The Last Detective

'I did. On 11 October. I removed samples of skin and hair from the boot of the vehicle and subjected them to DNA analysis.'

'For the benefit of the court, would you now explain the signficance of such a test? This is what is commonly known as genetic fingerprinting, is it not?'

'Yes. It is a way of producing genetic profiles of individuals which are unique in each case except for identical twins. The genetic material known as DNA can be extracted from samples of blood, skin, semen or hair-roots and separated into strands. Chemicals known as restriction enzymes are used to chop the strands into unequal pieces which are sorted on a piece of gelatine by a process known as electrophoresis. We then tag the bits with radioactive probes and expose them to X-ray film to produce a series of black bands not unlike the bar codes used in supermarket checkouts.' not unlike the bar codes used in supermarket 'Every one unique to the individual?'

'Every one unique to the individual?'

'Exactly. So that comparisons can be made with certainty.'

'And you produced genetic profiles of the traces of hair and skin found in the boot of the Mercedes car driven by the defendant?'

'Yes.'

'With what result?'

'They matched the samples taken from the victim.'

'Matched them absolutely?'

'In every respect.'

There was a pause in the proceedings while comparative photographs of the results were passed around the jury.

'Is there anything else you can tell the court about the skin and hair found in the car?'

'We found four hairs altogether, all matching the victim's DNA profile. Three were from the pubic region, suggesting that at some stage the body in the boot was unclothed.'

'And the skin particles. How many did you find?'

'Twenty-three.'

'So many. Is that indicative of anything?'

'It suggests to me that the body was dragged across the lining of the boot, causing some scaling. There may also have been some movement when the car was driven.'

'Summing up, then, Dr Partington, you are quite certain in your mind that the body of Mrs jackman was conveyed somewhere in the boot of the defendant's car?'

'Entirely certain.'

'Thank you.'

Dana's defence counsel rose to cross-examine the witness. She was Lilian Bargainer, QC, a doughty, silver-haired advocate, ample in voice and girth. Diamond had been cross-examined by her on one occasion. The defence was in capable hands.

'Dr Partington, there is just one thing I would like to have clear. Is it possible, is it conceivable, that the skin and hair samples you took from the boot of the car could have been introduced there?'

'What exactly do you mean?' Partington knew very well what she meant. It was a defence red herring, dangled in front of the jury in case they were influenced by stories of police corruption.

'If some person of malicious intent wished to convey the impression that the car had been used to transport the body somewhere, might he or she have misled you by planting some skin and hair samples in the boot?'

Dr Partington was categorical. 'No. The appearance and positioning of the skin samples was entirely consistent with a body having lain there and been lifted in and out. They adhered to and mingled with the fibres of the inner lining entirely as one would expect. In my opinion, it would not be possible to reproduce this effect artificially.'

'Thank you.'

The court adjourned for lunch.

In the corridor outside, Diamond spotted Jackman briefly, but he was in conversation with a lawyer, possibly the solicitor, and it seemed inopportune to approach them. So it was a solitary lunch in the pub across the road, where the head-bandage attracted wary looks from other customers.

He next saw Jackman in the witness box. The people in front, in the first row of the public gallery, craned for a better view. In the dock, Dana Didrikson lowered her eyes as if taking an interest in the state of her fingernails. Her expression remained placid, but she couldn't do anything about a nervous twitch in a muscle close to her jawbone.

After Jackman had taken the oath, he was steered gently by Sir Job into the account of his marriage that he had given in his statement to Diamond many weeks ago. To his credit, he adhered closely to the original, admitting the imperfections in his relationship to Geraldine, the steady increase in arguments and accusations. Some of it was going to make juicy reading in tomorrow's papers, in particular the night Geraldine had set fire to the summerhouse.

'You were convinced that your wife intended to kill you?'

'Yes.'

'Yet you chose not to report the incident to the police.

'That is correct. She was mentally unstable, or so it appeared at the time. As I now know, she -'

Sir Job cut in sharply, 'We're dealing with matters as you understood them at the time, Professor. Would you tell the court whether you had met the defendant, Mrs Didrikson, prior to the fire in the summerhouse.'

'I saw her that evening, yes.'

'Where precisely? At your house?'

'She came to the house. I met her outside, in the road.'

'Why was that? Didn't you want her at the party for some reason?'

'It wasn't appropriate. She hadn't come for a. social evening. She came to clear up a misunderstanding.'

'So you cleared it up in the road?'

'We went to a pub.'

'In her car?'

'Yes.'

'At your suggestion?'

'It was a place to have a conversation.'

'And a couple of drinks, I presume. It didn't cross your mind that your connection -1 employ the word in a platonic sense – your connection with Mrs Didrikson might have come to the notice of your wife?'

'She knew of it. She took the phone call.'

'Ah.'

Jackman had been lured into deep water and now he was floundering. 'But it didn't amount to anything at that stage.'

'At that stage?'

'I mean a connection in the sense you hinted at. Then, or later.'

'Come, come, Professor,' said Sir Job, smiling indulgently. 'I scrupulously avoided suggesting anything that may have happened later, but since you have raised the matter, would it be true to say that the platonic connection blossomed into a friendship?'

Jackman blushed deeply. He was making a terrible hash of this if he wanted to help Dana. 'A platonic friendship.'

'A friendship that lasted through the summer?'

'We met a few times, but it was for the boy's sake. I took him swimming a number of times.'

'And to other places?'

'A cricket match, on one occasion, and a balloon festival.'

'And at the end of these outings, you returned young Matthew to his mother?'

'Naturally.'

'She must have felt some obligation to you?'

'No.'

'No?'

'I mean that wasn't the intention at all. I had no ulterior motive.'

'But your wife thought otherwise.'

At this, defence counsel rose to object that Sir Job appeared to be cross-examining his Own witness. For some minutes both counsel and the judge were embroiled in an argument over the legal niceties.

Diamond listened unhappily. He'd come here to follow the trial at first hand instead of reading the garbled newspaper accounts, and it wasn't at all as he had hoped. Powerless to influence what was going on down there, he sensed that Dana's attitude of resignation was pre-empting the verdict. The prosecution were riding high.

The examination-in-chief was resumed. 'Professor, we were discussing your late wife's reactions to your occasional meetings with the defendant. Would you tell us what she had to say on the subject?'

'She twisted everything.'

Sir Job glanced towards the judge, who said wearily, 'Tell the court what your wife said, Professor.'

'She hinted that I was having an affair with Mrs Didrikson.'

'Only hinted?'

'Well, towards the end she was more specific.'

Diamond ached inwardly. This was disastrous for the defence. Far better if Jackman had come out with the worst Geraldine had said. By his reluctance to tell, he appeared to be confirming that he and Dana had been lovers.

'What did she say precisely?'

'You want the exact words?'Jackman hesitated. 'She said we were shagging like rabbits. It was a complete and utter lie.'

Sir Job said, 'Did you say lie, or lay?' The quip was well-timed. General laughter covered the embarrassment and the cheap point was scored. The defence would gain nothing by protesting.

Jackman's misery continued for another hour. Sir Job went on to secure the important admission that Geraldine had visited Dana and accused her of using Matthew as bait. He took Jackman through the events of the weekend before the murder and made much of Dana's gift of the Jane Austen letters.

'She wanted you to have them as a gift – these letters of potentially great value?'

'Yes.'

'A farewell gift?'

'That was my understanding. After what had taken place between my wife and Mrs Didrikson, it would be impossible for me to go on seeing the boy.'

'And you accepted the letters?'

'Yes – but if they proved to be genuine, I always intended to return them to her after the Jane Austen exhibition was over.'

'So this farewell was more of an au revoir than a final parting. When were you next in contact with Mrs Didrikson?'

'On the Monday morning. I phoned.'

'The day your wife was to be murdered? What did you have to say to Mrs Didrikson that Monday morning?'

Scarcely a statement of Jackman's had passed without being given a damaging twist by Sir Job. It was cross-examination masquerading as evidence-in-chief, and so skilfully had it been done that the defence would only have damaged its own case by repeatedly objecting. By the time Sir Job had done, the jury must have been convinced that Dana was a woman in the grip of an infatuation, and that Jackman had encouraged her.

The cross-examination proper was cut to the minimum. Lilian Bargainer looked over her half-glasses at Jackman and asked, 'Professor, can you account for your wife's erratic behaviour in the months prior to her death?'

'I believe I can. She was using drugs.'

'There is evidence of this?'

'Yes. On 25 April, the police found packets of cocaine hidden in the house. I understand that a person addicted to cocaine may exhibit symptoms of paranoia.'

The judge interrupted. 'Drugs? I heard no mention of drugs before this. Sir Job, is the prosecution aware of this? You made no reference to it in your outline of the case.'

Prosecuting counsel coughed and wrapped his gown protectively around him. 'We are aware of it, m'lord. A man has been charged with supplying the deceased with cocaine. The matter has no connection with the case for the Crown.'

'That may be so. I am surprised we have not heard of it already.'

'I intend to call a police witness at a later stage, m'lord. Undoubtedly the matter will be touched upon. I do not wish to over-state its importance.'

The judge turned to Mrs Bargainer. 'I take it that you attach some significance to it. Did you wish to pursue this matter with this witness?'

She said, 'I think the point is made, my lord. I shall, of course, wish to cross-examine the police witness in due course.'

The rest was routine questioning, attempting to mend some of the fences broken by the prosecution. Jackman did what he could.

When the court adjourned for the day, Diamond didn't stop to speak to anyone. There seemed no point any more. Anyway, his head ached. He went home to take some painkillers.