He frowned, confused. “Well, they didn’t need a warrant,” he said, “because we gave it to them.”
“But maybe we shouldn’t have,” she said in a rush.
“What are you afraid of?” he asked. “Do you really think David did something wrong?”
“No,” she cried out. “Why would you even say that?”
“Because I don’t understand why you’re acting the way you are,” he asked in confusion.
“I just feel like I want the laptop,” she said.
“You know you’re getting it back, right?” There was silence at the other end. Unsure if she understood fully, he continued. “They needed it in order to get whatever forensic information they can for their case, but they’re giving it back to you.”
“With everything on it?” she asked.
“Yes, of course,” he said.
“Well, when can I get it back?”
“I don’t know,” he said. “You’d have to ask Kate that.”
“Oh,” she said, her voice changing. “I didn’t think she would let me have it.”
“Well, she will as soon as she can,” he said.
“Can? What do you mean by can?”
“Louisa, I don’t understand. All they’re trying to do is get information to help clarify David’s death.”
“Yes, I get that, but I don’t want this to become public knowledge.”
“You mean, that he committed suicide?”
“Yes, of course,” she said.
“And how will the police having the laptop impact that?”
“I don’t know,” she said, “but I just started to get really worried about it, and I don’t think David would like them to have it.”
“Well, in this case, it’s not his decision. They already have it, and I don’t know how much longer they’ll need to keep it.”
“I don’t understand why they need to keep it at all.”
“And I don’t understand why there’s a problem. It’s not like you don’t have your own computer.”
“You shouldn’t have taken it from me,” she said, getting bolder in her wording.
“Taken it from you?” he said, shaking his head. “I’m not sure what’s going on, but you were in full agreement with the police checking out everything to do with his death.”
“I know,” she said, “and then I got to thinking.”
He frowned. “Is this yourfriendinterfering again?”
“Maybe, but she had a couple good points.”
“And what was that?”
“What if they find something that’ll mar his reputation?”