Georgie took a few steps further towards the door and strained to listen as Charlie asked, ‘From who?’

‘As if I’d tell you that.’

‘Why wouldn’t you?’ asked Charlie, seemingly offended.

‘Because you’d do something stupid like sue them.’

‘If they were lucky.’

‘Mm. Keys are behind you, in the top drawer.’

‘I am most obliged for your assistance, oh magnificent sister.’

‘Piss off back to court, Charlie.’

She heard the rattle of the drawer. Turned quickly and tried to look as though she was casually strolling up and down the hallway and not listening intently to every word when Priest emerged from the kitchen.

‘Come on, Someday,’ he said, leading her to the door. ‘Thanks, Sarah.’

Georgie looked back over her shoulder. Sarah leant against the door frame, arms folded. As Georgie turned, Sarah caught her eye.

‘Georgie?’

‘Yes?’

Sarah hesitated before shifting her weight and turning to walk back into the kitchen.

‘For God’s sake, look after him.’

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

At the stroke of ten the chamber’s door to court thirteen opened and Justice Peters swept in, nodded curtly to the congregation in front of her and sat down, rigid and businesslike, in the high-backed leather chair.

She looked older than Okoro remembered from the last time he had been before her. Her hair was tied back but it was greyer than at the preliminary hearing six months earlier. Back then she had berated Hagworth for not having properly complied with the disclosure order and hadn’t been particularly impressed with Okoro either, even though he had complied.

At least she was consistent. She hated everyone.

‘Good morning,’ Peters grumbled without a trace of warmth. She looked up at the advocates for the first time and picked up a bundle from in front of her. ‘Mr Hagworth—’

Slowly, Hagworth rose to his feet.

Okoro glanced behind him but the door at the back of the court had been shut. He risked checking his phone – nothing. Although The Real Byte was the defendant, they would present their case first, as was customary in a libel trial. The statement complained about would be assumed defamatory unless the contrary was proven. Okoro only had three witnesses – Tomas Jansen; Gail Woodbead, who had had some input in writing the article; and Simeon Ali himself. Tactically, it would make the most sense if Ali went first. Indeed, the trial might be over quickly if Hagworth couldn’t produce anything in cross-examination to damage Ali’s credibility.

Putting Tomas on the stand first was going to cause some confusion. Okoro braced himself for the interrogation.

Hagworth began, ‘Your Honour, may it please you, I represent the claimant in these proceedings, Alexia Elias, who seeks damages and other relief against the defendant, an online magazine with a small following—’

‘Yes, yes, I know all that.’ Peters waved at Hagworth irritably. ‘I have your skeleton argument. Can we not just get on with it? Mr Okoro?’