“But what if he follows through?” she asked painfully.
“Then we’ll explain it to your parents,” she said, her voice firm. “This morbid pressure about suicide has to end.”
Mali looked at her and slowly sagged into the chair, and she nodded.
“Now I need your permission to access your laptop,” Kate said.
Mali made a hand motion to where it sat on the coffee table. “Go ahead,” she said. “I’ll never forget those emails or his words,” she said, “but I sure as hell want to.” And, with that, she burst into tears.
Simon gathered her in his arms, sat down with her, and let her cry. He felt the tears in the back of his own eyes burning. He looked over at Kate and said, “We need to get on this now.”
But she was already at the laptop, studying it. She pulled out her phone and called Forensics. With her on the phone, he just held Mali in his arms and rocked her gently.
“I didn’t know what to do,” Mali blubbered. “I was so scared every time you showed up.”
“And I’m afraid,” he said, “that I wasn’t the only one.”
She stared, shifted back, and asked, “Were you there every time?”
“How many times isevery time?”
“Seven or eight.”
He stared and shook his head. “No, just the last couple. Though I guess I don’t even know if they were the last two.”
She frowned. “Was somebody else there?”
“That’s what I was just going to ask you. Did you ever see anybody else?”
“Yes,” she said, “there was another man.”
“I’m afraid it was him,” Simon said quietly. “I’m afraid that looking wasn’t enough anymore. And then it was all about wanting to see it in action.”
“That’s terrible,” she said in horror. “It’s so terrible.”
“I know,” he said. “I get it.”
By then, Kate hopped to her feet, snatched up the laptop, and said, “I need you to sign a receipt for this. I’m taking this to the office.” And, with that done, she said to Simon, “I’ve got to go.”
He nodded, stood, and asked Mali, “Will you be okay?”
Mali smiled and said, “Yes,” she said. “I will now. And I promise I won’t jump.”
“Good,” he said. And then rolling his eyes, he asked, “Did you happen to keep my card?”
She nodded.
“So use it. You can text me or call me anytime. We’ll get to the bottom of this. I need you to trust that we’re working for you now.”
“Yes,” she said, “I do.” And, with a shaky breath, she gave him a hug and said, “Thank you.”
He nodded, then smiled and looked back at Kate. “Okay, let’s go.”
And, with that, they left.
Chapter 19
Although it waslate, after she dropped Simon off, Kate raced back into the station. She caught Rodney, coming out the door.