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Gil was in his hotel room, reading a novel on his Kindle. It was after midnight, and he was yawning quite a bit, so he decided to go to sleep. While he started to undress, there was a light knock at the door. He looked through the peephole and saw a fidgeting crime scene agent. He let Lili in.
“I need to crash,” Lili said, “but I’m all wound up.” She started to tear up, and her voice started to break. “I’ve been going full tilt for days, and, um, I guess I could use a friend.”
Gil embraced Lili and felt her shaking ease. He asked, “Would you like something to drink? I have tap water and caffeinated coffee.”
Lili chuckled. “Just keep holding me, please.”
After a couple of more minutes, Gil said, “Why don’t we get in bed, and you can tell me about your day.”
They both sat in bed wearing their underwear. Lili talked about what kind of cases her team was working on, interspersed with discussions about personality conflicts, power struggles, and office drama. Gil listened, occasionally restating what she was saying to him, the way Dr. Lipton did. Active listening, Gil knew.
After a while, Gil could tell that Lili was losing steam. “I think you’re getting tired, so I’m just going to shut off the light.” They lay down, and within a minute, Gil could hear Lili’s breathing take on a constant rhythm. He fell asleep a few minutes later.
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Gil woke up at six thirty, thrilled that he had slept like a log. He was doubly thrilled that Lili was still there. They got ready for the day and grabbed a light breakfast in the hotel lobby.
“What are your plans today?” Lili asked.
“I have to sit in on Mark Breen’s interrogation at one.”
Lili said, “I could take this morning off. Would you like to go on a bike ride this morning? I know a good place. We can rent you a bike.”
They went to the Norwottuck Rail Trail near Amherst. Gil was thrilled. The trail had forests and fields, brooks and ponds, and the highlight was a long bridge over the Connecticut River. They stopped at the bridge to take in the scenery, and they saw herons, geese, ducks, and a kingfisher. After returning Gil’s rental bike, they ate lunch at the Hangar Pub before parting ways.