Chapter 83: The jury gives its verdict

Elisabeth reached out her hand. It hovered, trembling, over the sun-streaked hair of her little brother, then slowly descended to sit on his bowed neck. A heart-wrenching gesture: for Robert, still coming to terms with all that she had withheld; for the courtroom, subdued by the enormity of emotion they were witnessing; and for Ray and Julia, adoptive parents who loved their boy more than life itself.

And the judge? It wasn't often he presided over such an emotional ending. He let them have their moment before thanking the jury for their deliberations and dismissing them. The jury room door was barely closed before he was saying, 'Mr Richards, Miss Sharman, will you be ready to proceed with sentencing in two weeks?' To Elisabeth's mechanical 'Yes, your Honour,' and Thierry's echo, he said, 'Adjourn the court,' and was off the bench and through the rear door before anyone had time to think.

Murder.