Page 129 of The Half Sister

‘Only briefly, this morning, after the jury were sworn in and the opening speeches had been made.’ Lauren sighs. ‘It’s funny, but despite everything that’s gone on, it’s good to see her. With each day that passes, the more I understand why she felt the need to do what she did, and if I’m really honest with myself, there’s a part of me that still misses her.’

‘Did she say what she’s doing with herself?’ asks Kate.

‘Finn’s moved in with her now, but I think that was always the plan, and she’s got a new job in a restaurant in town.’

‘Do you want to invite them over on Sunday?’ asks Kate. Lauren turns to look at her with a smile.

The court hushes as Rose shuffles into the dock, looking like a shadow of the woman she was; her shoulder-length auburn hair is cut short and greying at the sides; her once vibrant skin is sallow and pale; even her height seems to have diminished. Though when she looks up to the gallery and sees Kate, she instantly stands taller, buoyed by her daughter’s presence.

As soon as the judge is seated, the prosecution calls the forensic investigator to the witness box and after the formal introductions, the wigged barrister approaches the stand.

‘Can you confirm that the defendant Rose Alexander’s DNA was found at the scene of Julia Woods’ murder?’ he says.

‘Yes,’ says the bespectacled man, before leaning in closer to the small microphone perched in front of him and repeating himself.

‘And can you confirm that the same DNA was found close to the body of the deceased, even though the defendant claims in her written statement that she didn’t enter the house?’

‘Yes, that’s correct.’

‘Whilst we could allow the benefit of the doubt to some extent, it’s unlikely in this event, is it not?’

‘Highly unlikely,’ says the witness.

‘And can you explain why that’s the case on this particular occasion?’

The man clears his throat and Lauren squeezes Kate’s hand tighter. ‘Because the defendant’s DNA was found under the victim’s fingernails.’

There are audible gasps from the gallery and Kate and Lauren lock eyes.

‘And just for the record,’ the Crown Prosecutor goes on, twisting the knife until it has nowhere else to go. ‘Is it conceivable that anyone else was present at the time of the murder, apart from the defendant, Mrs Alexander?’

‘Absolutely not.’

‘Thank you.’ The barrister grins. ‘I have no further questions.’

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