[Hayley stared at him in silence for a long time. There was still something there she was missing. She waited for another question to come, but when none did, she slid forward to the edge of the couch and looked at him with concern more than any excitement. Dick was her friend, after all, or something like it.]

"Did you give her the gun, is that it?" [Her voice wasn't probing anymore. It was sincerely questioning.] "What aren't you saying? I mean, short of you raping her or something? I'm not going to judge you. You have secrets. I get that. I do. But you have to tell someone, Dick. You have to tell someone or they're going to haunt you forever. I'm not going to tell anyone if it's something you did, not as long as you try to make amends for it. If it's something you.. didn't do, or something you let happen? I won't tell anyone, but you have to tell me."

[Her voice was nearly pleading by the end.]