,’ Geoff said. ‘Despite what’s happened, we owe him a duty to safeguard his interests, such as they are. So I will still have a watching brief, as far as the children are concerned. But I’ve asked Barratt to deal with the criminal case. It’s his cup of tea rather than mine.’
‘Obviously,’ Barratt said, ‘we have a difficult situation here, and a very sad one. But we must arrange for Henry to be represented. He will be charged almost immediately, I assume, which means that he will be appearing before the magistrates, perhaps as early as tomorrow or Friday. Ben, I’d like you to represent him.’
‘Yes,’ Ben replied. ‘Would you like Gareth to lead? I’m sure Merlin can give us his dates to avoid for the trial.’
‘Yes, of course, sir,’ Merlin said.
Barratt hesitated.
‘Actually, I want you to do it,’ he said.
Ben and Merlin exchanged glances.
‘You mean, on my own?’
‘With a junior.’
Ben looked again at Merlin, who was looking down, but smiling, his composure having apparently returned.
‘Barratt, that’s very flattering, but I’m a bit young to lead in a murder. I’m still fairly junior in chambers.’
‘I know that. But I think you’re ready, and I have a specific reason for wanting you in this case. I want you to lead Jess.’
Ben smiled. ‘Barratt –’
‘There’s method in my madness. Let me explain. Geoff tells me that Henry trusts Jess implicitly.’
‘Very much so,’ Geoff confirmed.
‘Jess also knows everything there is to know about the family proceedings, and that may be very useful in the criminal trial. So I want her to be involved in his defence.’ He grinned. ‘I take it the Bar doesn’t have some arcane rule that a barrister can’t lead his wife?’
‘Not as far as I know,’ Ben replied.
‘Well, I have to ask. God knows, the Bar seems to have every arcane rule imaginable, and then a few. Are you all right with it, Merlin?’
‘It’s not really for me to say, sir,’ Merlin replied. ‘Choice of counsel is up to you. But since you ask, I would have every confidence in Mr Schroeder, and I am quite sure that Mr Morgan-Davies, as Head of Chambers, would agree.’
‘Good,’ Barratt said. ‘Then it’s settled. Geoff tells me that the officer in charge is a DI Webb. I’m going back to the office now to try to contact him, and see what I can find out. In the meanwhile, Jess and Geoff can fill you in about anything you need to know about the family proceedings. Merlin, could you book this in as a conference?’
‘Certainly, sir.’
As Merlin and Barratt left the room, Jess caught a glimpse of Harriet, on her way out of chambers with Aubrey.
She stood and walked quickly out into the corridor.
‘Harriet, I’m so sorry this has happened.’
Harriet did not reply. Jess approached, and put her arms around her. They held each other for some time.
‘I’ll be all right,’ Harriet said.
‘I know. But this is so horrible.’
‘Let’s talk in a few days.’
Jess kissed her cheek as she walked away.