Page 155 of The Mercy Chair

‘It does.’

‘There’s a massive table between us, Doctor Lang. You’re an experienced therapist; is it considered good practice to have a table this size between you and the patient?’

‘Of course not, but as I’ve told you, this isn’t my off—’

‘In fact, another word for this desk might be “barrier”.’

Doctor Lang’s brow furrowed.

‘I’m sure there’s a—’

‘And have you noticed how heavy these chairs are? They’re not bolted down, but I know I’m not strong enough to pick one up and throw it.’

‘This is a psychiatric hospital, Washington,’ she said, on surer footing. ‘Occasionally patients get upset. Heavy furniture, the big desk, this is all about staff and patient safety.’

‘And I’m sure that’s exactly what they have on the secure wards,’ Poe said. ‘Except, according to you, we’renoton a secure ward, we’re on an administrative wing.’

She frowned a bit more. ‘I’m sure there’s an explanation. Perhaps it’s occasionally used to treat patients.’

Poe nodded. ‘OK then,’ he said. ‘Think about this: in the four hours we’ve been here, tea and biscuits have been brought in three times.’

‘Wehavebeen doing a lot of talking.’

‘But did you notice that the tea has always been lukewarm? Warm enough to drink, but nowhere near hot enough to scald if thrown.’

‘That’s absurd.’

‘The drinks came in disposable cups and the biscuits were served on a paper plate. Sugar lumps, so we didn’t need a spoon. Hell, even your file’s treasury clips are made of plastic, not metal.’

Doctor Lang didn’t respond.

‘And now consider me,’ Poe continued.

‘You?’

‘When I first sat down, you said you didn’t have a pen. You asked to borrow mine and I told you I’d forgotten to bring one. You asked if it was unusual for a police officer to be without a pen. And I said I’m—’

‘—An unusual police officer,’ she cut in. ‘It was only a couple of hours ago, Washington.’

‘Thing is, Doctor Lang, I wasn’tallowedto bring in a pen. I don’t have a pen, you don’t have a pen, and when you looked in the desk drawers to borrow a pen, what did you find?’

‘There weren’t any,’ she mumbled.

‘Are you allowed to carry pens on the high-security wards, Doctor Lang?’

‘No.’

‘And why not?’

‘Because they can be used as weapons.’

‘Because they can be used as weapons,’ Poe agreed. ‘As can spectacles, which is why I don’t have my reading glasses with me. I have no keys, not even my wallet.’

‘Your wallet . . . ?’

‘Sharpened credit cards, Doctor Lang. In fact, if you look around this room you’ll see there’s nothing that could potentially be used as a weapon.’

‘That still doesn’t mean—’

---