7

My invitation to visit the psychologist arrived and two days later I arrived at nine fifteen. A receptionist met me in the passageway, took my name, asked somebody on the phone whether they were ready for me and asked me whether I needed the toilet. That may sound strange but it indicated to me that I was going to be psychometrically tested. I was given a whole raft of tests and one of the personality profile tests I hadn’t seen before and there seemed to be one based on the Hare Psychopathy Checklist, which seemed to cover depression and anxiety. These people meant business. On completing the tests I went into a small room with armchairs and coffee. A woman who told me she was a nursing sister asked me a series of questions about illnesses, visits to doctors, hospitals, operations, etc. She told me she had my last medical report that had been done by BUPA about six month before and then asked me some more medical-type questions based on what I’d told her. She explored the knife wound on my shoulder, the knee wound that had been caused by being hit with a brick, and the scars on my stomach below my ribs. She shuddered when I told her small fragments of shrapnel and bits of brick had caused them. The nursing sister left to be replaced by a psychologist, Doctor Thomas Kuhn. He said he was going to ask me a series of questions and ensure I would be able to operate undercover in a prison. Because of this, I felt reassured. I hadn’t felt concerned but clearly somebody was.

‘Tell me about school,’ he started. This surprised me but I just answered.

‘I went to a preparatory school when I was seven, as a part boarder staying four nights a week and going home at weekends, and became a full boarder when I was eleven and went to public school when I was thirteen.’

‘So you come from a well-off family?’

‘I’m not sure what that means.’

‘Well, they could afford public school.’

‘Not exactly; the Government paid because my father was a diplomat and he and my mother were nearly always abroad.’ He nodded and made a note.

‘Did you like school?’

‘I loved it.’

‘Why?’

‘Now that’s quite difficult to answer. I didn’t really know anything else, but I was never unhappy. Some of the boys were. Had lots of fun and challenges, well they were the same thing really.’

‘Your school record shows you did well academically and at sport. Did you have any enemies at school?’ This was an unexpected question.

‘Enemies? Not until the fifth form.’

‘That would be year eleven.’

‘Yes.’

‘Tell me.’

‘Well, one of the boys in my form didn’t like me for some reason. I don’t know why, but he would sneer and make comments.’

‘How did that make you feel?’

‘I suppose I was upset – no, confused. Yes, confused. I didn’t know why he didn’t like me.’

‘Looking back now, can you think of a reason for his dislike of you?’

‘It may have been my sporting success. He was a good middle-distance runner – not something I was good at. He couldn’t swim and in the summer I taught other boys to swim but he didn’t come to that. Perhaps my success at schoolwork? Maybe it was just me?’

‘What do you mean by “maybe it was just me”?’

‘Well, some people just don’t like other people.’

‘What did you think of him?’

‘I didn’t think of him.’

‘Perhaps he wanted you to.’

‘Or perhaps he didn’t.’

Dr Kuhn smiled. ‘You were expelled in the sixth form: “conduct unbecoming”.’

‘Yes, yes, I was caught having sex with a girl under the stage.’

‘I thought it was a boys’ school.’

‘It was but she worked in the office.’

‘I see. What did you think about that?’

‘What, being expelled or the sex?’

He smiled. ‘The being expelled.’

‘Bit of a pain. It caused upheaval for me. I had to go to a tech college to get my A-levels.’

‘What about the girl?’

‘She got the sack but my father found her a job.’

‘She wasn’t a student then?’

‘No, she just worked in the office.’

‘Yes, you said. What did you feel about her?’

‘It wasn’t a romance; it was just nookie, like kids do.’

‘What did she think about it?’

‘I have no idea. I never saw her again.’

‘You didn’t write or phone or anything?’

‘No, I’d no address or phone number and anyway, I’d been advised by my dad not to.’

‘So, you obeyed your father?’

‘Not really, I just didn’t try to contact her, like most boys I suppose.’

‘Like most boys? Explain.’

‘I just think that boys, and perhaps girls, just experiment with sex. It’s not really about anything serious, it’s just sex.’

‘Was your later life similar to school in terms of relationships?’

‘Yes, I suppose it was.’

‘Describe relationships for you.’

‘I’m very close to a very few people and then there’s everybody else that I try to get along with.’

‘Are you in a close relationship now?’

‘Yes.’

‘That is Samantha?’

‘Yes.’

‘What does she think about this undercover job?’

‘I don’t really know.’

‘Should you know?’

‘Yes.’

‘But you don’t?’

‘I will explore it.’ Sam knew but had said nothing, we had just sort of accepted it. I was feeling uneasy but I knew Sam understood, I just knew - but did she?

‘What about large groups?’

‘I don’t mind large groups, but if I’m in a group of people who are in cliques and I’m isolated I don’t like that. No, let’s start again; I don’t like being in a large group of strangers unless I have a role within the group.’

‘A role within the group?’

‘Well anything really, from serving tea to giving a presentation, just a reason for me to be there.’

‘Yes, that ties up with your profile. You tend to be a socially competent introvert, which is ideal for this job. That was the only result that I needed to clarify. You’ve a high level of independence, your history indicates you’re unlikely to be cowed in a dangerous situation, equally you’re not aggressive but you may sometimes take risks. I can see nothing in your history or your profiles that flags a serious warning. However, there is one issue. On your own, in an alien environment, you may become isolated but this would not give you a problem. In groups there are people who try to include others so you are likely to be included if you choose to be. However, if you do become isolated you’ll not be able to complete the task that it seems you’ve been given. This has been foreseen and you’ll have a companion who will create leads for you. Because of your social competence and independence you are likely to end up as a leader. That may be inappropriate in prison but isn’t controllable.’

‘Not controllable?’

‘No, in general terms leadership is a relationship thing, not about position. Leaders can’t be appointed, they emerge, but it does depend on the social grouping and interactive requirements. Given your personality, education and intelligence, and given the prisoner society, you could end up a leader or an isolate, but you are unlikely to be a follower; you are too independent for that.’

‘Either could be dangerous then.’

‘Yes, either, that is leader or isolate, could be dangerous; no, either will be dangerous. You are going into a high-risk situation.’ He smiled, stood up and held out his hand. I stood. We shook hands. ‘Thank you, Jake, it’s been a pleasure to meet you.’

It seemed like all systems go then, but if Sam has a problem? Oh let’s just find out.