‘He is delusional, Detective. He believes his childhood friend is talking to him. He was sure that by killing those three people he would be released from his torment, but the voices still exist. We are treating him for severe schizophrenia but there may also be an underlying personality disorder,’ the doctor explained as they arrived on D Wing. ‘I want you to see exactly what we are dealing with here,’ he said as he led them to a door with a small window in it. ‘Look through there.’

Barrett peered through the safety glass. In the far corner of the room sat Robbie huddled in a ball. He was talking to someone who wasn’t there.

‘You see?’ Doctor Megaw said. ‘To you he is a criminal, but to me he is a victim and a patient.’

‘You’re a good man, Doctor.’ Barrett nodded.

‘I do my job and I don’t let myself get emotionally involved.’ He looked coy. ‘I’m not here to judge.’

‘Will you tell him about his father?’ Palmer asked.

‘Perhaps in time.’ Megaw sighed. ‘Right now, our priority is stabilising him.’

At that moment they heard a crash come from the other side of the door. Standing on his tiptoes, the doctor looked through the small window. Slowly Robbie’s bruised face appeared in the glass as if from nowhere. He was looking right through the doctor as if they were invisible when, out of the blue, he started banging his head on the door.

‘One, two, three, four, five.’ Each thud of his head on the glass was in time to the rhythm. ‘Once I caught a fish alive.’

Bang. Bang.

‘Six, seven, eight, nine, ten.’

Bang. Bang.

‘Then I let him go again.’

Bang. Bang.

‘Why did you let him go?’

Bang.

‘Because he bit my finger so.’

Bang. ‘

Which finger did he bite?’

Bang.

‘This little finger on the right…’

THE END

Acknowledgments

Let me start by saying that, as always, I have a number of wonderful people to thank. My editor, Clare Law, who always helps to bring out the best in my work. The proofreader who has the hideous task of tidying up my dyslexic typos. The wonderful team at Bloodhound Books who read, advise, polish, format and market my work. You are the best. The readers who take a punt on me and pick up my work. The wonderful people in my ARC group. My fabulous beta readers. The lovely people who bother to take the time to review my books. My family and friends who support me and put up with all my foibles. Without all of you, my dream of being a writer would have remained simply that.

Thank you xx

Author’s Note