Of Lights and Shadows (Book 4)

43) Secrets Abound in Wickedness

Rising from his chair, Dastardious returned to his seat as Falkner now called Alice forward. They passed each other, and as they looked into each other's eyes Dastardious saw that whatever she had planned she would do it soon. With no power to stop her, Dastardious sunk into his chair as they swore Alice in and asked her name.

Falkner asked her a couple more questions about nothing really; just to get her talking before he moved on to the more serious questions.

'Do you know why you're here today?' he asked her.

'I do.'

'So you know the charges brought against you?'

She laughed humourously, fluttering her eyelids at him. 'I was aware of them before you were.'

Nodding, Falkner said, 'You've seen the video that has been played today. Now the accusation against you is a serious one and the evidence points towards you. Now I ask you, do you admit that it is you featured in the video?'

'I admit that it looks like me, certainly.'

'So you planted the body?'

'No. It looks like me, but it is not me. I was not there that night. But before I say anything more on this subject, I would like to say a little something first if I may?'

'You may,' replied Falkner, as if he had expected her request.

Pleased that she was allowed, Alice reached up and pulled a small USB stick up from where it was supposedly resting between her breasts. She was still wearing the same dress she had arrived in, and her bag had been confiscated so it was the only place she could put something. As to how she had been able to place it there and have no one notice Dastardious had no idea.

'I have understood every word said today here in court,' she told the court aloud. 'I have also understood exactly where Mr Falkner's line of questioning is heading. Some of you may have noticed, if you have been hearing the answers given to him, that the band of men that have brought me in here today, who arrested me a couple of days ago, have all been arrested at least once before in their lives for murder, thievery, and are known liars, and therefore cannot be trusted.'

There were murmurs as she said this, but she payed them no at­tention as she continued.

'It's up to Judge Tricker, at the very end, to pronounce sentence on me whether I am guilty or innocent, after hearing the jury, but that depends on whether he's actually innocent himself.'

Another low murmur as Dastardious straightened up in his seat, eyeing carefully the USB stick still in Alice's hand. He had a faint idea of what might be in it, but had no idea how she could have come across it. His eyes flickered up to watch Tricker.

'What are you implying, Madam?' Judge Tricker asked, leaning over the side of his stand to stare down at her, he too, like Dastardious had, was eyeing the USB stick carefully.

'I mean, dear Judge, that in this stick I have evidence against you that in the case of Clare Norbert you lied about your alibi.'

Under his breath, Dastardious cursed as Judge Tricker paled. Curiously, Dutch and Silence exchanged glances before turning to Dastardious for an explanation.

'What's this?' whispered Dutch curiously.

'The end of us if that stick holds what she says she holds!'

'But how?'

'If it holds evidence against Tricker then the court will be put on hold,' Dastardious whispered back.

'Can't they just appoint a new judge to carry on the trial?'

Dastardious shook his head. 'Tricker's alibi for the murder of Clare Norbert was that he spent the night out with me at a bar, but the truth is that he didn't spend the night with me. I lied about it too. I claimed he was with me to back his story up. We're both responsible for her death. If the court finds out then not only will Tricker and I be in for it, but this whole case will be dropped!'