‘Look, do me a favour. Keep everyone away from Kelly for a while. I’ll stay with him. Get someone out to interview Kevin Cosgrove. He’s at Kelly’s house. OK?’

‘Will do. Anything else?’

‘Not until we know more.’

As Amanda walked away Kate called after her. ‘There is one more thing: ring my house and leave a message on the answerphone. Tell them I’ll be there as soon as possible, OK?’

Amanda nodded and Kate went back in to Kelly.

‘What’s happening?’ His voice was flat, dead.

‘Nothing at the moment.’

‘Is Flowers here?’

Kate was startled.

‘Of course not.’

Kelly got up and began pacing the room. ‘Then get him here, tell him I personally request his presence. You can also find out who’s the quack on my daughter’s case and then find out who’s the best quack for her kind of complaint. I don’t care who the man is or how much he costs, just get him.’

Kate felt her mettle rise again. All her sympathy for Kelly evaporated out of the little window and she pulled herself up to her full height.

‘With respect, Mr Kelly, I am not a secretary. If you want Frederick Flowers, or another doctor, I suggest you get them yourself.’

Kelly looked at her with a stunned expression on his face. He was used to people jumping when he told them to jump. He was used to pure unadulterated agreement with everything he said and did. He stared into Kate’s face and she could see the battle raging inside him. His hand clenched into a fist and Kate knew it was taking all his willpower not to slap her a stinging blow.

What she’d said was tantamount to mutiny.

He bit his lip, his chest heaving. He pointed a finger at her, waving it up and down in front of her face.

‘If I don’t do something I’ll explode, and if I explode here you will never see the like again as long as you live. I just can’t sit here and wait. I have to do something.’

It was said simply and sincerely and Kate felt the power of him then, knew the depth of fear inside him and felt petty. Petty and nasty and childish. The man was trying to cope with his grief as best he could. He needed to be moving, doing, as if the act of movement would take away his fears. Would at least postpone them. If he was doing something he wouldn’t feel so useless. Kate swallowed hard.

‘I’ll arrange for a phone for you.’