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Back Gone Save as PDF
Chapters (77)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. Dedication
  4. Epigraph
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. 64
  69. 65
  70. 66
  71. 67
  72. 68
  73. 69
  74. Acknowledgements
  75. Reading Group Questions
  76. Read More
  77. I

Jameson nodded. ‘Yeah, Libby was cagey about that. I’ll get on to it.’

‘See if we can speak to them tomorrow morning. I’ve got to get to my session in Islington now.’ Bloom checked her watch and began to gather her things. ‘Make it a video conference if you can. I’d like to see their expression when we ask about Stuart’s dismissal. I expect it will show us what they think of him.’

‘You’ve got a theory building, haven’t you?’ said Jameson. ‘I can see it.’

14

Seraphine sat in the consulting room and listened to Dr Bloom and her mother talking on the other side of the door. Mum was doing her usual performance: ‘This is all about me, me, me.’ Seraphine heard her say, ‘What’s wrong with her? Why is she not responding to this? Is she repressing something? I don’t want her growing up with issues.’

Seraphine smiled. Issues.

‘Penny, please be reassured that I’m doing all that I can to help Seraphine.’ Dr Bloom sounded authoritative. Seraphine made a mental note to practise that same tone of voice.

‘But what’s she saying? What’s she thinking? I can’t get a word out of her,’ said her mother.

‘I’m afraid I can’t reveal what’s being said in the sessions. Seraphine needs to know that she can trust me.’

‘But I’m her mother – you have to tell me.’ She sounded emotional. Seraphine knew tears were imminent.

‘If I’m to really help your daughter, as you’d clearly like me to, I need her to know that she can tell me anything and that I won’t tell a soul.’

Seraphine suspected that Dr Bloom knew she was listening and that this conversation was really for her benefit.

Bloom continued, ‘Does Seraphine usually talk to you?’

No answer.

‘So her reticence is normal? Try to take some comfort from that. I would be far more concerned if your daughter were acting out of character.’

A few moments later, Dr Bloom opened the door and entered the consulting room. She sat back in her seat with her legs crossed and her notebook open on her lap.

Seraphine sat as she had on previous occasions with her back straight, her feet and knees together and her hands in her lap. She didn’t know what the doctor’s new posture meant so she wasn’t yet sure whether to mirror it.

‘Good morning, Dr Bloom.’ Seraphine smiled sweetly. ‘How are you?’

‘I’m well, thank you. And you?’

‘I got the results of my mock GCSE Maths paper back today. I got an A star.’

‘Congratulations. You must feel pleased.’

Seraphine did feel pleased; elated, in fact.

‘What’s happening with the investigation?’ asked Dr Bloom.