Simple Genius (Sean King & Michelle Maxwell 3)

Horatio said, “Reston. A private clinic. But it’s not cheap, my friend.”

“I’ll get the money. Somehow.”

Horatio sat down on an old packing crate and motioned for Sean to do the same. “So talk to me, Sean. Tell me what you think the problem is.”

And Sean talked for a half-hour, explaining what had happened to them both in Wrightsburg.

Horatio said, “Frankly, I’m surprised you’re not both in therapy. You sure you’re okay?”

“It affected us both, but Michelle was hit a lot harder.”

“She obviously feels that she can’t trust her judgment anymore, and with her that’s a big deal.”

Sean said, “And she cared for the guy too. And then to find out what he was really like. I guess that would screw anyone up.”

Horatio scrutinized him. “And how did you feel about that?”

Sean gaped. “A guy slaughtering a bunch of people? How the hell do you think I felt about it?”

“No, I meant about Michelle becoming involved with another man?”

Sean’s face took on a more subdued expression. “Oh. Well, I had my own personal involvement at the time.”

“That wasn’t exactly what I was referring to.”

Sean looked at him quizzically, but his friend didn’t pursue it.

Sean said, “Do you think she can get better?”

“If she really wants to. If she’s ambivalent about getting better we can at least show her the steps she can take to get there.”

“What if she doesn’t want to get better?”

“That’s a different planet altogether.” Horatio paused. “But remember that I said she was in that bar partly to die? Well, Michelle going in there and picking a fight with the biggest son of a bitch she could find may be the best sign that she actually wants to get better.”

Sean looked at him oddly. “How do you figure that?”

“It was a cry for help, Sean; an awkward one, but a cry nevertheless. What’s curious is why she chose now to do it. She’s obviously had these issues for a long time.”

“Any guess?”

“Like I said, she feels she can’t trust her instincts anymore. Next stop, that bar and the end of that guy’s fist. Her punishment.”

“Punishment? For what?”

“I don’t know.”

“What if she doesn’t want to admit herself to the facility?” Sean said.

“We’ll never get an involuntary commit from a judge. Either she puts herself in or I have to counsel her on the outside.”

“Then I’ll get her inside, somehow.”

“How?”

“By wearing my lawyer hat and lying my ass off.”

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