Victor Stanley was charged, put on remand and the case against him assembled.
But when Martha had the chance, she asked Alex, ‘And the boys? The Silver brothers?’
‘Some day,’ he said, ‘they’ll overstep the mark.’
So it proved. Martha was called three months later. A boy’s body was dragged from the River Severn. Witnesses testified that they had seen two tow-headed boys with buzz haircuts push him in. There was photographic evidence. And CCTV.
And so the wheel of life and death, evil and good turns continued.
There was one last service she could perform.
Wednesday, 10 May, 11 a.m.
They were all there at the Coroner’s Court in Shrewsbury, waiting to hear the verdict on Gina Marconi’s death. Bridget and Julius were sitting so close together they appeared welded as one. Terence would be at school.
They’d listened to the pathologist’s evidence, the evidence of Graham Skander, of the police and the emergency services. Julius had spoken about their planned wedding and Bridget had described her daughter’s intelligence, beauty and anticipation for September’s wedding.
Martha was summing up. And she still had a card up her sleeve. She would win this one.
‘I think it probable that Gina was excited that night about the wedding and couldn’t sleep. Tell me,’ she addressed Bridget Shannon, ‘was your daughter fond of animals?’
Bridget nodded without a clue where this was leading.
All faces were turned towards Martha.
‘So she got out of bed and drove.’ Martha smiled and to give her version authenticity she added, ‘I’ve done the same myself – on occasions. I think it possible that approaching Mr Skander’s wall she saw an animal in the road – a squirrel maybe or a fox. There is road kill on the verges. She swerved to avoid the animal, and the rest we know.’
Mouths were open as she announced her verdict. ‘Accidental death.’
Nobody asked the questions they could have about the seat belt. No one asked any questions at all.
Images could have been out there, never erased, but public interest soon wanes and moves on to the next scandal. The press look for new headlines. There is always something to replace a dead lawyer, a schoolboy.
Except for their family.