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CHAPTER ELEVEN
“I’M LOOKING FOR ELIF, Any idea where I can find her?”
Yuri gave me a curious look. “Any reason you want her?”
“Just to say a quick hello. I want to meet all the patients—let them know who I am, that I’m here.” Yuri looked doubtful. “Right. Well, don’t take it personally if she’s not very receptive.” He
glanced at the clock on the wall. “It’s after half past, so she’s just out of art therapy. Your best bet is the recreation room.”
“Thanks.”
The recreation area was a large circular room furnished with battered couches, low tables, a bookcase full of tattered books no one wanted to read. It smelled of stale tea and old cigarette smoke that had stained the furnishings. A couple of patients were playing backgammon in a corner. Elif was alone at the pool table. I approached with a smile.
“Hello, Elif.”
She looked up with scared, mistrustful eyes. “What?”
“Don’t worry, there’s nothing wrong. I just want a quick word.”
“You ain’t my doctor. I already got one.”
“I’m not a doctor. I’m a psychotherapist.”
Elif grunted contemptuously. “I got one of them too.”
I smiled, secretly relieved she was Indira’s patient and not mine. Up close Elif was even more
intimidating. It wasn’t just her massive size, but also the rage etched deep into her face—a permanent scowl and angry black eyes, eyes that were quite clearly disturbed. She stank of sweat and the hand- rolled cigarettes she was always smoking, that had left her fingertips stained black and her nails and teeth a dark yellow.
“I just wanted to ask you a couple of questions, if that’s okay—about Alicia.”
Elif scowled and banged the cue on the table. She starting setting up the balls for another game. Then she stopped. She just stood there, looking distracted, in silence.
“Elif?”
She didn’t respond. I could tell from her expression what was wrong. “Are you hearing voices, Elif?”
A suspicious glance. A shrug.
“What are they saying?”
“You ain’t safe. Telling me to watch out.”
“I see. Quite right. You don’t know me—so it’s sensible not to trust me. Not yet. Perhaps, over
time, that will change.”
Elif gave me a look that suggested she doubted it. I nodded at the pool table. “Fancy a game?” “Nope.”
“Why not?”