by Karen Osman
‘Chris, when we agreed that I would go back full-time, you reassured me you’d try and make more of an effort. What about the boys?’
‘Claire, what do you want me to do? Besides, why are you late?’
‘Never mind,’ replied Claire, ‘I’ll head home now. What time will you be back?’
‘No clue. I’ll message you.’
Chris hung up and Claire threw the phone in her bag, anxious to get home to her sons. Did Chris really have to work on a Friday night? What if she had needed to work late? She didn’t but that wasn’t the point. What irritated her was that there was no discussion – he simply assumed she would be on hand to drop everything and be home for their sons. Closing her bag, Claire left the office, her earlier satisfaction replaced with annoyance.
*
Claire stretched out on the sofa, relieved to be out of her suit and high heels and in something more comfortable. The house was silent and for a few minutes, Claire appreciated the rare moment of quiet as she sipped a glass of rosé. She didn’t usually drink on her own but after her first week at work, she felt the need to mark the milestone. Lucy had kept Jamie up a little later than usual being as it was the weekend, so Claire could put him to bed. Much to her relief, he’d fallen asleep happily with promises to go and see the dinosaur display in the shopping centre the next day. Chris was still at work and Joshua had gone out with his friends.
‘Where are you going?’ Claire had asked her eldest as casually as she could.
‘To Mark’s house, Mum. Video games.’
‘Do you want me to pick you up later?’
‘No, it’s fine, I’ll walk.’
‘Okay, be back for eleven, okay?’
‘I always am, Mum.’ He winked at her now, indulgent of her daily reminder, and gave her a kiss on the cheek before leaving. Joshua had been friends with Mark for years and Claire thought Mark was a fairly good influence on him. There were several other lads they hung around with from school as well and they’d all gone through senior school together. She hoped it was just video games, but she suspected there would be booze as well. After everything they had been through last year with Joshua, she prayed he had enough sense not to go overboard.
At least he wasn’t driving yet.
Claire knew that the minute he passed his test, she wouldn’t be able to sleep a wink until he was safely back home. She felt a pang for his baby days when there was nothing more to worry about than whether he was hungry or needed his nappy changing. But as Chris was always reminding her, you had to let them grow up. It wasn’t easy though.
Picking up her glass, she pushed the thoughts aside determined to make the most of a quiet Friday night alone. She might as well finish reading her files while Chris was out. She reluctantly picked up the Rose Aiker file. Knowing someone else in the company would handle it, she was half inclined to skip it, but the case pricked at her subconscious. Rape.
Taking a deep breath, she opened the file and began reading.
Case Number: TD / 08 / 67 / 3876
Incident: Rape
Reporting Officer: Constable Andrea Myers
Date of Report: Saturday 11 February 2016
At about 17:00hrs on Sunday 12 February 2016, I met with Ms Rose Aiker at her home address of 61A Sherbourne Road regarding an accusation of rape. Ms Aiker said she had gone out with a female friend in Manchester city centre and then to the opening party of Studio 65, a nightclub, at 23:45hrs. Ms Aiker admitted to drinking alcohol and taking drugs at the venue.
Ms Aiker informed me that at approximately 01:45hrs she left Studio 65 and went on to a party with a group of people. The party was held at 15 Crossway Avenue, approximately a twenty-minute walk from Studio 65. Ms Aiker spent approximately four hours at the party. During this time, Ms Aiker went upstairs to one of the bedrooms to lie down. When she entered there were two males, who she described as anything between eighteen and twenty-five years old. Ms Aiker told me the males wouldn’t leave the room to let her lie down and she was unable to remember if anyone else came into the room. Her recollection of the event is as follows:
Section 4 of transcript 2 of case file TD / 08 / 67 / 3876
‘They weren’t gonna leave the bedroom were they, so I tried to push past them to find another bedroom, but they stopped me. I thought they were joking so we started having a bit of banter. It was dark in the bedroom, but I could see their faces because there was a lamppost outside the house that was shining through the window. I don’t think there was anyone else in the room although maybe somebody came in later. When I tried to leave again, they stopped me.
‘At first, they kept trying to joke and chat and I played along for a bit, but then one of them held my arms and the other put something across my mouth. Then they put me on the bed and tried to make it out to be a game. When I resisted, the one holding my arms threw me on the floor and I tried to get up and run. I heard something, like a lock clicking and then I saw one of them pull down his trousers…’ [Victim pauses for several minutes and is visibly distressed.]
‘He got on top of me and pulled down my underwear… and… and then… he… forced me. I just kept trying to tell him to stop.’
‘Did the other male do anything to you?’
‘The first one said, “You wanna go, our kid?”’
‘Apart from that did either of them speak?’
‘No, I don’t think so. I don’t remember. I think one of them kept saying, “Hurry up!” He sounded a bit scared.’
‘I’m sorry, Ms Aiker, can you describe what happened after that?’
‘The first one got dressed. And then the other one…’ [Victim unable to continue and asks for a break. See section 5, transcript 2 of case file TD / 08 / 67 / 3876]
Claire closed the file, heart pounding, trying to block out the images, but they swooped in on her, insistent and audacious, like vultures on a corpse. Rose, outnumbered, lying there so petrified, wondering what would happen to her, the dawning realisation that she might not get out alive. Claire wondered what Rose was doing right now. Was she at home wondering if she would ever feel safe enough to go for a night out again?
Between the images, a memory pushed at her mind, Claire lying on a couch, partially undressed, Paul’s hands over her, and the shame hit her with full force. She wouldn’t think about that now. It was just one more reason to hand this case over to someone else and as quickly as possible. Rose had done the right thing, called the police, made a statement, and subjected herself to a physical exam. It was a strong case and one that could be won. Just not by Claire.
October 2017
7
‘Jamie! Shoes on! NOW!’
How many times…?
‘Can you help me, Mummy?’
Claire sent a silent plea for patience. Taking a deep breath, she put down her bag and travel mug and leant over to help her son.
‘Okay, love, but we have to be quick. We’re late!’ she urged, pulling the Velcro across his shoe. Picking up her things, she grabbed her car keys and opened the front door ready to go. It was then she noticed Jamie didn’t have his school bag.
‘Jamie, your school bag – where is it?’ asked Claire.
‘I don’t know, Mummy.’
‘Well, is it in your room?’
‘Maybe…’
‘Jamie, come on – you’re a big boy now – you need to have your things ready! Look, here it is.’
Relieved, Claire pulled the Paw Patrol themed bag out from behind the stool in the hallway. It must have fallen down the back.
‘Come on then, let’s go,’ she cajoled.
With Jamie trailing behind, she unlocked the car, dumped the bags on the front seat and put her travel coffee mug in the cup holder. Then she opened the back door and helped Jamie get in. After slamming the door, she got into the driver’s seat, looking at her son in the rear-view mirror.
‘Put your seat belt on, Jamie, please.’
As she saw Jamie pull the belt across him, she started up the engine.
>
‘Can you manage?’ she asked him, carefully reversing the car.
‘Yes, Mummy.’
‘Okay, good job, Jamie.’
She was rushing. Claire had woken up just twenty minutes before they were supposed to leave after a late night working at home. Chris had also been late, but he’d been up early, and she was annoyed that he had left it so late to wake her. He was out the door as soon as he’d handed her her coffee. At least he’d dropped Joshua off, she supposed, but still – would it have killed him to drop Jamie off too?
Putting the car into drive mode, she accelerated quickly. Checking her rear-view mirror, she could see the belt across Jamie’s chest and tried to relax. At least he’d managed to do one thing by himself this morning. It was only ten minutes to the school so they’d only be a few minutes late. Then, once she’d dropped him off, she would call the office and let them know she’d be late for her first appointment. It wasn’t ideal. Her mind was whirring with her to-do list. Yesterday, Lucy had asked her where the receipt was for Chris’s dry-cleaning. Claire would need to find it and get it collected that afternoon otherwise Chris wouldn’t have any shirts to wear, but she had a horrible feeling she’d actually thrown the receipt out. Thank God it was Friday.
The initial euphoria she’d felt about going back to work was slowly dwindling as the long hours started to take their toll. Come on, Claire urged herself, it’s only been a month. She just needed a few more early nights, that’s all. And she would talk to Chris. He was acting like she was still part-time rather than working full-time. He needed to help out a bit more and pull his weight. She would talk to him this weekend, she decided.
She was so distracted she didn’t see the woman with her pram walking across the pedestrian crossing. Claire slammed on the brakes hard to avoid hitting her and Claire’s head snapped forward. The bags on the front seat flew, hitting the dashboard before landing on the floor, their contents spilling out. But it was the thump against her back that made her stomach slide.
‘Jamie!’ she screamed.
Releasing her seat belt, she got out of the car and yanked open the back door. Jamie was crouched in the footwell. She reached for him and held him close, examining him all over, oblivious to the impatient drivers behind her tooting their horns.
‘Oh, Jamie, I’m so sorry, are you okay?’
‘I’m sorry, Mummy, I didn’t put my seat belt on properly.’
‘Oh, it’s okay, my love, it was my fault, I should have checked.’
Claire kissed her son on his face and gently put him back in his car seat and fastened the seat belt. Giving him another once-over, she got back in the car, shaking. She was just about to drive away when someone knocked on her window. The woman with the pram. Thank God she hadn’t hit her. She looked furious.
‘It’s a fucking crossing, you dumb bitch,’ she shouted without even waiting for Claire to wind down the window.
Sorry, sorry, Claire mouthed. Putting the car in gear, Claire slowly drove away, hoping Jamie couldn’t hear the torrent of abuse that followed her.
*
‘Time for lunch?’ asked Julia, placing a take-away bag on her desk. Claire looked up from her laptop in surprise. She hadn’t heard Julia come in. Since she’d got into the office, she’d worked non-stop. She’d gone straight into her first meeting and it hadn’t gone well. The client was pissed off to be kept waiting and he wasn’t shy in voicing his displeasure. At just five foot four, Harry Benner had a temper as short as his stature and since they’d started representing his firm, he’d done nothing but complain. Her lateness had only given him more ammunition.
Julia unpacked the bag of food and handed her a sandwich, chicken with no mayonnaise. Claire took it gratefully. She was starving.
‘So, what’s the situation with the Rose Aiker case?’ asked Julia sitting opposite her and opening a packet of crisps.
Even the client’s name made Claire’s stomach lurch. Putting down the sandwich, she finished swallowing.
‘Well, I met Rose three weeks ago but since then Greg and Chloe have been working with her. You want me to get Greg and Chloe in to give you an update?’ replied Claire reaching for the phone.
‘Well, here’s the thing, Rose just called me and she’s still insisting on you being part of the representation.’
Claire removed her hand from the phone and sat back in her chair. The silence between them lengthened.
Finally, Julia leant over and took Claire’s hand. ‘I know it’s difficult but he has cast a shadow over your life for so long, maybe it’s time to let it go.’
Claire nodded numbly realising the truth of Julia’s words.
‘And you know, by not taking on this case, in a way, it’s like he’s winning. And that’s not the Claire I know. The Claire I know is someone who would never let anyone get the better of her. Every case you take on you fight to the bitter end for your client. You have a fierce reputation – everyone knows that.’
Claire let her friend’s words settle over her.
‘Besides, why do you think I asked you to go into business with me? You think I would ever want to come up in court against you?’ joked Julia. The atmosphere lightened, and Claire felt the corners of her mouth form a small smile.
‘All I’m saying,’ continued Julia, ‘is perhaps it’s time to use your past to the benefit of others and bring the Aiker perpetrator to justice. If anyone has the passion and the skill, it’s you, Claire.’
‘You’re right, I know,’ conceded Claire, ‘of course you are.’ She squeezed her friend’s hand before letting go. ‘It’s just…’
Just what? She couldn’t explain it to Julia. To anybody.
‘I know,’ said Julia, soothingly. But she didn’t. Not really. They both sat quietly for a few seconds, waiting for the other to make the first move. Julia went first.
‘Look, I know it’s difficult to work on a rape case, especially with what happened,’ she said delicately. ‘So how about this. We keep Chloe and Greg on the case and you just sit in on meetings – be the face of the thing.’
Julia paused. ‘I know it’s not ideal, Claire, and I would do it if I could, you know I would, but what with trying to maintain my own clients and working on bringing in new business…’
‘I know,’ interrupted Claire, ‘you’ve got loads on.’
It was true, and Claire felt the guilt acutely. Julia never hesitated to do what needed to be done when it came to business.
‘But perhaps this as an opportunity to right a few wrongs. A healthy way for you to heal, so to speak,’ concluded Julia.
Claire pulled herself up straight. Her past was affecting her career and it needed to stop. ‘You’re right,’ agreed Claire. ‘It’s time to move on.’
Julia came around the desk to give her a hug. Claire leant back into it.
She only had to be the face of the case.
Julia released her and stood up, straightening her navy, wool pencil skirt. The matter was settled.
‘Right, best get back to it. I’ve got Stanham & Stanham coming in this afternoon for a session, so I’ll be tied up most of the afternoon. You?’
‘Benner came in this morning…’
‘Ahhh, how was that?’ asked Julia. Not waiting for a response, she raised a knowing eyebrow. ‘Just think of all those billable hours,’ she added with a wink.
Getting up, Julia walked to the door while Claire cleared away the remains of lunch and put them in the bin. She watched as Julia paused at the door, one hand on the door handle. ‘Have you ever heard from him?’ Julia asked not turning around.
‘Who?’ replied Claire, although she knew exactly who Julia was referring to and she was probably the only person in the world brave enough to ask about him.
‘Paul.’
‘No. Never.’
Julia nodded and quietly left the room.
8
‘When we agreed about you going back to work full-time, you told me you’d only be late occasionally,’ called Chris from the
living room.
At least let me get one foot in the bloody door.
She dropped her bag and threw her keys in the bowl on the dresser in the hallway. She could hear the pump of music, no doubt from Joshua’s bedroom, and she closed her eyes against it. Why hadn’t Chris told him to turn it down? Had Chris even bothered to check Joshua had done his homework?
She took off her coat and, when she saw the already overcrowded coat hooks, was tempted to let it fall where she stood. Instead, she shoved it in. Hadn’t she just cleared the hall out last week? She couldn’t remember. It was eight o’clock in the evening and she was exhausted. All she wanted to do was get into bed and sleep for the whole weekend. She glanced at the stairs. How easy it would be just to tiptoe up, peek in on a sleeping Jamie and a video-playing Joshua and climb into bed.
‘Claire?’
No chance.
Plastering a smile on her face, she walked through to the living room where she saw Chris in his running gear.
‘Hi!’ Bright and breezy. Easy.
‘Did you hear me?’ asked Chris, not even bothering to look up from his laptop.
‘I did,’ she replied soothingly. ‘And I’m sorry. It’s been a devil of a week.’ She went over to him and stood behind his chair, resting her hands on his shoulders, and leant over to kiss his cheek.
‘How was your day?’ she asked, leaving one hand on his shoulder.
‘Awful – Dubai have pulled out. Grant threw an absolute fit.’
No wonder he’s in such a bad mood.
‘Oh, Chris, I’m so sorry. Is it very bad?’
‘Bad enough,’ replied Chris. ‘I’ve been at these numbers since Jamie went to bed – whichever way we slice it, we’re not making budget this month.’
‘But you’ve done so well the rest of the year,’ encouraged Claire.
‘Grant doesn’t see it like that,’ complained Chris. ‘It’s not enough for him to hit our targets – he wants to beat them to a pulp.’
‘Well look, it’s Friday night; there’s nothing you can do about it now. Why don’t we have a glass of wine and relax for a bit?’ suggested Claire.
