Flesh And Blood

contamination control.”

“And how many subjects did Lauren sit in a room with?”

“That I couldn’t begin to tell you,” said Dugger.

“But the information is available.”

“You can’t really expect me to hand over my subject list. I’m sorry, I really can’t do that – Detective, I won’t tell you how to do your job, but I’m sure there are more productive ways to solve your case.”

“Such as?”

“I don’t know, I’m just saying it had nothing to do with the experiment – My God, the thought of someone destroying a life that vital is sickening.”

Milo got up, walked past him, stood near the wall of glass. A wisp of brass striped the southwest sky. “Gorgeous view – Did you and Lauren have any personal contacts?”

Dugger’s hands laced. Another ceiling glance. “Not unless you call going out for coffee personal.”

“Coffee.”

“A couple of times,” said Dugger. “A few times.” He’d gone pale again. “After work.”

“Just you and Lauren?”

“Sometimes other members of the staff were there. When work ran late and everyone was hungry.”

Milo said, “And other times it was just you and Lauren-”

“Hardly alone,” said Dugger, in a tight voice. “We were in a restaurant, in full public view.”

“Which restaurant?”

“More like coffee shops – the Hacienda on Newport Boulevard, Ships, an IHOP-” Dugger’s hands separated. He drew himself up, twisted in his chair, met Milo’s gaze. “I want to make this perfectly clear: There was absolutely nothing sexual going on between Lauren and me. If you had to characterize the meetings, I’d liken them to student-teacher chats.”

“About psychology.”

“Yes.”

“What aspect of psychology?” said Milo.

Dugger continued to stare up at him. “Academic issues. Career opportunities.”

“Sometimes students confide in teachers,” said Milo, walking around so he faced Dugger. “Did Lauren ever get into her personal life? Her family?”

“No.” Dugger wiped his lip again, and his knees began bouncing again. “I’m a researcher, not a therapist. Lauren had questions about research design – excellent questions. Why we were structuring an experiment in a certain way, how we developed our hypotheses. She even had the courage to make suggestions.”

Dugger rubbed his thinning hair. His eyes were feverish. “She had terrific potential, Detective. This is a just a god-awful waste.”

“Did she ever tell you about any other jobs she’d held?”

“That would be on her personnel form.”

“It never came up in conversation?”

“No.”

“I’d like to see her personnel form, sir. As well as any other data on Lauren you have at hand.”

Dugger sighed. “I’ll try to have them ready for you tomorrow. Come by the Newport office after eleven.”

Milo walked back to where I sat, remained on his feet. “Thank you, sir… Apart from filling out the form, did Lauren say anything about her professional background?”

“Professional?” said Dugger. “I’m not sure I understand.”

“Dr. Dugger, can you think of anything that might help us? Anyone at all who resented Lauren or would’ve had reason to harm her?”

“No,” said Dugger. “All of us liked her.” To me: “How did you connect me with Lauren anyway?”

“Your name was among her effects,” said Milo.

“Her effects.” Dugger’s eyes closed for a second. “So… pathetic.”

Milo thanked him again, and we walked to the door. Before Dugger could get to the knob, Milo took hold of it. Held it in place. “Are you married, Dr. Dugger?”

“Divorced.”

“Recently?”

“Five years ago.”

“Children?”

“Luckily, no.”

“Luckily?”

“Divorce scars children,” said Dugger. “Would you like to know my blood type as well?”

Milo grinned. “Not at this point, sir. Oh – one more thing: the experiment – how long has it been running?”

“This particular phase has lasted around a year,” said Dugger.

“How many phases have there been?”

“Several,” said Dugger. “It’s a long-term interest of ours.”

“Interpersonal space.”

“That’s right.”

“We found some notes in Lauren’s effects,” said Milo. “Your name and number and something about intimacy. Is that the same study?”

Dugger smiled. “So that’s it. No, it’s nothing sexy, Detective. And yes, it’s the same study. Intimacy – in a psychosocial sense – is a component of interpersonal space, sir. In fact, the ad Lauren answered used the term intimacy.”

“In order to…”

“As an eye-catcher, yes,” said Dugger.

“For marketing purposes,” said Milo.

“You could put it that way.”

“Okay, then.” Milo turned the knob. “So you have absolutely no knowledge of Ms. Teague’s prior work history?”

“You keep coming back to that.”

Milo turned to me. “Guess she wouldn’t have brought it up with someone like Dr. Dugger.”

“What are you getting at?” said Dugger.

“Your being her teacher and all that, sir. Someone she looked up to. You’d be the last person she’d tell.”

He opened the door.

“Tell what?” said Dugger.

Milo’s big face took on the burden of so many sad Irish centuries. “Well, sir, you’re likely to read about it in the paper, so there’s no sense avoiding it. Before Lauren showed up at your door – before she became a student – she had a history of exotic dancing and prostitution.”

A shudder ran down Dugger’s body. “You can’t be serious,” he said.

“I’m afraid I am, sir.”

“Oh, my,” said Dugger, reaching for the doorpost. “You’re right… She never mentioned that. That’s very… tragic.”

“Her death or working as a prostitute?”

Dugger turned away, faced the glass.

“All of it,” he said. “Everything.”

CHAPTER 16

ON THE WAY OUT, Milo bellowed a cheery “Bye-bye” to Gerald the doorman.

We drove up Ocean. Night had settled in, streetlights were hazed, the ocean was reduced to a slash of reflection.

“He blushed the first time you used the word sexy, and he was sweating,” I said.