Page 43 of The Mercy Chair

‘Oh my.’

‘I think they need some help in the greenhouse, Alice,’ Joshua said. ‘The tomatoes will go soft if we don’t get them picked. You like working in the greenhouse, don’t you?’

‘I do,’ she mumbled.

‘Why don’t you let Mark take you there?’

‘OK.’

‘And I’ll see you at evening prayers.’

As Alice was gently led away, Joshua said, ‘This is what happens when a devout woman can no longer cope in a society that mocks her faith.’

‘She’ll be OK?’ Poe asked, ignoring the dig.

‘She will. The greenhouse will calm her and we’ll have a chat later. See if she needs some extra support.’

‘Who is she?’

‘Alice is part of the furniture, Sergeant Poe. She’s been here fifteen years and I doubt she’ll ever leave.’

‘And why’s that?’

‘The locals call her Mad Alice, which is why she’s so wary of strangers. This is the only place she feels accepted. And yes, she occasionally has her little episodes, but she’s never violent and an hour in the chapel or the garden always calms her.’

‘Does she work here?’

Joshua shrugged. ‘She doesn’t get paid, if that’s what you mean. But she’s here almost every day of the week and she takes her meals with the permanent staff whenever she wants. If she wanted a job, we’d give her one, but every time we broach it, she says no. She says she’s just happy to be here.’ He sighed. ‘And I suppose this is what the people who mock us don’t realise. The Children of Job isn’t only a religious organisation or a pressure group or a training company; it’s also a place for the people who don’t quite fit in. A sanctuary for the forgotten. No one will ever be turned away from here, Sergeant Poe.’

Unless they happen to be gay, Poe thought but didn’t say. The band started playing again and he watched as Alice reached the gym door. Just as she was about to step through it, she turned and caught Poe’s eye. It might have been his imagination, but he was sure she winked.

After Alice had left for the greenhouse, Poe said, quietly and without looking at Joshua, ‘I want to know why you won’t tell me about the conversion therapy groups you run.’

‘I told you; we don’t do that kind of thing here, Sergeant Poe,’ he replied. ‘It’s been proven to be ineffective.’

‘OK,’ Poe said. ‘Now I want to know why you’re lying to me.’

‘I’m not—’

‘Tilly, show Joshua the scanned conversion therapy programme you have on your tablet. The one that’s on this year’s curriculum.’

Bradshaw found it quickly. She passed Joshua her tablet. He paled as he read what was on the screen. For a moment he seemed lost for words. His Adam’s apple bounced up and down. ‘I think I would like to discuss this somewhere a little more private,’ he said eventually.

Chapter 41

The somewhere ‘a little more private’ was the old school basement. It was directly underneath the gymnasium and appeared to mirror the dimensions above, albeit with a claustrophobically low ceiling. It looked like school basements did the world over. Tables and chairs stacked high. Old chalkboards pushed against the wall. A storeroom for anything too big to go in a storeroom. At the far end, a table and chairs were set up conference style.

Poe cocked an eyebrow.

‘Sometimes we have to discuss things of a . . . sensitive nature,’ Joshua explained. When they were seated, he said, ‘I would like to know how you came to be in possession of this information.’

‘Not gonna happen,’ Poe said.

‘I will discuss what was on Miss Bradshaw’s tablet momentarily, Sergeant Poe, but first I must know where your information came from. Our course members expect . . . no,demandconfidentiality, and if there has been a data breach then there are actions I must take immediately.’

‘Your information is secure, Joshua. Tilly didn’t find this in a dumpster.’

‘Then where?’

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