Page 75 of Traitors Gate
‘I’m bound to ask, Mrs Dawson, how a sales assistant, on eighteen thousand a year, can possibly afford to pay four thousand one hundred pounds for a Cartier watch, unless of course she has a rich lover, or perhaps an even richer backer?’
‘Neither,’ said the witness, the smile returning. ‘It’s a fake. I picked it up for ten lira in a Turkish bazaar while on holiday last summer.’
One or two sniggers followed, suggesting Sir Julian’s replacement was not up to the job. Booth Watson closed his eyes and looked as if he had fallen asleep.
‘Would you be kind enough to take the watch off, Mrs Dawson.’
‘M’Lady,’ said Booth Watson, rising unusually quickly from his place. ‘I must object. Can I remind the court it is not my client who is on trial, but the defendant.’
‘I agree with you,’ said the judge. ‘But when you asked for a tape to be played that neither I nor Sir Julian were aware of, I gave you considerable latitude, so I think I’ll allow the request. Please take off your watch, Mrs Dawson.’
The witness obeyed the judge’s command, while even Sir Julian wasn’t sure what his daughter’s next question would be. Grace hesitated as she recalled her father’s words:if it were to backfire it will give our opponents an advantage from which we may not recover. But it was too late now to turn back. ‘May I ask if there’s a serial number engraved on the back of your watch?’
Everyone’s eyes were now fixed on the witness as she turned the watch over and it was a few moments, the longest few moments in Grace’s life, before she replied, ‘Yes.’
‘Please read out those numbers.’
‘One two zero two one nine eight six.’
Booth Watson was back on his feet. ‘Sit down, Mr Booth Watson,’ said the judge firmly. ‘I want to hear Mrs Dawson’s response.’
‘Perhaps you were unaware, Mrs Dawson,’ continued Grace, ‘that Cartier engraves each of their watches with a serial number so they can retain the names of their most frequent customers and keep in touch with them.’
Mrs Dawson stared helplessly across at her silk, but Booth Watson could only sit there, head bowed, unable to supply his client with the answer to that question, although he knew exactly what her reply should be and hoped she’d worked it out.
‘Please think carefully before you answer my next question, Mrs Dawson, remembering the judge reminded you when you returned to the witness box, that you are still under oath.’
The witness gripped the sides of the witness box, the confident look no longer on display.
‘Will it be your name recorded on Cartier’s files as one of their most frequent customers, or was it, as you suggested, purchased for ten lira from a bazaar in Turkey while you were on holiday?’
Grace pointedly took a blank sheet of paper out of her file and pretended to study it – a trick she’d seen Booth Watson perform in the past. More than once. She looked up to see the witness was trembling uncontrollably.
‘I’m not a frequent customer,’ she said quietly. ‘It was just the once.’
Grace placed the blank sheet of paper back in the file as someone seated behind her jumped up and quickly headed for the exit. Mrs Dawson leant forward and pointed at a man who was opening the courtroom door. Everyone turned around to see Lamont’s back as he slipped out of the court and disappeared from sight.
Mrs Dawson began to sob uncontrollably, but the judge showed no sympathy, and with a nod of the head, indicated that Grace could continue with her cross-examination.
‘Allow me to once again return to the tape, Mrs Dawson, and the conversation you recorded with my client that you claim met with his approval.’ No response from the witness was forthcoming so, after a short pause, Grace continued, ‘Can I presume that you have no objection to an independent expert examining the tape for any signs of tampering?’
Booth Watson was quickly back on his feet and about to speak when the judge said, ‘I presume, Mr Booth Watson, you’re not about to object to Ms Warwick’s reasonable request?’
Prosecuting counsel fell into his seat to hear a voice say, very quietly, ‘They made me do it.’
‘Wouldn’t it be more accurate to say they paid you to doit?’ came back Grace. ‘Which would explain how a sales assistant on eighteen thousand pounds a year was able to buy an expensive Cartier watch.’
The witness bowed her head and made no attempt to answer the question. Grace milked the moment for as long as she could.
‘Who did you mean when you saidthey, Mrs Dawson?’
The witness looked up and stared across at her counsel, and, when she saw the look on Booth Watson’s face, settled for the greater of two evils and remained silent. Grace had come to the end of her questions and was about to sit down when the judge, glaring from on high, said, ‘Mr Booth Watson, in view of what I’ve just heard, or not heard, I am bound to ask if it is still your intention to proceed with this case.’
Booth Watson didn’t rise and didn’t speak, just shook his head.
‘Then it is my intention,’ said the judge, ‘to direct the jury to retire and return a verdict of not guilty.’
Booth Watson made no attempt to appeal. The clerk immediately rose and led the jury silently out of the court and back to the jury room.