Page 36 of The Flame

“Lauren.” I leaned forward, offering a comforting smile that I hoped would encourage her confidence. “You really can, you can tell me anything. There won’t be any repercussions.”

“There’s nothing to tell.”

I wasn’t getting through to her. “I’m just trying to help get you out of here.”

Something resembling fear struck in her eyes. “Don’t do that. I don’t want to leave.”

“You’re afraid of going home?”

She shook her head. “I like it here.”

“There’s nothing to like about this place, Lauren. If you don’t want to go home, we can arrange alternative accommodation for you and your children.”

“My children are happy where they are.” She turned her head, her gaze going out the window. The window was small, the viewsliced by iron bars, but whatever she saw restored some of her serenity. “Jackson is a wonderful father.”

I skimmed over my notes.

Jackson is a good man. He didn’t have her admitted. He didn’t send for the Guard. He tries his best. He’s a wonderful father. She’s not afraid of him…or so she says.

“Eight days ago, you went back to the Blue Fish,” I said.

“When you have a winning horse…” She pulled her gaze in from the window to smile at me.

“You wanted to be re-admitted?”

“It’s so peaceful here,” she sighed. “Quiet.”

“That’s a huge risk to take for a little peace and quiet.” I wasn’t buying this. There must be something at home that she was running away from. “If they felt you weren’t responding to rehabilitation, they would have tried more serious measures.”

“Like Margie,” she said. “She’s a woman who lives on my street. She was totally different, rehabilitated, when she returned from rehab the second time. Her mind is cleared. She drifts effortlessly through each day.”

“Exactly.”

“Exactly,” she repeated dreamily. “It must be so blissful. So peaceful. No more noise.”

It suddenly dawned on me.

Lauren Allbright’s mind wasn’t in any condition to be released to its own devices, and I certainly wasn’t qualified to handle her case.

I jotted down my final thoughts and, as soon as I’d thanked Lauren for her time, I took them to Janice.

“We have excellent psychiatrists here,” Janice declared. “That’s one good thing that’s come out of this institution. Now they’ll actually get the opportunity to use their skills to build people up instead of tearing them down.”

“Are you saying she’s going to stay here?”

Janice nodded. “But she’ll get proper help instead of a laser lobotomy.”

Laser lobotomy. That must be the laser operation that zapped the brain, killed off emotion, spontaneity and pretty much flat-lined your personality.

I gave a small cough. “This morning, I noticed that Ward X has been cleared of all patients.”

“That’s correct.” Janice planted her elbows on the table and linked her fingers beneath her chin. “The last two patients have been relocated to the safe house in Parklands. Rose collected them yesterday evening.”

“That’s good.”

Janice’s smile held a trace of impatience.

She was waiting for me to leave.

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