“That’s a great idea,” Diablo nodded. “I certainly ought to do that. But I’m sorry-I held you up from making your call with all these questions, I’m afraid.”
“Don’t worry. I doubt if it’s anything urgent.” Flamen turned back to the comweb.
Prior fidgeted a little, with repeated glances at Diaclearly unhappy at this exposure of a private matto someone who was a stranger, a knee and a prorival. His thought processes were almost audisuppose Diablo were to be re-admitted to Black-bury and decided to exploit what he’d learned to disFlamen.?
His relief was evident when the comweb said, “Dr. Spoelstra has been called to attend to an emergency admission and can only be interrupted for the most ur-”
But another voice broke in: “Dr. Reedeth, Mr. FlaThe screen lit with his image, and he was not alone. Behind him, looking extremely miserable, Lyla Clay was sitting on the very edge of a chair with her hands pressed tightly together between her knees.
“If you don’t mind speaking to me instead of Dr. Spoelstra,” he went on, “she briefed me fully, I believe. It’s quite a simple matter, actually. You may recall that when you were here yesterday you voiced-ah-a certain opinion regarding your wife’s treatment.”
He waited. Flamen at length gave a wary nod.
“As a result of your comments we re-processed Mrs. Flamen’s psychoprofile today”-Reedeth was choosing his words very carefully-“and we found that there had inbeen a flattening of the therapy-response curve. In lay terms, you might say that from now on hospitalizacan do little or nothing for her and a gradual re-acclimatization to the everyday world is indicated. In principle, bearing in mind your remarks yesterday, we wondered whether you’d be willing to waive the premadischarge penalty if we gave you an assurance that it was in her best interests.?”
Flamen was silent for a moment. Then he gave a sudharsh laugh. “Do I take it that you wouldn’t have noticed she was better unless I’d turned up yesterday?”
“Of course not,” Reedeth said stiffly. “You’ll recall that she went to green yesterday morning as a result of the regular weekly review of her condition. The point I just mentioned would have come to light at the full-scale monthly checkup in about two weeks’ time, but since you’d just made some rather-ah-intemperate com.” He shrugged. “We carried out an extra exthat’s all.”
“It wouldn’t have something to do with the heavy intake of rioters pleading insanity which you must have been hit with earlier today?” Flamen suggested.
“Considering we had to deal with seven hundred comor suspected commitments, I think it surpristhat Dr. Spoelstra did manage to have the extra examination of your wife fitted in,” Reedeth countered. It was a non-answer, but Flamen didn’t bother to pursue the matter.
“In principle, then, the answer’s yes. On one condiWhat happens-do you want me to come and take her home?”
Reedeth looked uncomfortable. “Not exactly. She’s been asked whether she’s willing to be discharged, and she is, and she’s fit enough provided that she suffers no undue strain in the near future and continues to take the drugs we prescribe, but. Well, frankly she’s reto be discharged into your care.”
“What?”
“I’m afraid so, and we can’t really argue, because of the background to her breakdown. But she has agreed to accept her brother as guardian, so if you have no objection and he has none.?”
“He’s right here,” Flamen said curtly. “I’ll ask him.” He killed the sound pickup for a moment and looked at Prior. “Well?”
“I-” Prior swallowed enormously. “I suppose so. I am her brother, after all! It’s a responsibility, isn’t it?” On the last word his eyes flicked very swiftly towards and past Diablo. Flamen reflected cruelly that there might have been a different reply had a stranger not been present.
“He says yes,” he relayed to the waiting Reedeth. “Set the wheels in motion, then, and I’ve no doubt my brothwill be over to collect Celia this afternoon. But I did say I was going to waive the premature-discharge penalty on one condition only, didn’t I? I’ll do so subto. her being independently packled to determine whether she has benefited or suffered from the treatshe’s been accorded at the Ginsberg. Is it a bargain? If the packling shows that she’s not better, as you claim she is, I not only stand by the premature discharge clause-I’ll sue.”