Connor swallowed, scrubbed a hand over his jaw, and nodded.
"But… " Anand's tone shifted slightly, more official, "the investigation into the incident involving Coral remains open. That is a separate safeguarding process, and it will continue."
Fern hadn't realised she was clinging to Connor's coat sleeve until her fingers cramped and she had to release it to take notes.
Connor closed his eyes briefly.
Anand glanced down at her folder. "I need to clarify something important. Matilda has now been identified by liaison and diversion services as a vulnerable adult. Her history of substance abuse and bipolar mania means she must be treated as mentally vulnerable under PACE guidelines. Mind you that’s not her full diagnosis but I am not at liberty to disclose that."
Fern sat straighter, and Connor's head jerked up.
"What does that mean?" Fern asked.
"It means several things," Anand said gently but clearly, as though she'd explained this dozens of times to frightened families. "First, she must have an appropriate adult with her during any police interview—someone neutral, not a family member involved in the case."
Connor nodded.
"Second, she has already been assessed by a healthcare professional. They'll advise us on whether she's fit to be detained, interviewed, or whether she needs to be held under the Mental Health Act."
Fern swallowed, and Connor looked sick.
"Third, we've referred her to liaison and diversion services. They're NHS teams who assess mental health needs and can recommend whether she should be diverted into treatment instead of the criminal justice system."
"And CPS?" Fern asked quietly.
"CPS will consider two things," Anand said. "One: whether there's enough evidence to charge. Two: whether it's in the public interest. Her mental health is only one factor, but Coral's safety and the seriousness of the potential offence are significant."
Connor looked down, shoulders tightening again.
"At minimum," Anand continued softly, "because of Coral's drawing and our evidence so far, Matilda is likely to be detained for psychiatric assessment—possibly under Section 2 for up to twenty-eight days, though it may go further. We just can't say yet."
She flicked to another page.
"I also understand she had disclosed to Sawyer that she wasn't certain Jacob was Connor's child. That she had been in multiple relationships at the time."
Fern felt Connor go rigid beside her. He stared at the table, eyes burning at the memory.
"Connor," Anand said gently, "your mother is not permitted anywhere near Coral—"
"I'm aware," he cut in, voice rough. "I've made that abundantly clear to her."
Reading his expression, Anand's tone softened. "I'm not judging. But the safeguarding team will still follow routine procedure to close Coral's case."
Fern felt the tense knot in her chest slowly, cautiously begin to loosen. The last week with the accusations, the silence, the uncertainty and confusion had been a weight she was not even aware of until now.
"Why is all this taking so long?" Fern asked.
"Because we are talking about the NHS. Someone or the other is on leave. Just like the police force," replied DC Anand wryly.
"What do you need from us now?" she asked.
"Your plans," Anand said. "Where you'll be living. How stable the environment will be. I understand you're planning to move to Manchester?"
"We're going to my dad's," Fern said. "I need to find a place and get back to working full time. This place doesn't feel safe anymore."
Connor nodded stiffly beside her, as though expecting her to contradict him. "I'm leaving, too," he said quietly.
Fern didn't comment.
