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.He should have seen it coming, he should have liaised with the solicitor in Exeter, he should have warned Tom against having two different stories, he should have handled the news differently.Now it was too late, the case would probably implode, Tom would be left with next to nothing.When he finally came to a halt it was to be met by silence, as though Lizzie was waiting to be sure the onslaught was over.‘Why don’t you talk to Mike about it?’ she said at last.‘Ask his advice?’‘I can’t.Ethically.’‘What about hypothetically then?’‘I can’t,’ he insisted.Then, hearing himself at his stubborn worst, he murmured, ‘Well, maybe.’ Then, aware that he had been talking at her non-stop for the last five minutes, he asked how her work had gone.‘Oh, I had the most extraordinary day,’ she said.‘Something of a breakthrough.Well, I think so anyway.But I’ll tell you about it another time.’‘One of your cases?’‘Yes,’ she said shortly, as if she really didn’t want to be drawn.But Hugh was determined to demonstrate his interest.‘Which one?’‘Wesley.You remember Wesley?’‘Of course I remember Wesley,’ he said, amazed she should imagine he didn’t.‘Have you managed to get them rehoused?’‘No.It’s something else, something.’ A small rush of breath while she framed the words.‘.something that completely changes their situation.’‘Great.What—’But she cut across him to say, ‘Look, I spoke to Charlie.He’s very upset.’‘Oh?’ Hugh said, not wanting the weight of Charlie’s problems just then.‘What about?’‘You not wanting him to go to Spain.He feels you don’t trust him.That you’ve got no faith in him.’‘Well, I don’t,’ he said baldly.‘He feels—’‘Christ! Hang on!’ Hugh rushed into the bathroom.The water was an inch below the overflow, and he turned off the taps with a shudder of relief.‘Okay,’ he admitted, returning to Lizzie, ‘perhaps I don’t trust him.No, I’ll rephrase that – it’s his addiction I don’t trust, the way it seems to pounce without warning.So what’s wrong with that? If he had more sense he wouldn’t trust his addiction either.’‘But this is counterproductive, don’t you see?’‘I’m sorry, but how exactly?’‘He feels that his achievement over the last few months means nothing to you, that you don’t appreciate how well he’s done.And it’s hurt him.He’s really upset.’‘But how did you put it to him? What did you say?’‘I said you were worried about him going to Spain, that you didn’t think it was a good idea.That’s all.’‘In that case, he’s overreacting.’‘Maybe.But that’s the way he sees it.’Hugh felt a sudden weariness.‘I’ll call him, okay? I’ll call him this evening.’‘If you would, darling.And Hugh?’‘Yes,’ he pre-empted her, ‘I promise not to get angry.’‘And your cold.Do take an aspirin, won’t you? Or a Panadol.Ask Rachel – she’s bound to have something.’Hugh felt better after his bath.Before calling Charlie he sat on the bed, the phone ready in his hand, preparing an argument based on concern rather than distrust, rehearsing a warm loving tone.But when he finally dialled it was to be diverted to Charlie’s message service, and then he left a short message, asking Charlie to call.It was only after he’d rung off that he realised how impersonal the message had sounded, and how he’d forgotten to give Charlie his love.After dinner, Mike and Hugh took some wine to the living room and sat on either side of a flaming mock-coal fire.Over the mantelpiece hung a large abstract painting in wild splashes of scarlet, black and white.‘One of Abbie’s,’ Mike remarked, following Hugh’s gaze.‘We think it’s rather good.’‘It’s amazing,’ Hugh murmured, not being a judge of these things.‘You just have to accept that creative kids aren’t going to have easy lives,’ Mike said.And maybe not-so-creative ones too, thought Hugh.It might have been the virus settling low over his brain like a fog, it might have been the comfort of the battered armchair, it might simply have been the wine, but he found himself saying, ‘Could I put a hypothetical case to you, Mike?’‘Of course,’ Mike said easily.‘But don’t rely on me for a textbook answer, Hugh.I’m not exactly a textbook man.’Hugh went through it all: the personal injury claim of the hypothetical Mr D, the anonymous letter, the custody case two counties away, Mr D’s failure to grasp the consequences of his actions, and his temporary disappearance.‘Mr D’s solicitor put a lot of pressure on him to come clean, and now he worries that he might have pushed Mr D over the edge.’Holding up a hand as if to take Hugh back a step or two, Mike said, ‘But nothing’s come out yet? Hypothetically speaking.’‘Well, no.but it will.’‘Why?’‘Because the High Court case will get reported.’‘Not in the law pages.It’s hardly ground-breaking stuff.’‘But the popular press.’‘Okay, but they’re not going to go into great detail, are they? Could be just a couple of lines.’‘What are you suggesting?’ Hugh asked nervously.‘That the solicitor should pretend he doesn’t know about the other case and hope it all goes away?’Mike gave a light shrug.‘You know what they always say – when in doubt do nothing.’‘You know our man can’t do that.’‘Why not?’‘The rules of conduct – he’d be in breach.He’d be in danger of being struck off.’‘Maybe.Maybe not.’‘For God’s sake,’ Hugh breathed.‘Who knows about this anonymous letter? According to our scenario.’‘Oh, several people.’‘Such as?’‘Well, Mr D, obviously.Plus our man’s wife.Plus his trainee.’‘No one who’s going to talk, then.’Taken aback by this, Hugh summoned Isabel’s argument.‘But the letter writer’s bound to try again.People like that always do.’‘So that’s a risk our man has to take.’‘A bad risk,’ said Hugh, beginning to fight back.‘He can hardly deny he got the letter.’‘Okay, but perhaps the letter never mentioned any new medical evidence,’ Mike suggested ingenuously
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