Dick Francis's Damage by Felix Francis Page B

Christmas.”
    â€œWho else was at the party?”
    â€œFriends. You know, people I’d met at the gym. About ten of us altogether.”
    â€œAll men?” I asked.
    â€œYeah.” His tone indicated that of course they were all men.
    â€œSo when was it, exactly?”
    â€œDecember twentieth,” he said. “But, to be accurate, the raid was on the twenty-first at about three in the morning.” He smiled. “It was a great party. At least it was until the police arrived.” He laughed. “In fact, they seemed rather shocked. We were mostly down to our boxers, and some had even discarded those. It was that sort of party.” He blushed slightly. “But we were all consenting adults.”
    Maybe so, I thought, but it was no surprise the police had raided the place. How Ken had hoped to keep his sexuality asecret from his father was beyond me. It was bound to get out and it would probably not be to his advantage. I couldn’t imagine a jury being particularly sympathetic towards the host of a drug-fueled orgy that had disturbed the neighbors at three o’clock in the morning.
    Quentin had been right. If it went to trial, Ken was almost sure to be convicted of possession, and I wasn’t at all certain that finding Daniel Jubowski would make any difference even if I could prove he was lying about the dealing.
    â€œDid the police arrest anyone else?” I asked.
    â€œThey arrested us all, but the others were never charged. Only me, because they found the drugs in my drawer. Even then, the case probably wouldn’t have gone anywhere as I claimed I had no knowledge and the cops took the view that any one of us could have placed them there and they wouldn’t be able to prove which one. It was only when that bastard Daniel told them it was definitely mine and I’d agreed to sell him some that they decided to proceed.”
    â€œAnd had you agreed to sell him some?” I asked.
    â€œNo. I swear to you, I didn’t.”
    â€œSo why did he say that?” I asked.
    â€œI’ve no idea.”
    Perhaps Daniel’s statement would give me some clue.
    â€œWhere’s your copy of the Crown case bundle?” I asked. “I’ll need to go through everything.”
    He stood up and collected a stapled stack of papers that had been lying on the kitchen counter and tossed it onto the table in front of me.
    â€œIt’s all in there,” he said. “But half of it’s a load of rubbish.”
    I skimmed through the pages. There were certified copies of statements from the arresting officers, the search team, thecustody sergeant, and the drug-testing laboratories, together with the damning one from Daniel Jubowski. There were also typed transcripts of two police interviews with Ken but no statements or interview records for any of the other men arrested at the same time.
    â€œDo you have the names of all the men who were here that night?”
    â€œDon’t be stupid,” Ken said. “Other than Daniel, there were a couple of Johns and a Mike among them, but I’ve no idea of their surnames. They didn’t sign a visitors’ book or wear badges. And they were all so high on Tina that half of them didn’t know who they were anyway.”
    â€œDid you also do some?” I asked, but I reckoned his use of the slang name
Tina
for crystal meth had already given me the answer.
    â€œOnly a bit,” he said.
    â€œAnd you were aware that it was illegal?”
    He nodded.
    Of course he knew it was illegal, he had a law degree from Oxford and he’d taken the Bar final.
    â€œHow often?” I asked.
    â€œThat was the only time. I swear it. I was talked into it. Bullied, even.”
    â€œWho by?” I asked.
    â€œDaniel,” he said, “and some of the others. They were all taking it. They said it gave them increased sexual performance. Just like Viagra, only more so. I didn’t want to be the odd