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clippers。
A pair of lopping shears。
Miss Richardson and Mrs Bethany stared at them unmoved。 It was Ginnie Quint who turned slowly white and fainted。
CHAPTER 8
So here we were in October； with the leaves weeping yellowly from the trees。
Here I was； perching on the end of Rachel Ferns' bed； wearing a huge fluffy orange clown wig and a red bulbous nose； making sick children laugh while feeling far from merry inside。
'Have you hurt your arm？' Rachel asked conversationally。
'Banged it；' I said。
She nodded。 Linda looked surprised。 Rachel said； 'When things hurt it shows in people's eyes。'
She knew too much about pain for a nine…year…old。 I said； 'I'd better go before I tire you。'
She smiled； not demurring。 She； like the children wearing the other wigs I'd brought； all had very short bursts of stamina。 Visiting was down to ten minutes maximum。
I took off the clown wig and kissed Rachel's forehead。 'Bye；' I said。
'You'll e back？'
'Of course。'
She sighed contentedly； knowing I would。 Linda walked with me from the ward to the hospital door。
'It's 。。。 awful；' she said； forlorn； on the exit steps。 Cold air。 The chill to e。
I put my arms round her。 Both arms。 Hugged her。
'Rachel asks for you all the time；' she said。 'Joe cuddles her； and cries。 She cuddles him； trying to fort him。 She's her daddy's little girl。 She loves him。 But you 。。。 you're her friend。 You make her laugh； not cry。 It's you she asks for all the time …not Joe。'
'I'll always e if I can。'
She sobbed quietly on my shoulder and gulped； 'Poor Mrs Quint。'
'Mm；' I said。
'I haven't told Rachel about Ellis 。。。'
'No。 Don't；'I said。
'I've been beastly to you。'
'No； far from it。'
'The papers have said such dreadful things about you；' Linda shook in my arms。 'I knew you weren't like that 。。。 I told Joe I have to believe you about Ellis Quint and he thinks I'm stupid。'
'Look after Rachel； nothing else matters。'
She went back into the hospital and I rode dispiritedly back to London in the TeleDrive car。
Even though I'd returned with more than an hour to spare I decided against Pont Square and took the sharp memory of Gordon Quint's attack straight to the bar in the Piccadilly hotel where I'd agreed to meet the lawyer Davis Tatum。
With a smile worth millions； the French lady in charge of the restaurant arranged for me to have coffee and a sandwich in the tiny bar while I waited for my friend。 The bar； in fact； looked as if it had been wholly designed as a meeting place for those about to lunch。 There were no more than six tables； a bartender who brought drinks to one's elbow； and a calm atmosphere。 The restaurant itself was full of daylight； with huge windows and green plants； and was sufficiently hidden from the busy artery of Mayfair downstairs as to give peace and privacy and no noisy passing trade。
I sat at a bar table in the corner with my back to the entrance； though in fact few were arriving： more were leaving after long hours of talk and lunch。 I took some ibuprofen； and waited without impatience。 I spent hours in my job； sometimes； waiting for predators to pop out of their holes。
Davis Tatum arrived late and out of breath from having apparently walked up the stairs instead of waiting for the lift。
He wheezed briefly behind my back； then came round into view and lowered his six foot three inch bulk into the chair opposite。
He leaned forward and held out his hand for a shake。 I gave him a limp approximation； which raised his eyebrows but no ment。
He was a case of an extremely agile mind in a totally unsuitable body。 There were large cheeks； double chins； fat…lidded eyes and a small mouth。 Dark smooth hair had neither receded nor greyed。 He had flat ears； a neck like a weight…lifter and a charcoal pin…striped suit straining over a copious belly。 He might have difficulty； I thought； in catching sight of certain parts of his own body。 Except in the brain…box； nature had dealt him a sad hand。
'First of all；' he said； 'I have some bad news； and I possibly shouldn't be here talking to you at all； according to how you read Archbold。'
'Archbold being the dos and don'ts manual for trial lawyers？'
'More or less。'
'What's the bad news； then？' I asked。 There hadn't been much that was good。
'Ellis Quint has retracted his 〃guilty〃 plea； and has gone back to 〃not guilty〃。'
'Retracted？' I exclaimed。 'How can one retract a confession？'
'Very easily。' He sighed。 'Quint says he was upset yesterday about his mother's death； and what he said about feeling guilty was misinterpreted。 In other words； his lawyers have got over the shock and have had a re…think。 They apparently know you have so far not been able to break Ellis Quint's alibi for the night that last colt was attacked in Northamptonshire； and they think they can therefore get the Bracken colt charge dismissed； despite the Land…Rover and circumstantial evidence； so they are aiming for a plete acquittal； not psychiatric treatment； and； I regret to tell you； they are likely to succeed。'
He didn't have to tell me that my own reputation would never recover if Ellis emerged with his intact。
'And Archbold？'
'If I were the crown prosecuting counsel in this case I could be struck off for talking to you； a witness。 As you know； I am the senior barrister in the chambers where a colleague prosecuting Ellis Quint works。 I have seen his brief and discussed the case with him。 I can absolutely properly talk to you； though perhaps some people might not think it prudent。'
I smiled。 'Bye bye； then。'
'I may not discuss with you a case in which I may be examining you as a witness。 But of course I will not be examining you。 Also； we can talk about anything else。 Like； for instance； a recent game of golf。'
'I don't play golf。'
'Don't be obtuse； my dear fellow。 Your perceptions are acute。'
'Are we talking about angles？'
His eyes glimmered behind the folds of fat。 'I saw the report package that you sent to the CPS。'
'The Crown Prosecution Service？'
'The same。 I happened to be talking to a friend。 I said your report had surprised me； both by its thoroughness and by your deductions and conclusions。 He said I shouldn't be surprised。 He said you'd had the whole top echelon of the Jockey Club hanging on your every word。 He said that； about a year ago； you'd cleared up two major racing messes at the same time。 They've never forgotten it。'
'A year last May；' I said。 'Is that what he meant？'
'I expect so。 He said you had an assistant then that isn't seen around any more。 The job I'd like you to do might need an assistant for the leg…work。 Don't you have your assistant nowadays？'
'Chico Barnes？'
He nodded。 'A name like that。'
'He got married；' I said briefly。 'His wife doesn't like what I do； so he's given it up。 He teaches judo。 I still see him he gives me a judo lesson most weeks； but I can't ask him for any other sort of help。'
'Pity。'
'Yes。 He was good。 Great pany and bright。'
'And he got deterred。 That's why he gave it up。'
I went； internally； very still。 I said； 'What do you mean？'
'I heard；' he said； his gaze steady on my fac