CHAPTER 12
Judge Gredo Grimstone stood by the window of the disrobing room watching as people filed through the door to take their seats in the main courtroom. He was his usual cool and calm self again. A bear with an itch this morning. Not only had he been forced to give up a day’s fishing with a newly arrived Super-Mitchel fly reel still in its wrapper, but he’d had to drag himself out of a warm bed at some incredible hour and all so he could arrive at this back-wood, scratch-bump of a town in order to try a case that could have well been taken care of in Suchno. In a proper court and by any number of twitter-brained, young lawyers hungry for work. Years since he had last been here at Yeltsin, couldn’t remember the particular case, but here he was.
And why? Because Prince Xavier had requested it. Requested it! Now there was a laugh if he’d felt like laughing. And why? Because he was widely known as a no-nonsense Judge with a reputation for speeding through his trials faster than any other judge in the country, and because of the indisputable fact that his cases were seldom reported in the Press. A nonsense of course to believe that editors and reporters were frightened of him, that he delighted in examining every page of their editions, checking each dot and comma, looking for trouble. Why, the very thought! Anyway, that as may be and whatever the whys and the wherefores, he now knew exactly why Prince Xavier had sent for him - and it was all very flattering. Worth the loss of a day on the river? Well, not first thing this morning it wasn’t, but now that he’d read the report, he knew exactly why the Prince had ‘requested’ his presence. No fool the Prince - knew that if anyone could prevent the case ‘getting out of hand’ that anyone was Judge Gredo Grimstone.
Constable Linus Webber was the one waiting to hand him the report.
‘Well I’ll be!’ exclaimed the Judge.’ Didn’t expect to see you. How long you been working here?’
‘Over a month now’ replied Constable Webber. ‘A sort of semi-retirement after twenty years of wearing myself to a shadow in the Suchno courts and it’s great place to be. Miss the fishing though, but you can’t have everything. Least, so they say.’ They were both members of the Suchno angling club,
‘I didn’t even know you’d been transferred’ said the Judge. ‘No one said. But, what about the Championship? You’ll be there, I hope? ’
‘Wouldn’t miss it for the world,’ replied Constable Webber. How about you?
‘Absolutely,’ replied the Judge. ‘I hear it’s at Deep Lake this year. Should be good.’
The constable nodded, handed him the report. ‘It’s marked for Your Eyes Only,’ he said with a grin. ‘Slept with it under my pillow and I’m about to take you where you can read it in comfort.’ He took the Judge’s arm. ‘The rooms above the court house are reasonable enough, but reasonable or not you have no choice: you are staying with us. Kate insists on it, says I am not to take no for an answer. One thing, though.! She says not to think we are to spend the whole time with fishing talk. The Judge laughed. He liked Linus, liked his wife, adored her cooking and they were old friends, had fished together for years.
Things were looking up
The Judge read the report immediately he was alone; sighed and shook his head with every sentence. No need to question why it was marked ‘For Your Eyes Only’ or why he had been royally summoned and in such a hurry. The Prince was in a panic!
Well, how would it be for the people of Mandredela to learn that their beloved Princess Serena was so saturated in riches that nothing was thought of her carrying a piece of priceless jewellery about her person as though it was nothing but a common trinket? And what, it most certainly would be asked, was the Prince thinking about, allowing a nine year old to be given such an important piece in the first place! Irresponsible was one of the words that would arrow its way across the country within hours. Much more worrisome, and by far, was the very real possibility that other more dangerous words might be heard.
About the last thing he needs, muttered the Judge as he read the report. God knows the state of his reputation as it was: playboy, gambler, a man with little thought for money or - and it was still being said - for his country or its people. Yes, no denying he’d been a spendthrift and a fool and yet, for reasons hard to explain, the Judge had a good feeling for the Prince. Couldn’t say why, but there it was. All right, granted, perhaps he could have handled the tragedy that was Janine a whole lot better, but he hadn’t. Simply hadn’t. Went haywire! But, that was in the past - a two-year ago past – and those who knew him were sure the Prince was trying all he knew to prove he had changed, that he truly cared for his country. But people! Quick to condemn, slow to forgive. And, of course, there was always the anti-royal mob. What a field day they would have, what propaganda! He could see them now, strutting the streets, waving their banners, marching to a beat that sounded for trouble. Thank heavens, though, not so many of them these days. Least not at the moment.
The Judge read the report while pacing back and forth in his room – a long time habit - but suddenly he stopped. Stopped dead. My God! Of course! In less than a year, Mandredela’s Lord Chief Justice would be retiring and how wonderful, how magnificently useful would it be to have the heir to the throne dropping good words about him in high quarters. He knew his name was on the list – a matter of form as a judge - but no telling where on the list. Somewhere in the middle, he supposed. But, hey, if he had the Prince fighting his corner! Well, what then! Yes, if he did a good job, pleased the Prince, it could turn out to be a very big ‘well what then’ indeed!
He sighed, impatient with himself at not having thought of it earlier instead of wasting so much of his time being kettle-boiling mad. Still, no early morning man, Judge Gredo Grimstone; never had been, never would be. No matter now. He knew exactly why he was here and what the Prince was asking him to do
First challenge, the report made clear, was to prevent the Princess having to put in a personal appearance at the court. Not vital, but more than helpful if it could be managed. Infinitely more important was for him to do all in his power to keep hidden from public knowledge the alarming fact that the necklace in question was the famous Princess Yarna necklace and believed by many to be part of the Royal Collection and a National Treasure. Not so, said the report. The necklace had been given to the Prince by his Grandma as a personal gift and had been placed with the Royal Collection for exhibition purposes only. No doubt true, thought the judge, but truth has a way of being left behind in a race with rumours and sometimes better left where it was. Especially as the Madredlans were touchy about such things.
He read the report again. It seemed straightforward enough: Her Royal Highness, Princess Serena, had spent the previous day visiting a local circus – ‘Ah, the Shanghasi! Interesting!’ – and was certain she had been wearing the necklace when she first arrived. However, when she arrived back at the Palace later in the day, the necklace was missing. A search was immediately put in place and early the next morning a Miss Pearl Santino, a local girl temporarily employed at the Shanghasi circus, was stopped, searched and was found to have the missing item in her possession. She immediately denied stealing the necklace but agreed she had been close to the Princess at the circus. Within touching distance, she admitted. However, she refused to say how the necklace had come into her possession other than to say she was attempting to return it when arrested. The girl is of excellent character, from a good family background and there are no reports of any previous convictions.
A good enough start, thought the judge. Anyone blank-brained enough to be found walking about with something in her pocket that did not belong to her should be an easy one to manipulate. He was good at that. She also claimed she was attempting to return the stolen item to its owner when arrested. The judge smiled.
All right then! Either she had stolen the necklace from the Princess or the Princess had accidently dropped the blessed thing and the wretched girl had done nothing more than pick it up. He’d go for the latter! Stealing by Finding would do nicely – not the kind of case to attrac
t attention or make the day’s headlines. He read on. Good! The girl was not yet sixteen, which meant the case could be held under Mandredela’s new Preliminary Court rules. Excellent, he’d do that!
Preliminary Courts were a brand new idea, commonly referred to as Back-on-Track Courts and so called because that is exactly what they were supposed to do – to bring children who were having trouble walking the straight and narrow back safely on track. ‘These new courts will, I feel sure, bring many of our children back into the warm and welcoming arms of Mandredelan society without having to involve them in a tangle of unnecessary, bewildering and legal wrangling.’ Or so said the King when announcing their introduction.
‘Ridiculous ! A crime’s a crime, no matter what the age,’ growled Judge Grimstone soon as he heard. ‘Discussion groups is what they’ll be! Ridiculous! It’s the Law gone mad!’
But this time - and he could hardly believe he would ever be thinking this - it would suit him fine! Preliminary Courts had no defence lawyers or prosecutors and were better without – or so a panel of experts had decided. Informality was to be the essence with parents, teachers and close family friends playing a major part in help decide how best to help a child suffering ‘difficulties.’ Yes, informality was to be the watchword, the new way ahead. They did, however and with a deal of reluctance, finally agree that a judge or a barrister should be allowed to act as chairman. For the first year anyway.
‘Idiots!’ grumbles the Judge.
He looked through the window to see Constable Webber directing people to their seats. Quite a crowd, more than he expected, but thankfully and, as far as he could see, no inky-fingered reporters sniffing for trouble. Today he would limit proceedings to a reading of the charge, to a brief explanation of what they could expect and end it up by calling for a full hearing the following morning. Early as he could. Three, four hours should be enough for the morning session and trusting there were no smarty-pant-would-be lawyers wanting to impress their neighbours, he’d be home and dry casting for trout the following morning!
He looked again across the courtroom. They seemed ordinary enough - farm folk, field workers. Good! He’d start off by introducing himself and say that although he was a judge, and a senior judge at that, he was there merely as an adviser in helping them decide how best to help a young girl – one of their own - realise the error of her ways. Well, something like that and, without actually saying so, make sure that while he did not regard the girl as having committed a totally serious crime – not the crime of the century (ha ha) - it was necessary for her to realise she had done wrong and to admit it. This, he would emphasise, meant not only in words, but sincerely and deep in her heart.
‘Yes, that sounds good, I’ll use that,’ the Judge said to himself. Not his usual kind of opening remark, but he’d not be giving the Suchno crowd any opportunity to say he had not done his best to support the new Preliminary Court idea. That he wasn’t ready to move on with the times.
And so, and with that, Judge Grimstone tightened his belt, straightened his jacket, found a smile and made his way out the door and into the courtroom. No doubts about what he had to do: get the whole thing over soon as possible; try to keep the Princess out of it, and do all he could to prevent the people of Mandredela learning about the necklace. What a fool the Prince had been! After then it would be back to Suchno, to his fishing and the very real prospects of becoming Lord Chief Justice of Mandredela.
Oh yes and he must remember to set the bail high enough so that it would be far beyond the reach of her parents or any one else in court. Bad enough the number of forms these new courts demanded – an absolute avalanche - and, of course, there was always the possibility that the girl might abscond? Still, best not think about that! He’d be here for ever! So yes, he would set bail as high as he dared.
‘Be upstanding for Judge Gredo Grimstone,’ called Constable Webber in his sternest of court voices. Everyone stood.
The Judge took his seat. ‘Be seated,’ called Constable Webber as he moved to his place by the door. Everyone sat.
Everyone, except one.
Oh Lors, don’t tell me. One of those in my court!
‘You wish to say something?’ asked the Judge, holding his smile. That’s the way - polite, friendly and Informal.
‘With your permission, sir.’ At least the man has manners.
‘Very well, but briefly please. I usually like time to be given time to introduce myself, but very well, say what you have to say.’
‘Thank you, sir. I will be brief. My name is Santino, Lou Santino, and the father of Pearl Santino, the girl on trial. What I want to say is that my younger daughters were, one time or another, with Pearl most of the time she was at the Circus and I think you should hear what they have to say. However, I have spoken to Constable Webber who tells me that children are not allowed in court unless they have special permission. Your permission, he says.'
‘When you say ‘one time or another,’ what do you mean exactly?’
‘Well, part of the time she was with one sister and later with the other.’
‘You have spoken to them, I imagine?
‘Yes, I have.’
‘You are of the opinion that what they have to say could be important?’
‘Yes, I do.’
‘Very well, bring them with you tomorrow morning. Constable Webber will arrange for them to be seated near to him by the door and I shall call on them if I think it necessary. Trusting of course that you will have words with them, make sure they know they have to be well behaved at all times. And quiet. Incidentally, and while you are on your feet, I think this is a good time for me to say that I see no reason why we need to have your daughter Pearl brought into court today. For one thing, I won’t be questioning her until tomorrow and secondly because I think it better for those wishing to speak on her behalf to be able to do so without feeling any sense of inhibition and, more importantly because time in court can be such a strain on a child. Even in a Preliminary Court like this.’
‘And now I think it time for me introduce myself, after which I would like all those wishing to speak on behalf of - he shuffled his papers – Pearl Santino to tell me something about themselves and why they feel they would like to give testimony on her behalf . Nothing much, no great details, no life stories. Ha ha.’
And so, having told about himself, he sat up straight and tried all he knew to concentrate as the three volunteers who had raised their hands said what hey wished to say about their young friend Pearl. Not easy. Mrs Gollitoe was the first to speak, saying how they had known Pearl since she was a baby and how kind and good she was and told at length the number of times she had proved it was so. She was nervous at first, but not for long! Soon, and as everyone could plainly see, she began to enoy having an audience and would happily have continued for the rest of the morning had the Judge not managed to talk her back onto her seat. A subdued looking Mr Gollitoe was next, but was back in his seat within minutes The judge smiled to himself: Mrs Gallito had taken all his stories and left him with nothing more to say. Thank heavens for that, said the Judge to himself, little knowing that Gung Ho was next in line.
The worst of fears, muttered the Judge under his breath when Gung Ho finally sat down. Half the day gone, and most of it a complete waste. Bad enough that Gollitoe woman rattling on with herself, but then we had to have Councillor Ho, or whatever his name is! Tthought he’d never stop. On and on and on! Imagine being in a Council meeting with that one in full flow. Drive you insane! Must admit, though, he had a lot of good things to say about the girl and her family. Anyway it’s over now and let’s hope the business of bail doesn’t take long – all this smiling at this one and then that: pretending to be everyone’s favourite uncle instead of a High Court Judge. Still in for a penny, as they say and a lot more than a penny if things work out.
‘And now ladies and gentlemen,’ continued the Judge, ‘having introduced ourselves and agreed on a time for tomorrow morning’s hearing,
all that remains for me is to declare the amount of bail to be set if the Pearl is to be released from custody.’ He looked across to Constable Webber: ‘Constable, please have your assistant bring in the accused. I’ve had a change of mind and think it only right she should be present for this.’
Pearl came in smiling and Constable Webber led her to the seat he had set purposely close to the Judge.
‘Good morning, Pearl,’ said the Judge. ‘How are you? Being well looked after?’ he asked.
‘Yes, fine, thank you,’ replied Pearl
‘Now my young friend,’ the Judge continued! I want you to know that you have lots of friends here, that I am a Senior Judge and that, at the end of the day, we all want what is best for you. We have also agreed that the sooner this thing is over the better, and that the full hearing should take place tomorrow morning.
‘In the meantime, a decision has to be about your bail, which means I have to
decide whether or not I think it right and proper that you should be allowed out of the custody of this court and into the care of your family or some other person willing to gurantee your return here tomorrow. In other words, a guarantee that you will not to abscond, You understand the word abscond, Pearl?’
‘Yes. To run away.’
‘Good, I am glad you understand for I have to tell you there are children who do abscond, who do run away and particularly when they are in the care of this kind of court. Why this should be I do not know, but what I do know is that it causes a great deal of trouble not only to their families, but to the children themselves. You may very well be free after tomorrow’s hearing, and I sincerely hope it is the case, but I am sure you understand when I say I cannot make judgements on hope alone. I therefore declare the amount of the bond to be deposited with the Court is to be set at one thousand Durracks.’
Gung Ho was on his feet: ‘A thousand Durracks! Why that’s more than we….’
‘I ‘ll stand bail.’
The voice came from the back row,
Oh Lors. don’t tell me!.
‘Thank you Madam. Come forward please. In front of me, please. Thank you, and your name?’
‘Mrs Tommo. Mrs Beth Tommo.
‘And your occupation?’
‘I work at the Shanghasi Circus.’
‘In what capacity, may I ask?’
‘At present I’m helping my husband run a juice and cake counter.’
‘A juice and cake counter, you say?’
‘Yes.’
‘ Well, I must say it sounds most interesting and I am sure you enjoy your work, but I’m sorry, Madam, and with all respect, I’m afraid I cannot possibly regard you as a substantial enough person to be an acceptable depositor of bail. Mandredelan law requires that I be given a substantial and permanent address as a first requirement, and I’m afraid a circus, even the Shanghasi, does not qualify.’
‘I have a permanent address.’
‘And where is that, may I ask.’
‘Sir, I have several homes. You see, Mrs Tommo is my circus name, the one I use when we are on tour. My real name is Mrs Beth Shanghasi. My husband and I own the Shanghasi Circus.’
‘Oh Lors! Oh Lors,’ said the Judge to himself