‘But what I’m most interested in is Claudia’s account of events. Have you been told what your friend said?’

‘How do you know all this? You said you didn’t work for the police.’

‘I don’t, Seraphine. I work for you and your family. Your mother told me.’

Of course her stupid mother would fuss about everything in front of the psychologist; anything to get some attention. Seraphine took a deep breath to suppress her rage. This was not the place for it.

‘Do you know that Claudia disputes your statement?’ asked Dr Bloom. ‘She says that you attacked Mr Shaw before he had showed any interest in you.’

Seraphine smiled. She had been through all of this with PC Watkins. ‘I think Claudia suffers from that thing people get for their abusers. She doesn’t like the idea that he wanted me too.’

‘Stockholm syndrome?’

‘Is that what kidnap victims get?’

Dr Bloom nodded. ‘They form an attachment to their aggressor. So are you saying Claudia’s account is wrong?’

‘Yes.’

‘She also recalls you saying, “Why don’t you pick on someone your own size?” to Mr Shaw. Is that incorrect too?’

‘No,’ replied Seraphine. ‘I said that.’

‘Why?’

Seraphine shrugged. ‘It’s what people say. It’s a saying.’

‘Were you suggesting that you are his size?’

Seraphine smiled her sweetest smile. She had practised it in front of the mirror. ‘Obviously not. I’m a girl.’

‘I didn’t think you meant it physically.’ Bloom poured water from the jug into the two glasses. ‘Do you think about the incident much?’ she asked.

‘Sometimes.’

‘In what way?’

Seraphine didn’t understand. She shook her head.

‘Tell me what you think about when you remember it. It’s not a trick question, Seraphine. I’m just trying to understand what stood out to you about the experience.’

The blood. The thick, red, glistening blood. There was so much blood … ‘I think of him on the floor.’

‘After you stabbed him?’

Seraphine nodded. ‘He was wriggling around on the shiny wooden floor. His hand was gripping his neck. I think he was trying to stop the bleeding.’

‘Anything else?’

‘Then his hand flopped on to the floor and he went still. I could see where the blood was coming from – it was spilling from the side of his neck – but I couldn’t see the actual hole.’

‘Did you want to see the hole?’

Why wouldn’t I want to see the hole? ‘I wanted to know if it was smooth or ragged.’

‘Why did you want to know that?’

Seraphine frowned. She had hoped Bloom would understand, that she was more intelligent than your average normal. But maybe not. ‘Because it’s interesting.’

Dr Bloom nodded. She got it now. ‘And how often do you think about the incident?’

All the time. It’s the most fascinating thing that’s ever happened to me. ‘A bit.’