Marina Bay Sins by Neil Humphreys

Author:Neil Humphreys
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Muswell Press
Published: 2022-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

DR Lai was wearing her pant suit again. Low always liked his psychiatrist’s pant suit. Power plays intrigued him. He flicked at the leaves of the tall, rubber plant beside his uncomfortable leather chair. The room was decorated with the usual post-modern art, bought off the rack at IKEA, probably together with the plant. IKEA was popular for a reason. The place epitomised Singapore. It was a fast track to respectability; an artificial representation of materialistic wealth and comfort. The CPIB inspector never shopped at IKEA, but then he rarely shopped. All those people crammed into one location and fighting for space increased the chances of a manic episode, and he needed little encouragement at the moment.

He leaned forward. “I like what you’re wearing today,” he said, fully aware that he was flirting.

Lai crossed her legs, balancing her notepad on her knees. “I know you do. You said that the last time I wore it.”

“Ah, so why do you keep wearing it for me, then?”

“I don’t wear it for you. I see up to eight patients a day, five days a week. The hours are long and my wardrobe is small. Why did you miss the last appointment?”

“I didn’t miss the appointment. I postponed it until today. That’s not the same thing.”

“You didn’t turn up. You missed the appointment. Treatment can be improved with a level-headed consistency, regular hours, regular days and no erratic swings in schedules and day-to-day engagements.”

“For Christ’s sake, I’m an officer with the CPIB. Much of my work has been undercover. The kaypoh bastards that referred me here in the first place are the same people who can call me any time of the day or night to follow a lead, you know that.”

“You didn’t call my receptionist to change the appointment.”

“No, I didn’t. I was busy at the time interviewing a material witness in an ongoing double murder case. I’m so fucking sorry.”

Lai brushed off the sarcasm. “Do you think you’re being unnecessarily belligerent?”

“I don’t know. Do you think you’re being an unnecessary pain in the arse? You told me not to miss appointments and I understand that. I’m sure your BMW out in the car park doesn’t pay for itself. So I’m here. I’m making up for the missed appointment and I’m here.”

“And?”

“And what?”

“How do you think you’ve been this week? Any episodes? Any outbursts?”

“In the last hour? No. In the last week? I don’t know. I lost count by Monday.”

“What happened?”

“Nothing. I don’t like Mondays. Is that where you shout, ‘Tell me why’?”

“I can’t make you take your condition seriously. I cannot force you to take medication. That’s your prerogative. I cannot force you to do anything unless I consider you a threat to yourself or others. But you have bipolar II disorder. It’s an ongoing disorder that requires ongoing treatment to manage the symptoms. The condition will not go away with the next big case you crack. It doesn’t work that way. You will ride the high when you solve a case, I’m sure.

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