Blood Whispers by John Gordon Sinclair Read Free Book Online Page B

rubbing routine had worked again: the feint before the sucker punch. She knew now what the Advocate Depute was thinking in relation to her case – in fact she had gotten far more than she had bargained for. She also knew exactly what Part II Section 15(3) of the 1971 Immigration Act contained: it meant an appeal against deportation would not be granted on the grounds that Kaltrina Dervishi was considered a threat to national security. How that – in any way – related to the girl was something she would investigate later, but for the time being she wasn’t going to give Sellar the satisfaction of entering into a conversation about it. Keira let him think he’d rattled her for a few seconds longer, waiting until the silence in the room had gone beyond awkward before making any kind of response.
    Sellar was squirming around in his chair, obviously feeling the strain.
    Keira had made a decision. She’d take him apart now and in court.
    Her tone was calm and measured.
    ‘Kaltrina Dervishi didn’t come to Great Britain on a holiday visa and decide to stay after it had expired so that she could become a prostitute and a thief. Yes, she did all these things that you are accusing her of, but let’s get some context here. She was effectively trafficked to this country. She thought she was coming over to a better life, but it was all a con. She was allowed one phone call home to say she’d arrived safely, then her passport was taken and she was forced to work in the sex trade. She has been raped several times: not just by Abazi, but also by a number of the men who work under him. She’s also been beaten and tortured by these same men. She did break into someone’s home to steal some clothes, but only because her own were covered in blood. She did steal food from a shop, but only because she had so little money or means to support herself that she could do nothing else to prevent herself dying of starvation, and yes she did try and leave the country using a false passport, but given the level of abuse and exploitation she had suffered, wouldn’t you have done the same? A point to note: she effectively handed herself in, and the reason she handed herself in was because one of Abazi’s men was waiting for her in departures: he’s the one she assaulted in order to get herself arrested. In anyone’s book, Abazi’s actions represent far more than just a threat. She strongly believed that Abazi’s man had orders to kill her. Without special protection she is a sitting target.’
    Patrick Sellar made a gesture like he was going to interrupt, but Keira held up her hand and waved her finger at him. ‘Uh, Uh! You’ve played your cards, now it’s my turn. If you think I’m going to let another man, particularly one whose task it is to uphold the law, try to exploit or abuse my client by blackmailing her into appearing as a witness, and if you think you have even the remotest chance of a jury convicting this girl of any of these charges, then I’ll be very happy to stand against you in court. One other question before I leave,’ continued Keira as she stood up and gathered herself together. ‘Do you have my CV on your desk?’
    Sellar looked back at her as though a grenade had gone off in his stomach and was about to explode out the top of his head. ‘I’m not sure I understand the question.’
    ‘I’m not interested in your summation of how you think my career is panning out. I’m not here looking for a job; I’m here doing my job.’ Keira stood to deliver the head shot. ‘If you’re using looks as a measure of someone’s ability to perform a task, you would have to mark yourself down as a “fail”.’
    She headed for the exit, but she wasn’t finished. At the door she grabbed the handle and turned. ‘I win cases because I’m good at what I do, not because I look good when I’m doing it.’

Seven
    The offices of McKay and Co. Solicitors occupied all three floors and basement of Elmore House in Royal