“After this sort of thing, the very thought of the air in the Law Courts makes one sick,” he said at last.
“Hackleton’s coming up for the rest of your cross-examination the day after to-morrow, isn’t he?” Roger asked.
“Yes. He’s a clever devil—sees a concealed point as well as I do myself, and generally manages to skate round it more or less. He’s just scraped through, so far; but I’ll have him yet. It’ll be a bad business for him if he makes a slip. This civil suit for breach of contract is only a preliminary canter, if things turn out as I expect. One single breach in his case, and the Public Prosecutor will be down on Hackleton instanter. There’s ever so much in the background which we can’t bring to light in this particular suit, but it would all come out if the thing were to be transferred to the Criminal Court. Then we could really get to the bottom of the business.”
“So I gathered, by reading the case. Anyone could see that there was a lot in the background that you couldn’t touch on.”
“Once it all comes out, it’ll be the end of Hackleton. Five years penal is the least he could look forward to. Pleasant prospect for a man who lives on champagne. He’s an amazing fellow: drinks like a fish and yet has almost as good a brain as I have.”
“And you think you’ll get him? Does he realise that?”
“I expect he does.”
“From all I’ve heard of him he hasn’t much to boast of in the way of scruples. He started his career by speculations in coffin ships, didn’t he? I seem to remember some trouble with the insurance companies in more than one case.”
The barrister nodded:
“Constructive murder, simply. But that would be a trifle to Hackleton. He’d do anything for money.”