”Fraudulent mediums are big news these days Gordon.” The final statement from his boss had been ringing in his ears all the way along the busy corridor of the reporter's pool to the relative quiet confines of his office.
He had a headache. A flaming big one! He reached over to the Famous Grouse bottle, that he'd nearly emptied and poured the remainder of the bottle into his glass. He hesitated, did he not owe it to his mother to somehow exonerate Stevens after all these years? Hadn't Daniel Stevens suffered enough? The charges of manslaughter and supposed rape had been dropped - he glanced again at the newspaper coverage of the time, then sighed before taking a sip out of his glass.
The rape had been an allegation made by his ex-partner at the time. It was obviously an act of spite on her part. Or was it? Here was another claimant, making the same allegation.
No smoke without fire, Gordon!
But then there was the recent phone call with Daniel Stevens' ex-barrister father to consider. Bernard Stevens had a fearsome reputation over the years as a superb defence barrister. It had been him who'd represented his son and had ensured he'd been cleared of both counts. Two court appearances. Two acquittals. That was no mean feat. He'd been there that night, and knew in his heart that Katherine Price's death had been accidental. The coroner’s report had said the same - death by misadventure. But still, there's no smoke without fire. He would have to investigate The Turnball woman's claims.
Stevens' father had recently died had he not? Surely then the threat made by him to sue him if he did not help in Daniel's comeback promotions were now null and void. He doubted if Bernard Stevens had primed any of his firm to step in and follow up the threats.
No, Des Gordon thought, while gulping down the last remnants of the whisky, he would check it out. He had no other choice. (Extract taken from proof read copy of 'Kindred Spirits' written by Matthew James)
