The Danger Within

Twenty-Eight

Lilian was almost hysterical when she arrived back at Kate and Charlie’s house. Shaking uncontrollably, she blurted out what had happened.

Charlie called the police at once. The lunch party ended abruptly. Two officers arrived to take statements. They introduced themselves as PCs Birch and McKeach, and treated Lilian with considerable sensitivity. It was in sharp contrast to the way she had been dealt with by the police in Bristol.

Everyone seemed sympathetic. Lilian, although deeply shocked and scared out of her wits again was, if not reassured, at least calmed and encouraged.

Charlie told her that he believed that Kurt had really shot himself in the foot.

‘When your case comes to court his evidence and character will be irrevocably tainted by what he’s done,’ said Charlie. ‘I’d go as far as to say that there’s now just a chance again that the case won’t even come to court.’

The police arranged for the house to be kept under surveillance throughout the night.

Ultimately Lilian went to bed feeling, under the circumstances, better than she would have thought possible. And she slept surprisingly well. Early the following afternoon the same two police officers returned. They had tracked Kurt down.

‘It appears that Mr St John has a solid alibi for the time you say you were confronted by him, Mrs St John,’ said PC McKeach.

He sounded weary, certainly no longer at all sympathetic. Indeed the attitude of both police officers had changed, in much the same way that the attitude of the police in Bristol had changed after they’d interviewed plausible Kurt.

‘Do you think I made it up, for God’s sake?’ asked Lilian. ‘Kurt gets people to lie for him. That’s what he does.’

‘Not these people, love,’ interjected PC Birch, in that vaguely patronizing way that men in positions of any sort of authority were inclined, as a matter of routine in the 1990s, to adopt towards women. ‘Mr St John was having lunch with a government minister and the South African High Commissioner at the time. At South Africa House.’

‘On a Sunday?’ queried Lilian. ‘All afternoon? Do they confirm he was there all afternoon? And South Africa House is in Trafalgar Square. Less than half an hour away from here on a Sunday. It was the first time I’d been out of the house on my own. His goons could have tipped Kurt off. I know the house has been watched—’

‘Even if Mr St John was not at lunch all afternoon, and did leave earlier or break away for a while, he could not have got here from Trafalgar Square in time to interrupt your trip to the off-licence,’ Birch interrupted. ‘It’s only five minutes’ walk from this house, and you wouldn’t have been in the store for more than a few minutes at the most, would you?’

‘That’s assuming he was lunching at South Africa House,’ countered Lilian.

PC Birch shrugged. ‘We have highly reputable witnesses, whom we believe would in any case have no reason to lie, pledging that he was at South Africa House,’ he continued. ‘Wasting police time is an offence, you know. You should be careful, Mrs St John. You have been charged with a very serious crime, and you are on bail. That bail could be rescinded at any time. You could end up behind bars before your trial even begins, if you don’t watch it.’

After the police officers left, a bewildered looking Charlie turned to Lilian, and asked her earnestly: ‘What is going on, Lilian? Are you sure you were accosted by Kurt yesterday?’

‘Of course I’m sure,’ Lilian replied. ‘It happened, Charlie. Kurt was there. Waiting for me. I’m not likely to make a mistake about that, am I? I don’t care what sort of alibi he’s supposed to have. Nobody understands how powerful he is. He has holds over powerful people. Important people.’

‘Yes, of course,’ said Charlie.

However, Lilian feared he was not convinced.

All the same, he did not stop fighting Lilian’s corner. First of all ensuring that she wasn’t returned to custody following the unfortunate outcome of her brush with Kurt.

But he warned her, ‘One more incident like this and there will be nothing I can do, Lilian. You do understand that, don’t you?’

Lilian confirmed that she understood only too well. She could see that Kate was beginning to doubt her too, although her old friend was trying hard not to show it.

Lilian was distraught. History seemed to be repeating itself. She wondered what other tricks Kurt might have up his sleeve.

How could she or anyone else fight this man?