Court Out - By Elle Wynne Page 0,58

entrance and the press are looking at it with interest. They’ve now worked out that I’m the prosecution junior and fire questions at me as I run the gauntlet to the door.

“Lauren! Lauren, why are you all going to the house?”

“Lauren, what’s the next plan of attack?”

“Lauren, do you believe he did it?”

I flash a quick smile at them but don’t say anything. It’s really actually quite intimidating having microphones thrust into your face every morning. Corr and Quinn just saunter through without a care in the world. Mind you, they must be used to it, dealing with murders on a daily basis as they do. I’d never say this out loud, but I’d love to think that one day I could be considered good enough to be made a silk, a Queen’s Counsel. Actually, if it ever were to happen, I’d be more likely to be a King’s Counsel as presumably Charles or William will be on the throne then. People in Chambers would tease me mercilessly if they thought I had that sort of ambition and I’d hate for people to think I was getting too big for my boots and being presumptuous. A lot of barristers aspire to become a Judge, but I can’t imagine that’s something that would suit me. I think I’d get too lonely and miss the Chambers camaraderie.

The parties have assembled in one of the back corridors so that we can get onto the coach without attracting too much attention. I stand next to Corr and Quinn and looks around for Rivers. That’s odd, where is he? I scan the faces in the passage, looking for his familiar profile but draw a blank. I turn to Quinn

“No junior today Peter?” I inquire, checking that I haven’t missed him

“Nope. Flying solo. He said there was something he wanted to work on. Knowing him, he just wants a lie in. I understand Lucinda has been her usual demanding self.”

“I bet,” I say, knowing full well that Lucinda is not the one currently keeping him awake.

He laughs “We all keep teasing him that he’s only marrying her for the money. Very bright lad though is Andrew, very hard working. Really driven to succeed.”

I make a noncommittal noise and Quinn resumes his conversation with Corr. We’re all silenced a few moments later by the arrival of Mr. Justice Wynne and his clerk. He’s wearing a dark grey suit and it’s really odd to see him without his usual ceremonial dress. He looks a lot younger without it and he’s taller than I expected too. He smiles warmly at all of us.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, in a moment we will board the bus but before we do, there are a few ground rules that I must put in place. Number one, whilst we are out, please surrender all mobile phones to the jury bailiff; it’s crucial that no-one contacts anyone outside of our number or takes any photographs of the scene. Number two, please do not touch anything unless you are directed to do so. Please treat the home of Mr. Hobbs with the courtesy you would expect of a visitor to your own house. Finally, number three, stay with the group at all times. Please avoid the temptation to wander off on your own, as that will cause us undue delay. I think that is everything. You already know that you are not to use this excursion as a forum to discuss the previous evidence, so please refrain from doing so. Right, if we’re all ready, then lets go.”

We file out of the exit door and up the stairs onto the coach. The jury are directed to fill up the back three rows, the court staff the next two, then the Defendant and his solicitors in the middle and the barristers sit at the front by the judge.

We sit in silence as we make our way out of the city centre and into one of the leafy suburbs. I watch as the houses become further and further apart before we enter a long road with gated entrances. The coach turns into a property on the left and there are a few gasps from behind me. After being granted access through gates bearing the letters ‘R’ and ‘M’ we process up the long tree-lined drive before stopping in front of an enormous white mansion.

The house was built from scratch in 2002 after the couple demolished an existing 1920’s mansion. Any hint of its former life has been well and