I’d already done some quick thinking to form a plan. ‘Sol, here’s what I propose,’ I said quietly. ‘I’ll hand my case files to others in the office to take over – except for the one case that is responsible for all this. Let me continue to act as defence advocate in that and when it’s all over – no matter what the outcome – I’ll resign.’

‘Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. It doesn’t need to come to that,’ said Sol.

He was a good man. ‘I think we both know that ship has disappeared over the horizon.’

‘We have to get to the bottom of this to make sure it goes no further, then we apply to have the arrest expunged from your record,’ said Sol.

‘Expunged or not, my guess is the word is already out.’

Sol didn’t reply. He couldn’t, and his silence confirmed my worst fears.

Like I said – screwed.

‘There is, of course, someone else who could’ve orchestrated all this,’ said Sol.

‘Who?’ I frowned.

Sol eyed our cab driver. ‘The man you’re currently defending.’

My mouth fell open. ‘Why on earth would he have me arrested?’

‘Because, with you out of the picture, he would have up to six months to find another lawyer, and any lawyer who knows what they’re doing could delay the trial for up to a year after that. That would put him back in office and able to pick up where he left off, super-injunction in place in perpetuity.’ Sol gave me a solemn, conspiratorial wink to make sure I got the point. ‘With you in the frame and his court-case date set and imminent, he’s effectively benched from politics.’

Already I was shaking my head. ‘No. He wouldn’t do that to me. No.’

‘Are you sure about that?’ asked Sol. ‘I mean one hundred per cent sure?’

I opened my mouth to answer, only to slowly close it again. While sitting on the park bench earlier, hadn’t I too wondered whether or not I could trust Tobey?

‘Can anyone ever be totally certain about anything?’ I hedged.

Sol raised an eyebrow. Damn him. Would Tobey really stoop so low as to have me arrested just to get back to his job, even temporarily? The sad, worrying answer was – I didn’t know. But even ninety-nine per cent sure still left one per cent of doubt.

And that one per cent was enough to kick the hell out of my heart. I had to put my feelings aside and get on with the business at hand. Taking out my phone, I sent a text to Jon.