Guilty! The Trials of Phil Ferguson Read online

  Itwasthenthatthealarmwentoffinherhead.

  ThepicturesofPhilandthatwoman;oneofthemwasnotofPhil.Itwasofher andthatman…shecouldnotbringherselftoeventhinkofhimhavinganame.

  What was the purpose of that picture? Was it more than to tell her she’d been had? Literally? She was so filled with anger and self-righteousness that she forgottoexaminetheimplicationsofthatpicturethatheldhernudeimage.What didhedowiththeothercopies?Shewassuretheyweredigital.Hewassucha sick man that he might have it as the wallpaper on his computer or his phone.

  Didhesendittoanyone?

  Thealarmswentoffagain. Whatishegoingtodo withthatpicture?Supposehe sendsittoPhil?No.Sherefused toacceptthat. Hewouldn’tbe thatcrazy.He wasn’t so ruthless. He did not like Phil, but he would have no need to do that.

  Thiswasbetweenhimandher.Hewasfeedinghisalreadyover-indulgedego.

  Hewantedher.ThefactthatshewasPhilFerguson’swifewasanotherfeatherin hiscap.Hewouldgloatonitprivately.Hewasalawyer…aprofessional.

  Thatmatterwasbetweenthemalone.Likeaclient’sconfidentiality.

  Her ego could not accept the truth. Jimmy would post the picture on the worldwidewebifhefeltto.

  TherewasonethingthatJadedidaccept.Jimmywasgoingtopayforwhathe

  did.

  CHAPTERTHIRTEEN

  Ignatiuswasnotusedtothetemptationhewasfacing.Hewasgenerallyadecent man,buthewasnotpreparedforthefrequentvisualtreatsofAmanda’sbeauty.

  HefelltotemptationoneWednesdaymorningbeforeheleftforwork.Amanda

  hadjuststeppedoutoftheshowerandthebathroomdoorwasslightlyajar.

  Ignatiuscouldseehersmoothskinglisteningfromthelayersofwaterasshewas dryingoff.Itwasnotthefirsttimehehadbeenprivytothisvisualfeast.Infact, he had wrestled with his conscience several times as he reveled in the act of seeingheryoung,flawlessbody sansclothes.HeknewMickeywouldbefurious ifsheweretoeverfindoutwhathewasdoing—beingaveritablepeepingTom

  with a minor she had entrusted to his care. It was accidental initially—he happened to be in the right place at the right time. The lock on the bathroom door was faulty and therefore allowed the door to swing open soundlessly withoutanyprovocation.Livinginthehousealone,Ignatiushadneverhadany incentivetofixit.

  One morning he was on his way to the kitchen when in passing he glimpsed Amanda’s almost naked body as she stepped out the shower and started to dry herself. He was both captivated and aroused and was lucky enough to be in a positionthatshecouldnotseehimobservingher.Beforelonghestartedtotime herbathsanditbecamearitual,thoughforthelastfewmorningshisconscience had taken over and he decided to forgo his morning pleasure. He had recently sworn himself off his voyeuristic activities, but that Wednesday he was vulnerabletolustandhislasciviousdrivesovertookhim.Hedecidedthereand thenthatsheneededassistanceinthebasictaskoftowel-dryingherskin.

  Hesteppedintothebathroom.Amandaheardhimenterandlookedup.Ignatius

  sawhereyesandwhathesawstoppedhimcold.Whathedidn’tseewouldalso

  have stopped him—Amanda had a brick within close reach, hidden under the towel,justincasetheexperiencethatcausedhertofleeherhomehappenedto repeat itself. He came to his senses immediately. He exited the room and went straighttowork.Althoughhesaidnothing,somehowAmandaunderstoodthatit

  would never happen again. Not long after that she was told to find somewhere elsetolive.Intheend,Ignatiusfoundheranewplace—ahomeforbatteredgirls locatedinthecountry,intheparishofSt.John.

  Itwasrunbyamiddle-agedwomanwhowasknowntoeveryoneasMatron.

  Theworkwastwiceashardbecauseshehadcropsandlivestocktolookafterin additiontoherdomesticchores.Thegirlscouldnotstandher,exceptforonegirl

  —GailAnn.GailAnnwasMatron’slieutenant.ShetookalikingtoAmanda,but

  the other girls thought it was more than that. Gail Ann was able to protect Amanda from most of the ill feelings the other girls harboured against her.

  Amandatookherangerandfearandpoureditintobeingsuccessful.Shewanted out,andeducationwashervehicle.HerbodywasthebackupNOSbottleforuse incaseofemergency.

  CHAPTERFOURTEEN

  OvertheyearsPhilhaddevelopedahealthyrespectforhisfamily’senterprise.

  HisappreciationgrewwhenhepartedcompanywithJimmyCadogan.Hefound

  himself out in the cold, harsh world of business with no insulation. At J.C.

  Chambers he pretty much did his legal work and billed. He did not have to solicitwork.Hedidnothavetowooclientsorcompeteforcontracts.Hewasin aready-madepractice.

  DuringhisfirstmonthonhisownPhilthoughthewasgoingtostarve.Hehad

  developed a reasonable portfolio of clients at J.C. Chambers, but he thought it unethicaltotakethemwithhimtohisnewpractice.

  Hemadesurethattheywereinformedofhisswitchtoindependentpractice.It wasthenuptothemtodecideiftheyweregoingtostickwithhim.Hisclients, mostly a conservative lot, largely preferred to remain in the comfort of an established,successfulpractice.

  Phil had few adventurous clients to start his new law practice. It was a reality check.Onedayhewasahotshotattorneyatoneofthetopfirmsintheland,the nexthewasvirtuallyunknown.

  His father was no stranger to the entrepreneurial world. He knew that his son wouldneedastart,orhewouldsoondrown.Heknewpeopleandhehadagreat

  reputation,sodidhisbusinesspartnerandbrother.Theydirectedeverythingthey couldinPhil’sdirection.TheyknewthatPhilwouldnotdroptheproverbialball, and he did not disappoint them. He delivered and in five short years he was beginningtorivalthetopestablishedfirms.

  Philwasveryclearonwhatdrovehissuccess,andhewasgratefulforhisfamily.

  He learned to respect what he had previously wanted to ridicule—the rough cottonworkshirtsandsteel-tippedbootsthatwerehisfather’sworkuniformand the old pick up truck that Phil was embarrassed to be taken to school in (he volunteeredtotakethebusassoonashewasoldenough);thelessthanprime realestatethattheirhouserestedonwithtrucksinsteadofluxurycarsparkedin thedriveway,butthenitwasn’treallyadriveway,itwasjusttheroadinfrontof theirhouse.

  Phil was so embarrassed because the neighbours always complained about the trucks,thattheyblockedtheroad,thattheymadealotofnoiseinthemorning andlateatnightandthattheymadeamesswiththeoilandmudtheydeposited intheirrestingplaces.

  TherestrictedspendinghabitslimitedPhil’searlywardrobetobargainbasement ensembles, and his toys to educational tools. Phil thought he could write a bestseller:‘ 100WaystoHaveFunWithanAbacus’.

  Thingswerebetternowthathisfatherwasabouttoundertakeatwentymillion dollar job. Things were at the negotiating stage with everything agreed on in principle.Thedetailsweretobeironedoutandacontractdrawn.Thematerial trappingshadimproved,nottoalevelofextravagance,butratherofreasonable comfort.Theworkethicandfinancialprudenceremainedintactandunchanged.

  CHAPTERFIFTEEN

  Jade thought that the brakes were feeling a bit mushy when she got in the car thatmorning.

  Shethoughtlittleofit,infactshethoughtitwasher.

  Shewashavingaproblematthatmoment.Shewaszoomingal
ongthehighway

  athercustomarypace—

  one hundred and twenty kilometers per hour, well in excess of the legal limit.

  She was approaching a roundabout, a place where common sense dictated that onesloweddowntoamorepedestrianpaceinordertonegotiatetheturn.Jade was not short on common sense, but she was short on brakes. She made her approachtotheroundabout,out-pacingcarsintheotherlane.Thecarmakingits way through the roundabout ahead of her was filling her visual field very quickly.AllofJade’sattemptsatstampingthebrakepedaltoretardtheprogress werefutile.Shewasnotslowingdown.Allsensoryinformationprocessedatthat instantgaveoneconclusion—shewasgoingtocrash,andshedid.Shehitthecar in the roundabout in front of her, raising it on two wheels before it landed all four again. Her car rebounded and spun two complete circles, its rotation abruptly curtailed by the wall of cut rock which was the boundary on the left sideoftheroad.Thecarwascrumpledlikeasheetofaluminumfoilwhichwas balled up and crushed in someone’s fist. Jade was unaware of this. She was unconscious.

  *****

  Phil’sBlackberrycametoliferingingandflashing,startlinghim.Ithadhadthat effectonhimforthepastthreedayssincehegotthecallfromJimmyCadogan.

  Hewasscaredtoanswereachtime.Thatcallreallyshookhim.Hehadnotbeen abletotalktoJadeyet,anditwasdrivinghimcrazy.Shewasstayingawayfrom him.Itwastorture.Hehadsearchedeverywhereforher.

  ThenumberontheBlackberrywasfamiliar,butPhilwasunabletorecallwhoit belonged to. It turned out to be Jade’s mother. She told Phil that Jade was in hospital,thatshehadbeenaterriblecaraccident.

  Fortunately,shewasnotseriouslyinjured;somebruisesandaheadinjurywere thereasonshewasinhospital.Shewasbeingkeptforobservation.Momdidnot know what had happened between them, but he, being her husband, should be there.Philfeltfear,anger,concernandrelief.Howdidhegethere?Itwasasif someonehadhijackedhislife,draggedhimfromthesmoothroadhewasonand

  put him on a crazy roller coaster, the kind he refused to go on at amusement parks.

  Hisoverridingemotionwasconcernforhiswife’swell-being.Theotherissues couldholduntilshehadrecovered.Hesavedthefilehewasworkingonandleft immediatelyforthehospital.

  HewasmakinghiswaytothehospitalwardJade’smothersaidshewasin.He

  wasbuttenpacesawayfromthedoorwhentwoburlymenapproachedhim.

  Theyworepoliceuniformsandtheirfacesweregrim.

  Philthoughttheyhadnewsofwhohadcausedtheaccidentthathurthiswife.Up tothispointhehadreceivednodetailsabouttheaccident.Thetallerofthetwo spoke:

  “Mr.…PhilipFerguson?”

  “Yes,canIhelpyou?”

  “Certainly.YouareunderarrestfortheattemptedmurderofJadeFerguson.”

  Phil’seyesbulged.Hisbrowsracedtohishairlineandhisheartpoundedasifhe hadrunasprint.

  “What!?”

  Theofficerslookedathimblankly.

  “You must be kidding! And this is a really a bad time and in poor taste. She’s injuredandinhospital!!”BynowPhilwasmoreagitatedthananythingelse.

  His overriding urge was to be the typical, arrogant lawyer. The officer spoke again,stillunmoved.

  “Wehavebeenmadetounderstandthatyouarethereasonsheisinthatward.”

  Philstaredatthemenindisbelief.

  “Weadviseyoutocomewithustothestation.Itwouldbebetterifwehadyour cooperation.”Therewasjustahintofmenaceinhisvoice.Philfoughttheurge toexplode.

  “DoyouknowwhoIam?Iamanattorney!Thisisanoutrage!Whereisyour

  warrant?”Theofficersmiledslightly.

  “Ofcourseweknowyouareanattorney…wearethepolice.”

  Asifoncue,thesecondofficerpresentedthewarranttoPhil,whoproceededto readit,butwithgreatdifficulty.Hecouldhardlykeephiseyesfocused,andhis head was spinning. He stumbled and the second officer assisted him. By now people nearby were taking a real interest in the drama unfolding outside ward A3.Phildecidedtocomplywithoutmakingmoreofascene.Hewalkedoutof

  thehospitallikeamanonhiswaytothegallows.

  *****

  Jade’sheadfeltlikeitwasinanexplosion.Infact,herwholebodyfeltthatway, but her head hurt the most. Was she in an explosion? The last thing she rememberedwasseeingthecarinfrontofherassheapproacheditveryquickly.

  Along with it came the bilious sensation and bitter taste in her mouth as she relivedthepanicofhavingnobrakes.Thealarmonthepulsemonitorwentoff—

  herheartratehadjumped.Anursecametocheckher.ShesawthefearinJade’s eyes.

  “It’sokay.You’reinhospital…underobservation.

  You’llbefine.”

  Jadelookedabouttheroom,thedisorientationbecomingalltoofamiliar.Itwas the second time she had awakened in alien surroundings, this one more alien than the last. Part of her mind wondered if someone was using her for an experiment.Shefeltlikeanexperimentalsubjectlyinginamechanicalbedwith the side bars up with several tubes attached to her body and video screens displayinginformationveryforeigntoher.Thefadedbabybluewallsenclosing

  theroomdidnothingtomakeherfeellesslikearatabouttobedissected.

  Jadeseyesnolongerregisteredpanic,buttheystillwereaskingquestions.

  “You’relucky…no brokenbones,no internalinjuries.You areconsciousnow.

  That’sgood.Thatwasanastyaccident.”

  Jadenoddedacknowledgementandappreciation,thenbrokeintosobs.Thepast

  fewdayshadbeenoverwhelming.Thenursesqueezedherhandandmoppedher

  face.

  “Takeiteasy.Relax.Takecomfortinthefactthatyouaregoingtobefine.Get somerest.Itwillhelpyoutorecover.”

  Shewalkedoffquickly.Anotheralarmhadgoneoff.

  *****

  By the time Phil settled down in the back seat of the police car he had begun collectinghisthoughts.

  The whole thing was outrageous. He was being accused of a crime that he did not know had taken place. Something was very wrong here. The first thing he had to do was keep his emotions in check and not aggravate the police. Not muchdamagehadbeendonesofar.Heneededtogetallthedetailsonthecase andheneededthebestdefenseattorneyinthelandtodefendhim.Therewasone glitch—thebestdefenseattorneyworkedatJ.C.ChambersforJimmyCadogan.

  Notagoodoption.Phil’ssecondchoicewasawayonsabbaticalinAfrica.She

  wouldnotbebacksoon.ThatleftPhilathisthirdchoice,andhewasnothappy.

  Hewantedthebest.Lifeasheknewit,hislifeasafreeman,wasontheline.He hadtogivethismorethought,whichwastoughbecausePhilfeltcompelledto

  act, not think. He tried to calm himself, and then a funny thing happened. He startedtomeditate.

  CHAPTERSIXTEEN

  Amanda was strutting her stuff on the catwalk, striding confidently down the runway.Somehowshemanagedtohaveenoughbounceinherstepandswayin

  her hips to impress all in attendance. It was not overly exaggerated, it was smooth, poised and graceful with that bit of ‘umph’ attitude. Her facial expressionwasfierce,confident,herlipsalmostpursedandhereyeshadjusta hint of a smile. She was modeling swimwear. The bikini she wore was white withblackpiping.Itlookedasifitwasdesignedjustforherbody,butthenagain Amandahadthatkindofbody.Thereweremanynod
sofacknowledgementand

  appreciative clapping as she did her paces. The more exuberant onlookers whistled and cheered. The models were all gorgeous, but Amanda had that it factor,thatthingthatcaughtandheldyourattention.

  Theshowclosedtoastandingovation,muchofitdirectedatAmanda.

  Sheleftthestagewiththeothergirlsandenteredthedressingroomtochange.

  Tearswerestreamingdownhercheeks.Shehadmadeit.Dreamsdocometrue.

  She had overcome. For a moment she recalled those days back home in South America.ShethoughtofherAuntMillieandherbrotherstowhomsheregularly sentmoney,andhersaviourMickey,whorefusedtoacceptthemoneyandsentit back.ShethoughtofTanko,andeventhenshefeltthatbiliousurgeshehadtried so hard to eradicate. She recalled her school days in Barbados, the fond memories of the place, but not of most of the girls. The guys were another matter. She labelled that ‘education’. Her formal education was curtailed abruptly.

  ShehadfinishedsecondaryschoolatQueen’sCollege,oneofthebetterschools, andhadmettherequirementstodolawatCaveHillUniversity.Sheattendedthe first semester, rather the first half of the semester, when she realized that her heart was not in it and everything was a struggle. Her mind was always on a photo shoot or a runway. In spite of her brief sojourn at university, she had developedthereputationofbeinga‘fashionista’secondtonone.

  Amandadiscoveredthattherewasanauditionfor America’sTopModelinNew York,andasfatewouldhaveit,therewasaspecialonflightstotheBigAppleat that time. She had some money saved from her odd jobs bartending and waitressing,thebulkofitcomingfromtips.Sheknewshehadtogoforit.She