Page 168 of The Scene of the Crime

‘If the CPS say there’s enough to charge her, she could still be found guilty and end up in prison.’

‘Michelle has a good chance of being found not guilty,’ Jessica replied.

‘What makes you say that?’ he asked.

‘She’s an expert liar who can spin a yarn and twist things to her advantage. To win over the jury, she’ll portray herself as the innocent, tearful wife, a pillar of society and celebrated KC. She’ll also use her pregnancy to get their sympathy.’

‘How can you be so sure she’ll succeed?’

‘It’s what she does for a living, and she’s had years of practice convincing a jury she’s right and the prosecution is wrong. It’s pure theatre, Mike, and Michelle knows how to win over her audience.’

‘You broke her when you brought up the Liverpool potassium case, though.’

‘I played her at her own game and drew her in to show she was lying. She never thought we would look back so many years.’

‘The potassium in the drip bag will be her downfall.’

‘I wouldn’t be so sure of that.’

He looked puzzled. ‘Why not?’

‘Johan’s drip bag was empty. If we find any potassium, it will probably be minute traces.’

‘I know that, but Johan wasn’t being administered potassium, so Michelle had to have put it in there.’

‘Di sent me pictures of the clinical waste bag and its contents.’ Jessica showed him on her phone. ‘The drip bag that leaked contained a pre-mixed solution of potassium. This next picture is Johan’s bag. As you can see, the drip valve has come off and there’s no tubing connected to it.’

‘So, what’s the problem?’ he asked, looking confused.

‘Cross-contamination. Some of the potassium from the leaked bag could have got into Johan’s drip bag.’

Chapman laughed. ‘The chances of that happening must be minuscule.’

‘I agree, but as a forensic expert, I would have to say that while highly unlikely, there’s a chance it could happen. The fact that the potassium bag leaked will have to be disclosed to Michelle.’

Chapman let out a long sigh. ‘It never rains but it pours. Who would have thought that what appeared to be a straightforward case could hold so many twists and turns?’

‘Believe me, Mike, nothing is ever straightforward in this job.’

* * *

Michelle De Klerk spent two days in hospital before being released. After a thorough search of her home, no large sums of cash or uncut diamonds were found. The chemistry labfound small traces of potassium in Johan’s drip bag and agreed with Jessica’s ‘improbable but possible’ view regarding cross-contamination.

During her interview under caution, Michelle readily answered questions but said nothing that could implicate her in the diamond scam or any attempt to pervert the course of justice. She had a smirk on her face when she heard about the potassium drip bag that had leaked and continued to blame Anderson and Chapman for her husband’s death.

Anderson asked the Crown Prosecution Service if he could charge Michelle with murder, but they wanted to read and review all the forensic and police evidence first. Michelle continued practising as a barrister during the three months it took the CPS to decide that, due to insufficient evidence, there was not a reasonable prospect of conviction.

As the forthcoming trials for Bishop and Cole advanced with a certainty of their convictions and many congratulations for her team’s excellent investigations, Jessica was already at work on her next murder case, knowing Michelle would now never be convicted of her husband’s murder. She had no option but to accept the prognosis that there was insufficient evidence and no reasonable prosect of a conviction for Michelle De Klerk. She had even gone to watch her handle a defence trial in court. Seated partly hidden in the gallery, Jessica was able to watch the by now obviously pregnant barrister at work below in the court room. Wearing an immaculate wig, white starched collar and tails and black silks, she was a dominant and impressive figure. Acting as defence barrister for a suspected armed robber, she spoke eloquently and persuasively about how the defendant had been drawn into criminality due to tragic circumstances, losing his beloved young wife and unborn child.

Jessica watched Michelle virtually use her own almost full-term pregnancy, resting her hands on her swollen stomach toindicate the tragedy. She had seen enough and left the court, unable to accept that Michelle De Klerk had got away with murder, but the reality was that she had and pocketed the one million life insurance payout along with some rough-cut diamonds.