desk, Porfiry riffled through the pages of the report impatiently. ‘This is useless. A clever defence lawyer will argue it is inadmissible, because of Pervoyedov’s relationship with Meyer.’
‘But I don’t understand. His findings incriminate Meyer,’ said Virginsky as he finished reading. ‘So, as he says, the friendship is irrelevant. It can be disregarded, surely? Or at least separated off. It is perfectly possible, theoretically, that Pervoyedov could appear as an expert witness for the prosecution and a character witness for the defence.’
‘And in which capacity do you think he would be more likely to carry the jury?’
‘It would have been helpful if he had told you, perhaps,’ said Virginsky, returning the note to Porfiry.
‘Really, these clever men can sometimes be so . . . naive. Or perhaps it is not naive at all. Perhaps it is a deliberate attempt to undermine his own findings and so help his friend. The connection alone is enough to ruin everything.’
‘Can you not simply commission another doctor to repeat his tests?’
‘Provided there are enough mice left in St Petersburg, then I suppose it is a possibility, but really it is too aggravating.’ Porfiry cast a dismissive glance over the medical report.
‘Porfiry Petrovich, what if Pervoyedov the character witness is right?’
‘Impossible! These doctors always stick together. There is more than enough evidence to justify bringing in Meyer. Once we have him, and he is away from his sources of comfort, whatever they may be, I feel sure he will crumble. A confession will count for more, as far as a jury is concerned, than confusing scientific evidence. I shall instruct the Shestaya Street Bureau to arrest him.’
‘And that’s it?’
‘What else do you suggest I do?’ Porfiry’s eyes narrowed as he surveyed Virginsky through a cloud of smoke he had just produced.
‘What about the confectioner’s? Should we not investigate the possibility that the chocolates were contaminated at source?’
‘Do you really think that’s likely? What would their motive be?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘It’s hard to imagine what motive any shop could have for poisoning its customers.’
‘Yes, but surely it is a question of eliminating every possible cause, until only one survives.’
Porfiry met Virginsky’s heated insistence with an aggressive flurry of lashes. The younger man blushed. Porfiry expelled more smoke. ‘You mean, a question of going through the motions? And in the meantime, a murderer remains at liberty.’
‘The converse of that is that you may arrest an innocent man.’
Porfiry slammed Pervoyedov’s report down on his desk. ‘Another cursed fly! How are they getting in here?’ He looked up at Virginsky. ‘Pavel Pavlovich, as I have had occasion to remark already, you think and argue like a defence advocate. This is a useful skill for an investigating magistrate to have, although I should warn you against taking it too far. Experience informs me that by far the likeliest explanation in this case is that Meyer has murdered his wife and child. He is a doctor. He has access to toxic materials. I do not think we will have to look far to find a motive.’
‘I am surprised to hear you talk like this, Porfiry Petrovich.’
‘However,’ Porfiry pressed on, the batting of his eyelids increasing emphatically, ‘in order to construct a watertight case against him, we must caulk any chinks. Therefore, I would, as a matter of course, send someone to the confectioner’s on Nevsky Prospekt.’
‘As a matter of course?’
‘Yes.’
‘Then why did you not mention it earlier, I wonder.’
‘It is all part of your training. Another skill you will find useful to possess is the ability to persuade a sceptical superior of your theories.’
‘I see. I thank you, therefore, for the lesson, Porfiry Petrovich.’
‘Not at
‘But I don’t understand. His findings incriminate Meyer,’ said Virginsky as he finished reading. ‘So, as he says, the friendship is irrelevant. It can be disregarded, surely? Or at least separated off. It is perfectly possible, theoretically, that Pervoyedov could appear as an expert witness for the prosecution and a character witness for the defence.’
‘And in which capacity do you think he would be more likely to carry the jury?’
‘It would have been helpful if he had told you, perhaps,’ said Virginsky, returning the note to Porfiry.
‘Really, these clever men can sometimes be so . . . naive. Or perhaps it is not naive at all. Perhaps it is a deliberate attempt to undermine his own findings and so help his friend. The connection alone is enough to ruin everything.’
‘Can you not simply commission another doctor to repeat his tests?’
‘Provided there are enough mice left in St Petersburg, then I suppose it is a possibility, but really it is too aggravating.’ Porfiry cast a dismissive glance over the medical report.
‘Porfiry Petrovich, what if Pervoyedov the character witness is right?’
‘Impossible! These doctors always stick together. There is more than enough evidence to justify bringing in Meyer. Once we have him, and he is away from his sources of comfort, whatever they may be, I feel sure he will crumble. A confession will count for more, as far as a jury is concerned, than confusing scientific evidence. I shall instruct the Shestaya Street Bureau to arrest him.’
‘And that’s it?’
‘What else do you suggest I do?’ Porfiry’s eyes narrowed as he surveyed Virginsky through a cloud of smoke he had just produced.
‘What about the confectioner’s? Should we not investigate the possibility that the chocolates were contaminated at source?’
‘Do you really think that’s likely? What would their motive be?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘It’s hard to imagine what motive any shop could have for poisoning its customers.’
‘Yes, but surely it is a question of eliminating every possible cause, until only one survives.’
Porfiry met Virginsky’s heated insistence with an aggressive flurry of lashes. The younger man blushed. Porfiry expelled more smoke. ‘You mean, a question of going through the motions? And in the meantime, a murderer remains at liberty.’
‘The converse of that is that you may arrest an innocent man.’
Porfiry slammed Pervoyedov’s report down on his desk. ‘Another cursed fly! How are they getting in here?’ He looked up at Virginsky. ‘Pavel Pavlovich, as I have had occasion to remark already, you think and argue like a defence advocate. This is a useful skill for an investigating magistrate to have, although I should warn you against taking it too far. Experience informs me that by far the likeliest explanation in this case is that Meyer has murdered his wife and child. He is a doctor. He has access to toxic materials. I do not think we will have to look far to find a motive.’
‘I am surprised to hear you talk like this, Porfiry Petrovich.’
‘However,’ Porfiry pressed on, the batting of his eyelids increasing emphatically, ‘in order to construct a watertight case against him, we must caulk any chinks. Therefore, I would, as a matter of course, send someone to the confectioner’s on Nevsky Prospekt.’
‘As a matter of course?’
‘Yes.’
‘Then why did you not mention it earlier, I wonder.’
‘It is all part of your training. Another skill you will find useful to possess is the ability to persuade a sceptical superior of your theories.’
‘I see. I thank you, therefore, for the lesson, Porfiry Petrovich.’
‘Not at
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