‘It was legal, Mum.’
‘What?’
‘They call it Paradise.’
‘Paradise,’ Janet said. ‘Did you take it as well?’
‘Yes. It’s supposed to just give you more energy, a bit of a buzz.’
Janet felt like screaming.
‘Did you tell the paramedics?’
‘Yes.’
Thank God for that. ‘Come on.’ Janet, her blood boiling, frightened and furious, led her daughter out into the hall.
They were stopped at the front door by the police officer. ‘I need your name and contact details,’ he said to Elise.
‘Elise Scott,’ she said. She gave her address and her mobile phone number.
‘And you rang the ambulance?’ he checked.
‘Yes.’
‘You accompanied Olivia to the party?’
‘Yes,’ Elise said.
As they got into the car and Janet started the engine it struck her that she’d seen no other middle-aged adults at the house. ‘Where are the boys’ parents?’ she said. ‘Weren’t they supposed to be supervising?’
‘They went to the theatre,’ Elsie said. ‘They’ll be back later.’
‘Bloody hell, Elise, was there anything else you lied about?’
Elise began to cry. Christ, Janet thought, just let Olivia be all right, please. Let her be OK.
Janet’s phone rang again while she was parking at the hospital. Unknown number.
‘Hello?’ she answered.
‘Janet, it’s Vivien Canning,’ her voice shook, riddled with fear, ‘we’ve just heard from the hospital. Have you seen her?’
‘Vivien, I’m so sorry, we’ve just got here,’ Janet said. ‘We’ll try and find out what’s happening.’
‘They say she took drugs,’ Vivien said.
‘Yes, some sort of legal high, apparently.’
‘Ken is going to get a hire car, there are no flights at this time of night. Oh God, Janet.’
It could’ve been me, Janet thought, Elise on the stretcher.
‘Please, anything you hear, anything at all-’
‘Of course,’ Janet said, ‘I promise.’ Even with the best driving in the world it would take four hours to travel from Edinburgh.
Elise had her eyes closed. Janet shook her, a rush of terror that she was having the same reaction. ‘Are you all right?’
‘Just dizzy.’
‘I’m going to ask them to look at you,’ Janet said.
‘I’m fine.’
Janet glared at her.
‘OK,’ Elise said, close to tears.
At the Accident and Emergency reception, Janet first asked after Olivia.
‘Are you a relative?’
‘Loco parentis,’ Janet said, ‘our daughters are friends. I’ve just spoken to Olivia’s mother, they’ll be here as soon as possible, coming down from Edinburgh. I was looking after Olivia while they were away.’ As an afterthought Janet showed her warrant card. This would mean that she was CRB-checked at least – fit to work with children. That seemed to be enough. The clerk looked at the screen. ‘She’s in Resus.’