The more evidence she heard against him, the more her hopes were fading of an acquittal. Sure, they’d not yet heard any defence witnesses and maybe his legal team was going to pull a rabbit out of a hat. But on what she’d heard so far it wasn’t looking good for Gready. Which meant she was going to have her work cut out with the jury.

No question Harold Trout would be voting guilty. He was the only one she was absolutely certain would, at this stage. Hugo seemed to be genially disposed towards the defendant. She was increasingly convinced he was the one who was her friend, but she dared not approach him to ask.

Toby DeWinter was a wild card. Highly opinionated, so far he had not liked any of the prosecution witnesses, nor the prosecutor himself. But he did seem to like her. With him and Hugo on-side, she had enough to prevent a ‘guilty’ verdict. But a hung jury would simply mean a retrial.

‘Mr Starr, have you and the defendant ever met?’ Cork asked.

‘Yes, we have.’

‘And what was the occasion?’

‘The first time was about eighteen years ago; I had been arrested on a charge of possession and dealing in cannabis. My then brief introduced me over the phone and Terry – Terence – said he could get me acquitted.’

‘Really? And what happened?’

‘He succeeded.’

‘So he acted for you then?’

‘No, not in any official capacity.’

Cork looked, theatrically, at the jury. ‘Not in any official capacity? Can you explain what you mean by that?’

‘Not really, no – he wasn’t my solicitor. But suddenly my appeal was successful, and it was Mr Gready, I was told, who was responsible for securing it.’

Cork continued looking at the jury, making eye contact with some of them pointedly. Meg felt the glimmer of humour in his expression as her eyes met his.

‘Were you grateful to Mr Gready at the time?’

‘I was, yes. Very.’

Cork nodded. ‘And did you repay this gratitude?’

‘I did, yes.’

Meg glanced at Gready. He was staring rigidly ahead, his face betraying no emotion.

‘Can you tell us how, exactly?’ The prosecutor’s eyes danced over each juror, as if to say, Watch and listen, you are in for a treat!

‘I’ve worked for him ever since.’

Cork paused for a long time to let this sink in for everyone in the court. Sounding quite astonished, he said, with considerable emphasis, ‘You have worked for him ever since? For how many years, exactly?’

‘For fifteen or sixteen years now.’

‘And in what capacity have you been working for him?’

‘He owns a classic car dealership, which he uses as a front for importing drugs into England in high-value classic sports cars.’

Cork counted to five to let this bombshell sink in too. ‘Such as the dubious Ferrari you were bringing into Newhaven Port in November last year?’