The second man, I thought for sure would. He said Id helped to talk him down, but I wasnt so sure. When my shift was over, I called the number back for sort of a wellness check. There was no answer, so…God, I guess he did it.

Did you ever reach out to the police out of concern? Jack asked.

No. We are trained to do everything we can to talk them down. The people that call…one of the things they often worry about even when they change their mind on the line is that someone will find out they made the call. So remaining anonymous is a big deal to them. If I earn their trust and then break it by calling the police, it creates a very bad situation. If I remember correctly, when I took the training to be a volunteer, we learned that less than five percent of calls to suicide prevention hotlines are ever escalated to the police.

And you use the same script and tactics for each one? Rachel asked.

Theres no script, just guidelines and bullet points. We have to try to sort of get to know them so to speak. And based on their urgency, their problems, and the way they interact with this, thats how we know the best way to offer support.

Rachel tried to think of something else to ask, but really, she thought any questions would be answered by listening to the calls. She could also tell that one wrong word was going to have Lisa crying and potentially harder to question.

Jack stepped closer to the table and said, I appreciate what you do here. Especially as a volunteer with no pay. I cant imagine what you go through sometimes. Like with these three men…you tried convincing them that there was something to live for, right?

Yes, and I thought…I thought Id done a good job…

Before they could get any farther, the door opened and Shelby walked in. She was carrying her laptop and had a determined expression on her face. She was a woman on a mission, a vibe that Rachel appreciated.

Mark your calendars, Shelby said as she resumed her seat. I got permission to access the calls within two minutes of asking. Im assuming it had something to do with the fact that were looking at three bodies.

And you have all three of them? Jack asked.

Yes. Lisa, can you think of any reason one call might be more important than the other?

Not right offhand, no.