Third Girl

"Oh, it seemed so wonderful that Father was really coming home. I tried to remember him better. You know, things he had said, games he had played with me. He used to make me laugh a lot. I tried to see if I couldn't find some old snapshots or photographs of him. They seem all to have been thrown away. I think Mother must have torn them all up." "She had remained vindictive then." "I think it was really Louise she was vindictive against." "Louise?" He saw a slight stiffening on the girl's part.

"I don't remember - I told you - I don't remember any names." "Never mind. You're talking about the woman your father ran away with. Is that it?" "Yes. Mother said she drank too much and took drugs and would come to a bad end." "But you don't know whether she did?" c(! don't know anything."… Her emotion was rising. "I wish you wouldn't ask me questions! I don't know anything about her! I never heard other again! I'd forgotten her until you spoke about her. I tell you I don't know anything.^ "Well, well," said Dr. Stillingfleet.

"Don't get so agitated. You don't need to bother about past history. Let's think about the future. What are you going to do next?" Norma gave a deep sigh.

"I don't know. I've nowhere to go. I can't - it's much better - I'm sure it's much better to - to end it all - only - " "Only you can't make the attempt a second time, is that it? It would be very foolish if you did, I can tell you that, my girl. All right, you've nowhere to go, no one to trust, got any money?" "Yes, I've got a banking account, and Father pays so much into it every quarter but I'm not sure… I think perhaps, by now, they might be looking for me. / don't want to be found." "You needn't be. I'll fix that up for you all right. Place called Kenway Court. Not as fine as it sounds. It's a kind of convalescent nursing home where people go for a rest cure. It's got no doctors or couches, and you won't be shut up there, I can promise you. You can walk out any time you like. You can have breakfast in bed, stay in bed all day if you like. Have a good rest and I'll come down one day and talk to you and we'll solve a few problems together. Will that suit you? Are you willing?" Norma looked at him. She sat, without expression, staring at him, slowly she nodded her head.

***

Later that evening Dr. Stillingfleet made a telephone call.

"Quite a good operation kidnap," he said. "She's down at Kenway Court.

Came like a lamb. Can't tell you much yet.

The girl's full of drugs. I'd say she'd been taking purple hearts, and dream bombs, and probably L.S.D… She's been all hopped up for some time. She says no, but I wouldn't trust much to what she says." He listened for a moment. "Don't ask me! One will have to go carefully there.

She gets the wind up easily… Yes, she's scared of something, or she's pretending to be scared of something.

"I don't know yet, I can't tell. Remember people who take drugs are tricky. You can't believe what they say always. We haven't rushed things and I don't want to startle her.

"A father complex as a child. I'd say didn't care much for her mother who sounds a grim woman by all accounts - the self-righteous martyr type. I'd say Father was a gay one, and couldn't quite stand the grimness of married life- Know of anyone called Louise?… The name seemed to frighten her - She was the girl's first hate, I should say. She took Father away at the time the child was five.

Children don't understand very much at that age, but they're very quick to feel resentment of the person they feel was responsible. She didn't see Father again until apparently a few months ago. I'd say she'd had sentimental dreams of being her father's companion and the apple of his eye. She got disillusioned apparently.

Father came back with a wife, a new young attractive wife. She's not called Louise, is she?… Oh well, I only asked. I'm giving you roughly the picture, the general picture, that is." The voice at the other end of the wire said sharply, "What is that you say? Say it again." "I said I'm giving you roughly the picture." There was a pause.

"By the way, here's one little fact might interest you. The girl made a rather hamhanded attempt to commit suicide. Does that startle you.

"Oh, it doesn't… No, she didn't swallow the aspirin bottle, or put her head in the gas oven. She rushed into the traffic in the path of a Jaguar going faster than it should have done… I can tell you I only got to her just in time… Yes, I'd say it was a genuine impulse… She admitted it.

Usual classic phrase - she 'wanted to get out of it all'." He listened to a rapid flow of words, then he said: "I don't know. At this stage, I can't be sure - The picture presented is clear. A nervy girl, neurotic and in an overwrought state from taking drugs of too many kinds. No, I couldn't tell you definitely what kind. There are dozens of these things going about all producing slightly different effects. There can be confusion, loss of memory, aggression, bewilderment, or sheer fuzzleheadedness!