Page 35 of The Therapist
‘Now why don’t you detail your concerns for me,’ says Detective Franks.
I go through the whole thing again, answer all his questions, even telling him about my visit to the house last night. I know Ishould probably mention the pictures on Mike’s phone and the screenshot but it all feels too complicated. I have told the first policeman that I’m worried about her safety because I think her husband is both emotionally and possibly physically abusive. That should be enough. I hope it is.
‘That’s a bit unusual, isn’t it?’ says the detective.
‘What?’
‘Going to visit a patient. I’ve never really heard of a therapist turning up at someone’s home to check on them. I mean she saw you once a week, didn’t she? Why would her missing one appointment bother you so much?’
I realise that this is a method of questioning. I have already answered this question but it will be asked again until the detective is satisfied.
‘I was worried about her because I believe that her husband has the capacity to be violent. It would have been remiss of me not to check on her. And a couple of weeks ago she…’ I hesitate, not wanting to break patient confidentiality, but if ever there was a time when it was permissible, it’s now. ‘She told me that her husband took out a life insurance policy on her and she doesn’t work so it’s…’
‘Well, my wife stays home with the kids and we have a policy for her as well so I wouldn’t really take that as an indication of anything. But can I ask you why you didn’t think to call the police last night?’ he asks.
‘What do you mean?’
‘Well…it’s very unusual to do what you did. If you were that concerned about her, surely you would have just called the police. Why would you have gone over to a house where you were worried about who the husband was and what he might do?’
I stare at him, not sure exactly what he wants from me and worried now that I have done entirely the wrong thing. He’sright. I should have called the police last night. What if Sandy is somewhere in that house? What if she is being held by Mike? What if she’s hurt and I could have saved her by coming here earlier? I realise why Ben was so angry with me last night. It was a terribly stupid thing to do and I may have put Sandy in even more danger.
‘I should have called the police,’ I say to Detective Franks and he nods his head.
What if Sandy is actually dead? I think about the splash of red on the wall by the door. Was that blood? Should I mention it? It could have been paint.
‘Maybe she has done what Mike says and just taken some time off.’ I rub my hands on my pants, hating that they are damp with sweat.
‘Perhaps, but her kids are, what, seven and five?’ he says, looking down at his pad again. ‘Her husband should at least know where she is.’
I cross my arms over my chest, feeling like a child talking to an adult. ‘I realise I may not have made the best decision last night, but I’m here now and I think it’s something that you should check out.’
‘Right,’ says Detective Franks, standing up, ‘I have all your details and I have all of her details. I’ll definitely go and check this out. Thank you for coming in, Ms Stanton.’ He holds out his hand again.
I have been dismissed so I stand and it is only when I am out of the police station and back in my car that I realise how fast my heart is racing, how worried I have been and how fearful I am about what happens now.
At work Kirsty and Ben are standing together by the reception counter, their heads close as they whisper to each other.
‘What’s going on?’ I ask, fearful that in the time it has taken me to drive to work, the police have found something and Ben and Kirsty are working out how to tell me.
‘Nothing,’ says Ben as he steps away from Kirsty. ‘I thought Kirsty should know what’s going on in case…Mike turns up here or something.’
‘Why would he do that?’
‘I don’t know, Lana,’ says Ben with a shrug. ‘I have no idea what he’s capable of – do you?’
I shake my head. ‘I went to the police,’ I tell them. ‘I’ve told them everything and they’re going to investigate.’
‘That’s good,’ says Ben, ‘and look, I hate to do this to you, especially now, but I have to leave for a couple of days.’
‘Why?’ I ask, acutely aware that it’s actually none of my business.
‘It’s a’ – Ben waves his hand – ‘a family thing… My mother called and it’s… I don’t really want to get into it.’ He stops speaking, waiting for me to acknowledge his right to privacy, which I do with a nod. I am not his boss and he can do as he pleases. But I know he was worried about Sandy, and I also don’t want to be here alone. I never considered Mike turning up here because why would he? But now that Ben has mentioned it, I know it will sit in the back of my mind, a worrying thought that will make me jump at every sound.
‘Now that you’ve told the police, I’m sure this will all be sorted out. You just need to sit tight.’
Ben rubs at the stubble on his chin which is normally very neat but I can see that he’s neglected to shave this morning. He must be stressed about his family situation. I’m lucky that both my parents, who moved to Sydney to be closer to me after I got pregnant with Iggy, are still strong and healthy.
‘Kirsty and I have been talking about this and I think…’
