A Delicate Truth A Novel

news to Suzanna, he’s worried sick and eating his heart out, praying with every hour that slips by for a belated sign of life from Jeb. In an effort to keep himself busy, he’s sanding the floorboards next to the guest room and he can’t hear a bloody thing, so when the phone rings in the kitchen, it’s Suzanna who picks it up, and Suzanna who has to climb the stairs to the top floor and hammer on Kit’s shoulder to get his attention.
    ‘It’s somebody wanting Paul,’ she says, when he’s turned off the sander. ‘A woman.’
    ‘What sort of woman, for God’s sake?’ – Kit, already heading downstairs.
    ‘She won’t say. She needs to speak to Paul personally’ – Suzanna, hurrying down after him.
    In the kitchen, Mrs Marlow, all agog, is doing flowers at the sink.
    ‘Bit of privacy, if you don’t mind, Mrs M,’ Kit commands.
    And waits till she has left the room before picking up the phone from the sideboard. Suzanna closes the door after her and stands rigid beside him, arms across her chest. The telephone has a loudspeaker mode for when Emily calls. Suzanna knows how to work it, and switches it on.
    ‘Am I speaking to Paul, please?’ – educated, middle-aged female in professional mode.
    ‘Who’s this?’ Kit asks warily.
    ‘My name is Dr Costello and I’m calling from the mental-health wing of Ruislip General Hospital, at the request of an inpatient who wishes to be known only as Jeb. Am I speaking to Paul, or to someone else?’
    Fierce nod from Suzanna.
    ‘I’m Paul. What’s the matter with Jeb? Is he all right?’
    ‘Jeb is receiving excellent professional care and is in good physical health. I understand you were expecting a visit from him.’
    ‘Yes. I was. Still am. Why?’
    ‘Jeb has asked me to speak to you frankly, in confidence. May I do that? And this really is Paul?’
    Another nod from Suzanna.
    ‘Of course it is. It’s Paul. Absolutely. Go ahead.’
    ‘I assume you know that Jeb has been mentally unwell for some years.’
    ‘I was aware of that. So what?’
    ‘Last night, Jeb volunteered himself as an inpatient here. We diagnosed chronic schizophrenia and acute depression. He has been sedated and is on suicide watch. In his lucid moments his greatest concern is for you. For Paul.’
    ‘Why? Why should he be worried about me ?’ – eyes on Suzanna – ‘I should be worrying about him , for Heaven’s sake.’
    ‘Jeb is suffering from severe guilt syndrome brought on in part by malicious stories that he fears he’s been spreading among his friends. He asked that you treat them for what they are: symptoms of his schizophrenic condition, with no basis in reality.’
    Suzanna thrusts a note at him: Visit?
    ‘Yes, well look here, Dr Costello, the point is, when can I come and see him? I could hop in the car now, if that would help. I mean, d’you have hours ? What goes on?’
    ‘I’m very sorry, Paul. I’m afraid a visit by you at this timecould cause serious damage to Jeb’s mental health. You are his fear object and he is not ready for a confrontation.’
    Fear object? Me? Kit would like to refute this outrageous allegation but tactic prevails.
    ‘Well, who else has he got?’ he demands, this time off his own bat, no prompting from Suzanna. ‘Has he got other friends who visit him? Relatives? I know he’s not exactly gregarious . How about his wife?’
    ‘They’re estranged.’
    ‘Not exactly what he told me, but still.’
    Brief silence while Dr Costello apparently checks the record:
    ‘We are in touch with a mother ,’ she recites. ‘Any developments, any decisions regarding Jeb’s treatment and welfare, will be referred to his natural mother. She is also his empowered guardian.’
    The phone pressed to his ear, Kit flings up an arm, and at the same time swings round to Suzanna in astonishment and blatant disbelief. But his voice stays steady. He’s a diplomat, he’s not about to give the game away.
    ‘Well, many thanks for that, Dr Costello. Very kind of you indeed. At least he’s got some family to look after him. Can you give me his mother’s phone number? Maybe she and I could have a chat.’
    But Dr Costello, kind though she may be, cites data protection and regrets that parting with Jeb’s mother’s number is not, in the circumstances, something she is able to do. She rings off.
    Kit on fire.
    With Suzanna looking on in approving silence, he dials 1471 and establishes that the caller withheld her number.
    He calls Enquiries,