Stanton Box Set

“Thank you for coming.” The cameras start to click.

“Thirty-eight days ago off the coast of Portofino, Joshua Stanton and his beloved fiancée Natasha Marx were staying on the luxury liner of a friend. They attended a wedding and during the course of that wedding, unbeknown to them, their drinks were spiked with the drug Rohypnol. Joshua Stanton awoke in the morning to find Natasha missing and a large…” I stop as I struggle to read the next words. You can do this. “Amount of blood on the deck. Natasha had been attacked overnight when Joshua was unconscious.” The cameras all click double time and my eyes flick to Nicholas who stands silently against the wall next to Ben. He nods reassuringly. I take a deep breath and continue. “The coroner ruled Natasha Marx’s death as a result of massive blood loss was a direct result of the premeditated attack on her. We, Natasha’s family, are devastated at the loss of her life and Joshua Stanton is in deep mourning. After an anonymous tip off, police searched Joshua Stanton’s properties to uncover eight vials of Rohypnol that had been planted there by the perpetrator with the intention of framing Joshua Stanton for the murder.”

I swallow the lump in my throat as the cameras click and the reporters start to buzz at the impending story. “Joshua Stanton does not know who put the Rohypnol at his country estate, nor does he know where his beloved fiancée’s body is. He is deeply in mourning and currently being held in Corcoran Penitentiary for a murder he did not commit.” I stare down the barrel of the camera with renewed purpose. “These allegations against him are false in every regard. Joshua Stanton is innocent and has been framed. We will be fighting these allegations on all fronts and are confident that justice will prove to be the victor and the true criminal brought to justice. It is our greatest wish that Natasha’s body can be recovered so that she may be laid to rest in peace.”

The cameras go crazy and reporters start to scream questions. “Mr Murphy, Mr Murphy.” They call. I bend back to the microphone. “No further questions will be answered. Thank you.”

Chapter 25

Adrian

With Joshua I stand outside an office in the courthouse. Joshua has been freed from his cuffs and has two security guards following him. Today is the court case, and we need to get him out of here. We are waiting for his lawyer and, like clockwork, he walks up the stairs towards us with his three PAs trailing behind him.

He smiles warmly. “Hello, I’m Vincenzo Di Luca.” Wearing a dark grey suit he is flawless, we have hired a new hot shot lawyer who doesn’t lose.

Joshua and I shake his hand. Joshua could have only one person with him in this meeting and he chose me. I am as nervous as hell.

“Joshua Stanton,” Joshua replies

“Adrian Murphy.” I nod.

We follow him into the designated office, and I feel myself become a little awestruck at being in Vincenzo’s presence. The rock star of the legal world, he represents murderers, Mafia, hitmen and politicians to name a few. He is a large Italian man with model-like good looks and the personality of an asshole… or so I hear. He has a cult following on social media, and he’s a bit like Joshua in that his outsides don’t match his insides. Too good looking to be this successful and intelligent, the puzzle doesn’t add up.

We sit down at the table and he sits calmly and clasps his hands in front of him on the desk. His eyes bore into Joshua’s. “I have been studying the case for the last week and I have a few questions I need answered,” he replies.

“Yes,” Joshua answers.

Joshua is very nervous and empathy fills me.

“The prostitute you had sex with in Sydney?” Vincenzo continues.

Joshua drops his head in shame; he would never normally talk about something like this in front of these secretaries. “Yes,” he replies.

“How did you first meet her?” Vincenzo asks.

Joshua hesitates. “Um.” His eyes flick to me sitting next to him and I nod to him to go on. “She arrived at my door as a housewarming present,” he replies.

Vincenzo nods and scribbles down notes. He doesn’t even flinch—what must he hear doing this job?

“Who ordered that present?” he asks.

Joshua hesitates.

Joshua won’t tattle on his friend, I know him too well, so I cut in. “Um Vincenzo, if I may.”

His eyes snap to me. “Call me Vin,” he replies.

I nod thankfully. “Ok, Vin. It was Joshua’s friend Carson Milane,” I reply.

Vin’s eyes flick back to Joshua. “With friends like him who needs enemies.” He raises his eyebrows as he flicks the page of the notepad.

Joshua drops his eyes to the floor.

“I will be calling him to the stand,” Vin replies without further thought.

Joshua frowns. “I would prefer him to be left out of it.”

Vin’s cold eyes snap to Joshua. “Are you aware of the seriousness of your plight, Joshua?”