‘What’s happened to them?’

But her face said, don’t ask me that, you have no need to know, no right to know, I can’t tell you that.

‘Poor things.’

‘Yes. Difficult.’

Greta stood up, Jeff came in, another nurse behind him, beckoning to the first nurse, making faces.

‘What?’

‘The on-call room is free for now, I’ve put them there.’

‘Oh –’

‘What’s going on?’

‘I’m so sorry, Mr Tonks, Mrs Tonks . . . can I get you anything?’

She went. Jeff stood. He had been crying.

‘I’ll get us something,’ he said. ‘Tea or –’

‘What did you tell her? What did she say?’ Greta could not use his new wife’s name, no, not his wife, the girl, young woman.

‘They’ve probably got cold drinks. The tea and coffee won’t be up to much. Greta?’

But someone else came in.

Thirty-Nine

Serrailler had managed to stop a doctor coming out of resus, and shown his ID card.

‘No one goes in there, sorry, but she’s not conscious, she wouldn’t be able to tell you anything.’

‘What’s the outlook?’

‘Not sure you’ve a need to know, Chief Superintendent.’

But he looked drained and blank-eyed and it did not occur to Simon to argue with him.

‘Understood, but if she does come round one of us will need to talk to her at some point.’

The medic leaned against the wall, then slid down it and sat on the floor.

‘You all right?’

‘Yes, I just need a break and some fresh air – come out there with me.’

At the entrance, they went a few yards from main doors, before he got out a cigarette, giving Simon a look as he did so. ‘Don’t even go there.’

‘As if.’

‘I’m a hypocrite.’ Dr Ivan Lloyd, ITU Registrar it said under the bad photograph on his lanyard. He smoked for a few seconds before saying, ‘Off the record – though there’s no disagreement – the kid hanged herself but quite inefficiently, so she still was alive when she was cut down, and even when the paramedics got to her – just not alive enough.’

‘Hypoxia.’

‘I forget cops know stuff.’

‘Plus I did three years at medical school.’

The doctor raised an eyebrow. ‘Feel like swapping?’ He threw his cigarette down and stamped on the butt.

‘Anyway, she’s brain-dead. You want to see the parents?’

‘After you’ve told them everything and they’ve seen their daughter again. I have to ask them a couple of questions.’

‘Is this the right time?’

‘There’s no right time.’

‘Shit, this is the part I’d give away to whoever would take it.

‘When are you going to break it to them?’

‘As soon as the boss gives the word. I’d have given it before now because where’s the point, but Matthew’s in charge.’