Even though I know it isn’t true, I have to admit he has a point. I also know I can’t back Max up, because if I say anything then the Joker will spill the beans about Dr Prince.

Dr Lawson looks at me. ‘Katarina, you must be wondering why you’re here.’

I nod. Well, sort of, yes.

I can feel the Joker’s eyes burning into me. I feel less angry and more tired. I wish the Smiling Assassin (Rachel, I remind myself) was still alive so she could stand up and tell them what he had done to her. Unfortunately, she’s dead, I’m alone, and he’ll probably end up getting away with everything.

Dr Lawson clears her throat. ‘Katarina, we have something that we’d like you to read.’

I have no idea what she’s talking about. Crazily, I wonder for a split second if I’ve documented something incorrectly in the patient notes and that I’m getting in trouble.

‘Have I done something wrong?’ I ask.

Dr Lawson has a strange expression on her face. ‘No,’ she says, ‘but I’m going to give you something and we are all going to leave the room while you read it.’

She pulls a piece of paper from a file. I notice that written on the front of the file are the words Dr Rachel Copeland.

Dr Lawson hands the paper to me. ‘This was found in Dr Copeland’s locker after she died,’ she says. ‘It’s addressed to you, so we thought it was your right to read it.’

I feel the tears welling up in my eyes, and try to blink them away. It doesn’t work, and I feel one, then two, then more tears begin to slide down my face. They drop onto the table. I worry, absurdly, that they will hit the paper and the ink will be smudged and then I won’t be able to read the words.

Dr Lawson hands me a box of tissues. ‘We’ll give you some time,’ she says. ‘We’ll be next door in the boardroom if you need us.’

One by one, everyone leaves the room.

Max catches my eye. ‘Are you okay?’ he asks quietly. ‘Do you want me to stay?’