Page 25 of Just Like in the Movies

Could it possibly be him? She’d only exchanged a few pleasantries with the man, and he looked much more austere in the dark blue three-piece suit, but she was positive he was one of Matty’s friends and a semi-regular at the Pensioners’ Club matinees each Wednesday run by Beryl.

A small smile lifted his hangdog face as he obviously recognized her too, but then he coughed into his hand and the smile dropped as he launched into his opening spiel.

Clearing his throat, he shuffled the papers on the bench in front of him. ‘Minor criminal damage and trespass, is it? I see you’ve pled guilty to the charge, Ms Graham. Is that correct?’

‘Yes,’ she murmured. ‘I didn’t want to waste any more of everyone’s time. I am sincerely sorry.’

‘Can I ask what you were doing in the park after dark, Ms Graham?’

She nodded, feeling marginally less like Oliver Twist thanks to his avuncular Mr Micawber tone. ‘I …’ She glanced over her shoulder to find Luke sitting at the back of the room with his legal team, waiting for his turn. ‘We. Myself and Mr Devlin were scattering Matty’s – I mean Matthew Devlin’s – ashes …’ The friendly neighbourhood asteroid that had been jammed in her throat ever since Matty’s death scrapped over her throat. ‘As per his wishes. I persuaded Luke to come with me. It was all my fault, I’m willing to accept full responsibility for the—’

‘Thank you, Ms Graham.’ Judge Benjy said, lifting his hand and she faded into silence. ‘I’ll confer with my colleagues now to pass sentence,’ he added.

After a short deliberation with the other two magistrates on the bench, Judge Benjy delivered his verdict in the same warm tone she remembered from Matty’s wake, when he’d been telling a story about the time Matty had toppled backwards off The Royale’s float at Notting Hill Carnival because he’d sewn way too many diamantes into his fairy wings.

‘Given the extraneous circumstances. We think a sixty-pound fine is sufficient. You have sixty days to pay, Ms Grahame – if you have significant problems paying you can make arrangements with the courtroom clerk.’ The gavel came down on the bench, making Ruby jump.

‘Would Mr Devlin like to step into the dock?’

She was led out of the dock.

Oh, thank you, Judge Benjy.

Sixty pounds was doable. All she had to do was raid her LA trip fund and forego her bi-weekly treat of a spiced caramel latte from the local coffee shop for the foreseeable future.

She took a seat in the viewing gallery at the back of the court, assuming Luke would get a similar treatment. Like her, he entered a guilty plea via the barrister in his legal team. He was only here for a sentencing hearing, too. A sixty-pound fine would be nothing to him.

Should she offer to pay it, though? On a matter of principle? After all, he’d been there helping her. And somehow, much to her astonishment, he had made the whole experience better.

He had literally caught her when she fell off the gate. And his deep voice had added resonance and comfort to the chorus of ‘Over the Rainbow’. Her throat began to ache again. Plus, she needed to keep him as sweet as possible if she was going to have any hope at all of saving The Royale.

But as the case progressed it appeared neither Judge Benjy – nor Luke – had read the script.

‘I see Mr Devlin that your solicitor has already made two requests that you be excused from today’s sentencing hearing?’

‘Your Honour, Mr Devlin runs a multi-national construction company and lives and works in Manhattan. He has had to fly here especially for this hearing. He was only in London to attend the funeral of Mr Matthew Devlin and the reading of the will. His business responsibilities have already been severely—’

Judge Benjy held up his hand to silence the barrister. ‘So we understand. But he has pled guilty to the charge, has he not?’

‘Yes, Your Honour.’ The barrister stepped in again.

‘Did you know your uncle, Mr Devlin?’ Judge Benjy asked.

Ruby did not have a good feeling about the magistrate’s tone.

Luke’s solicitor and his barrister conferred with each other, probably not liking it, either.

‘Mr Devlin, perhaps you would like to answer the question?’ Judge Benjy said.

‘No, Your Honour, I did not know my uncle,’ Luke replied. ‘Althou

gh I don’t see how that’s relevant,’ he added. ‘Or how it’s any of the court’s business.’ The insolent tone had Judge Benjy’s brows lifting.

‘Well, now, I’ll tell you how it’s relevant,’ said Judge Benjy, all traces of Mr Micawber well and truly gone. ‘If you did not know Matty Devlin, why precisely were you breaking into The Serpentine Lido to pollute the lake with his ashes?’

Because Matty asked him to. And so did I.

The answer reverberated in Ruby’s head. But instead of giving himself a get-out clause, Luke shrugged. ‘It seemed like the right thing to do at the time.’

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