He sat back in his chair and sighed. Kate felt like a little girl who has been caught cheating in her exams.

‘Your daughter, Mrs Burrows, is a very confused and unhappy girl.’

She listened attentively, all the while thinking, Tell me something I don’t know.

Plumfield continued talking in a nasal voice and she decided that he must be a demon to live with. He did not address people as equals but spoke down to them.

‘Lizzy has manifested signs of severe depression, and I feel that her drug taking and other behavioural patterns need close attention. To a child, Mrs Burrows, a slap is as good as a cuddle. After all, they are both forms of attention.’

‘So you think that Lizzy needs more attention?’

Plumfield held up his hand. ‘I am still talking, Mrs Burrows.’

Kate rolled her eyes to the ceiling. This man just could not be real!

‘I can see you are used to being in charge.’ He pointed a finger at her. ‘You are not at the station now.’

He smiled to take the edge off his words and suddenly it hit Kate: he was a Bill hater. Kate had come across them all her working life, from the solicitors who tried to get off known offenders to the social workers who stood up in courts of law and gave character references for people who should have been locked up once and for all.

He was going to lay all the blame at her door.

Kate bit her lip and let the man speak.

‘Your daughter -’ this was said like an accusation - ‘has agreed to go into a psychiatric hospital for a while, where we can assess her properly. She will travel there later this afternoon from here. She’ll be in Warley Hospital.’

Evelyn watched his loose-lipped face and felt her mettle rise. ‘Excuse me, Doctor Plumtree . . .’

‘It’s Plumfield.’

‘Doctor Plumfield then. I think you’ve got an awful cheek! This is my granddaughter that you’re talking about. Now I don’t like your attitude, young man. Just tell us when she’s going, what’s going to happen to her, and how long we can expect her to be there.’

Doctor Plumfield shook his head as if he was dealing with two recalcitrant children. Kate put her hand on her mother’s arm.

‘Your daughter will be there as long as it takes to help her, Mrs Burrows. She is rebelling against something. What, we’re not sure of yet.’ He looked at Kate as he said this and the message was quite clear to her. ‘This destructive behaviour needs to be looked at. If you wish to see her you may do so, but I must stress that you should try not to upset her in any way.’

Kate stood up.

‘Thank you very much, Doctor Plumfield. Before we go - will you be treating her at Warley?’

‘No, I won’t.’

Kate smiled then.