Page 222 of Murder in the Family

Laila – you’re very quiet. As a psychologist, what’s your read?

LAILA FURNESS

(looking concerned)

I’m just hoping this isn’t going to be yet another instance of an all-too horribly familiar pattern.

A brief silence; JJ gets there first.

JJ NORTON

Shit, you think he may have been abusing her? That that was why she reacted the way she did?

LAILA FURNESS

(with a sigh)

I hope not, I really do. But it might explain why they both disliked him so much—

The CAMERA SWINGS round quickly to capture Guy as he pushes through the furniture and disappears behind the camera. Laila looks distraught.

Oh God, Guy, I’m so sorry – I shouldn’t have raised this—

ALAN CANNING

(quietly)

We’re here to establish thetruth, Laila, ‘whatever that truth turns out to be’. It was Guyhimselfwho said that.

(spreads his hands)

If that’s what he claims to be doing, he can’t pick and choose which ‘truth’ we find, just because he doesn’t like it.

BILL SERAFINI

(to Laila)

Could it have gone down that way?CouldMaura have killed him?

LAILA FURNESS

(her face set)

Maybe. If he really was abusing her.

(taking a deep breath)

They’d been living in the same house for months – if it had been going on for that long, I caneasily see how the pressure might have become intolerable.

And we do need to remember that the prefrontal cortex isn’t yet fully developed in the teenage brain, which means they have significantly poorer impulse control than mature adults.

So yes,maybe, if she was already under that degree of mental pressure and then suddenly found herself in an angry confrontation with him, I suppose it’s possible. Shemighthave lashed out in the way Alan just described.

HUGO FRASER

Ormaybeshe was a lot cannier than you give her credit for. Maybe the real reason she caved his face in was to make it look like the work of some random psycho. To put the police off the scent.

BILL SERAFINI

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