But Katy shook her head emphatically. ‘I spoke to the housekeeper who checked with the household staff. The person who cleaned the room that day said she’d not seen anything out of the way and furthermore says that had she seen medication lying around she would have brought it to the nurse’s attention immediately.’

Jodie felt all eyes focus on her. Were they expecting her to launch into a confession? To say that, yes, she’d held back several residents’ medications, and kept them to give to poor Daisy to help her shuffle off this mortal coil? To admit she’d done that, then was so unbelievably stupid that instead of giving them she left them sitting there for someone to find? To admit to being that incompetent?

She drew a breath and let it out then, calmly, with her chin in the air and exaggerated emphasis on certain words, she spoke. ‘Every resident in my care, was given the correct medication, at the correct time. I have no idea how or why medication was found in Mrs Courtland’s room except to state without a hint of doubt, they were not left there by me.’

‘Did you leave the medication keys unattended at any stage during your shift?’

Jodie looked across the room to where the legal representative sat with her legs crossed, painted, manicured nails tapping the notepad balanced on her knee. Was she offering Jodie a way out? She grasped at it but felt the immediate sting. It wouldn’t work, because even if, by some wild flight of fancy, some unknown person got their hands on her keys and withdrew medication from her trolley, how would they account for the medication audit tallying?

‘No, I didn’t. They were in my pocket at all times until I handed them over to the night nurse.’ She looked from one to the other deliberately. ‘I am careful with all aspects of medication. I know the importance and don’t make errors.’

‘Nevertheless, medication was found where it shouldn’t have been.’ Katy looked towards the other women. ‘Do you have any further questions?’

Both shook their heads. ‘If you’d wait outside for a few minutes, Ms Armstrong, we can discuss how we’re going to proceed.’

Jodie grabbed hold of the notebook she’d not written a word in, picked up her handbag and left the room.

Audrey was busy on the phone but her eyes followed Jodie as she walked across the reception to the front door. She’d have liked to have waited outside but she didn’t know the code to get back in.

She’d reached the door and was considering what to do when the door behind opened once more. Their considerations hadn’t taken long. Jodie hoped that was a good sign.

‘We’re ready.’