Page 127 of The Session

“After he got clean, his only vice was beer, and even that in moderation.”

“That doesn’t mean he couldn’t have been using and hiding it from you,” Mark pointed out.

“Maybe, but I would know,” she said firmly.

“I came here because there’s a photograph of you in this bar in his house. And I’ve been told, if you need to find a dealer, find a bartender . . .”

“I’ve heard that too, but sorry. No can do. Never have.”

“But you know who does.”

“Yep, and that’s how I know Kevin wasn’t using,” Lisbeth said.

“So you think the overdose story is bullshit?”

“I don’t know. You can never say never. And it’s not uncommon for somebody to find a couple pills they hid away and relapse. But he was on a good trajectory. Things were moving in the right direction. He was feeling very optimistic. Came a long way since when I first met him.”

“Optimistic? Why?” Mark asked.

“He didn’t talk a lot about work or family, but it seemed like he was on the path he felt like he should have been on a long time ago.”

“Had he been talking to his father?” Mark asked.

“Not that I’m aware of. I think he was waiting to make sure this time he was finally clean. He had used up all of his parents’ second chances a long time ago.”

“Do you think he wanted to go back to work for the family firm?” Mark asked.

“All he said is that he thought he saw the right way to do things.”

“Could you be more specific?” Mark pressed.

“He’d been reading his father’s books. He talked to me a little bit about that. He said that he kind of gained a new appreciation for him. Saw through the bullshit, but realized there was some wisdom there. Which, you know, nice. I think we all get that phase where we think our parents are completely full of shit, and we finally understand that maybe they knew something. But I know who his father is, so I can’t imagine what it would have been like for him—a shadow that big.” She shook her head.

“It’s quite the shadow,” Mark confirmed.

“I guess you’re dealing with that.”

“Do you recall any books he mentioned—what he was reading?”

“He was really into The Reality Equation. I think that’s the one about how to profile other people. He talked a bit about that.”

“Did he say anything the last time you saw him?”

“Not much, nothing to make me think anything was wrong. Sat right there where you are, having a conversation with some old guy.”

“Somebody he knew?”

“Yeah. He didn’t introduce him, but it seemed like they’d known each other for a long time. At first glance, I thought it might be his dad, but he didn’t look anything like him.”

“Did you catch what they were talking about?” Mark asked.

“Kevin seemed excited, talking about plans. The man kept reassuring him and telling him things were in motion.”

“Could you describe the man?”

“Late sixties, short gray hair, I don’t know. Older white dude,” Lisbeth said.

Mark pulled up a photograph of Nichols on his phone. “Him?”