'How so?' I said.
'You know, she was always afraid she didn't measure up. Like she always seemed worried that you were just there to bang her.'
'She was sexually available?'
'Aren't they all.'
'I've always hoped so,' I said. 'Passive or aggressive?'
'Hey,' he said. 'Were you a psych major, too?'
'I'm best friends with one,' I said. 'Was she one of those women who sort of submit, or did she seek?'
'Funny thing is,' he said, 'she was both. She seemed eager, and she was very interested in whatever sexual contrivance you could, ah, come up with.'
'Positions?' I said. 'Sex aids?'
'Yeah, whatever you might know that she hadn't tried.'
'And the passive part?' I said.
'Once you were, like, in the saddle, or whatever, she just lay there.'
'No response?'
'Limp as a glove,' he said.
'She ever play choking games?'
'Like cut off her breathing so she gets an extra thrill?'
'Yeah,' I said.
'I got no interest in that stuff,' he said. 'Wouldn't do it if I was asked.'
'She ask?' I said.
'Nope. You think that's how she got killed?'
'Don't know,' I said. 'Why I'm asking.'
'I read that he strangled her,' Perry said.
'Me too,' I said.
'But you don't know.'
'Why I'm asking,' I said. 'Any of the other guys that dated her play choking games, that you know about?'
'No,' Perry said. 'But it's not the kind of thing most guys talk about.'
'The sex that she was interested in, was that primarily aimed at intensifying your experience or hers?'
He was silent for a time.
'I don't know,' he said. 'You know? I mean, you're doing something that really turns the girl on, it usually turns you on, too, doesn't it. I assume that would be vice versa with her. I can't believe I'm talking about shit like this with a stranger.'
'Lucky. You were a psych major,' I said.
'Doesn't seem to be doing me much good at the moment,' he said.
'Any theories about why she was the way she was?' I said.
He grinned.
'Failure to resolve the conflict between passivity and aggression,' he said.
'Ah,' I said. 'That clears it up.'
'A BA in psych don't make me a shrink.'
'I know,' I said. 'But it might help you pay attention.'
He nodded.
'All I can give you,' he said, 'is how she was really worried that you cared about her for herself, not for the sex.'
'Did you?'
'I liked her okay,' Perry said.
'With or without sex?'
'Sure,' he said.
He looked down, and while he was looking down, he adjusted the hammer in his hammer holster.
'Honestly?' he said.
'I'd prefer it,' I said.
