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‘Yes？’ she yelped； sounding almost frightened。 Tessa； on the other end of the line； was taken aback。
‘Minda； it’s me – are you all right？’
‘Yes – yes – the phone made me jump；’ said Parminder； looking at the kitchen floor now littered with keys； papers； loose change and tampons。 ‘What is it？’
‘Nothing really；’ said Tessa。 ‘Just calling for a chat。 See how you are。’
The subject of the anonymous post hung between them like some jeering monster； dangling from the line。 Parminder had barely allowed Tessa to talk about it during yesterday’s call。 She had shouted； ‘It’s a lie； a filthy lie； and don’t tell me Howard Mollison didn’t do it！’
Tessa had not dared pursue the subject。
‘I can’t talk；’ said Parminder。 ‘I’ve got a meeting in Yarvil。 A case review for a little boy on the at…risk register。’
‘Oh； right。 Sorry。 Maybe later？’
‘Yes；’ said Parminder。 ‘Great。 Goodbye。’
She scooped up the contents of her bag and hurried from the house； running back from the garden gate to check that she had closed the front door properly。
Every so often； as she drove； she realized that she had no recollection of travelling the last mile； and told herself fiercely to concentrate。 But the malicious words of the anonymous post kept ing back to her。 She already knew them by heart。
Parish Councillor Dr Parminder Jawanda； who pretends to be so keen on looking after the poor and needy of the area； has always had a secret motive。 Until I died； she was in love with me； which she could barely hide whenever she laid eyes on me； and she would vote however I told her to； whenever there was a council meeting。 Now that I am gone； she will be useless as a councillor； because she has lost her brain。
She had first seen it the previous morning； when she opened up the council website to check the minutes of the last meeting。 The shock had been almost physical； her breathing had bee very fast and shallow； as it had been during the most excruciating parts of childbirth； when she had tried to lift herself over the pain； to disengage from the agonizing present。
Everyone would know by now。 There was nowhere to hide。
The oddest thoughts kept ing to her。 For instance； what her grandmother would have said if she had known that Parminder had been accused of loving another woman’s husband； and a gora to boot； in a public forum。 She could almost see bebe covering her face with a fold of her sari； shaking her head； rocking backwards and forwards as she had always done when a harsh blow had hit the family。
‘Some husbands；’ Vikram had said to her late last night； with a strange new twist to his sardonic smile； ‘might want to know whether it was true。’
‘Of course it isn’t true！’ Parminder had said； with her own shaking hand over her mouth。 ‘How can you ask me that？ Of course it isn’t！ You knew him！ He was my friend – just a friend！’
She was already passing the Bellchapel Addiction Clinic。 How had she travelled so far； without realizing it？ She was being a dangerous driver。 She was not paying attention。
She remembered the evening that she and Vikram had gone to the restaurant； nearly twenty years ago； the night they had agreed to marry。 She had told him about all the fuss the family had made when she had walked home with Stephen Hoyle； and he had agreed how silly it was。 He had understood then。 But he did not understand when it was Howard Mollison who accused her instead of her own hidebound relatives。 Apparently he did not realise that goras could be narrow； and untruthful； and full of malice …
She had missed the turning。 She must concentrate。 She must pay attention。
‘Am I late？’ she called； as she hurried at last across the car park towards Kay Bawden。 She had met the social worker once before； when she had e in for a renewal of her prescription for the pill。
‘Not at all；’ said Kay。 ‘I thought I’d show you up to the office； because it’s a rabbit warren in here …’
Kay led her down a shabby； deserted institutional corridor into a meeting room。 Three more women were already sitting there； they greeted Parminder with smiles。
‘This is Nina； who works with Robbie’s mother at Bellchapel；’ said Kay； sitting down with her back to the veian…blinded windows。 ‘And this is my supervisor Gillian； and this is Louise Harper； who oversees the Anchor Road Nursery。 Dr Parminder Jawanda； Robbie’s GP；’ Kay added。
Parminder accepted coffee。 The other four women began talking； without involving her。
（Parish Councillor Dr Parminder Jawanda； who pretends to be so keen on looking after the poor and needy of the area …
Who pretends to be so keen。 You bastard； Howard Mollison。 But he had always seen her as a hypocrite； Barry had said so。
‘He thinks that because I came from the Fields； I want Pagford overrun by Yarvillians。 But you’re proper professional class； so he doesn’t think you’ve got any right to be on the side of the Fields。 He thinks you’re a hypocrite or making trouble for fun。’）
‘… understand why the family’s registered with a GP in Pagford？’ said one of the three unfamiliar social workers； whose names Parminder had already forgotten。
‘Several families in the Fields are registered with us；’ said Parminder at once。 ‘But wasn’t there some trouble with the Weedons and their previous—？’
‘Yeah； the Cantermill practice threw them out；’ said Kay； in front of whom sat a pile of notes thicker than either of her colleagues。 ‘Terri assaulted a nurse there。 So they’ve been registered with you； how long？’
‘Nearly five years；’ said Parminder； who had looked up all the details at the surgery。
（She had seen Howard in church； at Barry’s funeral； pretending to pray； with his big fat hands clasped in front of him； and the Fawleys kneeling beside him。 Parminder knew what Christians were supposed to believe in。 Love thy neighbour as thyself … if Howard had been more honest； he would have turned sideways and prayed to Aubrey …
Until I died； she was in love with me； which she could barely hide whenever she laid eyes on me …
Had she really not been able to hide it？）
‘… last seen him； Parminder？’ asked Kay。
‘When his sister brought him in for antibiotics for an ear infection；’ said Parminder。 ‘About eight weeks ago。’
‘And how was his physical condition then？’ asked one of the other women。
‘Well； he’s not failing to thrive；’ said Parminder； withdrawing a slim sheaf of photocopied notes from her handbag。 ‘I checked him quite thoroughly； because – well； I know the family history。 He’s a good weight； although I doubt his diet’s anything to write home about。 No lice or nits or anything of that description。 His bottom was a bit sore； and I remember his sister said that he still wets himself sometimes。’
‘They keep putting him back in nappies；’ said Kay。
‘But you wouldn’t；’ asked the woman who had first questioned Parminder； ‘have any major concerns health…wise？’
‘There was no sign of abuse；’ said Parminder。 ‘I remember； I took off his vest to check； and there were no bruises or other injuries。’
‘There’s no man in the house；’ interjected Kay。
‘And this ear infection？’ her supervisor prompted Parminder。
‘You said it was the sister who brought him in； not the mother？ Are you Terri’s doctor； too？’
‘I don’t think we’ve seen Terri for five years；’ said Parminder； and the supervisor turned to Nina instead。
‘How’s she doing on methadone？’
（Until I died； she was in love with me …
Parminder thought； Perhaps it’s Shirley； or Maureen； who’s the ghost； not Howard – they would be much more likely to watch her when she was with Barry； hoping to see something with their dirty old…womanish minds … ）
‘… longest she’s lasted on the programme so far；’ said Nina。 ‘She’s mentioned the case review quite a lot。 I get the feeling she knows that this is it； that she’s running out of chances。 She doesn’t want to lose Robbie。 She’s said that a few times。 I’d have to say you’ve got through to her； Kay。 I really do see her taking some responsibility for the situation； for the first time since I’ve known her。’
‘Thank you； but I’m not going to get over…excited。 The situati