‘I’m not really investigating.’

‘When we share experience, it becomes cathartic,’ Sadia said. He liked the way she said it. Cathartic. All pronounced and full of meaning.

‘One of the parents from Canterbury wrote about the role of schools,’ Katherine said. ‘In providing community, counselling, a place for collective grief. If the bombing had taken place on a school tour or during the school term, the children would have been better taken care of in the aftermath. The kids on this tour are from an assortment of schools in different counties. They’ve had no place to go to talk about what’s happened. The tour organisers have let these kids down.’

‘I agree with what David Maynard wrote,’ Sadia said. ‘His post has received the most comments. “Schools are a constant in an always changing world.”’

Of course. David Maynard, principal extraordinaire, would have had to put his two bloody pence in.

Katherine nudged Sadia surreptitiously and she reddened. ‘Sorry Bish, I forgot —’

‘Send me the link,’ he said politely. He heard laughter amid the chatter from inside the room. Manoshi and Lola were like those two guys in The Muppets, Fionn had said.

‘Have you thought of the girls sharing a room?’ he asked. ‘It’d do them the world of good.’

He left them for Fionn’s room, tapped lightly on the door and nudged it open. He caught a whiff of pot, and on entering found Charlie Crombie lazily curled up in an armchair. When he saw Bish he got to his feet and held out a hand to the other boy.

‘Later, Sykes,’ he said as they shook. He walked past Bish, sniffing exaggeratedly.

‘Give my regards to your parents, Charlie,’ he said.

‘Will do, Inspector Bish,’ Charlie said with feigned reverence.

When Crombie was gone, Fionn waved away the remnants of smoke. Bish was incredulous at the audacity of bringing pot into a hospital ward.

‘I thought Mr Crombie considered you a minion?’ Bish said.

‘If anyone can argue me under the table in theology, he can.’

It sounded lame. Bish was certain Crombie wanted something from this lonely, awkward boy.

‘Don’t sell yourself short, Fionn,’ he said, and caught the hurt in the kid’s eyes.

‘Don’t tell me I’m selling myself short, Mr Ortley. I go to school with plenty of decent people and hardly any of them have come to see me. A few came once. Did their duty. They acted like nothing had happened and I was just lying back and resting my constitution. And try getting any of my friends from up north to come visit.’

Bish knew the same thing had happened to Lola. Katherine couldn’t convince any of the parents of Lola’s so-called friends to visit. It’s too distressing, they said, too much for their children to bear. It’s too far for them to travel. Maybe when Lola’s better . . .

Fionn looked pained. ‘But Crombie’s been here four times now. It takes him just under three hours for the round trip, but he’s here. Like he’s got nothing better to do with his summer holidays.’