Chapter 378

In a black Ford Explorer.

Shakru Khan sat in the back looking a little formal, “Thank you for taking me to the psychiatric hospital.”

“You’re welcome.” Luke sized up the other man, “Have you guys been busy with your studies lately?”

“Yes, I’m taking five AP (college courses) right now.”

“You’re still young, there’s no need to put so much pressure on yourself.”

“I took 11 APs before, and I also self-took a Chinese course, and I’ve already reduced my load under the advice of my psychiatrist.”

While Luke was surprised in his heart, he also detected a hint of a problem, according to Shakru Khan’s current statement, he should have cut himself some slack.

But he had previously said that he hadn’t been coming around much lately because he was busy with his studies, and there was a contradiction between the two.

“Is there any conflict between you and Amir Murdi?”

“No.”

“Then why have you distanced yourself from him in recent times?”

Shakru Khan replied, “Do you know how many APs he has taken?”

“Not more than you, right?”

“He took 20 APs.”

“Properly a future Ivy League.”

“That’s right, he’s always been what his parents call someone else’s kid, and the two of us being neighbors and classmates, we’re constantly being put together and compared, and I’m super stressed out with him.

I studied every day, so hard that I barely had time for anything else.

But I still couldn’t catch up with him, and I became even harder.

I’ve been sick since this spring, and my doctor advised me to get plenty of rest, get enough sleep and be happy.

But I couldn’t do that, I had to study ……

Then, I also had mental problems, and my doctor diagnosed depression and told me that I had to cut back on my schoolwork, otherwise, the depression would become worse and might even lead to a nervous breakdown.” Shakru Khan sighed, helplessly.

“I was resigned to the fact that I was studying hard, but Aamir Murdi was working even harder and doing better in his studies, so why didn’t his body break down, why wasn’t he depressed?

In the words of a psychiatrist, everyone’s talent is different, just like O’Neal playing basketball, height, physical fitness is there, you can’t compare to the other side even if you work harder and harder.

Learning is the same, everyone’s talent, physical fitness, stamina, self-control is different, these inner things are not as obvious as physical fitness, but just as talented.

Moreover, my psychiatrist warned me that if I continued to overload myself with studies, leading to severe depression, which could eventually lead to a mental breakdown, I might not even be able to go to college by then, not to mention going to a top university.

So, I chose to reconcile with myself and reduce my load.”

There was some helplessness and a hint of relief on Shakru Khan’s face, “That’s why I stayed away from Aamir Murdi, being with him …… hurt too much.”

Luke asked, “Why do you think Amir Murdy was killed?”

“I don’t know, never heard of him having problems with anyone else, any chance it was an accident?”

“What’s the name of your psychiatrist?”

“Vasek Vieri.”

“Did you tell him about Amir Murdy?”

“Yes.”

“Has he seen Amir Murdy?”

“No.”

“Did he ever instruct you to do anything?”

“Quite the contrary.

In his words, if wasting time makes you happy, then waste time.

Life itself has no meaning, it’s just artificially trying to give some meaning to it.”

Previously, through the investigation, the first deceased assistant, Melanie Hickman, also had mental problems and had seen a psychiatrist.

And as both Melanie Hickman and Shakru Khan belonged to the people involved in the case and had a close connection with the case, it was most likely not a coincidence that both of them had seen a psychiatrist.

Even, Luke ventured a guess that the psychiatrist they had seen was probably the same person.

If Luke’s guess was correct, then this psychiatrist was highly suspicious.

Luke reminded, “Shakru, since this case is still under investigation, I hope you can keep this conversation confidential and not tell the psychiatrist either.”

“I know.”

The car then drove to Mokat Hospital, where Shakru Khan excused himself from Luke, got out, and walked into the hospital.

Luke instructed, “Porter, follow me and find out about the psychiatrist.”

“YES, Sir.”

Porter followed the walk and quickly figured out what happened to that psychiatrist, however, Luke didn’t go to that psychiatrist first, instead, he wanted to listen to the results of Marcus’s investigation to confirm whether the psychiatrist of the two people involved in the case was the same person.

After returning to the Robbery and Murder Division, Luke recounted the situation of his investigation to one side, and turned to ask, “Marcus, is there any progress on your side of the investigation?”

Marcus replied, “We went to Markon Hospital, where Melanie Hickman was seeing patients, to investigate.

In recent times, Melanie Hickman has had four visits to the doctor, and each time she found the same psychiatrist, Mizzou David.”

Luke frowned slightly, this was different from the results of his investigation, the hospital where she saw the doctor was different, and the psychiatrist was not the same one.

Could his previous speculation be wrong.

Was it just a coincidence that Shakru Khan and Melanie Hickman were seeing psychiatrists?

Luke thought carefully about the three cases, and the related people involved, the deceased in the three cases might have had conflicts with people, but none of these conflicts were enough to be a motive for murder.

Unless, this murderer has mental problems.

Luke felt that the direction of investigating the psychiatrist was not wrong.

Markon Hospital.

Second floor, second psychological counseling clinic.

The office room of the clinic was not big, with two tables placed side by side, a data cabinet, a water dispenser, and a simple bed and a few green plants.

A white female doctor in her thirties was sitting at the desk, operating a computer to study the information.

“Knock knock.”

A knock came from outside.

“Come in.”

The door opened and a black man in his twenties walked in from outside, collapsing his shoulders, hunching his back, and looking breathless.

“Hello, is this Dr. Mizzou David?”

The white female doctor looked at the black man, “Yes, it’s me.

Are you Marcus Burnett?”

“That’s me.”

“Have a seat.” Mizzou David surveyed Marcus, “Tell me a little about yourself?”

Marcus sighed, “I …… have been having a lot of insomnia in recent times, there’s always a feeling of unsteadiness, and I seem to have lost interest in a lot of things ……

I can’t remember the last time I cracked a smile?”

“How long has this been going on with you?”

“Almost a year, I guess, except it was never serious before, so I wasn’t particularly concerned about it.

I can only sleep an average of three or four hours a day now, and you know what that feels like?

It’s really painful.”

“I understand, I have many patients who are in a similar situation to you.

Have you had any difficulties in the last year?”

“I went to work for a new company …… and I did run into some situations that left me a little overwhelmed.”

“What kind of work do you do?”

“Programming, working on a computer every day.”

“Hard work?”

“Yes, I work at least 12 hours a day, sometimes 14, and even worry about work on Saturdays and Sundays …… Overtime is the norm.

It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to completely relax.”

Mizzou David asked, “Why do you put so much pressure on yourself? Is the company demanding?”

“Our company is demanding, and we often lay off employees, so if you don’t work hard enough and aren’t good enough, you could be laid off at any time.”

“This incident caused you a lot of trouble?”

“Yes, a coworker who came in with me in the same batch.

He’s worked harder than me and has been promoted just last month, and I’d love to be like him and have been working in his direction as well.

He even sleeps in the office on Saturdays and Sundays and hardly ever takes a break.”

Misu David said, “Why do you have to be like him, the world is diverse and so are people, there’s no need to force yourself.”

Marcus shook his head and sighed, “Everyone in the company works hard, if I don’t, I’ll be laid off.

I need this job.”

Mizzou David said, “It’s right to work hard, but in moderation for your situation.

If you overexert yourself, it’s likely that you’ll become mentally overwhelmed or depressed, which can affect your mental health.”

Marcus trailed off, “So what do I do?”

“The first thing you need to do is not to put too much pressure on yourself, learn to please yourself, you must be careful with your work, work hard when you need to work, and forget about your work when you need to rest.”

“I would like to give myself some relaxation, but if I don’t work hard, I will probably be laid off by the company.”

Mizzou David said, “So let’s imagine the worst case scenario, what would happen if you were laid off from your company, hypothetically?”

“I would be very lost and sad, and my financial situation would suffer.”

“Would you starve to death?”

“No, I still have some savings, enough to live on for a while.”

“Is the loss and sadness of losing your job more important than your health?”

“Of course not, my health is more important.”

Mizzou David advised, “In that case, what do you have to worry about?

Work is only a part of life, and work is only for a better life, not the whole of life.

If a person’s life consists only of work, then his life is pathetic.

Take a break when you are tired of work and don’t put too much pressure on yourself.

Work eight hours or less a day and go out for a walk with your family on Saturday and Sunday.

I think your insomnia will get better.”

Marcus asked, “Do I need to take some medication then?”

“No need for now, do as I say, it’s best to meditate once a day, lie in bed around 10pm and don’t play with your cell phone.

If there’s no change in half a month, you’ll come back for a review.”

Marcus stood up, took two steps, had turned around and sat back in his chair, “Doctor, I’m still worried ……

I don’t want to lose this job.

They can get the job done and so can I, so why am I having mental problems.

Isn’t there any other solution?

I’m so distressed that my brain is about to explode.”

Mizzou David soothed, “I can understand how you feel.”

Marcus shook his head, “No, you’re a doctor, not a patient, and can’t understand.

There’s no way to feel my helplessness and despair.”

Mizzou David opened a drawer and took a business card out of it, “Perhaps, this will help you.”

Marcus took the card and muttered, “A mutual aid society?”

“That’s right, there are people there who are in a similar situation to you, you can communicate with each other, pour out your inner depression, and get some relief for mental depression.”

Marcus followed up with, “I know about the support groups for alcohol and drug rehabilitation, what is this one?”

Mizzou David explained, “The purpose of this mutual aid meeting is mainly to help those who have difficulties in employment, are not doing well in their jobs, and are having trouble at work.

You can talk to each other in the mutual aid society and be able to promote and improve each other.

You can try it, the atmosphere is not bad.

I sit in occasionally, maybe we can even meet at the mutual aid society.”