Lowlife Music Manager

Mr Loudmouth

Jason Haldis arrived at their usual lunch spot, a quiet corner table at a discreet café, and immediately noticed the subtle tension radiating from Hermione McEwen. Her usual composed demeanor was fractured by a tightly controlled anger, a rare sight that sent a cold ripple through him.

"What happened?" he asked, his voice low, cutting through the gentle hum of the café.

Hermione recounted an encounter at the coffee shop earlier that morning – emboldened by some perceived slight or perhaps simply malicious intent, a man who was completely unknown to her had been verbally abusive and insulting to her. As she spoke, the ice in her veins seemed to thicken, a sign of deep, controlled fury.

A dangerous stillness settled over Jason. No one treated Hermione that way, he thought.

"Where is he now?" he asked, his gaze sharp.

Hermione gave a brief description and the location of the coffee shop, a place not too far from their current location.

Without another word, Jason rose from his seat. "Wait here," he replied, his tone leaving no room for argument.

He walked with an unhurried yet purposeful stride towards the coffee shop. As he scanned the patrons, his eyes sharp and assessing, it did not take Jason long to locate the man who was going to enjoy the pleasure of his company. There was a lingering air of unpleasantness around Mr Loudmouth, even in his solitary coffee consumption.

Jason approached Mr Loudmouth, the Haldis presence radiating a quiet menace that seemed to prickle the air. Jason sat down at the table and leaned in close, his voice a low rumble that would not carry to nearby tables.

"You had some words for my friend earlier," he stated, his eyes locking onto the eyes of Mr Loudmouth. The initial smugness of Mr Loudmouth flickered and was replaced by a dawning unease.

The urge to simply end the Mr Loudmouth problem permanently was a potent current within Jason Haldis, but years of staying in the shadows had honed his restraint. He needed to make a statement, ensure the trouble-maker understood the gravity of his transgression, but leave no trace that could lead back to him.

Jason leaned closer, his voice dropping to a near whisper, laced with a chilling certainty. "You will never speak to her, or about her, in that manner again. If you do, the consequences will be … far more significant than a bruised ego."

Jason held the gaze of the trouble-maker for a long, silent moment, letting the threat sink in. Sensing the genuine danger emanating from this quiet stranger, Mr Loudmouth swallowed hard and nodded almost imperceptibly.

Jason continued: Are we clear? Do I need to take your contact details, so I can check on you?

Mr Loudmouth (Now terrified): No, Sir. That will not be necessary. The message is very clear.”

Satisfied that his message had been received and understood, Jason rose from his seat and turned away, melting back into the flow of the coffee shop patrons.

He then returned to Hermione McEwen at their café table.

"I had a productive chat with your friend," he said simply, as he sat down.

Hermione placed her hand on the hand of Jason as he sat down and softly said “Thank you”.

New Work Proposition

Her equilibrium soon returned to its normal level and Hermione said to Jason: "I wanted to discuss something with you. A potential … opportunity."

Jason raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? This sounds like something that could be more comfortably discussed at your house.”

Hermione: Are you suggesting we get takeaway from here and go to my place?"

Jason: “Good call, Hermione."

A small smile touched the lips of Hermione: "I am not really in the mood for polite café chatter right now, anyway."

They ordered their food, the exchange with café staff brief and efficient.

Once they had their takeaway containers, they left the café and made their way to Hermione's residence, the earlier tension slowly dissipating.

The Hermione Residence

Functional and uncluttered, the home of Hermione reflected her methodical nature. They settled at a small table, the aroma of the takeaway filling the air. As they began to eat, Hermione laid out a few documents.

Hermione: A parent of one of the members of a local rock music band approached me. We know each other. We are friendly. The band is an up-and-coming rock music group. Apparently, they have been generating some significant buzz and decent revenue from gigs and recording releases.

Jason: A band? What is the opportunity? Protecting them from overzealous fans or ridiculous music critics?

Does she want me to whack a music critic? That is the sort of thing you do for fun.

Hermione: (A wry smile) Not exactly. My parent friend became concerned because the band has not seen any real financial return, despite their apparent success. Their manager, with a flamboyant name and less impressive accounting, seems to be consistently deflecting inquiries about their earnings.

Jason: So, a dodgy manager skimming off the top? That is hardly our usual fare.

Hermione: There is more. My initial look at the limited financial information the parent could access suggests Mr Flamboyant is not just taking a cut. The funds are being systematically siphoned off, and the paper trail, though deliberately obscured, points towards significant real estate investments … overseas.

Jason paused his eating, his interest piqued. "Overseas real estate investments? So more than simple mismanagement."

Hermione: Precisely. My parent friend fears the band is being completely fleeced, and Mr Flamboyant is preparing to do a runner overseas.

She approached me because she wanted to know if my creative talents could determine the extent of the damage and, if possible, recover the stolen funds.

Jason: And where do we fit in? Are we retrieving the money, or dealing with Mr Flamboyant?

Hermione: That depends on what we find. The priority is to ascertain the extent of the activities of Mr Flamboyant. The parent is primarily concerned with the band's future and the finances that have been denied to them.

Jason considered this, the aroma of the takeaway now secondary to the potential complexities of the case. A rock band, a dodgy manager, and offshore real estate. It was certainly a departure from their usual clientele, but the underlying injustice and potential for more intrigued him.

Jason: Alright, Hermione. Let's take a look at the band and their books.

Hermione: You may need to curtail your music critic culling activities and assist Mr Flamboyant in having an unfortunate accident that keeps him in the country while I look further into his finances.

Jason: You are back to your old self. That was what I was thinking might be my involvement.

Mr Flamboyant

The next day Hermione turned her attention to the less than impressive accounting of Mr Flamboyant and in particular his predilection for purchasing foreign based real estate.

It was clear to Hermione pretty quickly that Mr Flamboyant had a particular attraction to the Caribbean. Perhaps he was planning a Dreadlock Holiday, all his overseas real estate purchases were in Trinidad and Tobago.

Hermione then telephoned Jason: Jason, I thought I might come over for dinner and a chat tonight. Is that convenient?

Jason: Sure. Dinner with you at my place this evening is an excellent idea.

Hermione: Good.

Not long after Hermione arrived at his residence, Jason was getting an update on the progress of her investigation into Mr Flamboyant. Hermione said she needed more time to complete her investigation and Mr Flamboyant needed to be discouraged from taking a Dreadlock Holiday, at least for a month or three (3).

Hermione: It would be unfortunate if Flamboyant had an accident incapacitating him for a month or three (3).

Jason: It would not be the first time such an accident has occurred in one of our cases.

Hermione: A hospital stay also helps us monitor Mr Flamboyant, in case we need him to contribute to the investigation of his real estate purchases.

Jason: I like how you are concerned for the welfare of Mr Flamboyant, Hermione.

Their dinner conversation then moved on to other more mundane matters.

The Detour

The next day Jason made his way to the residence of Mr Flamboyant. Once he located the Flamboyant motor vehicle, he went to work. That work was quick and efficient. Jason had rigged this type of explosive to a vehicle undercarriage several times before. He knew precisely where to place it for maximum impact on the brake lines, without causing catastrophic damage to the vehicle itself, and he secured it swiftly. Once this task was complete, Jason immediately left the premises.

The following day, Jason monitored the GPS tracker he had also discreetly placed in the Flamboyant vehicle. As Flamboyant drove himself along a stretch of winding road  on the outskirts of Brisbane, a road with a significant drop-off to one side, Jason seized his opportunity. Prompt activation of his remote detonator, and the small explosive did its work.

Inside the car, Flamboyant felt a sudden lurch and the sickening give of the brake pedal as it went straight to the floor. Panic set in as he fought the steering wheel, the car veering wildly on the unfamiliar curves. The inevitable happened quickly; the vehicle careened off the side of the road. The sounds of tearing metal and crashing foliage echoing through the quiet landscape.

An hour passed before the first responders reached the wreckage. Seriously injured and in considerable pain, Flamboyant was finally extracted from the vehicle and transported to a Brisbane hospital.

The attending paramedics noted the critical nature of his condition. They also said it was possible his injuries may have been exacerbated by the time elapsed before medical intervention could be administered.

Upon his arrival at the hospital, the attending medical team confirmed that the delay in reaching Mr Flamboyant on the mountainside had indeed contributed significantly to the seriousness and complexity of his injuries.  Their provisional assessment was that Mr Flamboyant was looking at a period of extensive and prolonged monitoring and treatment of his condition and injuries.

Hospital

Once Flamboyant was admitted to the hospital, further measures were put in place to test his condition and assess his injuries. The results of those measures would inform the duration of his hospital stay.

Shortly after the Flamboyant admission to hospital, Jason received confirmation that the rock band manager was secure and would be out of commission for quite a while.

Jason then telephoned Hermione and told her that any immediate plans Flamboyant had for a Dreadlock Holiday would have to be put on hold, as he was looking at an extended stay in hospital following an unfortunate motor vehicle accident.

Hermione then turned her attention to gaining access to the Land Titles Office in Trinidad and Tobago. Once Hermione transferred title in the subject real estate to her corporation, she could do with it what she liked.

After some considerable initial frustration, Hermione gained the access she desired. She was surprised how simple and easy it was to transfer the titles to all the Flamboyant real estate to her corporation. As she was methodically undertaking those transfers, Hermione thought to herself that Flamboyant should have chosen a country in which to buy real estate that had better security on its Land Title system.

She ensured that Flamboyant had no real estate in his name or control in Trinidad and Tobago. Mrs Parent would be pleased to learn that Flamboyant had not benefited from his criminal behaviour, Hermione thought.

The next step was to sell some of that real estate, so the band could have their cash returned to them, and Hermione found selling that Trinidad and Tobago real estate was surprisingly easy. She chuckled to herself that she thought she got a good price for the real estate she sold quickly.

The remaining recovered real estate, and there was quite a bit of it, was then subjected to creative transfers to other corporations controlled by Hermione.

Hermione Meets with Mrs Parent

Once Hermione was satisfied that Flamboyant had been relieved of his Trinidad and Tobago real estate and it was securely in her control, she met with Mrs Parent. Hermione informed Mrs Parent that she would gain title to one of those now former Flamboyant properties as payment for her work and that of Jason. Mrs Parent was not troubled by the proposed arrangement.

Hermione told Mrs Parent her strategy was informed by uncomplicated logic, the gains of Flamboyant were ill-gotten. He was in no position to complain about any possible illegal behaviour of Hermione.

Mrs Parent responded: Of course, Hermione you would not conduct any illegal behaviour.

Hermione: Absolutely not, Mrs Parent. That would be wrong.

By the way, Mrs Parent, Mr Flamboyant had an unfortunate motor vehicle accident recently, the result of which he was admitted to hospital for treatment.

Mrs Parent: That is terrible luck for Mr Flamboyant.

Hermione: I am sure he has recovered by now and will be released from hospital.

Mrs Parent: Some good news for Mr Flamboyant. He can now go on that overseas holiday I understood he was planning.

Hermione: It would be tragic if Mr Flamboyant recovered from his accident and headed to Trinidad and Tobago, only to discover he was effectively penniless and with no avenue of complaint.

Mrs Parent: Tragic, indeed. I think I might go and tell my son Mr Flamboyant decided to return the money he borrowed.

The telephone of Hermione rang and she took the brief call.

Hermione: Good news, Mrs Parent. That was my colleague. He confirmed to me that Mr Flamboyant has recovered from his accident and has been released from hospital.

Mrs Parent. That is good news. So, Mr Flamboyant is free to go on his Dreadlock Holiday.

Hermione: Yes. I am sure it will be memorable for him.

Mrs Parent: Thank you Hermione. I am enormously grateful to you.

Hermione: You are welcome, Mrs Parent.

Hermione and Mrs Parent then ended their meeting and went off to deal with other matters in their respective lives.

Hermione Visits Jason

Hermione then telephoned Jason: I am coming over for a visit.

Jason: The door is open.

Hermione arrived shortly thereafter and soon she and Jason were in conversation. Ultimately the size of the real estate portfolio they had recovered was discussed.

Jason said to Hermione: “I hope you were not silly enough to transfer all that property to the band, other than the one that was payment for our services.”

Hermione replied, laughing: “You are a funny guy, Jason .”

Then she said: “Let’s go and get something to eat, Jason.”

Jason shook his head and laughed as they walked out the front door.

Justice Visits The Jury

Trial 1

Cologne Innsbruck watched the Rape Trial of his male friend seething with anger. He had seen this movie before and it did not end well. The younger brother of Cologne was wrongly charged with rape. No matter how many times Little Brother told the authorities that he was not guilty, that he was the victim of a false complaint, deaf ears greeted him. The criminal law trial of his little brother ended with him being convicted of rape and sentenced to eight (8) years in gaol.

His Little Brother appealed his conviction and subsequently the Court of Appeal rendered its judgement acquitting him of the charge. The Court of Appeal further recommending that the Female Complainant be charged with:

• Making a False Complaint; and

• Attempting To Pervert The Course of Justice . 

Unfortunately that morning shortly before the Court of Appeal judgement was delivered, a lunatic at the prison where Little Brother was incarcerated killed the brother of Cologne Innsbruck.

Trial 2

As Cologne Innsbruck watched Rape Trial 2, this one involving his friend in similar circumstances to that of his Little Brother, none of his 500 gazillion shades of angry had dissipated.

Again the Rape Trial 2 accused friend of Cologne Innsbruck said he was not guilty and that he was a victim of a false complaint.

This gruesome history motivated Cologne Innsbruck to gain access to the courthouse before the Rape Trial 2 started and acquire a copy of the jury list. Innsbruck also rigged up a bomb to the jury box prior to the jury delivering its verdict.

On verdict day Cologne was taking no chances. He had audio to the inside of the courthouse connected, but he was not present at the court. He was proximate to the court when his audio conveyed the verdict of guilty. Cologne Innsbruck did not flinch. He immediately detonated the bomb.

The courtroom was a scene of chaos. The explosion had ripped through the jury box, leaving a trail of destruction, including fire in the courtroom. Shards of glass and splintered wood littered the floor. Screams echoed through the courtroom, as panicked onlookers scrambled to safety.

Police, fire services and ambulance attended the scene. Among the injured, six (6) jurors lay motionless, their fates were sealed. The remaining six (6) jurors, shaken and traumatised, were ushered out of the courtroom.

Upon hearing the explosion, Cologne Innsbruck departed from his location proximate to the courthouse and went home.

The False Confession

In the aftermath of the bomb attack, a man named Clouseau Carlos was arrested and charged with the bombing. A quiet, unassuming individual, Clouseau Carlos had a history of mental illness and minor criminal offences. Public opinion quickly turned against him, painting him as a deranged killer.

The arrest and charging of Clouseau Carlos for the courthouse bombing was a convenient development for Cologne Innsbruck and one he would do nothing to upset.

Juror 7: Davies

Juror 7 was driving home from work and approaching a rail crossing. The radio in his motor vehicle was broadcasting the news and the item that interested him involved Clouseau Carlos, the man charged with the bombing of the courthouse and the killing of six (6) jurors. The news broadcast revealed that it was an unremarkable administrative mention of the case in court and the case was adjourned to a later date.

Juror 7 had had no contact with the remaining five (5) other jurors and he wanted to put the experience of the subject Rape Trial and its aftermath behind him. The news of the bombing court case did not help him in that regard. He started to have flashbacks of both the trial and of the bombing and its aftermath. His thinking became chaotic and he felt he wanted to escape his current situation.

The train was clearly approaching the crossing where Juror 7 was stopped. The noise of the train added to the chaotic thinking of Juror 7. Instead of waiting at the crossing for the train to pass, the chaotic mind of Juror 7 told him:

“We have to get out of here”

and his response was to crash his motor vehicle through the boom gate and try to drive to the other side of the rail tracks.

He failed miserably and drove straight into the path of the speeding train.

The chaotic response of Juror 7 proved fatal. His collision with the speeding train ended his life. Consequently, more drama and chaos surrounded Juror 7, as police ambulance and fire services were required to attend the scene and deal with the fallout from the collision. No other fatalities resulted from the collision and there were no apparent injuries to anyone on the train.

Such a dramatic event naturally attracted media attention and it was a lead story for many news bulletins for the rest of that day and the following day. Consequently the remaining five (5) jurors from the trial became aware of the plight of Juror 7 and they had their own uncomfortable memory experiences.

Cologne Innsbruck listened to that news bulletin with some interest and, mildly surprised, with almost detached amusement, he said to himself at its conclusion:

“Well, how about that.”

Juror 8: Arthur Henderson

The meticulous accountant, Juror 8, found his normally sharp mind increasingly clouded by anxiety. The image of the bombed courtroom and the news of the demise of Juror 7 played on a loop in his thoughts, eroding his focus.

Usually a sanctuary of order, the office building of Juror 8 now felt fraught with unseen dangers. The hum of computers and the drone of conversations seemed to amplify his paranoia. He battled to concentrate on his work, the numbers on his screen blurring as his mind drifted to the "cursed" jury.

One afternoon, a critical deadline loomed, adding to his already considerable stress. He rose to retrieve a vital file from a storage room, his mind completely consumed by a vivid flashback of the explosion.

He approached a doorway he believed led to the storage area, his gaze distant. However, the door had been removed for maintenance, leaving a gaping, unguarded elevator shaft. A temporary barrier, consisting of a flimsy strip of caution tape, had been dislodged and lay unnoticed on the floor.

Lost in his terrifying memories, Juror 8 walked forward, expecting solid ground. The sudden emptiness, the horrifying drop into the blackness, registered only as his foot met air.

On her first week at the firm, a young intern, Sarah, happened to be passing by. A flicker of movement caught her eye – a man walking directly towards the open shaft, his eyes vacant. She cried out a warning, lunging forward with a desperate, instinctive reach.

"Mister! Stop!" Her voice was a strangled cry of alarm.

Her outstretched hand grasped only the air where his arm had been moments before. With a sickening lurch, Juror 8 stepped into the void.

Sarah stood frozen, her hand still outstretched, a silent scream trapped in her throat, as she watched in horror to see Juror 8 plummet down the twenty-five (25) stories of the empty elevator shaft. The sickening thud that echoed moments later confirmed the irreversible tragedy.

The scene that followed was one of chaos and disbelief. Screams erupted. Colleagues rushed to the edge of the shaft, peering into the darkness. The sterile office air was thick with shock and the dawning realisation of a senseless death.

The incident was immediately classified as a tragic workplace accident, a result of negligence regarding the unguarded shaft. An investigation was launched, safety protocols were frantically reviewed, and a pall of grief descended over the office.

News of the "fatal accident" at the downtown office building, identifying the victim as Arthur Henderson (Juror 8), became another grim headline.

Cologne Innsbruck was at home alone preparing dinner for himself on the evening of the death of Juror 8. The news was playing in the background on his television, but it was not his primary interest.

The report of the death of Juror 8 then came on the news bulletin and it caught his attention.

At the conclusion of the report he said out loud to himself:

“Well, that is interesting news.”

Jurors 9-12 Get Together

After Juror 9 heard of the news of the "fatal workplace accident" of Arthur Henderson (Juror 8), he contacted jurors 10-12 to organise a meeting. They agreed and met shortly thereafter at the residence of Juror 9.

In the dimly lit apartment of Juror 9, a video recording of the news report about the death of Juror 8, Arthur Henderson, played softly on a nearby television. Jurors 10, 11, and 12 sat around a cluttered table, their faces etched with worry and exhaustion.

Juror 9 (voice trembling slightly): Did you ... did you all see the news? About Henderson?

(A sombre nod from Juror 10, a nervous fidgeting from Juror 11, and a wide-eyed stare from Juror 12.)

Juror 9: It ... it cannot be another accident, can it? First Davies driving into a train, now Henderson ... falling down an elevator shaft? Both just days after the bombing?

Juror 11 (voice barely a whisper): It is ... it's like we are cursed.

Juror 10 (trying to sound rational, but his voice betrays his unease): That is ridiculous. These are just ... terrible coincidences. Stress can make people careless.

Juror 12 (eyes darting around the room): But two (2)? So close together? And the way the news described it ... Henderson just walked ... right into it. Like he was not even looking.

Juror 9: That is what I thought. Davies ... the news said he just drove straight through the boom gates. It is not normal behaviour. They were both on our jury.

Juror 11: What if ... what if the bomber... what if he is not finished? What if he is coming after us? But how? These look like accidents.

Juror 12: Maybe ... maybe it is not the bomber. Maybe ... maybe it is something else. Something ... unseen.

Juror 10: Do not be ridiculous. There is no such thing as curses. We need to be logical. We should go to the police. Tell them what we think.

Juror 9: And tell them what? That we think we are cursed? They will think we are all losing our minds. Especially after ... after the confession of Clouseau Carlos.

Juror 11: But we can not just sit here and wait to see who is next!

(A heavy silence falls over the group, the weight of their fear palpable. The flickering light from the television screen was casting long, distorted shadows on their faces.)

Juror 12: I think we have discussed this enough. I am going home.

Juror 12 promptly departed the residence of Juror 9.

Shortly thereafter Juror 11 said he was also going to leave. As he left, Juror 10 followed him.

Juror 9

After the meeting with Jurors 10-12, all Juror 9 could think about was the “Cursed Jurors”. His paranoia was escalating. He kept watching replays on his video player of the news items speaking of the deaths of the “Cursed Jurors” He could not sleep. He did not leave his residence. His mind seemed to be in a perpetual spin.

The dimly lit apartment had become the self-imposed tomb of Juror 9. Days bled into nights, marked only by the endless loop of the news report on his television and video player. The vacant eyes of Arthur Henderson, the sombre tone of the reporter, the stark image of the office building – these were the only companions in his increasingly fractured reality.

Sleep offered no respite, only a chaotic jumble of courtroom screams and the screech of train brakes. Awake, the fear was a constant, gnawing presence, whispering that he was next, that the curse was inevitable.

Juror 9 had stopped answering the telephone. The curtains remained drawn, blocking out the indifferent sunlight. Food lay untouched on the small table, a testament to his spiralling despair. The faces of the other dead jurors – the mangled car of Davies, the empty fall of Henderson – haunted his waking hours, their fates mirroring his own impending doom in his mind.

One afternoon, his gaze fixed on the flickering screen, a phrase from the news report seemed to detach itself from the rest: "... a tragic accident ... the second juror to die since the courthouse bombing ...".

A cold dread washed over him. Accident. The word mocked him. Juror 9 knew it was not an accident. They were all being picked off, one by one. And he was next. He could feel it in the suffocating silence of his apartment, in the frantic beating of his own heart.

For Juror 9, reality had completely fractured. He reached for the bottle of medication on his bedside table – sleeping pills prescribed after the trial, now his only solace. His hand trembled as he unscrewed the cap. He stared at the small white tablets in his palm, his mind a whirlwind of terror and a desperate yearning for escape.

The video recording of the news report continued to play, the voice of the reporter a monotonous drone in the background. On the screen, the image the of workplace of Arthur Henderson  lingered.

With a final, shuddering breath, Juror 9 swallowed the entire contents of the bottle. The act was not a conscious decision, but a primal surrender to the overwhelming fear that had consumed him. In the flickering light of the replay, his eyes closed, and the silence of the apartment deepened. In his mind, the curse had finally claimed another victim.

Black Market Clash

After Juror 11 learned of the death of Juror 9 his paranoia increased significantly. He was now a complete convert to the cursed jurors theory. He decided that he needed a gun for his own protection. So he bought a gun on the black market.

Juror 10 contacted Juror 11 and told him he wanted to get together to discuss their situation. Juror 10 invited Juror 11 to his house for the meeting. Juror 11 accepted the invitation and made his way to the residence of Juror 10.

Within an hour they were together discussing their situation. Paranoia was a constant theme of their conversation and they were becoming obsessed with the idea that they are cursed.

After about thirty (30) minutes of this chaotic discussion, Juror 11 produced the firearm he bought on the black market. He told Juror 10 he bought the firearm for his protection. Tension between the two (2) jurors escalated further, as Juror 10 told Juror 11 he was crazy and he put them both in danger.

The conversation deteriorated significantly and tension between the two (2) jurors continued to escalate. Juror 11 refused to put the gun away, even though Juror 10 told him its presence made him uncomfortable. As their conversation escalated from talking to shouting, Juror 11 panicked and discharged his firearm at Juror 10.

Beginners bad luck for Juror 11. His discharging of his firearm promptly killed Juror 10.

It seems at least one of the neighbours of Juror 11 had already called the police and they arrived shortly after the firearm was discharged. There was then the usual police and ambulance presence at the premises, while Juror 11 was removed from the scene and arrested and charged with murder.

Strangers On a Train

Cologne Innsbruck was on a train going home. He was minding his own business and not interacting with anyone. The train was sparsely populated. Two (2) women were in somewhat elevated conversation, all of which Cologne could hear.

Relevantly their conversation turned to the “cursed jurors”.

Woman 1: There has been another death in the cursed jurors.

Juror 11 shot and killed Juror 10. Juror 11 is now charged with murder and will likely spend the rest of his life in jail.

Woman 2: You know Juror 9 topped himself, don’t you?

Woman 1: Those jurors really are cursed.

Upon hearing this, Cologne Innsbruck shook his head and had a little chuckle to himself.

He alighted the train at the next station and walked home.

Juror 12 A Fatal Miscalculation

The last remaining member of the ill-fated jury, Juror 12 was a shadow of his former self. The constant fear and paranoia had taken a toll on his mental health. He retreated into a world of shadows, his mind a battleground of anxiety and despair.

One night, in a moment of desperation, he miscalculated his medication dosage. The overdose proved fatal and his life extinguished as abruptly as a candle flame.

The following morning Cologne Innsbruck called in to his local eatery for a cup of teas. As he sat alone at his table drinking his tea, his flipped through the daily newspaper that had been left on his table. A few pages in Cologne happened upon an article informing the readers of the death of the last “Cursed Juror”.

After Cologne completed reading the article; he raised his tea cup in toast to himself, with a modest smile on his face.

Complainant Confesses

Upon learning that all twelve (12) jurors in her rape case were now dead, the complainant panicked. She knew she was a false accuser. She was terrified for her safety and she attended upon the police.

Somewhat surprised, the police told her they have a perpetrator for the bombing, the lunatic criminal who confessed (Clouseau Carlos). They are satisfied with his confession. Jurors 7 to 12 died in circumstances that were unfortunate, but unrelated to the case. However, they were interested in her confession to making a false complaint.

Consequently they arrested and charged her.

When Miss False Accuser appeared in court to face her charges, she received a lot of media coverage. That media coverage included news that:

• The conviction for the accused in Trial 2 had been set aside;

• He was released from jail; and

• He was a free man.

Cologne Innsbruck was at home alone channel surfing on his television when he noticed a news item relating to Miss False Accuser. He stopped surfing and watched the item. Once the circumstances in which Miss False Accuser was in court were clear to him, he immediately said out loud:

“No way.”

The news item continued and Cologne Innsbruck again loudly exclaimed:

“You have got to be kidding me.”

At the conclusion of the news item Cologne Innsbruck said to himself out loud:

“Today is a good day.”

Welcome To The Terrordome

The Boiled Brew Café

A seemingly unremarkable evening was winding down for Mr Dresden Leipzig. He was out socialising with friends and as he was preparing to make his way home, alone, he called in to an eatery near the train station for a snack and a drink. Dresden was not exactly a regular at the Boiled Brew Café, but he had dined there enough to have some familiarity with the staff and the occasional patron.

As was customary for The Boiled Brew Café, the television was tuned to the news. Leipzig had finished his snack by the time the news broadcaster announced the result of the national election held earlier that day. Digesting the news of the new government was a lot more problematic for Leipzig than was digesting his Tofu Wrap. It is quite the understatement to say that the new government was not to his liking.

The news broadcast informed Dresden that the new government had immediately appointed the Chief of The Stasi and he will head the Climate Integrity Commission. The Chief of The Stasi announced that Climate Integrity Lines would be established immediately for members of the community to report instances of Climate Hoax activity and the location and any identifying details of Climate Hoaxers.

The heart of Dresden stopped. He was once a staunch and very public advocate of climate change and publicly advocated for “Deniers” to lose their rights and be subject to intense government and community scrutiny. Now Dresden was an infidel Climate Hoaxer, thanks to the change of government.

The news broadcaster announcing the message from the Chief of The Stasi:

• “We are coming for the Climate Hoaxers and we will not be taking any prisoners”.

kept repeating in the head of Dresden.

Someone at a table near the newly classified Infidel Dresden proclaimed loudly:

“Life is about to get very uncomfortable for Climate Hoaxers. Good.”

The news was a combination of a personal tsunami and earthquake for Dresden. He may have finished eating his food, but finishing his mug of chai tea was a challenging exercise. Dresden was torn between leaving immediately for home and staying and listening to the remainder of the news broadcast. He immediately hoped no one recognised him, although it seemed to him the pounding of his heart might drown out the audio of the television news.

Continuing the confronting news broadcast, The Chief of The Stasi went on to announce that a Climate Integrity Commission had been created and there would be a public awareness campaign, including billboards, posters and flyers, about the Climate Integrity Lines. Those people in the community who had relevant information about Climate Hoaxers were encouraged to use the Climate Integrity Lines to inform on and about Climate Hoaxers.

The political party Dresden did not want to win the national election was successful and they immediately kept their election promise: Those who had advocated for Climate Change and who advocate for Climate Change were now Infidels and those Climate Hoaxers were very much considered public enemies.

Dresden wanted to leave the eatery, but he could not move. He also wanted to stay and hear the rest of the news broadcast and to try to gauge the reaction of the eatery patrons to the news of the new government and its attitude to the newly created Infidels, Climate Hoaxers. His mind was running at a million kilometres an hour. He could not think straight.

Ultimately the subject news broadcast was short, yet earth-shattering for Dresden. His initial inability to move worked in his favour. He heard all of the relevant news broadcast and then the broadcast moved on to other inconsequential news.

The longer Leipzig remained at the Boiled Brew Café, the more he became aware of the positive attitude of other patrons of the eatery to the new government and the Climate Integrity Commission. Dresden was stunned that introduction of the Climate Integrity Lines was greeted with loud approval. He was not comfortable with what he was seeing and hearing and it was clear him engaging with any of the eatery patrons would not be a positive experience for him.

Dresden remained at the Boiled Brew Café for about another fifteen (15) minutes. He walked to the counter, paid for his meal and proceeded to the train station to make his way home.

That journey home was resplendent with thoughts of impending personal terror. Leipzig realised that there would be a digital record of his attendance at the Boiled Brew Café and possibly close circuit television video. There would definitely be video surveillance of his attendance at the train station and his train ride home.

What does he do about his employment on Monday? he thought. Does he turn up and risk being revealed to the authorities as an Infidel? Does he stay home? His absence from work will draw attention to him. Does he try to run and create something of a new life somewhere else?

Unbeknown to Leipzig, after he left the Boiled Brew Café one of its other patrons was skimming through a somewhat dated magazine provided by the eatery while he ate the meal he had ordered. That magazine had a Climate Change Advocacy article by Leipzig. That patron realised Leipzig had been in attendance at the eatery earlier in the evening. It was clear the patron was no friend of Leipzig. He started making notes about the article and the attendance of Leipzig at the Boiled Brew Café that evening, fully intending to subsequently use the Climate Integrity Lines to inform on Leipzig.

The new world was taking shape and it was one that offered no comfort to Dresden Leipzig.

Workplace Reaction

The next day, Sunday, management of the data analysis firm that employs Dresden Leipzig had something of a crisis meeting in response to the election of a new national government and the establishment of the Climate Integrity Commission. There was no resistance proffered to the suggestion that all climate change related work be stopped. It was not a significant amount in financial terms and management thought the business could endure the loss of that income while replacement income generating work was sought.

Somewhat surprisingly management took a benevolent view of Dresden Leipzig.  He was the only staff member of the firm that did climate change related analysis work. Apart from that work, management thought he did other work of value for the firm, so ending his employment was not necessary at this time.

That situation would be reassessed should the Climate Integrity Commission focus its attention upon him. The attitude of management was much less benevolent when pondering that hypothetical scenario.

On Monday, the first work day after the election of the new national government, workplace chatter at the data analysis firm was almost exclusively about the new government and the Climate Integrity Commission. A staff member already had a war story about someone they knew who had appeared before court charged with being a climate hoaxer. Naturally they were convicted and ordered to be microchipped and forced to submit to digital ID. The surveillance web site was already in operation.

No staff member was interested in being part of that cohort which was subject to surveillance and no one was speaking favourably about Dresden Leipzig. The staff were quite content to view him as an Infidel, due to his climate change work and advocacy. He was now most definitely an outcast and friendless in his workplace. If Dresden chose to attend work subsequent to the election, a hostile workplace would greet him.

The Legislative Powers of The Chief of The Stasi

By the time those staff members had arrived at work The Chief of The Stasi had already publicly announced that he has the power to draft and create valid legislation. Relevantly he did so in respect of Climate Hoaxers. His legislation denies the Hoaxers a right to a criminal law trial. They may get a trial, but they do not have a right to a trial. The arresting or apprehending Stasi Sandman (the police of the Climate Integrity Commission) has the discretion / power to decide if the Infidel should get a trial.

Those Stasi Sandmen were already well into their work. Vogel Heidlemeir was an otherwise unremarkable adult male having lunch at the Trance Cafeteria. Vogel noticed the wife of his good friend Creole Endicott in the company of another man, who was clearly not her husband. The observant Vogel did not contact Endicott, he immediately contacted The Climate Integrity Commission and made a complaint that the “cheating wife” was a Climate Hoaxer. Within minutes a Stasi Sandman attended upon the scene and arrested the “cheating wife” and transported her for micro-chipping and Digital ID.

By midday The Chief of The Stasi had publicly announced the apprehension and prosecution of the adultress as a Climate Hoaxer. There was no mention of her infidelity. All that was needed was an allegation that she was a Climate Hoaxer.

The Chief of The Stasi emphasised justice in the new regime would be swift and brutal for Climate Hoaxers.

Justice: Climate Stasi Style

While Dresden was ruminating upon whether to attend work, an unrelated random Infidel was arrested for the crime of making a climate hoax statement in public. He was promptly arrested and brought before the court. When his case was ultimately brought on, he was allowed to have legal representation. His court-imposed punishment was that he would be microchipped and have to have a Digital ID.

Dresden decided to attend his work. That train ride to work was fatal to the life of freedom Dresden previously enjoyed. Seemingly no one noticed Dresden on his train ride home from the Boiled Brew Café Saturday night. That was in stark contrast to this train trip to work. Lots of fellow commuters seemed to recognise him and they were happy to let all and sundry know about it. His fellow train travellers made furious use of their mobile telephones to access the Climate Integrity Lines with telephone calls, text messages and photographs relating to Dresden. He knew there was nothing he could do to escape this new found infamy. Dresden now felt trapped in the new regime.

Notification to the Stasi Sandmen was immediate and they boarded the train to apprehend Dresden before he arrived at work.

News of the arrest of Dresden Leipzig made the mid-morning news and it came to the attention of at least one work colleague, who in turn contacted the Climate Integrity Lines and shared with them the involvement of Dresden in Climate Change Advocacy.

Dresden Leipzig was taken from the train directly to the Court. While he was sitting in the dock of the court waiting for his case to be heard, he watched and heard all of the proceedings of the random Infidel arrested for the crime of making a climate hoax statement in public.

When his turn came to be dealt with by the court, Leipzig was not allowed to have legal representation and all of his previous statements were used as irrefutable evidence against him. The Judge told Leipzig the overwhelming nature of the evidence against him meant he was not entitled to legal representation.

The Prosecutor assigned to the Dresden Leipzig case had earlier endorsed the sentiments that Infidel Leipzig ought not be entitled to legal representation, due to the overwhelming nature of the evidence against him.

That Prosecutor informed the Court that a significant amount of the evidence against Leipzig was a product of citizens loyal to the regime using the Climate Integrity Lines to inform about Leipzig. Emphasised by the Prosecutor was the fact that the data analysis work of Leipzig, for which he was seemingly paid well, ought to have alerted him to the truth, that the Climate Change narrative and campaign was a hoax and based on fraud and manipulation. But Leipzig was a zealot and he pursued the Climate Change advocacy for his own political satisfaction.

Also emphasised often by the Prosecutor to the Judge was that Leipzig The Infidel had often publicly advocated for “Deniers” to lose their rights and be subject to intense government / community scrutiny. Leipzig was not a casual advocate for the Climate Change regime, he was an unapologetic and unrepentant zealot. More than once the Prosecutor submitted to the Judge that Leipzig ought be shown no mercy.

It was apparent to all present in Court that when the Prosecutor spoke to the Judge about Leipzig, he did so with disdain and contempt. Nothing about the reaction of the Judge to the submissions of the Prosecutor indicated that the Judge disagreed with that disdain and contempt.

Dresden could hardly believe this new world into which he had seemingly been transported and it certainly was not registering with him that this was the very world for which he had been advocating for people he considered not worthy. His self-awareness was currently registering at less than zero.

In his closing submissions to the Judge, the Prosecutor took some time to emphasise that a significant portion of the evidence against Leipzig was due to fine, upstanding, loyal citizens using the Climate Integrity Lines for their intended purpose, to provide information, intelligence and evidence about Infidels such as Leipzig.

On more than one occasion the Prosecutor commented to the Judge that the evidence compiled against Leipzig and his subsequent prosecution was the system implemented by the new regime working as intended.

The Judge took no issue with any of the submissions of the Prosecutor.

The Court heard no submissions from Dresden. It was apparent to Dresden nothing constructive could be said in his defence.

Dresden Leipzig was convicted of being a Climate Hoaxer and all of those “incriminating” statements were ordered to be placed on his formal record for future reference.

In sentencing Dresden, the Judge said to him coldly:

 “Mr Leipzig, This is your ideology. This is the world you wanted.”

Word Gets Around

42 year old Mrs Page Abernathy was the Chief Executive Officer and very much the public face of the Keeping Families Together Charity. She created for herself a high celebrity profile and appeared to be a trustworthy public figure. In stark contrast to that public persona she was having an adulterous affair with low profile, Mr Lachlan Tedeschi, a 46 year old litigation lawyer, and also the very high profile and married Mr Herbert Strauss, a 50 year old Chief Executive Officer of the Major Bank.

Art Gallery Opening February 2013
Page Abernathy and Lachlan Tedeschi met at an art gallery opening in February 2013 and immediately struck up a friendship. During their interaction at the art gallery Page was very encouraging of Lachlan and shortly before the function was due to end they went home together to the house of Lachlan Tedeschi.

“My husband understands my affairs, so long as I keep them discreet and he is away a lot on business”, Page told Lachlan, as they were getting to know each other a lot better at his house.

Lachlan replied, “Being discreet is not a problem for me.”

Page: “We can spend a fair bit of time together, work schedules permitting and apart from my husband, you are the only man I am seeing.”

He had no reason to doubt her at the time and she seemed very charming. Their relationship had effectively commenced.

Early the next morning Page Abernathy left the home of Lachlan Tedeschi to return to her home.

Dinner with Friend, Wesley Tunstall
Later that day Lachlan Tedeschi went to work as normal. After work he had dinner with his friend Wesley Tunstall, the nurse, and he told Wesley of what happened the previous evening.

Wesley said, “I have heard of Page Abernathy. She has quite an ability to draw attention to herself. Having a discreet relationship with her would be something of a contrast for her and a challenge for you both, I suspect. I am not surprised to hear her ‘my husband understands my affairs’ line, although it sounds a little cliched and I wonder how accurate that statement may be. Still time will tell, I guess, and ultimately it is a decision for you.”

Lachlan: “It is hard to argue with the cliched observation and as you say, time will tell as to the veracity of her contention in relation to her husband. If history is any guide, we will be discussing this relationship and Page Abernathy from time to time, so we will probably be able to judge the extent to which you are correct.”

Wesley: “I may take a keener interest in the public life of Page Abernathy, now that you have shared your news with me.”

The rest of the evening was uneventful for Lachlan and Wesley and after about another hour, the dinner ended and they each went to their respective homes.

May 2014 Herbert Strauss Appears On The Scene
Page Abernathy and Lachlan Tedeschi spent quite a bit of time together over the next two (2) years, mostly at their respective houses, but sometimes venturing into public together. Because he had spent so much time at her house, Lachlan became quite familiar with it, including where Page kept her diary.

By May 2014 Lachlan noticed something a little unusual in the behaviour of Page Abernathy. The most obvious change was that she spent less time with him than she had done in the preceding months. That behaviour change was due to the arrival of Herbert Strauss on the scene, but Lachlan did not learn of his presence until many months later.

Page Abernathy was not only having an affair with Herbert Strauss, she was also recording significant intimate details of that affair in her diary.

Lachlan was still keeping in touch with Wesley Tunstall and from time to time they would meet to socialise. Discussion of the relationship between Lachlan and Page Abernathy was part of their interaction. Wesley gradually got a clear sense that all was not as well as it could be between Lachlan and Page.

December 2014
By December 2014 Lachlan Tedeschi had a very strong suspicion that Page Abernathy was seeing someone in addition to him and he expressed his concerns to Wesley Tunstall. The diary of Page Abernathy was a part of their discussion by that stage and whether it may contain any details of this possible new man.

Wesley Tunstall: “If you are going to read her diary, you would best do it in circumstances where she is not likely to catch you doing it. I would wait until she is out of the house, if that is possible.”

Lachlan Tedeschi: “I still get invited to her house from time to time, so I will see if any such opportunity arises.”

January 2015
Early January 2015, while Page was out of her house, Lachlan read the diary she kept in her bedside drawers. He discovered entries confirming that Page had been having an adulterous affair with Herbert Strauss.  Lachlan took photographs of the diary entries which described the relationship Page was having with Herbert Strauss in lurid detail.

Once he had taken photographs of the diary entries, he contacted Wesley Tunstall and arranged to meet with him almost immediately. They had a discussion about what Lachlan had discovered and Wesley convinced Lachlan to provide a copy of the photographs to him.

Wesley Tunstall: “I am only telling to you what you have told to me on numerous occasions about controlling and preserving evidence.”

Lachlan Tedeschi: “That is sound advice and I am glad you are giving it to me.”

Within ten (10) minutes Wesley had a copy of the subject photographs on his mobile telephone. That seemed to give some comfort to Lachlan.

Wesley could see that Lachlan was distressed by his discovery and he tried to comfort him, rather than further aggravate him. They stayed together for about ninety (90) minutes and when they parted to return to their respective homes, Lachlan seemed to be in better spirits.

Private Investigator
Wesley Tunstall could see the adverse effect the relationship revelation had upon Lachlan Tedeschi. He decided to take some action of his own and hire a private investigator to enquire into Page Abernathy and Herbert Strauss. Wesley had no intention of telling Lachlan of what he was doing, at that stage.

It did not take long for the private investigator to provide photographs to Wesley of the relationship between Page Abernathy and Herbert Strauss. Once he had the photographs, Wesley discharged the services of the private investigator. He kept the photographs to himself and did not tell Lachlan of any of this activity or discovery.

January 2015
A little later in January 2015 Lachlan Tedeschi confronted Page Abernathy about her affair with Herbert Strauss. A heated argument ensued for several hours. Lachlan agreed to delete the images of the diary of Page, provided she delete the contact details of Herbert Strauss from her iPhone and iPad. The relationship between Page and Lachlan continued.

1 March 2015 - 2 March 2015
However, a few weeks later, on 1 March 2015, Lachlan discovered Page still had the contact details of Herbert Strauss. Lachlan then threatened to expose her affair with Strauss.

Lachlan challenged Page over the affair again saying: "I want to expose you both for what you have done. I have got enough evidence to do that."

After this argument, Page left the house of Lachlan in the early hours of 2 March 2015. Page formed the view that Lachlan did not delete every photo of the diary and had evidence to damage both herself and Herbert Strauss.

Once again Lachlan contacted Wesley Tunstall and told him what had happened with Page Abernathy. Wesley could see that Lachlan was very distressed and he did not wish to distress him further. He did not tell Lachlan about the private investigator and the photographs of the relationship between Page Abernathy and Herbert Strauss. Wesley thought it best to do that at another time.

After about two (2) hours Lachlan Tedeschi left Wesley Tunstall to go home, seemingly in a better frame of mind.

Legal Action
Page Abernathy started legal action in her local Supreme Court to obtain an interim injunction and gagging order under the Human Rights Act. She sought a ban on the publication of the diary entries to prevent Lachlan Tedeschi from leaking details to the media of her affair with Herbert Strauss.

The application of Page Abernathy proceeded in the absence of both Lachlan Tedeschi and Herbert Strauss.

Page Abernathy argued that

• The potential damage which could be done, both to her, as a public figure of trust, and to Herbert Strauss, as a public figure who is married to someone else, is enormous
• If the documents stolen from Page Abernathy and her affair with Herbert Strauss were shared or published in the public domain, “both she and Herbert Strauss would be irreparably damaged, and there would be enormous financial repercussions for both of them”
• Herbert Strauss is unaware of the present situation
• She feared it would “tip off” Lachlan Tedeschi and he would publish the diary entries before she could obtain a court order, if she were to notify him of her application for an injunction.

Sitting in the Supreme Court Justice Baldwin-Taylor granted the interim injunction sought by Page Abernathy.

Justice Baldwin-Taylor

• The hearing was allowed to proceed without Lachlan Tedeschi being present
• The fears Lachlan Tedeschi would rush publication of the diary entries before it was possible for Page Abernathy to gain the injunction were well founded
• The right to respect for her private life of Page Abernathy under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights outweighed the right to freedom of expression under Article 10 in publishing that private life
• On the evidence the reasons for publication are motivated by malice entertained by the defendant Lachlan Tedeschi towards the claimant Page Abernathy

Service of The Court Orders
Within a very short time of the Court granting the interim injunction and gag order that Page Abernathy sought, both Lachlan Tedeschi and Herbert Strauss were respectively served with a copy of the orders.

Lachlan was astounded when he read the orders and he contacted Wesley Tunstall almost immediately. Wesley was not working and they agreed to meet about forty (40) minutes later. Wesley took the photographs the private investigator took of Page Abernathy and Herbert Strauss to that meeting.

When they met Wesley could see that Lachlan was distressed and angry. Wesley tried to stay calm and reduce the aggravation of Lachlan, if possible. Wesley was doing his best to remember the advice he had heard Lachlan give on a number of previous occasions.

Wesley Tunstall: “I still have a copy of the photograph you gave me in January 2015. As far as I know, no one knows I have them at this stage and there is no reason for that situation to change. I am well aware that you want to reveal the affair between Page Abernathy and Herbert Strauss, but you do not wish to put yourself in a position where you will breach the Court order. I may be able to assist you in that regard.”

“After we met in January 2015 I hired a private investigator to investigate the relationship between Page Abernathy and Herbert Strauss. It did not take him long for him to provide photographs to me of their relationship. Once I had the photographs, I discharged the services of the private investigator. I kept the photographs to myself and did not tell you of any of this activity or discovery, because I did not want to distress you further.”

“The significance of this is that you now have independent evidence of the relationship between Page Abernathy and Herbert Strauss and that evidence can be released to the media, seemingly without breaching the court orders.”

Lachlan Tedeschi: “At the very least it seems you have paid attention to what I have said from time to time over the years.”

Wesley Tunstall: “It is also worth considering whether my releasing the material to the media might be a better strategy in the circumstances.”

Lachlan Tedeschi: “That is very well done, Wesley Tunstall.”

The Next Day
The next day multiple media outlets ran with a double story: a report on the Court case which revealed no identities of anyone involved; followed by a revelation of the affair between Page Abernathy and Herbert Strauss, accompanied by the independent photographs of them taken by the private investigator.

¹

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1 This story is loosely based on the case CHS -v- DNH [2015] EWHC 1214 (Ch) ^↩

Dead Air

Sleep-Over with a Surprise
Daisy and Trixiebell Lievremont were in an unusually excited mood when they returned from their Friday night sleep-over at the house of their friend Milisende Espinosa.

“Mummy, we heard daddy on the radio last night and he was with another lady. They were talking about soccer”, they told their mother, Tuesday Lievremont.

“Where did you hear it?” Tuesday asked them.

“Milisende’s dad had it on his computer”, Daisy said.

This was all news to Tuesday and she did not wish to discuss it any further with her children.

“I will talk to Milisende’s dad and get him to tell me about it, so do not worry about it”, she said.

“Okay, Mum”, Both of them said and the conversation turned to other less controversial matters.

Tuesday Lievremont Telephones  Enrique Espinosa
About half an hour after the girls returned home, Hendrick Lievremont, their father, was still not home, so Tuesday Lievremont telephoned Enrique Espinosa.

“Enrique, My daughters tell me that last night they heard their father, Hendrick, on the radio on your computer and he was with another lady talking about soccer. Can you explain that to me?”, she asked.

“It was a podcast of a local soccer competition he does with Electra Mirabelle, whom I believe you know. She is forty (40) and married with two (2) children, aged 7 and 5. Hendrick and Electra have been doing the podcast together for about eighteen (18) months”, he replied.

Tuesday: “How do I find this podcast?

Enrique: “I have your e-mail address, I will send you a link to the podcast. I will also include a link to the associated web page Enrique has set up for it. You should have them in a couple of minutes.”

“I am a little surprised you do not know about the podcast and the website. Enrique and Electra Mirabelle are very friendly on it.”

Tuesday: “Your e-mail has arrived and the link to the website seems to be working. Thank you. I will have a look at the website and the podcast and talk with you later. Thank you for letting our daughters stay at your house last night. Once again they seem to have enjoyed themselves.

Enrique: “It is a pleasure having your daughters stay. Milisende had a good time too. I will talk with you later.”

The telephone conversation then ended.

Tuesday Views The Website and Podcast
With her daughters watching television and Hendrick not expected home for another couple of hours, Tuesday had a good look at the website Hendrick had set up for the soccer podcast. She was struck by the number of photographs in which Hendrick and Electra Mirabelle appeared together and how happy the two of them seemed in those photographs. In several of the photographs their respective weddings rings were visible.

Tuesday then turned her attention to the podcasts. She thought it best to start at the first discussion podcast. Almost immediately Tuesday heard an uncomfortable familiarity between Hendrick, her husband, and Electra Mirabelle. That tone continued throughout the podcast and was present in the next podcast. By the third podcast Tuesday was feeling sick, as Hendrick and Electra Mirabelle were clearly having an affair and flaunting it to the world via these podcasts. Each and every podcast she heard had the same tone.

Tuesday had seen and heard enough. She logged out of the computer. Picked up her mobile telephone and went for a walk in the back yard. She was devastated and furious. After a few minutes she telephoned her sister, Roxanne May, and told her what she had discovered.

Roxanne told Tuesday to come and visit her alone, so they can have an uninterrupted discussion.

Tuesday: “The children stayed at the home of Enrique Espinosa last night. I will see if I can get him to look after the children again and so I can come to your place immediately.”

Roxanne May: “That would be a good option.”

Tuesday said, “I will let you know how I go” and ended the conversation

Tuesday Telephoned Enrique Espinosa
Tuesday then telephoned Enrique Espinosa.
“Can you look after my children at your place for a couple of hours please? I want to have a conversation with my sister and I do not want the children to hear any of its contents.”

Enrique: “What has happened?”

Tuesday: “I think you know what has happened.”

Enrique: “Oh, the podcasts. Yes, I understand. I am happy to look after your daughters for you and I will not say anything to Hendrick, if he asks me any questions.”

Tuesday: “Thank you. I am very grateful to you. I will see you with the children in about thirty (30) minutes.”

Enrique: “No worries. I will tell Milisende she is going to get visitors.”

The telephone call with Enrique then ended and Tuesday immediately told Daisy and Trixiebell that they were going to visit Milisende again, because something had turned up that needed her immediate attention.

The girls were happy that they were going to visit Milisende again and within thirty (30) minutes they were visiting her again, as Tuesday had predicted.

Enrique said to Tuesday, “Take your time with your sister. Your daughters will be fine here.”

Tuesday: Thank you, Enrique”.

Tuesday Visits Roxanne May
Tuesday then drove straight to the house of her sister, Roxanne May.

When she arrived they went to Roxanne’s computer and viewed the website Hendrick had set up for the soccer podcast. Roxanne was shocked by what she saw and even more shocked by what she heard when they listened to the podcasts.

Roxanne said, “How angry are you, Tuesday? I am so angry I am having trouble speaking”

Tuesday replied, “About as angry as you, I think.”

Roxanne: “What do you want to do? I know what I want to do and I think I know someone who knows someone who would do it.”

Tuesday: “What do you mean?”

Roxanne: “I know someone who says they know a man who will take those two out, without leaving any trace to you. There will be a significant fee involved. The stories I have heard are that he has always delivered.”

Tuesday: “How do you know this?”

Roxanne: “I meet people in my life and, unlike your husband, I do not flaunt my relationships to the world.”

Tuesday: “I understand. Yes”

Roxanne: “OK. I will make some enquiries and let you know what I have arranged. In the meantime, do not say anything to Hendrick about any of this. It would be a good idea if your daughters said nothing about it also.”

Tuesday: ”I will do my best.”

Roxanne: “You can go home now and try to act as if nothing has changed.”

Tuesday then drove to the house of Enrique Espinosa and collected her daughters, Daisy and Trixiebell. The three (3) of them then went home and Tuesday prepared dinner for the family, as if nothing had changed.

When Hendrick Lievremont arrived home, it was as if nothing different had occurred in the household. There was no discussion about Electra Mirabelle or the soccer podcasts.

Jason Haldis Has Lunch with Hermione McEwan
Jason Haldis was having lunch with Hermione McEwan when his mobile telephone rang.

Jason listened during the telephone call, but did not say very much.

He told his caller, “Be at the Sidewalk Café, Park Road, Milton at 11:00 am on Thursday with an A4 sized yellow envelope containing details of the package and the fee. Make sure the envelope is under her left arm. Is that understood?”

Jason: “OK”

He then ended the call and returned to his lunch with Hermione.

Hermione asked, “Work call?”

Jason replied, “Yes”

Hermione said, “I will not ask any further questions, unless you want me to help.”

Jason: “I may get you to help on this one, it could be interesting. I will see what happens and let you know.”

Hermione: “OK”.

They then completed their lunch and went their separate ways.

Jason Haldis Arrangements
The next day Roxanne telephoned Tuesday with the arrangements for engaging Jason Haldis, the hitman, although Tuesday was not told his name.

Roxanne said to Tuesday, “I have been told to tell you to be at the Sidewalk Café, Park Road, Milton at 11:00 am on Thursday with an A4 sized yellow envelope containing details of the package, including the fee. I will help you with the fee. Make sure the envelope is under your left arm.”

Conveniently for Tuesday, most of the relevant identification details for Hendrick Lievremont and Electra Mirabelle were contained on the web site Hendrick created for the soccer podcast, including when the next live broadcast was scheduled. So compiling the envelope contents for Jason was not a very complex or time consuming experience.

Sidewalk Café, Park Road, Milton
Tuesday arrived at the Sidewalk Café, Park Road, Milton about 10:45 am and discovered that it was a stand, not the café she was expecting. She then sat at a café nearby until closer to 11:00 am. She put the A4 yellow envelope on the table in front of her.

At 10:57 am Tuesday left the café, put the A4 yellow envelope under her left arm and walked slowly to the Sidewalk Café.

Jason recognised the woman with the A4 sized yellow envelope under her left arm walking slowly to the Sidewalk Café as he was making his way to it.

Just as she arrived at the Sidewalk Café Jason walked up beside Tuesday and said to her, “I am going to order tea, what would you like?”

Initially Tuesday was surprised, then she realised what was occurring. “I will have a herbal tea, thank you.” Tuesday replied.

Jason then went to the counter and placed his order. Instead of waiting at the counter he returned to Tuesday and had a conversation with her. There were other people standing and waiting also. Some were talking, some were not.

“Would you like me to deliver that for you?” Jason asked Tuesday, as he looked at the A4 yellow envelope under her left arm.

“If you do not mind”, Tuesday said and she handed the envelope to Jason.

Jason took the envelope and casually looked inside at its contents.

After a short pause Jason replied, “I do not anticipate any problems.”

By that stage their drinks were ready and they approached the café counter to collect them.

Jason said to Tuesday, “I will contact you when delivery has been completed.”

Tuesday said, “Fine”.

Tuesday and Jason then went their separate ways.

The Live Podcast
Match night arrived and Jason had positioned himself in the ceiling of the house of Electra Mirabelle where he had a good, clear view of Electra Mirabelle and Hendrick Lievremont as they did their live podcast of the soccer match. Apart from Jason, Electra and Hendrick were the only people in the house.

After the soccer match had been under way for about ten (10) minutes Jason shot and killed both Electra Mirabelle and Hendrick Lievremont from his vantage point in the ceiling. The podcast then had dead air.

Tuesday Lievremont listened to the podcast on her computer at home, much as it pained her to do so. When she heard the broadcast of the live commentary of the soccer match go silent, Tuesday thought Jason Haldis had delivered the package.

Jason quickly and quietly made his way out of the premises of Electra Mirabelle.

Twenty (20) minutes later the house exploded in flames. The fire was fierce and not a lot was left when the fire was finally put out. Both Electra Mirabelle and Hendrick Lievremont were burnt beyond recognition and could only be identified by dental records.

After the subsequent investigation the official cause of the fire was found to be that it started due to a fault in the podcast broadcast equipment. The deaths of both Electra Mirabelle and Hendrick Lievremont were said to have been caused by the fire.

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Bonham Trudeaux and Arcadia Thiessen
Unaware of her divorce situation, Bonham Trudeaux telephoned Arcadia Thiessen, with the hope of seeing her and having sex with her.

“Can I come over and see you?”, he said. Better to do it at her place, he thought. I do not want to spend any money on her.

“I cannot talk to you, at the moment. I will call you later”, Arcadia replied.

Bonham thought nothing unusual of the conversation and organised to do something else.

Stiles Parsons Contacts Tabernacle Calderone
When Stiles Parsons heard that Arcadia had separated from Tabernacle Calderone, he contacted Calderone to see what was going on, notwithstanding the difficulties they had endured in the band.

A very different picture was now emerging about Arcadia, Parsons thought. She always contended that she was a loyal wife, yet Bonham Trudeaux contended Arcadia was his girlfriend and Bonham showed Parsons pictures on his mobile telephone of Arcadia naked and also of her performing oral sex on him, with her wedding ring clearly visible.

“We have separated and I have commenced divorce proceedings” Calderone told Parsons.

Calderone continued, “It seems for at least eighteen (18) months Arcadia has been having an affair with Garlick Duckworth, a guy from Sydney. She travelled often with her work to see him and spoke with him most days by telephone. They were also very good at texting each other.”

Parsons said to himself, So Arcadia was involved with Bonham Trudeaux and Garlick Duckworth. Her loyal and faithful wife story is now in tatters.

Stiles Parsons Meets Bonham Trudeaux
Angered by the way she treated him, Parsons decided to contact Bonham to see if he could get Bonham to give him a copy of the photographs of Arcadia naked and her having sex with Bonham.  He would then give those photographs to Garlick Calderone.

Parsons telephoned Bonham and asked him if he would like to have dinner at the Hard Slog Café near where Parsons lived. Bonham agreed and arrangements were made to meet at 7:00 pm.

There were very few people at the Hard Slog Café that evening, which suited both Parsons and Bonham.

After they ordered their meals, Parsons asked Bonham, “Are you still seeing Arcadia?

Bonham replied, “I have not seen her for a couple of weeks, but yes, I am still seeing her”.

Parsons: “Have you still got those photographs of her?”

Bonham: “Yes I do”.

Parsons: “Would you mind if I saw them again?”

Bonham: “No, not at all. Here they are on my telephone”.

Parsons was prepared on this occasion to see the photographs of Arcadia. He did not find them as distressing as he did the first time Bonham showed them to him. He calmly looked at the photographs and he did not tell Bonham that he knew Arcadia.

Parsons then asked Bonham, “Do you mind giving me a copy of those photographs?”

“No trouble at all”, Bonham replied and he sent a copy of the photographs to the mobile telephone of Parsons.

Parsons looked at his telephone to confirm that the photographs had been received and then he thanked Bonham. Parsons then changed the topic and Arcadia was not further discussed that evening.

Stiles Parsons Meets with Tabernacle Calderone
Parsons decided to visit Tabernacle Calderone at his home and try to tell Calderone what he knew of Arcadia, at least insofar as the relationship with Bonham and the photographs were concerned.

Calderone agreed to invite Parsons into his house and have a conversation with him about Arcadia.

Parsons said, “We have had our differences in recent times. I do not wish to cause any more aggravation. However there is something I thought you should know in relation to your separation and divorce from Arcadia. A guy I know has some photographs of her and I got him to provide me with a copy of them. I think you should see them. I doubt that you will find them pleasant viewing.”

Parsons then showed the photographs he had on his telephone to Calderone.

Calderone looked at all of the photographs. It was apparent to Parsons that Calderone found them upsetting. Parsons did not say anything, he waited for Calderone to speak.

After several minutes Parsons noticed Calderone seemed to be trying to speak, but could not get out the words. Parsons then said to him, “If you like, I can give you a copy of photographs and then I will leave”.

Calderone said, “I will take a copy of the photographs, but please do not leave. I would rather you stayed and kept me company than be alone this evening”.

Parsons was surprised to hear that response from Calderone. It was a very long time since he had shared emotions of that kind with Parsons.

Once the logistics of sharing the photographs had been negotiated, Parsons told Calderone briefly what he knew about the photographs and then changed the topic of conversation immediately.  He did what he could to not discuss Arcadia in any way for the rest of the evening. Calderone was unusually and understandably subdued in his interaction that evening, but Parsons was not going to use that as an excuse to leave early.

After about two (2) hours he thought they had spent enough time together and Calderone said he was leaving. Calderone did not object and thanked Parsons for visiting him and supporting him. Parsons then walked to his car and drove home.

Tabernacle Calderone Meets with His Solicitor
The next day, a still unsettled Calderone contacted his solicitor, Zorgarn Kreptic, and told him about the photographs of Arcadia and Bonham Trudeaux.

Kreptic said, “Those photographs may strengthen your contention that the focus of Arcadia was on her social life, not her children. It is also the case that denial by Arcadia of this affair with Bonham Trudeaux would further erode her credibility.”

Kreptic continued, “I will add them to the draft affidavit I have prepared for you. They will augment the telephone records and room service bills which suggest Arcadia was having an affair with Garlick Duckworth. We will use them to support your contention that the focus of Arcadia was on her social life, not her children”.

“As we have discussed previously, Mr Calderone, it is my view that the denial by Arcadia of the affair with Duckworth hurts her credibility. Her involvement with this other guy, Bonham Trudeaux, adds to her difficulties.”

“In the profile of Garlick Duckworth we had compiled for your matter, we have discovered that he is a vain, self-promoter, who likes to put other people down and who apparently has no interest in anyone but himself, especially the children of Arcadia.”

Calderone said, “I still believe what I have said many times before, the primary focus of Arcadia is her social life, not the children. Her involvement with these men confirms that view, in my opinion.”

After discussing the situation with Kreptic, Calderone said he wanted Arcadia to clarify her relationship with Duckworth.

“I do not want Arcadia to have contact with the children, if there is a chance Duckworth will see them, because Duckworth is an unknown and a risk. In my view it is dangerous to expose the children to any significant relationship with Duckworth, when he has not been tested with them or as a parent”, Calderone said firmly.

“Arcadia also has low self-esteem now, which is bad for the children to see”, he added.

Kreptic replied, “I will write to the solicitors for Arcadia and outline your position in relation to Arcadia having contact with your children, bearing in mind her involvement with Duckworth. If and when we get a response, you and I can discuss that issue further.”

“I expect to have your draft affidavit ready for you to read in a couple of days. I will include in it the new information you have provided to me today.”

The telephone call then ended.

Arcadia Meets with Her Solicitor, Siobhan Blanco
When Siobhan Blanco read the letter from Zorgarn Kreptic in relation to Arcadia Thiessen and Tabernacle Calderone, she was surprised by its contents. Blanco was completely unaware of any involvement on the part of Arcadia with Garlick Duckworth. The letter did not have all of the details of that involvement, but it had enough for Blanco to treat it very seriously.

Shortly thereafter Blanco contacted Arcadia and expressed her anger about the dishonesty of Arcadia proved by Calderone and his solicitors.  Arcadia had no good answer for her deception regarding her relationship with Duckworth.

Blanco told Arcadia, “It seems to me that you are going to have to provide significant details about Garlick Duckworth to satisfy Calderone that it is appropriate for you to have contact with the children, if there is a chance Duckworth will see them. Your credibility is also now squarely an issue in this matter.”

This news surprised Arcadia and she was struggling to say anything in response. The divorce was not going according to her plan, she thought.

Arcadia provided some sketchy details of Duckworth to Blanco, but very little of substance.

Arcadia Contacts Duckworth
Arcadia decided to telephone Duckworth and inform him of the developments in her divorce. She said to him, “My solicitors have received a letter from the solicitors for Calderone and they seem to be completely aware of my relationship with you over the last eighteen (18) months

“My solicitor said that I will have to provide significant details about you to satisfy Calderone that it is appropriate for me to have contact with the children, if there is a chance you will see them”

Duckworth was of little help to Arcadia with his reply, “I guess with losing your job, you will not be coming to Sydney any time soon?”

Arcadia became angry with him, “Can you stop thinking about yourself for a while and try to concentrate on what I am saying?”

The response from Duckworth was again unhelpful, “I am not in a position to have a discussion with you at the moment. I have something that needs my attention. Perhaps we will talk later.”

Duckworth then ended the telephone call.

Arcadia was stunned by the response of Duckworth and it took her some considerable time to compose herself after the telephone call with him.

Arcadia Seeks Out Stiles Parsons
Stiles Parsons may be helpful, Arcadia thought, so she contacted him in the hope of obtaining some support from him. Arcadia told Parsons the hard-done-by story. She was unaware Parsons knew about her affairs with Garlick Duckworth and Bonham Trudeaux. Parsons was no longer buying her hard-done-by story. To his surprise, Arcadia revealed that the divorce litigation with Calderone had uncovered her affairs with Duckworth and Trudeaux. She did not reveal any other lovers, but Parsons suspected that there would be more.

Parsons was somewhat subdued in his conversation with Arcadia and he ensured he did not reveal the assistance he provided to Calderone in relation to her. He thought, it was noticeable that her conversation with him lacked any apology to him for all the previous deception she had perpetrated upon him by continually contending she was a loyal and faithful wife. Arcadia was still only thinking of herself.

After a short time, Parsons found a way to politely end the conversation with Arcadia.

Parish Garner Rang Arcadia
Several days later Parish Garner from Perth rang Arcadia on her mobile telephone. He said, “I really enjoyed meeting you at the Adelaide Business Development Conference. Are you going to be in Perth any time soon? I also have a friend who knows I shared you with Thackery Versailles, he would like to meet you too”.

Arcadia did not want to have this discussion, nor did she want to reveal that she had lost her job and her divorce was now rather difficult for her.

She told Parish, “I am not in a position to speak with you at the moment. I might call you later.”

She then ended the call.

Interim Court Hearing
Tabernacle Calderone filed an Application for Interim Parenting Orders and it subsequently came on for hearing.

After reading the affidavit material submitted to the Court by both Arcadia and Calderone and then hearing submissions on that material by their respective barristers, relevantly, the Judge hearing the Application found that:

• The telephone records, room service bills and photographs were compelling evidence of the involvement of Arcadia with other men
• Arcadia was not a witness of credit
• The primary focus of Arcadia was her social life, not the children
• Arcadia has no job
• It was in the best interests of the children that they live with the father, Tabernacle Calderone
• Arcadia is to tell Calderone whenever Duckworth is to have any contact with the children.

Arcadia was devastated to hear the decision of the Judge. In contrast Calderone was very happy.

A Dish Best Served Cold

Tuesday
Another day at the office, another story from Gwendolyn Jasper about the challenges of living with Thaddeus Jasper and their food allergies. This time about the rigours of labelling food in the pantry and refrigerator. Peanuts and soy seem easy enough to avoid, she said, but add that to her need for gluten free bread and eating can be a complicated exercise. They have both reached 40 years of age and both learned to manage it successfully, together and individually. However, it can be draining on them, she said. And it remained the case that there was some food Thaddeus Jasper ate that Gwendolyn Jasper did not.

Tales of the diet complexities of Thaddeus Jasper and Gwendolyn Jasper were of little interest to Garlick Elderberry. However he knew as a 19 year old probationer, directly supervised by Gwendolyn Jasper, it was in his interests not to upset her, as his probation was shortly to come to an end and her input would be significant as to whether he would become a permanent staff member.

He was always diplomatic whenever the topic of Gwendolyn Jasper was discussed with his work colleague, Tiffany Blackbriar, even though Tiffany made it clear she knew Gwendolyn Jasper did not like Elderberry. Tiffany had said several times there was no work-based reason for Gwendolyn Jasper to dislike Elderberry. Tiffany also knew not to make her feelings known in the office or amongst other work colleagues.

Thursday
It came as a great surprise to Tiffany Blackbriar to arrive at work on Thursday and learn that Garlick Elderberry was no longer employed there. Gwendolyn Jasper had ended his probation and terminated his services. Whilst there was discussion about it amongst some of the other staff, no one complained to Gwendolyn Jasper about her decision. No one seemed to be showing any real support for Garlick Elderberry.

Tiffany Blackbriar was privately furious about the injustice that had be occasioned to Garlick Elderberry and it took great restraint from her to not express her feelings publicly in any way. Later that evening Tiffany Blackbriar telephoned Garlick Elderberry and said both how sorry she was for him losing his job and how angry she was about the way it happened.

Tiffany enquired, “Are you going to take any action in relation to your dismissal? It is obvious the only reason Gwendolyn Jasper ended your probation and your employment was because she did not like you.”

Garlick replied, “Thank you for your concern and support. I am very upset about what happened. But I have decided not to take any action about my dismissal. Rather I will try to put it behind me and seek work elsewhere.”

“I understand and respect your decision, so I will not push the matter any further. If you ever want to talk about it, feel free to call me”, said Tiffany.

Garlick thanked Tiffany again for her kindness and support and with that, the telephone conversation essentially ended.

Five Months Later
At about 10:30 am Tiffany Blackbriar was asked to see the big boss. When she got to his office he said to her, “Gwendolyn Jasper is having another one of her significant migraines. Can you drive her home, please. I have written her address on this paper. Here are the keys to my car.”

Tiffany looked at the address and realised that Gwendolyn Jasper lived near a colourful chemist she knew.

“Yes, certainly”, Tiffany replied.

There was no conversation between the two women during the journey from the office to the home of Gwendolyn Jasper.

Home of Gwendolyn Jasper
Tiffany thought this was a golden opportunity to exact revenge upon Gwendolyn Jasper for ending the employment of Garlick Elderberry.  From all the stories Gwendolyn Jasper told at work, Tiffany knew about the food allergies of Thaddeus and Gwendolyn Jasper.

Her plan was to put poison of some sort in some of the food in the house, which Gwendolyn Jasper would ultimately provide to Thaddeus Jasper and slowly kill him. Because Tiffany was an apparently insignificant person in the life of Gwendolyn Jasper, no one would suspect anything untoward in respect of her. The act of Tiffany driving her home the day of the migraine would seem an innocuous event and not one to be subsequently remembered.

Once Gwendolyn Jasper was home and laying down in her bed, Tiffany said she would drive to the chemist to get Panadol type drugs for Gwendolyn, in case they were needed. Gwendolyn did not object.

Tiffany immediately drove to the shopping centre nearby, where Hieronymus Treadstone, the colourful chemist she knew, worked. She then went to see Hieronymus Treadstone.

She waited a few moments until she could get him alone and then asked him for some arsenic.

“Why do you want arsenic?”, Treadstone enquired.

“It is best you do not know,” Blackbriar replied.

“OK then. Wait here.”

About three (3) minutes later, Hieronymus Treadstone returned. “Here is your Arsenic. I hope you know what you are doing.”

“Time will tell”, Blackbriar said, as she paid Treadstone and then left the store.

She then walked a few hundred metres to another chemist and bought Panadol for Gwendolyn Jasper, as she said she would. Blackbriar promptly returned to the home of Jasper.

Gwendolyn told the office many times that Thaddeus Jasper only drank coffee and she only drank tea, so putting some of the arsenic in the container storing the ground coffee was an easy option for Tiffany Blackbriar. The labeling of the food in the pantry and the refrigerator made the arsenic distribution job easier for Tiffany.

The Prosecution
Subsequently Thaddeus Jasper died and Gwendolyn Jasper was charged with his murder.

Daniel Soames was in his Chambers and he took a telephone call from Derek Winthrop.

Winthrop said, “Mr Soames, if you are available, I have a matter I believe may interest you? A wife has been charged with the murder of her husband. The death occurred by way of poisoning, according to the prosecution case. The wife vehemently protests her innocence and claims she has been framed. At this stage, no independent evidence supports the contention of the wife in that regard.”

“That sounds very interesting, Mr Winthrop. I am most definitely available. How do you propose to proceed?”, Soames replied.

“The first court appearance is scheduled in four (4) days time. I will send you a brief containing what material I have thus far and I will update the brief as more evidence comes to hand. You may wish to have a short conference the day before the court appearance.”

“A sensible approach, as always, Mr Winthrop. We can chat further when the material arrives and I have read it” Soames said.

“Thank you, Mr Soames. I will be in touch with you again shortly”, said Mr Winthrop and the conversation ended.

Later that day a brief from Winthrop arrived for Soames. It contained no real surprises, as Winthrop indicated. Soames then telephoned Winthrop, “Conference in my Chambers Wednesday 3:00 pm?”

“Thank you Mr Soames. I will make the necessary arrangements”, Winthrop replied.

Wednesday
Winthrop was on time for the 3:00 pm conference.

“This lady is in some trouble, Mr Winthrop”, Soames said.

“That was my view too, Mr Soames”, Winthrop replied.

“Mr Winthrop, Can she point to any evidence to support her contention that she was framed?”

“None that I have been so far able to identify or locate, Mr Soames.”

“She will need that evidence if she is to entertain any prospects of being acquitted of this charge.”

“Yes and the future looks pretty grim in that regard.”

“We will have a chat with her before Court tomorrow. Perhaps she will be able to shed some light on to this problem, Mr Winthrop.”

“I will meet you here at 8:30 am tomorrow, Mr Soames, and then we can go off to court.”

The conference ended and Mr Winthrop returned to his office.

Thursday
8:30 am Thursday arrived and Winthrop and Soames were together again. This time it was off to the Magistrates Court to confer with and then appear for Gwendolyn Jasper. After enduring the rigours of court and holding cells security, Winthrop and Soames were able to speak with Gwendolyn Jasper.

Soames commenced, “Good morning Mrs Jasper. Mr Winthrop has provided me with all the material he has to hand so far on your matter. We have had discussions about the evidence and your attitude to it.”

“What are my chances of getting bail?”, Gwendolyn Jasper enquired.

Soames responded, “Not very good at this stage. We expect that The Crown will provide us with more evidence closer to the committal hearing. On the small amount of evidence provided to us so far, the case against you looks reasonably strong.”

Soames continued, “Today will be largely administrative and will set the date for the committal hearing, which is when Tthe Crown will present its evidence against you to determine whether you have a case to answer. If a bail application were to be made today and we were not successful, it would be much more difficult to successfully apply for bail in the future, unless your circumstances have significantly changed. We do not recommend making a bail application today. We recommend waiting until all of the evidence has been provided to us and we have conferred with you in respect of it.”

Gwendolyn took a few moments to reply. “It seems the best approach at the moment is to wait until closer to the committal hearing to make a bail application. Whilst that is not very comforting for me now, I understand why that is the better approach.”

The conference with Gwendolyn Jasper, Mr Winthrop and Soames then ended and Derek and Daniel made their way to the court room where the matter was being heard.

The court appearance took less than five (5) minutes from start to finish. The committal date was set, no application for bail was made on behalf of Gwendolyn Jasper and she was remanded in custody to appear again at her committal hearing. At the end of the court appearance, Soames and Winthrop returned to their respective offices.

Committal Hearing Preparation
When the evidence against Gwendolyn Jasper for the committal hearing arrived, it confirmed all the fears of Derek Winthrop. The Crown case appeared solid, perhaps even strong, and there was nothing to indicate that Gwendolyn Jasper had been framed in any way. It seemed a simple case of a spouse poisoning a spouse over time by putting arsenic in their food.

Winthrop telephoned Soames and told him of the news in relation to the evidence. “I will attend the jail and obtain the instructions of our client. I doubt she will be happy with the news I have for her.”

Soames replied, “Those conferences are always difficult.”

“Indeed they are. When I have our committal hearing instructions, I will provide an updated brief to you.”

A few days later, Winthrop rang Soames, “Mr Soames the committal hearing brief of Gwendolyn Jasper is available for you. I thought I might deliver it to you and we have a chat about it. I can be there in about forty (40) minutes, if that is convenient?”

“Thank you, Mr Winthrop. That will be convenient”, Soames replied.

When Winthrop arrived he told Soames, “There is no good news for our client in this brief of evidence from The Crown. Further we have nothing to support the claim of the client that she was framed for this offence. I think you can see how this is going to play out.”

Soames replied, “Thank you, Mr Winthrop. Looking through this brief quickly, there certainly seems to be no comforting evidence for our client. Add in an unsupported ‘I was framed’ claim and you have a recipe for disaster for our client. You and I have been in roughly similar situations previously, Mr. Winthrop. They are generally unpleasant experiences and I suspect this one will be no different.”

“I was thinking along the same lines Mr Soames and our client getting bail seems a highly unlikely prospect.”

“Completing the bad news feast, Mr Winthrop. So, a conference with the client on the morning of the committal hearing?”

“Yes, Mr Soames and hope that cross-examination improves what appear to be barren prospects for our client.”

Committal Hearing
Soames opened the conference with Gwendolyn Jasper on the morning of the committal hearing bluntly, “The news we have for you is unlikely to be comforting. There are no surprises in the evidence produced by The Crown. Their case appears strong and nothing appears to support your contention of being framed. The prospects of you being committed for trial are very high and it is most unlikely cross-examination will reveal anything to change that outcome. There also appears to be no reasonable prospects of you successfully applying for bail.”

“That is not good news”, Gwendolyn Jasper replied.

“No, and at this stage, it is not going to get any better at trial”, Soames continued.

“Time for us to make our way to court, Mr Soames”, Winthrop added.

“We will see you in Court, Mrs Jasper”, said Soames, ending the conference.

Outside court, after the committal hearing was over, Winthrop said, “That went as well as could be expected, Mr Soames. Unless some evidence appears to support the contention that our client was framed, she is more than likely going to be convicted of murder. The prospect of her giving evidence and claiming ‘I was framed’ is not one that provides me with any joy.”

“An accurate assessment, Mr Winthrop”, Soames replied.

“I will contact you when I have our trial instructions, Mr Soames, and I will then provide you with an updated brief.”

“Thank you, Mr Winthrop. I will return to my Chambers.”

“And I will return to my office, Mr Soames.”

The Trial
In conference with Gwendolyn Jasper, Soames continued his blunt assessment of the case against her and her prospects of success. “There is no evidence to support your contention you were framed for this offence. Giving evidence exposes you to cross-examination on all the issues and provides The Crown with an opportunity to reinforce its case, whilst seemingly destroying any credibility you might have, because of the lack of evidence supporting your claim of being framed. The alternative of challenging The Crown to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt and suggesting someone else might have committed the offence, without you giving evidence, has a higher prospect of success in my view. But it is still not likely to impress the jury sufficiently to acquit you of the murder charge. Criminal jurisprudence is littered with unusual verdicts. Perhaps one will come your way.”

After taking some time to consider the advice, Mrs Jasper said she did not wish to give evidence at her trial. She preferred the option where the Crown case was challenged and the suggestion made that someone other than her committed the subject offence.

Diligent as always, Winthrop recorded those instructions and had Gwendolyn Jasper sign them.

After the trial Winthrop and Soames went to a café near the Court. They had something to eat and drink and reflected upon the case.

“Who knows if Mrs Jasper was telling the truth, Mr Soames? The Crown case appeared to make sense and nothing supported the contentions of our client. Twelve (12) good men and true, some of them women, found her guilty, after a trial that seemed to be fair and run properly.”

“Hard to argue with your assessment, Mr Winthrop. Mrs Jasper will now endure the rigours of being convicted of murder. We can endeavour to pursue an appeal against conviction for her, but I see no realistic prospects of success on that front.”

“Tomorrow is another day and who knows what it might bring. I prefer not to think too much about it at this juncture and just try to enjoy this meal with you, Mr Winthrop. Call it one of my ways of coping with what it is we do.”

“I am with you, Mr Soames. I will worry about tomorrow, tomorrow. Now I am happy to do no more than enjoy this meal with you.”

Lunch with Soames
On the day of the hearing of the appeal Daniel Soames had a pleasant and uncontroversial  lunch with Tiffany Blackbriar.

Soames asked Tiffany, “How are your parents, I have not seen them for some months?”

Tiffany replied, “They are well Daniel. They both asked me to say hello to you today for them. Have you had any interesting court cases recently?”

Daniel replied, telling her about Gwendolyn Jasper and how her appeal against conviction for murder of her husband roughly four (4) years ago was dismissed earlier that morning, so she now faced life imprisonment. That meant at least 15 years in jail before she could be considered for parole.

Tiffany gave no indication to Soames that she had any knowledge of the matter involving Gwendolyn Jasper. She did her best to appear to be listening to his story, as she had done many times in the past.

The lunch ended without incident and they parted company, happy to catch up again sometime soon. In reality that means months for these two, rather than days or weeks.

As she walked back to her work Tiffany Blackbriar felt very happy. She had managed to take away from Gwendolyn Jasper the one person in the world she really loved, apart from herself of course, that is her husband, and in the process frame Gwendolyn for his murder. She realised that she had got away with his murder and that even someone as clever as Soames was not able to discover the real cause of the subject death. Tiffany thought in all the circumstances that was an appropriate outcome for Gwendolyn Jasper, after causing Garlick Elderberry to lose his job for no good reason.

Tiffany decided she would not tell Garlick Elderberry of her contribution to what had happened. They had had no contact for some considerable time and she was not going to make any attempt to contact him now.