Breakfast, and an early morning drive into work with Al set Sarah up for anything that Oliver decided to throw at her, but Millie’s previous advice about him was uppermost in her mind. Don’t bother to confront him when he’s angry; it just makes him worse.  Listen patiently to him as you would to a child in a tantrum.  Play on his ego; he loves to think that people admire him and want to be like him, so anything you can say that will play to that need will bring him down to a reasonable level. She had some time before everyone else arrived, so she worked her way methodically through the case notes, trying to find the points that might irritate Oliver, and those places where he could be the showman that he enjoyed so much.  Jenny was in early, and joined her in looking through the notes.

“We are expecting trouble with Oliver today; he’s still very angry about the cock ups with Natasha, but he doesn’t seem to realise that if he rants and raves today, it will give the media – and the Coroner – more ammunition for the inquest.  How can we persuade him to show his softer side?”

“That bit’s easy,” said Sarah. “We just have to convince him that it’s his idea, which means we have to rev him up a bit first, then drop the idea in gently so that he thinks he has found the solution.”

“Can we – can you – do that?”

“I’ll have a go. He may think that he wants to go out in a blaze of glory, but this isn’t just about him, is it?  There’s you and Mel, all the runners and researchers, if the programme gets shut down it will reflect on everyone.”

“What about you and Millie?”

“There’s quite a role for independent social workers nowadays.  We might set up in business together.  That’s all in the future.  We need to get through today without causing any further damage to anyone.”

Other people began to file into the room and take their seats as far away from where Oliver would be sitting.  Jenny and Sarah looked at each other, shrugged and moved to seats closer to the top of the table and in Oliver’s danger zone. Flanked by Mel and another woman from Legal; Oliver swept into the room and threw himself down on his chair.  Other members of staff gave up their seats for his companions and went to stand at the far end of the room.

“I’ve read through the folders and I’d like some feedback about what you all think – that is what you are all being paid for, isn’t it?” said Oliver.

There was a painful silence throughout the room; looking around, Sarah could see that the majority of the attendees were doing their best to become invisible.  She had a feeling that Jenny or Mel should say something but they were both looking down at the table, and avoiding Oliver’s glare. She felt, rather than saw him stop at her, and strategically, turned to face him so that the covered side of her face was visible to him.

“Any ideas, oh Lady of the War Wound?”

“Plenty of ideas for aftercare, which is my area of expertise.  I wouldn’t dream of venturing an opinion on how you should run the show however.”

“Nicely parried Sarah. The amount of aftercare work required does of course depend on how traumatised the guests are at the end of the show.  Can I get away with a bit of cruelty and humiliation?  Have we got some sensitive souls on stage or in the audience today, Mel?”

Mel consulted her notes, which she knew off by heart but needed to buy a little time before replying.  Unable to put it off, she delivered a brief resume.

“Three couples; the first want a DNA test on their baby; the mother is sure that her partner is the father but they both need to know for sure if they are going to build on their relationship.  The second couple are countering allegations of infidelity by ex-partners who are trying to split them up, so two lie detectors, and the final couple are trying to track down the husband’s sister because their baby needs a bone marrow transplant, and neither of them are compatible but the sister might be.  We’ve tracked down the sister and she’s agreed to a reunion so it should be a happy ending.”

“Nothing earthshattering then?  I take it your team can deal with the aftercare needed then Sarah?”

“Yes, without giving too much away, the DNA test is positive, the lie detectors are both negative, and we’ve arranged for the sister to have a test to make sure that she is compatible.”

“Fine.  The rest of you can clear off then, I need a word with Mel, Jenny and Sarah in private.”

The room cleared immediately; Sarah wondered what bombshell Oliver was going to drop on them now. He introduced the woman from Legal as Amelia.  She was carrying a very large file.

“I don’t need to tell you that this show has a great deal resting on it.” said Amelia.  “If the audience becomes hostile again, it will not look good when the inquest result is known.  I appreciate that Oliver has tremendous people skills, but we are more than a little worried about the negative publicity.”

“So, you want me to behave myself today?  Is that what you’re saying?  What do the rest of you think?”

More meaningful looks.  Sarah felt that someone should put the ball back in Oliver’s court.

“How do you want to play it Oliver?” she said calmly.  “From what I know of you, you will have read through this information dozens of times, and played it out in your head.  This is your show, and the rest of us are your supporting actors.  You already know what you want to do. How do you want us to provide your support?”

“Very clever Sarah.  I feel that I have a choice here; I could go out there and whip everyone up into a frenzy by being my most horrendous, or I could go out there and show my more compassionate side.  The guests would be more receptive to that, but what about the audience? What about the viewing public who love to watch me tearing people apart?”

Amelia shrugged her shoulders.

“If you show your very worst side, I would say that you could wave goodbye to the show.  The media are baying for your blood as it is.”

“So, Mr Nice Guy then, and wave goodbye to integrity.  Thanks Amelia.”

“Oliver!” said Sarah.  “You are perfectly capable of achieving the middle ground. Focus your ire on the two ex-partners who are stirring up trouble by making false allegations.  The audience will be behind you all the way.  Begin the show with a feelgood story where counselling can help; end with some hope for the sick baby, but tear the two nasty people to shreds in the middle.  It’s an idea, isn’t it?”

Oliver’s face was like stone; Sarah wondered if she had gone too far but felt a rush of relief as a small smile appeared and he nodded.

“Jenny? Mel? Amelia?  Shall we go with Sarah’s idea? She hasn’t known me as long as the rest of you, but she seems to have sussed me out to some extent.”

Relief was visible on the faces of her companions, as they nodded in agreement.

“It’s a good idea Oliver.  You have the confidence and the skills to carry it off.”

“Thank you, Jenny.  I take it that you and Amelia agree, Mel?”

They nodded, thankful that a solution had been found.

“There’s one other thing Oliver.” said Sarah.

“And that is?”

“When the camera goes backstage to the pods, can I keep out of range please?  The dressing is getting smaller every day but I don’t feel that it would help PR if I am in shot.  It might encourage media interest in the attack again, and it’s died down for the time being.”

Amelia nodded. “We need to keep Sarah out of the spotlight.”

“Okay, if the worst comes to the worst you can hide behind your fiancé.  Have you moved in with him now?”

“Thank you, Oliver.  I was meaning to change my contact address today.  It made sense to move out now because Millie will have Jiara and Tom staying this weekend.”

“Happy families! Right, let’s get on with it. I’ll have to go in my dressing room and practice my empathic smile.”

Once Oliver had left the room, Jenny turned to Sarah and hugged her.

“You may have saved our bacon today.  If the show does get shut down, at least it will end on a high note.” “Agreed.” said Amelia, picking up her folder. “Good luck everyone.”