Page 65 of The Quarterlands (Dark Water #4)
Josiah knew he himself was generally well liked by the public.
They admired his reputation for catching killers, empathised with his tragic personal life, and had loved watching him overcome an intrusive media with his brusque responses to their inane questions over the years. He had that on his side, at least.
Byrne questioned him first, which gave him an easy start. He spoke of how Alex had been a well-behaved indie, good at his self-imposed job.
“The truth is, I didn’t want an indentured servant. I’ve never had one, and I’ve never wanted one,” he said firmly.
“Because your husband was killed by one?” she asked.
“No, because I don’t like the system. Pay someone an honest wage for an honest day’s work, but don’t trap them into a repressive system that’s little different from medieval serfdom,” he replied.
This caused a stir in the media gallery; they’d always supposed they had the measure of the indiehunter.
“So, you found it distasteful to have an indentured servant living under your roof?”
“I did, but that wasn’t Alex’s fault. He performed his duties perfectly. He prepared meals for me, helped around the house, and polished my shoes, all without me asking.”
“You’ll forgive me for being surprised. You have quite the reputation for disliking indentured servants and, indeed, for pursuing them and holding them to account for their misdeeds.”
“I know that’s the popular perception, but it has nothing to do with me.
I’ve never once given an interview or said anything to that effect.
Until now, only the people in my life have had any idea what I think or believe.
This speaks to a wider truth: none of us really knows public figures, even if we think we do.
The media has painted a picture of me that bears only the smallest relation to my reality.
In my opinion, having got to know him very well, I would say that the media’s impression of Alex is similarly misleading. ”
“In what way? ”
“He’s not the pantomime villain he’s been painted as, for a start. He’s a real person. I find him kind, warm-hearted, and genuine. He’s artistic and a little mercurial, prone to moodiness and occasional flashes of temper, but he’s also witty, extremely intelligent, and loyal to a fault.”
“You have arrested numerous indentured servants in your time,” Byrne pointed out.
“I’ve arrested killers. I might not agree with the system, but I won’t give indies a free pass for killing people,” Josiah replied firmly. “I’ve never targeted indies, though. I do my job. I’ve also arrested dozens of people who aren’t indentured servants, but the media is less interested in that.”
HMS sallied forth to take over the questioning.
“It sounds like you’re more than a little in love with Alexander Lytton,” he said, his lips quirking into a knowing grin. He winked at the jury. “I can see why – he’s a handsome young man.”
“I like Alex a great deal, but when this case is over, he will be returned either to Mr Tyler or, if he’s found guilty, to Tyler Tech, who are his proxy houders. That’s another reason why I dislike the system. To return an IS to a person or company that has abused him for years is despicable.”
“There is no evidence he’s been abused for years.”
“Jabir Aldaba, Mick Reynolds, Ted Burgis, and Alex himself have all spoken at length about how he was treated.”
“If we believe them.”
“I do.”
“I put it to you that you have been dazzled by Mr Lytton’s looks and charm into believing the frankly ludicrous story he concocted.”
“The assumption I’d be swayed by his looks is both patronising and simply untrue,” Josiah snapped. “I’m not so easily won over, as anyone who knows me will testify.”
“So, you were impressed by his virtues as an indentured servant – despite having no time for indentured servants?” HMS raised an eyebrow.
“No, I was struck by his bravery and decency from the moment I first met him,” Josiah said stoutly .
“When you first met him, you arrested him on suspicion of murdering his houder.” HMS gave the jury a look of frank disbelief.
“That’s not when I first met him,” Josiah said quietly.
HMS frowned and glanced at his notes. “Forgive me, am I in error? When did you first meet him?”
Josiah looked straight at Alex and smiled. Alex put his hands over his heart, his eyes burning with pride, and nodded. Only he knew just how hard it was for Josiah to talk about this.
“I first met Alex the night my husband, Peter, was murdered,” he stated firmly, gazing around the courtroom.
“Alex had just escaped from Tyler because he was abusing him, and he was first on the scene when Peter was stabbed. He tried to save Peter’s life by jumping on his assailant and trying to disarm him.
I arrived seconds later and joined in, but for several moments, Alex was alone in that fight.
He was considerably shorter and slighter than Lars Driessen, the man who attacked my husband, but he didn’t hesitate to try and protect Peter. ”
There was a stunned silence. HMS looked confused, and Tyler’s jaw dropped open in disbelief. The jury looked completely shocked, but the media had lit up like a beacon in a lost zone, clearly excited by this new twist in the story. Alex nodded at Josiah across the courtroom, his eyes shining.
“So, he was on the run, and he just happened to be passing your vehicle at the moment your husband was stabbed?” HMS sounded sceptical. Josiah knew he was only moments away from the Kathleen Line being revealed, but he ploughed on regardless.
“Alex saw Driessen attacking my husband and tried to save Peter’s life.
It was Alex who called the emergency services.
The court can listen to the recording we have on file.
It’s clearly his voice. He ran off before they arrived because he knew he’d be returned to Tyler if he stayed.
This corroborates a key moment in Alex’s story, that Tyler was angry with him because he escaped.
It also ties in precisely, in terms of dates, with when Solange was killed. ”
HMS looked angry at having this revelation sprung on him, as well he might.
Josiah hadn’t intended to speak about Peter’s death.
It still felt too raw, too personal, and he hated the idea of putting this most private and tragic part of his life on display, but he owed this to Alex.
He’d been so brave that night, and the jury deserved to know about it.
“We already knew Mr Lytton had absconded, from Mr Bates’s earlier testimony,” HMS said testily.
“And I’m corroborating it.” Josiah shot him a steely look.
“So, you were inclined to believe Mr Lytton’s allegations against Mr Tyler simply because he aided you the night your husband died?”
“ Simply? ” Josiah rounded on him. “What Alex did that night was nothing short of heroic. He was just a scared indie on the run. He had so much to lose, and yet, he tried to save my husband’s life.
I’m an investigator, and when Alex told me that a young woman was murdered and her killer never brought to justice, I was inclined to believe him.
Nothing I’ve found out subsequently has convinced me that he was lying. ”
“Did you know that Mr Lytton and Mr Tyler once had a romantic affair?” HMS asked suddenly, wrong-footing him. “You seemed shocked by the footage of them together.”
“No,” Josiah said shortly. “I didn’t know that until recently.”
“Does it change your view of Mr Lytton?”
“Not fundamentally, no.”
“Surely it must cast doubt on the veracity of his testimony?”
“Tyler didn’t mention it when giving evidence, either. Does it cast doubt on the veracity of his testimony?” Josiah flung back.
“Why would Mr Lytton have an affair with a man he believed had killed his best friend?” HMS demanded, avoiding the question.
“He had no choice. He was Tyler’s prisoner, and Tyler was prostituting him.
He’d seen him kill Solange, and had every expectation that Tyler might kill him, too.
Why wouldn’t he have sex with the man under those circumstances?
Why not even pretend to love him? I have no doubt he was doing it to survive.
I don’t believe he ever really loved George Tyler.
He saw, first-hand, what an angry, vengeful man Tyler is.
Tyler never got over Isobel Lytton’s death and he’s been obsessed with pursuing vengeance against the man he believes is responsible ever since. ”
HMS paused for a moment, frowning. “The person he believes is responsible?” he queried .
“Yes. Tyler believes that Alex killed the love of his life, and he can never get over that.”
“Your use of the word ‘believes’ is misleading, surely? Mr Lytton pleaded guilty in court of driving under the influence of the drug crocodile tears. Are you saying that’s not the case?” HMS demanded.
Josiah glanced at Alex’s white face. They only had this one final roll of the dice to convince the jury that what they knew about Alex was all wrong.
It was a risk, because it established that Alex was prepared to lie under oath, but Josiah wasn’t just fighting to convince the jury of Alex’s essential goodness.
He was also fighting for Alex’s future in the all too likely event that they lost and he was returned to Tyler.
Maybe the hatred between them was now too well established to be changed by this new information, but if it would save Alex even a little suffering at Tyler’s hands, then surely it was worth it?
Strategically, this was a curve ball that would also buy Reed more time to crack the encryption on the blackmail footage.
All of this went through his mind as he stood on the witness stand with the eyes of the nation upon him.
It made sense to speak up, if it wasn’t for one thing: he’d promised Alex that he wouldn’t.