II
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, anddream bombs, and probably LSD…She’s been all hopped-up for some time. She says no, but Iwouldn’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 windup easy…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 tricky¹. You can’t believewhat 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 grimwoman by all accounts—the self-righteous martyr² type. I’d say Father was a gay one, and couldn’tquite stand the grimness of married life—Know of anyone called Louise?…The name seemed tofrighten her—She was the girl’s first hate, I should say. She took Father away at the time the childwas five. Children don’t understand very much at that age, but they’re very quick to feelresentment of the person they feel was responsible. She didn’t see Father again until apparently³ afew months ago. I’d say she’d had sentimental⁴ dreams of being her father’s companion and theapple of his eye. She got disillusioned⁵ apparently. Father came back with a wife, a new youngattractive wife. She’s not called Louise, is she?…Oh well, I only asked. I’m giving you roughlythe 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 ham-handedattempt to commit suicide. Does that startle you?…“Oh, it doesn’t…No, she didn’t swallow the

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