The Accused (Modern Plays) by Jeffrey Archer

whatsoever. My only regret… (
She hesitates
.)
    Kersley Yes, Ms Mitchell? Your only regret?
    Mitchell (
stares at
Sherwood) … is that I ever agreed to collect those prescriptions for him in the first place.
    Kersley No more questions, My Lord.
    Judge Your witness, Sir James.
    Barrington Thank you, My Lord. Allow me to begin, Ms Mitchell, with the subject of the prescriptions. Can I confirm that you were aware that Potassium Chloride was classified as a controlled drug?
    Mitchell Yes, of course I was.
    Barrington So you would have had to sign for them?
    Mitchell Yes, I signed for all six of them, and as the prescriptions are in the court’s safe keeping, you can check for yourself.
    Barrington I already have, from my photocopies. I just wanted you to confirm that it was your signature on the originals.
    Usher
shows her the originals
.
    Mitchell Yes, that is my signature.
    Barrington Then perhaps you won’t mind writing your name on the Usher’s pad so that the jury can be left in no doubt. (
She signs her signature with her left hand and the
Usher
shows the pad to
Barrington .) Yes, there is no doubt it is your signature. (
He checks the prescriptions
.) You said in your statement to the police that Mr Sherwood only gave you those prescriptions on a Friday evening, just as you were about to leave for the weekend.
    Mitchell Yes, that’s correct.
    Barrington Then perhaps you can explain why, of the six prescriptions (
Holds them up
.) one is dated on a Tuesday, two on a Wednesday, two on a Thursday, leaving only one made out on a Friday, which was the one found in Mr Sherwood’s bag. (
He places five of them to one side
.)
    Mitchell I said nothing about when they were made out, only when he handed them to me for collection and that was always on a Friday evening.
    Barrington How convenient. Unless, of course, you held on to them until you went home for the weekend.
    Mitchell Why should I do that?
    Barrington Why indeed, unless, of course, you had your own reason for wanting to implicate Mr Sherwood, which brings me on to this mythical relationship you claim he began.
    Mitchell It wasn’t mythical and he certainly began it.
    Barrington You say he showered you with presents, sent you flowers, took you out to dinner - even occasionally to the theatre.
    Mitchell Yes, he did.
    Barrington Do you have any proof that these presents ever existed?
    Mitchell No, of course I don’t. The flowers have died and I’ve eaten all the chocolates.
    Barrington Now that is convenient. So you’re asking the court to believe that all these presents were in one way or another, how can I put this, biodegradable? And were these dinners always at restaurants where he wouldn’t be recognised?
    Mitchell Yes, that was the idea. Patrick said it wouldn’t look good if we were seen together while his wife was still alive.
    Barrington Can you name any of these restaurants?
    Mitchell (
considers this
) Not off the top of my head, no. But then we never went back to the same one twice, although I do remember we once ate in Fulham.
    Barrington And after you’d had dinner at these restaurants you can’t name, you would sometimes go on to the theatre?
    Mitchell Yes, on at least two occasions.
    Barrington So you must be able to name at least two of the plays?
    Mitchell (
hesitates
) Not immediately. After all, it was over a year ago, but I remember one of them was by Tom Stoppard - and in any case I kept the programmes.
    Kersley
whispers to
Ashton ,
who makes a note
.
    Barrington And after he’d taken you to the theatre, would he then drive you home?
    Mitchell Yes, he always took me home.
    Barrington And on one occasion he asked if he could join you for coffee?
    Mitchell Yes, that’s right.
    Barrington And until then, he hadn’t tried to do anything that could be described as improper?
    Mitchell No, but two weeks later he grabbed me at the staff party and started kissing me under the mistletoe, and then he put his hand on my …
    Barrington Quite.