The second policewoman made room for them as Bentley and Rodgers entered the tiny ward.
Bentley formally identified himself and Rodgers and then said, ‘You’re Jennifer Lomax?’
‘Yes.’
‘You know why we’re here?’
‘Gerald,’ said the woman.
Hurriedly, anxious for everything to be kept in its proper routine sequence, Bentley recited the official caution before she could say anything more.
As he did so Jennifer frowned towards him, head curiously to one side.
‘Have you got anything to say?’ demanded Bentley.
‘It wasn’t me,’ said Jennifer. ‘It was Jane.’
Chapter Four
‘ Trapped you, bitch! ’ There was a laugh.
‘Go away! leave me alone.’ Terror jarred through her. What had she done? It didn’t make sense: nothing made sense. She didn’t understand. She didn’t know.
‘ Of course you know! ’
‘Go away!’
‘ I will if I choose to. But won’t if I don’t. And there’s nothing you can do about it! I can do whatever I like with you. You’re mine.’
‘Why?’ This wasn’t happening: couldn’t be happening. It was a dream, a horrible dream. A nightmare.
‘ You know bloody well why. ’
‘I don’t. Honestly, I don’t.’ Jennifer squeezed her eyes shut, wanting to close everything out. Wanting most of all to close out the memory of Gerald’s slashed and bloodied body.
‘ Look at them. They all think you’re mad. That’s what everyone is going to think. ’
Jennifer did look, forcing herself, at the small ward window through which the two detectives she had refused to talk to without a solicitor being present were frowning in at her. And then at the two policewomen actually in the room with her. As she did so the elder, a sergeant, came forward and said, ‘What’s the problem, Mrs Lomax?’