Due Process Read Online Free PDF Page A

she could feel her breathing becoming raspy.  This was ridiculous.  The file was on the desk yesterday.  Perhaps an articled clerk had taken it. 
                  She hurried out of the office and found Megan.
                  “Oh, hi Amanda,” the young girl said.
                  “Hi, Megan,” she replied, “I was just looking for a file to double check on witness statements, but I can’t find it.  Has anyone taken any files yet, do you know?”
                  “Hold on, “said Megan, “I’ll check.”
                  She picked up the phone and dialled a four number extension.
                  “Hello, Geoff? It’s Megan.  Yes, fine thanks.  I’ve got Tony Purcell’s wife here who has been going through the criminal files.  Have you taken any of them yet?”
                  She paused and listened.
                  “Right.  I see.  Oh...”
                  Amanda felt a catch in her throat and coughed to try and hide it. She glanced around but no-one seemed to have noticed.  She leaned forward as Megan replaced the phone.
                  “That was Geoff, he is one of the articled clerks who is going to do some of the hearings.  He was saying he’s going to need a barrister.  Can you do some briefs?”
                  “What?”asked Amanda, “Yes. Of course.  Did he say if he had taken any files?”
                  Megan shook her head.
                  “No.  He hasn’t”.
                  Amanda shrugged her shoulders and turned to leave, but froze as Megan said,
                  “Except the Justin file will be missing.  Poor guy was found drowned in his bath last night.  Suicide, they say. Not much point in your doing any more work on that one.”
    *   *   *
    Amanda was driving in a daze.  Her world was falling apart and she didn’t know what else she could do.  She looked down at her phone sitting on the passenger seat.  If Tony was alive and well then he would have called.  Or sent a text.  It was inconceivable that he would put her through this willingly.  They had been married for ten years.  She knew him well.
                  Perhaps the mysterious book and message were nothing to do with his disappearance at all.  Was she chasing rainbows?               For a brief moment she smiled.  That was an expression her grandmother had used.  If ever she had wanted something that was impossible, like being a movie star or having a horse, her grandmother would tell her it would never happen.  She might think it was possible, and try to do everything in her power to make it happen, but – her grandmother said – it was like chasing rainbows.  You could never reach them, they always seemed to move further and further away.
                  That was what was happening now.  The closer she thought she was getting to Tony, the further away he seemed to be.
                  But then those other thoughts began to tap away.  Maybe this was nothing to do with Tony. Maybe it was to do with her.
                  She pulled up at the school gates and got out of the car to wait for Jenny,  the one constant in her life.  Thank goodness.  She waited in anticipation as the school doors opened and the children came out laughing and screaming.  In the commotion she saw Jenny and waved.  The little girl smiled and hurried over, climbing into the back seat. 
    She chattered non-stop on the journey to the boat. Amanda was grateful for the distraction and tried to listen to tales of gingerbread men and games of tag.  It was nice to hear Jenny bright and cheerful as she knew the little girl had been missing her father.
    She opened up the boat and they went inside, Jenny leading the way.  While Amanda was closing down the flap Jenny appeared waving a