Page 26 of Say Now
"You should feel good about it, even if it’s to discount him from our list of suspects.There are coincidences, and that could mean nothing or it could mean everything.You had a hunch, and I always follow my hunches, so let’s follow yours."
"Thank you."Claire swallowed."You’re treating me better than I deserve."
"We don't need to talk about any of that.Just get us to safety before the storm hits, and all will be forgiven."
***
They made it to Butte before a single flake of snow dropped from above.When they knocked on Dr.Laurent's door and found no one there, the snow had started to fall.When they reached the office where he worked, the snow was heavy.They were glad to get inside and that someone was still there.They didn't find Dr.Laurent, not that they had expected to, but they did find Dr.Benson, one of his colleagues.
"Do you know where he might be?"Claire asked.
She and Alison sat on one side of the desk, and Dr.Benson sat on the other.He was in his fifties, wore glasses, was clean-shaven, and had a round face.
"I have no idea," Dr.Benson said."To be honest, I don't want anything to do with him."
"You didn't get on?"Alison asked.
"Oh, no, we got on.We were pretty good friends for a while, and he was a fine colleague, but ever since he lost it, he’s been self-destructing.I shouldn’t say I don't know what to do with him.I was thinking about visiting his house and seeing how he was doing.I don't want to open the newspaper and find out there he’s…"
"What happened to him?"Claire asked."I spoke to his boss.Your boss?I was told that he took a leave of absence and that he has a drinking problem.What can you tell us?"
"I don't know if I should be telling you anything," Dr.Benson said.
"We’re investigating a triple homicide," Claire told him."I really don't want to have to wait for a warrant to get the information we need."
"We only want to rule him out of our enquiries, but seeing as we can't find him to talk with him, then we need as much information as you can give us.We only want to help him," Alison said.
Dr.Benson looked from one woman to the other.
"His drinking problem started because he diagnosed one of his patients as malingering, and that patient committed suicide while being held in custody."Dr.Benson took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose."It was a tough case, and the patient he was working with wasn’t the easiest to get on with, and Steven really gave it his all with that case, and it took a lot out of him.In the end, he thought the guy was putting it on, and he concluded that he was fit enough to face trial.A couple of days later, the guy was found dead in his cell."
"You were still close to him at the time?"Alison asked.
"Yeah, this was about six months ago," Dr.Benson said."I looked at the file after the suicide, and everything was in order.I would have made the exact same decision as Steven, and there’s no way to tell now if he was right or wrong.Maybe the guy just couldn't handle going to prison.Still, Steven blamed himself."
"That’s when the drinking problem started?"Alison asked.
"Yeah."The doctor rubbed his nose again."We didn't notice it at first.We’ve gone out for drinks before after work, but he was never a part of that, and then he was.Then he was the last one at the bar.It didn't take long until he came in hungover, and then you could smell it on him.Carl, our boss, tried to help him.Gave him the benefit of the doubt, made allowances, transferred some of his files, but it was clear Steven wasn’t going to improve, so Carl told him in no uncertain terms that he should take a sabbatical.Steven didn’t really have a choice in the matter.None of us has heard anything from him since.That’s why I was thinking about going and checking in on him."
"We went to his house, but there was no answer.It didn't look like anyone was in," Claire.
"I hope you are right," Dr.Benson said.
"If he’s not home, do you have any idea where he might have gone?"Claire asked.
"No," Dr.Benson admitted."He doesn’t have any family in town, and I’m sure he’s driven any friends away by now.I don't know where he will be."
"Is there anything else you can tell us that might help?"Claire asked.
"I wish there was.I really hope you find him.Steven was a good doctor, and he can be one again, but he needs professional help.I think he’s too stubborn to get it."
"All right, thank you," Claire said.
The two women left the office and made their way back to the parking lot, stopping at the door when they saw the heavy snow falling.
"I think we’re here for the night," Claire said.
"He fits the profile more," Alison suggested."He blames himself for the suicide.He believed he made a mistake in the diagnosis, and it came back to haunt him.That can do awful things to a person.If he blames himself for a patient’s death, then there’s no telling what it might drive him to do."
