Price glared at Cole without answering. Cole met his gaze and held it. A stand-off manufactured for the jury’s benefit, Michael knew.

‘The jury can draw their own conclusions from your failure to answer,’ Cole began. ‘I’ve just got one last subject to ask you about. Something we touched on a moment ago.’

‘Yeah? Go on, then.’

‘Patience, Mr Price. We’re getting to it now.’

Cole smiled again. By now Price must have known the smile’s meaning. That there was more damage to come.

‘You’ve said that you were no particular friend of Terry Colliver.’

‘That’s right.’

‘But you were aware that between December last year and the beginning of March this year, Terry Colliver was in custody in Wormwood Scrubs Prison in West London? Charged with the murders of the Galloway brothers?’

‘Yeah, I knew that. Everyone knew that.’ Price seemed more comfortable as they returned to Colliver, the subject for which he had obviously prepared. ‘But that don’t make us mates though, does it. Like you said, the murder was big news.’

‘Yes it was, Mr Price. Yes it was. Now tell me, did you ever visit Mr Colliver in custody?’

‘No.’ Price answered quickly and with confidence. ‘Never. Why would I?’

The poor guy thinks he’s back on solid ground, Michael thought, sure of what was still to come. He couldn’t be more wrong.

‘Well, it really isn’t for you to be asking questions, Mr Price, but since you have I’ll give you the courtesy of an answer. What I am suggesting to you is that if you had visited him it would have been so that you could discuss what to say in your witness statement. What lies you could tell to get your friend out of trouble.’

Epstein was on his feet before Cole was even half finished.

‘My Lord, Mr Cole knows that such a comment is completely unacceptable. He cannot suggest a motive for a visit which he has not suggested actually occurred. I strongly—’

‘I apologise.’ Cole interrupted the objection. ‘I will approach the matter in a completely different way. One which Mr Epstein will hopefully find less offensive.’

Michael noted Cole’s sideways glance at the jury. It left the impression he had intended: a naughty boy who had been caught. And judging by their conspiratorial smiles in response, he had the jury onside.

Cole turned back to the witness box.

‘OK then, Mr Price. You did not visit Terry Colliver in prison. Is that right?’

‘That’s right.’ Price was growing more confident. ‘Check the prison bloody records.’

‘Do you know, that’s exactly what we did?’ Cole turned to his junior, Billy Taylor. Taylor handed him a large raft of documents. ‘In fact, I have them here. Madam Usher, would you be so kind?’

The usher approached Cole for a second time and Cole handed her several sets of papers. She passed them to Price, the judge and finally the jury. In the meantime Cole handed additional sets to Epstein and to Michael.