Page 143 of Serenity Falls

It seems absurd. ‘There are processes, laws. Maybe you need to talk to someone outside the town.’

‘And how do I do that? Lawyers cost money, and in case you hadn’t noticed, I’m flat broke. Brandon and me, we live on May’s charity.’

She stares at me fiercely. I see tears shine in her eyes. She reminds me of Sadie, I realize. Except Hailey doesn’t have a dad to look out for her, and now they’re trying to take her aunt.

I come to a decision. ‘Why don’t I come in with you?’

Serenity Falls Hospital is, perhaps unsurprisingly, gleaming white, clean and modern. There are no drunks or police in reception, no elderly people in pyjamas smelling of urine and despair. No wailing toddlers. Reception is, in fact, empty, bar one man with a clean bandage around his hand.

We approach the desk. The woman behind it is slim and black with shorn grey hair and glasses. She continues to stare at her monitor, tapping at the keyboard for several minutes while we wait on the other side of the plexiglass. Finally, she turns and says briskly, ‘Can I help you?’ in a tone which sounds like she’d rather do anything but.

Some things are the same wherever you are.

‘I want to see my aunt,’ Hailey says bluntly.

‘Name?’

Hailey scowls. ‘You should know, Paula. She used to babysit your kids until you all decided she was a lush and you couldn’t trust her any more.’

Paula narrows her eyes. ‘Name.’

‘May Henderson.’

‘May is in Private Room 2 on Psychiatric Ward C. But she is not receiving visitors.’

‘Says who?’

‘Says the note on her file from Dr Mayfield.’

I smile warmly at Paula, which feels a bit like holding up a match to a glacier. ‘Can’t she just see her aunt for a few minutes? She just wants to check she’s okay.’

Paula looks at Hailey. ‘Who’s little Lord Fauntleroy?’

‘Dan Barker, the new Brit.’

‘Right. Well, Mr Barker, your fancy accent doesn’t change facts. Her file has a note from the doctor stating no visitors.’

‘I’m just asking for a little clemency.’

She continues to stare at me.

‘Clemency – you know, kindness, mercy.’

‘I know what clemency is, Mr Barker. You know what a patronizing ass is?’

I clear my throat. ‘Would that be me, by any chance?’

A tiny twitch at the corner of her mouth. She glances at Hailey. ‘I never thought your aunt was a lush, Hailey. We just all got a lot more protective of our kids after Davey Junior. Didn’t want to let them out of our sight. My heart broke for Serena and May.’

‘Then let me see her. She’s going to be scared, confused. I’m all she’s got.’

Paula sighs. ‘Even if I let you up to Floor 3, you need a code – 1001 – for the door. Then there’s a security guard at the desk, and he’s there all the time, except when he goes to the coffee machine at 12.10 p.m. every day.’ She looks pointedly at the clock on the wall: 12.12 p.m. ‘You got about fifteen minutes.’ She turns back to her monitor.

‘Thank you,’ Hailey says.

Paula doesn’t take her eyes from the screen. ‘Go.’

We hurry along the corridor towards the lifts. Hailey presses up. The lift doors open and we climb in, hitting Floor 3. The lift ascends and the doors open smoothly.