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Daniel was too desperate to return the smile. ‘If Park is lying on the witness stand, why? It’s a big risk he’s taking. There must be a reason, and we’ve got to find it.’
‘I don’t know,’ Blackwell said wearily. ‘I never did him any harm.’
Daniel leaned forward a little. ‘It doesn’t have to be as direct as that. Come on! You’ve got enough imagination to see the oblique. What do we know as fact? You didn’t lend Hinton four hundred pounds, whether he paid it back or not. How would Park know, anyway? That’s the price of a small house. Did he owe it to Park?’
‘Maybe. Park was tight,’ Blackwell responded. ‘I once lent him fifty pounds, and he never paid me back.’
‘That could be something. I wonder if he owed anyone else? Who else can I call? I’ve got to have something to build on!’ He heard the sharpness in his own voice. He must control it.
Blackwell said nothing.
Daniel racked his mind for anything that made sense. ‘Then revenge? Does Park hate you? Have you done something to him?’
‘No, but I’d like to,’ Blackwell replied with feeling. ‘The bastard. After the money I’ve lent him.’ His expression was screwed up with the injustice of it.
But Daniel was concentrating on the evidence. He reached across the table and gripped Blackwell’s wrist. ‘He owes you money and he’s repaying you like this? It’s more than ingratitude, Roman.’
‘It wasn’t only the money,’ Blackwell said quickly, shaking his head a little.
‘But it was something. You said, “It wasn’t only the money,”’ Daniel insisted.
‘You can’t mention it in court,’ Blackwell said with a flash of self-mockery. ‘It was just a little against the law. Fine line, but the wrong side of it – definitely. If it comes out they’ll can me for that, too, while they’ve got the chance.’
&
nbsp; Daniel wondered for a moment if he should press the issue further.
‘Don’t,’ Blackwell said, reading his mind. ‘You don’t want to know. Just a little document with a . . . questionable signature.’
‘Does Park know of this?’ Daniel said quickly. When Blackwell looked chagrined, Daniel realised it was Park for whom he’d forged a document. ‘So that might give him a reason to damage you,’ Daniel said eagerly. At last he might be on to something.
Blackwell’s eyebrows rose high. ‘I did him a favour.’
‘He incurred a debt. He either can’t pay it, or doesn’t want to.’
‘How old are you?’
‘Twenty-five.’
‘And so cynical!’ Blackwell sighed.
‘It comes from being a lawyer. What was the favour?’
Blackwell was silent for several moments.
Daniel tightened his grip on Blackwell’s wrist ‘Roman – we haven’t got time to spare. They’ll be coming for us any moment now. What did you do for Park that he can’t afford to repay you?’
‘I told you – I’ve got no proof!’ Blackwell repeated.
‘He doesn’t know that. Come on!’ Daniel said sharply ‘Details . . .’
Blackwell remained silent.
‘You asked me if they would hang you,’ Daniel said between his teeth, hating the sound of his voice. ‘Yes, they will! And once the verdict is in, it’s hell’s own job to change it!’
‘All right! I wrote up some documents for him . . . once. And a letter to recommend him. It was – inventive.’ Blackwell wrinkled his nose. ‘Do I need to spell it out for you?’
‘Why was that so bad? What did you say that wasn’t true?’ Daniel asked.
