‘Don’t worry, the state still has one or two hurdles to cross, because the judge is certain to grant us a stay of execution.’
‘Us?’ said Fletcher.
‘Yes,’ said the professor quietly, ‘although I have not appeared in court for many years, and may well be a little rusty, I was hoping that you might allow me to assist you on this occasion.’
‘You would serve as my co-counsel?’ said Fletcher in disbelief.
‘Yes, Davenport, I would,’ said the professor, ‘because you did convince me of one thing. Your client should not be spending the rest of her life in jail.’
‘Jury’s coming back,’ shouted a voice that echoed down the corridor.
‘Good luck, Davenport,’ added the professor. ‘And may I say before I hear the result, that for a second-year student, your defence was a remarkable tour de force.’
Nat could sense how nervous Su Ling was the closer they got to Cromwell. ‘Are you sure your mother will approve of the way I’m dressed?’ she asked, pulling her skirt down even further.
Nat looked across to admire the simple yellow suit that Su Ling had selected, that just hinted how graceful her figure was. ‘My mother will approve, and my father won’t be able to take his eyes off you.’
Su Ling squeezed his leg. ‘How will your father react when he finds out that I’m Korean?’
‘I shall remind him of your Irish father,’ said Nat. ‘In any case, he’s spent his whole fife dealing with figures, so it will take him only a few minutes to realize how bright you are.’
‘It’s not too late to turn back,’ said Su Ling. ‘We could always visit them next Sunday.’
‘It is too late,’ said Nat. ‘In any case, haven’t you considered how nervous my parents might be? After all, I have already told them that I’m desperately in love with you.’
‘Yes, but my mother adored you.’
‘And mine will adore you.’ Su Ling remained silent until Nat told her that they were approaching the outskirts of Cromwell.
‘But I don’t know what to say.’
‘Su Ling, it’s not an examination that you have to pass.’
‘Yes it is, that’s exactly what it is.’
‘This is the town where I was born,’ said Nat, trying to relax her as they drove down the main street. ‘When I was a child, I thought it was a great metropolis. But to be fair, I also used to think Hartford was the capital of the world.’
‘How long before we get there?’ she asked.
Nat glanced out of the window. ‘I’d say about ten minutes. But please don’t expect anything too grand, we only live in a small house.’
‘My mother and I live above the shop,’ said Su Ling.
Nat laughed, ‘And so did Harry Truman.’
‘And look where that got him,’ she replied.
Nat turned the car into Cedar Avenue. ‘We’re the third house on the right.’
‘Could we drive around the block a few times?’ said Su Ling, ‘I need to think about what I’m going to say.’
‘No,’ said Nat firmly, ‘try to remember how the professor of statistics at Harvard reacted when he first met you.’
‘Yes, but I didn’t want to marry his son.’
‘I feel sure he would have agreed to that if he’d thought it might have convinced you to join his team.’ Su Ling laughed for the first time in over an hour, just as Nat brought the car to a halt outside the house. He went quickly round to Su Ling’s side and opened the door for her. She stepped out and lost one of her shoes in the gutter.
‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry,’ she said as she slipped it back on. ‘I’m sorry.’
Nat laughed and took her in his arms.
‘No, no,’ said Su Ling, ‘your mother might see us.’
‘I hope she does,’ said Nat. He smiled and took her by the hand as they walked up the short driveway.
The door was opened long before they’d reached it, and Susan ran out to greet them. She immediately took Su Ling in her arms and said, ‘Nat didn’t exaggerate. You are quite beautiful.’
Fletcher walked slowly back down the corridor towards the courtroom, surprised to find that the professor remained by his side. When they reached the swing doors, the young counsellor assumed his mentor would return to his place a couple of rows behind Annie and Jimmy, but he continued walking towards the front of the courtroom and took the vacant seat next to Fletcher’s. Annie and Jimmy could barely conceal their surprise. The court usher announced, ‘All rise. His Honour Judge Abernathy presiding.’
Once he was seated, the judge looked towards the attorney general and acknowledged him, then turned his attention to the defence team, and for the second time during the trial, surprise registered on his face.
‘I see you have acquired an assistant, Mr Davenport. Is his name to be entered on the register before I recall the jury?’
Fletcher turned to the professor, who rose from his place and said, ‘That would be my wish, your honour.’
‘Name?’ asked the judge, as if he had never seen him before.
‘Karl Abrahams, your honour.’
‘Are you qualified to appear in my court?’ asked the judge solemnly.
‘I believe I am, sir,’ said Abrahams, ‘I first became a member of the Connecticut bar in 1937, though I have never had the privilege of appearing before your honour.’
‘Thank you, Mr Abrahams. If the attorney general has no objection, I will enter your name on my register as Mr Davenport’s co-counsel.’
The attorney general rose, gave the professor a slight bow, and said, ‘It is a privilege to be in the same court as Mr Davenport’s assistant.’
‘Then I think we should waste no more time in recalling the jury,’ said the judge.
Fletcher examined the faces of the seven men and five women as they filed back to their places. The professor had suggested that Fletcher check to see if any jury members looked directly at their client, which would possibly indicate a verdict of not guilty. He thought two or three of them did, but he couldn’t be sure.
The foreman rose. ‘Have you reached a verdict in this case?’ the judge asked.
‘No, your honour, we have been unable to do so,’ the foreman replied.
Fletcher could feel the sweat on the palms of his hands even more intensely than when he had first stood to address the jury. The judge tried a second time. ‘Are you able to return a majority verdict?’
‘No, we are not your honour,’ replied the foreman.
‘Do you feel, given more time, you might eventually reach a majority verdict?’
‘I don’t think so, your honour. We have been equally divided for the past three hours.’
‘Then I have no choice but to declare a mistrial, and dismiss the jury. On behalf of the state, I thank you for your service.’ He turned his attention to the attorney general, and as he did so Mr Abrahams rose to his feet.
‘I wonder, your honour, if I might seek your guidance on a small point of protocol.’
The judge looked puzzled, as did the attorney general. ‘I can’t wait to hear your small point of protocol, Mr Abrahams.’
‘Allow me first to enquire of your honour, if I am correct in thinking that should there be a retrial, the defence team must be announced within fourteen days?’
‘That would be the normal practice, Mr Abrahams.’
‘Then may I assist the court by making it clear that should that situation arise, Mr Davenport and I will continue to represent the defendant.’
‘I am obliged for your small point of protocol,’ said the judge, no longer puzzled.