Free Fractured by Dawn Barker Page A

never hurt him – or herself – in a million years. Jesus, I can’t —’
    ‘OK.’ Dr Cooper held up his hands as if they could deflect Tony’s incredulity. ‘I’m sorry, it’s a standard question when people
     have been very depressed.’
    Weren’t they listening? ‘But she hasn’t been very depressed, I’ve told you.’
    Dr Cooper’s pager beeped rudely. Tony wondered if he’d set it off deliberately so that he had an excuse to leave. He couldn’t
     imagine doctors enjoyed this sort of conversation; it must be much easier to hand someone a prescription or give them an injection.
     Regardless, he was glad of the few seconds it gave him to breathe, to think.
    Dr Cooper looked up from his pager. ‘I’m sorry, Tony, but I have to go. Do you have any final questions?’
    He was silent for a moment. His head was full of questions but Dr Cooper wasn’t going to answer them. He shook his head.
    ‘Just wait here. Dr Hall will page the psychiatry team – they’ll come straight away.’
    He blinked, then held out his hand. ‘Thank you, doctor.’
    * * *
    Tony waited in that small, windowless room. He rubbed at the grainy silk petals of the fake plant to clean some of the dust
     from them. He turned his phone back on and listened to his voicemail. The police, his parents, Wendy, a few teary messages
     from friends and family who’d heard what had happened. He deleted them all, then called his parents’ number. His mum answered
     on the first ring.
    ‘Anthony! Are you all right?’
    ‘Yeah, yeah. I’m still at the hospital. I’m sorry about last night, I just couldn’t face seeing anyone.’
    ‘For God’s sake, don’t worry about that. We waited a few hours, but they told us you’d fallen asleep so we went home to freshen
     up – we wanted to let you rest. How’s Anna this morning? Any change?’
    ‘Oh Mum, I don’t know what’s going on. They say she’s physically OK. I’m waiting to see a psychiatrist. The doctors seem to
     think that she could have done this deliberately.’ He spoke in a monotone; the idea of Anna harming Jack was so ridiculous
     that he couldn’t find any anger. Let them do their assessment, and soon enough they’d find out they were wrong.
    ‘Has she said something? Is that why they think that?’
    ‘She hasn’t said anything. They knocked her out with some drugs last night, they said she was screaming. And then they wonder
     why she can’t talk or wake up from this. They don’t get it! I can’t keep up with it all.’ He swallowed hard and rubbed his
     face as his voice cracked. ‘Sorry … it’s just …’
    ‘What can we do? I’ll come straight away —’
    ‘No. I need to stay here, I just need to sort this out. She hasn’t woken yet. It’ll kill her, Mum, when she realises …’ He
     heard Ursula take a sharp breath in, but she let him carry on. ‘Some detective left a message – they want to go to the house
     and have a look around. Can you go and let them in? The spare key —’
    ‘Of course. I know where it is now.’
    ‘And Wendy’s getting in at about midday – can someone pick her up? I don’t know when I’ll be done here.’
    ‘Yes, yes, of course, don’t worry, we’ll sort it out …’
    He heard footsteps approaching. ‘Thanks, Mum. I think the psychiatrist is here now, I’d better go. I’ll call you soon.’
    ‘OK. And Anthony … we’re just so very, very sorry.’
    Tony closed his eyes and bit his bottom lip to stop tears from starting. Crying wasn’t going to help; there was too much to
     sort out. He managed to say goodbye, then put his phone back in his pocket as two men entered the room.
    The taller of the two wore dark grey chinos and a checked blue business shirt, open at the neck. ‘Mr Patton, I’m Dr Paul Murray.
     I’m one of the psychiatry doctors, and this is one of our senior psychiatric nurses, Eamon Byrne.’
    Tony nodded at the man standing just behind the doctor then turned his attention back to Dr Murray