Two Thousand and Ten Ch. 03

"You realise what you've done don't you?" Lindi said gravely, "You've lied to the police. You're quite happy to let an innocent man fester in a prison cell just as long as your virtue appears to remain intact."

"He... he... he's a man isn't he? He can look after himself - a stretch inside will be a useful life experience for him!" Stevie said.

Was this girl for real?!? Lindi thought to herself in utter disbelief in what she was saying. For the first time Lindi felt her anger beginning to boil over.

"Useful life experience?? Are you insane?? It's not a fucking holiday camp in prison, despite what certain newspapers would have us believe!" Lindi exclaimed.

"Yeah well, I can't do anything about it now." Stevie defended.

"Ohhh yes you can, young lady!" Lindi said, "Listen Stevie, you have to go back to the police and tell them the truth."

"I can't!" Stevie said, genuine tears forming in her eyes now, "They'll throw the book at me! And the girls back in the halls will call me a liar and a whore!!"

If you don't go to the police, I will! Lindi thought to herself, the phone in her pocket recording the whole exchange.

"Just think about it okay." Lindi said, "Think really carefully about what you're doing. Not just to Peter, but to yourself as well. And to genuine victims - to women... and yes, to men as well - who genuinely have been raped!"

Lindi stood up, she felt herself trembling, her heart beating at ten to the dozen - she had hopefully secured the evidence that confirmed Peter's innocence.

"Think about it." She added, and then turned and left the coffee shop.

Outside, the first thing she did was check her phone - it was still recording. She stopped the recording, saved it - which she found surprisingly hard because her hand was trembling so much at the time - opened it and then pressed play. Her own voice could clearly be heard, that was a start at least. She skipped it forward a bit, hoping desperately that Stevie's voice could be heard also. To her utter relief the young girl's voice could be heard as clear as a bell. Lindi almost felt herself burst into tears of joy - she had done it!

She called Clive to impart her good news.

Monday, May 3rd 2010 - 6:45pm

The small group had reconvened in a pub a short distance from the university, it was still early so it was mercifully quiet. Lindi had just replayed the recording she had made of her meeting with Stevie.

"I knew she was lying!" Lindi said triumphantly, "I just knew it!!"

"Congratulations love!" Clive said and he kissed her on the cheek.

"Yes, well done Lindi!" Becky beamed.

"What happens now?" Alison asked.

"Well, first thing tomorrow I'm going to visit Mr. Acheson, Peter's lawyer, and play him the recording. I'll guess we'll just have to take it from there." Lindi said, "You two might as well get yourselves off home. Thank you so much for all your help - I don't know if I could've done any of this without you!"

"It was a pleasure." Alison said, "And besides, I kind of had to find out for myself if the father of our baby had done something so... beastly. I mean, I knew it had to be a mistake but I had to find out, you know?"

"I know what you mean." Lindi said, "I can't believe that for a moment I actually doubted him. But as soon as I heard how scared he was on the phone, and his body language when he was in the dock at the magistrates, I knew he had to be innocent, I just knew it."

"Let us know how you get on tomorrow." Becky said as she and Alison stood up to take their leave and get back on the road down south back to Sussex, "I'd best get the missus here back home, and I've got work to get back to tomorrow."

"Bye ladies." Clive stood and gave the departing couple a friendly kiss on their cheeks, "Thanks for coming, we couldn't have done it without you."

"And thanks to you as well Clive," Lindi said, once the lesbian couple left the room, "You didn't have to get yourself embroiled in all this."

"Hey, if this Peter guy means as much to you as going to all this effort then I guess he must be worth it. Ad if he's worth all that effort for you then I guess he's worth all that effort for me too - us guys have to help each other out, y'know a 'brother in need' and all that. And y'know, it was kind of fun in a strange way."

"Let's just hope and pray that what I have on my phone here is enough to get him out." Lindi said hopefully.

Tuesday, May 4th 2010 - 11:35am

"Well, that certainly puts a different spin on things doesn't it!" Acheson said once Lindi had finished playing him the audio of her meeting with Peter's accuser the day before.

"Do you think it's enough to get him released?" Lindi said hopefully, "I mean, you heard it as clear as anything - she admitted she was lying!"

"Well, probably not on its own." Acheson said, "I mean her legal team could probably argue that you had coerced her or threatened her in some way. However..."

He reached into his desk drawer and retrieved a USB stick, which he then plugged into his computer.

"...Add it to this and things start to look an awful lot worse for Miss Williams."

He located the file he wanted, which was easy enough since it was the only file on the stick, and opened it up. It was a video file.

"Is that the CCTV?" Lindi asked.

"Sure is!" Acheson beamed, "Does that look like a woman who is so drunk she can barely walk?"

A couple appeared on the screen, walking down the street. It was clearly Peter and Stevie - and Peter had his arm across Stevie's shoulder, there was no way he was supporting her and there was no way she was having any difficulty walking.

"Add to that the credit card information Peter supplied us and the voice recording you made, and I think we have enough evidence to give the police something to really think about."

"That's fantastic!!" Lindi said joyfully, "Do you really think they would drop the charges?"

"Only one way to find out I suppose." Acheson smiled, "I'll just get my secretary to extract your audio file and make copies of everything and then we'll go and pay the police a cordial visit."

Tuesday, May 4th 2010 - 12:34pm

Peter waited patiently in the queue for lunch, totally unaware of the recent events outside. Prison food was, though not as bad as its reputation implied, not exactly five star cuisine. Although it was only just bordering on palatable. Suddenly Peter felt a large presence behind him.

"The pasta looks nice today." Jenks said in an almost conversational manner.

Peter replied with silence.

"And those buns look nice too." Jenks added menacingly.

Peter suddenly felt a warm, rough hand invading the back of his prison-issue trousers. It slid down and in a matter of moments it was inside his underpants and stroking his buttocks.

"Not as nice as your buns I reckon!" Jenks said lasciviously.

A deafeningly loud whistle suddenly echoed around the room - Jenks's hand immediately beat a hasty retreat.

"JENKS!! Get your hand off him!!" one of the prison officers shouted.

"Who, Mr. Davies?" Jenks said, feigning ignorance, "Me, Mr. Davies?"

"Yes you Jenks, you filthy pervert!" The prison officer replied.

"Tomorrow sweetheart, tomorrow." Jenks whispered menacingly into Peter's ear as he placed his tray before the serving hatch, "You're gonna feel me inside you! And you're gonna fucking love it and take what I give you otherwise you'll be feeling something a damned sight sharper inside you than my dick. Understand, pretty boy?"

He slapped Peter lightly on his cheek. He had to get out of there!

Tuesday, May 4th 2010 - 2:25pm

"This had better be good." Detective Inspector Browning said as he sat down heavily before Lindi and Acheson. Clive had elected to wait for them in the police station's reception area.

"Inspector Browning, it's a pleasure to be doing business with you once again." Acheson said.

"Cut the crap Acheson!" Browning replied sharply, "The desk sergeant says you have some new evidence in the Swanmore rape case for me."

"You know it really pains me to have to do this to you and to burst your bubble and all, but my client is an innocent man." Acheson said, a wry grin on his face. He was enjoying himself immensely, and it was about to get a whole lot more enjoyable.

"Oh yeah, come on then show us what you have." Browning said curtly. He sat back in his chair and crossed his arms. His creased brown suit, obviously not dry-cleaned for some time, bore more than a few speckles of cigarette ash on its front and on his tie.

"Firstly, credit card records." Acheson began, placing a sheet of paper before the gruff inspector, "I think you'll agree it makes for interesting reading. According to the 'evidence' you submitted to the magistrate, Miss Williams stated that my client had 'plied her with alcohol all evening'. However, it seems to us as though Miss Williams's account of events is not quite the full picture. As you can see, my client only paid for one round of drinks at the pub that evening."

"So? He could've paid for the rest by cash." Inspector Browning said dismissively.

"Peter never buys drinks with cash." Lindi interjected, "He rarely uses cash at all in fact. I'd swear that under oath if I have to!"

"And then we have the small matter of some CCTV footage." Acheson said, taking his tablet out from his briefcase and opening the video app.

The video started off with a time lapse of the pub itself, from a small camera located just above the bar. The speeded up footage clearly showed Stevie at the bar, joined by Peter a few moments later. As soon as drinks were served to them they disappeared towards a table at the back of the pub. The video continued for several more minutes of speeded up footage, during which Peter appeared back at the bar only once before the bar eventually emptied when the pub closed and the footage came to an end.

"As you can see my client only visited the bar to purchase drinks on one occasion the whole evening." Acheson said, "And then of course there's the city centre CCTV. Tell me, Inspector, does this to you look like a woman who can barely stand up?"

Acheson then played the same video he had played Lindi back in his office. Browning's silence throughout spoke volumes.

"And then there's this." Acheson persisted, opening up the audio player app and opening the audio file that had been extracted from Lindi's phone.

Browning's face went as white as a sheet as Stevie's admission that she in fact hadn't been raped rang out from the tablet's tiny speakers.

"No, he didn't rape me."

"I think all of this is pretty conclusive, don't you think?" Acheson said smartly as he closed the audio app.

An uneasy silence ensued for a few moments.

"Thank you for bringing this new evidence to light." Browning said as he stood up.

"Wait, is that it?" Lindi said as she rose to her feet, "Peter is innocent! We've bloody well proved it!!"

"As it would seem." Browning replied, "But I need to put all of this past my Superintendent before I can do anything else. I take it you have copies of everything?"

"Here." Acheson said as he handed a USB stick to the inspector.

"Then in that case we shall leave it there." Browning said as he palmed the USB in his right hand, "We'll be in touch in due course."

And then he left the room without so much as a polite shaking of hands.

"So what happens now?" Lindi asked.

"We wait." Acheson said as he gathered up his tablet and his paperwork, "I think we've enough proof for them to have to drop the charges. Did you see how pissed off he was?"

"He did look somewhat annoyed!" Lindi replied with a chuckle.

Wednesday May 5th, 2010 - 10:28am

Peter's nerves were at the end of their tether - yesterday's incident in the lunch queue had really shaken him up. Jenks, the tattooed hulk of a man, had threatened to rape him that day. Despite some reassurance at the back of his mind that the prison officers were already obviously watching him, Peter still felt scared that something dreadful would happen to him before the day was out. He lay back on his bed and stared up at the ceiling and sighed heavily. He closed his eyes and tried to persuade his mind to clear those horrible thoughts but he was fighting a losing battle with his own brain.

Just then, with a loud click his cell door opened. With a flash of alarm he feared it might be Jenks who had come to rape him in his cell and he recoiled in fear momentarily, ready to fight him off as best he could. But instead of the beast of a man that had molested him the previous day, a prison officer in his familiar uniform of black trousers and shoes, white shirt with black epaulets and black tie, entered the room.

"Governor wants to see you Swanmore." The officer said simply.

"The governor?" Peter asked in disbelief, "Wants to see me?"

"That's what I just said." The officer replied, "Come on, let's not keep her waiting."

Peter followed the officer out from his cell and out from the remand block and across the prison yard towards the admin block. Peter's mind was a whirl, could this be something to do with what happened in the lunch queue yesterday?

Peter was shown into the governor's office and was offered a seat before her desk.

"Hello Mr. Swanmore, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kathy Edwards, I'm the governor of this fine institution." The governor said. She was quite a strong looking woman who had obviously had to work her way through the ranks of prison administration the hard way. She stood about six feet tall and had shoulder length brown hair that had a slight curl to it. She wore a smart grey skirt suit with a turquoise coloured silk blouse. Her very manner exuded a sense of business-like efficiency.

"Erm... pleased to meet you." Peter said nervously.

"Now, I guess you're wondering why I have asked you to come here." Edwards said, "So I shall spare you the suspense and come straight out with it."

Here we go, Peter thought to himself, this can only be bad news.

"It would seem that some new evidence has come to light with regards to your case."

"What?!?" Peter exclaimed, thinking for a moment that his accuser had persuaded her friends to make allegations against him as well.

"Your friend... a Ms. Melinda Vernham, has managed to track down your accuser and, it would seem, has managed to extract an admission from her that you hadn't in fact raped her as she had previously alleged."

"Lindi!!" Peter exclaimed out of sheer joy, "Oh my God, this is fantastic!!"

"That evidence, coupled with some additional CCTV footage, was submitted to Nottingham City Police yesterday, and in light of this new evidence the police have decided to drop all charges against you."

"HAH-HAHH!!" Peter shrieked in a pure, naked exultation of overwhelming joy. He felt like jumping up and kissing the governor right on her lips!

"You will be released this afternoon." Edwards continued, "An officer will be with you shortly to take you back to your cell where you are to gather your belongings and then you will be taken to the processing centre where you will be processed and then released later this afternoon."

Wednesday May 5th, 2010 - 3:25pm

Peter stood before the huge doors of the prison's main entrance wearing the clothes he had last worn when he stood in the dock at the magistrates. In his hand he clutched a clear plastic bag that bore the logo of Her Majesty's Prison Service and contained what few belongings he had. His heart raced as the doors slid open and he took his first steps outside as a free man. The air smelled so sweet!

There, waiting in front of a familiar black Ford Focus were the people to whom he owed his freedom.

"Lindi!!" Peter exclaimed and he dashed across to her and hugged her as tightly as he could. Almost instantly he was sobbing and moments later she too was crying tears of joy and relief.

Stood next to Lindi were two men - one of whom he recognised as his lawyer Mr. Acheson, and the other who was a stranger to him.

Peter released himself from his tearful embrace with his best friend and took a step back.

"Mr. Acheson, thank you!" Peter said, shaking the lawyers hand, "Aw to hell with it - c'mere you!" And he took Acheson in a hug, patting the man's back enthusiastically.

"Believe me, the pleasure was all mine!" Acheson said once they parted, "Any excuse to get one over that smug git Inspector Brownlow!"

The strange man whom Peter didn't recognise looked on.

"Oh, Peter where are my manners?" Lindi said, "This is Clive - he's erm... well, I guess he's my boyfriend I suppose."

"Pleased to meet you!" Clive said as he offered his hand towards Peter, "Lindi's told me so much about you - it's nice to put a face to the name at last!"

"Hi!" Peter replied, shaking the man's hand.

"Well, I think this calls for a celebration!" Clive announced, "What say we find somewhere nice and have ourselves a celebratory dinner?"

"Thanks for the offer Clive." Peter said, "But I'd just like to go home if you don't mind."

"Erm... yes of course." Clive replied.

"Although if the offer's still open it would be nice for us to go out together when we get back home. I'd like to get to know you a bit Clive - you know, to make sure you're good enough for my friend here."

And so the four of them got into Lindi's car and headed into the city to drop Acheson back at his office, swing by the police station to collect Peter's confiscated property and to eventually head for home.

Wednesday May 5th, 2010 - 8:07pm

Peter opened the door to his flat and stepped over the pile of mail that had accumulated over the past few weeks. It felt good to be home. All throughout the car journey back to East Sussex his mind raced with thoughts about everything that had happened. He wondered what would happen to Stevie, in light of her admission that she had lied to the police.

"Most probably she'll be charged with wasting police time and perverting the course of justice." Acheson had said before he took his leave and sent them on their way, "She might even find herself behind bars if she's unlucky."

"All because she didn't want her friends to think she's a slut." Lindi had observed.

Peter dropped the prison service bag on the floor and then, more carefully placed his suitcase, laptop case and guitar case next to it and went into the living room. He collapsed into his armchair, exhausted but overjoyed to be free. He felt an unfamiliar rush of emotions flood into every corner of his psyche.

He held his head in his hands and sobbed loudly, wailing with tears of joy, relief and a sadness that he couldn't explain, not even to himself.

Wednesday May 5th, 2010 - 8:09pm

"Well, all's well that ends well I guess." Lindi said to Clive as she closed the door to her flat behind them.

"Peter's a really lucky guy to have a friend like you." Clive said, and he nuzzled and kissed her warmly on the nape of her neck.

"I'm really lucky to have a boyfriend like you! I couldn't have done it without your help Clive, I don't know how I'll ever repay you."

"Oh, I can think of something!" Clive said, and to make his point he slid his hand into Lindi's blouse and into the left cup of her bra, stroking her breast and tweaking her nipple.

"You dirty devil, you!" She chided jokily and turned to face him.

Their eyes met, their hearts skipped several beats and their lips joined each other's in a ravishingly passionate kiss.

Moments later they were tearing at each other's clothes - almost tripping over themselves in the process. They worked their way towards Lindi's bedroom, scattering their clothes along the way. Their passion was so inflamed that Lindi felt the moistness in her loins like never before and, to her astonishment, Clive was firmly and powerfully erect in but a matter of moments. She was on her back and he was inside her in under a minute since she had closed her front door.