Kellerman, Jonathan - Flesh and Blood by Kellerman Jonathan

Author:Kellerman, Jonathan [Kellerman, Jonathan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2001-04-01T04:00:00+00:00

On the other side of the door was a large, bright office pool partitioned into workstations. The usual off-white blandness, computers and printers and bracket bookshelves, potted plants and cute calendars, stuffed animals on shelves, the smell of lilac air freshener, Sheryl Crow from a cassette player over the watercooler.

Four women stood by the watercooler, all blandly attractive, ranging from mid-twenties to mid-thirties. Each wore a variant of sweater-and-pants, and it came across as a uniform. Dugger rattled off names: Jilda Thornburgh, Sally Patrino, Katie Weissenborn, Ann Buyler. The first three were research assistants. Buyler, the secretary, was already equipped with Lauren's time cards.

Milo flipped through them, began questioning the women. Yes, they remembered Lauren. No, they didn't know her well, had no idea who would have wanted to hurt her. The word punctual kept coming up. As they talked to Milo I searched for signs of evasiveness, saw only the discomfiture you'd expect from honest people confronted with murder. Ben Dugger had retreated to a cubicle dominated by a large, framed zoo association poster—koalas, cute and cuddly—and had turned his back to us.

Occasionally, one or more of the women looked his way, as if for support.

The women.

Surrounding himself with females.

Like father, like son?

Milo said, “Dr. Dugger? If you don't mind, I'd like to see that room—the one where Lauren worked.”

Dugger turned. “Certainly.”

As he walked toward us Milo said, “Oh yeah, one more thing, gang. Shawna Yeager. Anyone by that name ever work here?”

Four headshakes.

“You're sure?” said Milo. “Not as a subject or a confederate or anything else?”

Dugger said, “Who?”

Milo repeated the name.

“No,” said Dugger, eyes steady. “Doesn't ring a bell. Ann?”

Buyler said, “I'm sure, but I'll check.” She pecked at her computer keyboard, called up a screen, manipulated the mouse. “No. No Shawna Yeager.”

“Who is she?” Dugger asked Milo.

“A girl.”

“So I gathered, Detective—”

“Let's see that room,” said Milo. “Then I don't need to waste any more of your time.”

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