‘We haven’t told them.’
‘Why not?’
‘Case strategy,’ Ania explained. ‘If we tell them, they won’t use it. This way, when they bring it up we can quickly discredit it. Makes the prosecution look unsafe right from the start.’
‘Clever,’ Poe admitted.
‘Motivation is case tinsel,’ she shrugged. ‘It’s not where this will be won or lost.’
Poe knew she was referring to the snow.
‘I assume you’ll be presenting an alternative explanation?’ he said. ‘That an unknown intruder killed Elcid Doyle and framed Estelle?’
She nodded. ‘That will form the basis of the defence statement we are required to submit,’ she said. ‘We still need plausible explanations for the gunshot residue, the delay in calling 999 and the fact there were only her footprints in the snow.’
‘If this gets as far as court, we lose,’ Poe said.
‘Agreed. And even if we win, we lose.’
Poe allowed himself a wry smile. Flynn had said the very same thing last night. The damage to Doyle’s reputation would be irreparable.
‘We need to get the case discontinued,’ he said. ‘Make sure it never sees the inside of a courtroom.’
‘How?’ Ania said.
‘By blowing down their house of cards.’
His phone rang. It was Flynn.
‘Excuse me,’ he said to Ania. ‘Boss?’
‘We need you in London, Poe.’
‘What’s up?’
‘It wasn’t the wine.’
‘I’m on my way,’ he said.