The Uninvited

swayed by the culture.’‘You once said I probably wasn’t cutout for fieldwork.’‘Did I? Well. I was no doubt right. Butthis isn’t fieldwork. See the Care Unit as alab. And until you come in, treat Freddy’senvironment the same way. So. How’s theboy doing?’He’s still curled up in his pyjamas likea tiny hibernating animal. I reach for theTV blanket and arrange it over him. Hedoesn’t look like a child who tried to killhis mother. He doesn’t look like a boywho would discuss murder with hisfriends.‘His behaviour’s been atypical,’ I say,moving into the hallway out of earshot.‘There was a short period when heseemed to realise what he’d done. And