Jonathan Kellerman - Compulsion

The stylish duds of a full partner at Kaufler, Mandelbaum and Schlesinger, but Browning’s office was a cubicle on the ground floor, one of two dozen in a fluorescent warren.

He spoke freely. Kat had stopped seeing him four months ago after learning he was married.

“I wasn’t cheating. My wife and I were having problems. Debbie was doing her own thing and so was I. I met Kat at Leonardo’s – the one on Ventura that closed down. Kat found out about Debbie when Debbie called my cell at Kat’s place. Debbie was cool with the whole thing but Kat told me she didn’t want to be space-filler and kicked me out. I didn’t blame her.” A curling thumb brushed a tear duct. “This is so incredibly sad. She was a nice girl.”

First time anyone had used that adjective to describe Kat.

I said, “You parted on friendly terms.”

“Of course,” said Browning. “Kat was right about not wanting to be used. I told her I was sorry. She said she forgave me but we both knew it could never be the same.”

“Did you see her after that?”

Tucking bristly beard hairs into his mouth, he chewed. His eyes shifted to the left. “Not often.”

Milo and I waited.

“Don’t tell my wife, okay?” said Browning.

“She’s not cool with it anymore.”

“We’re back together. Expecting our first in two months.”

“Congrats,” said Milo. “How often did you and Kat see each other after the breakup?”

“We didn’t really see each other,” said Browning. “Not in the sense of a consistent relationship.”

“But…”

Browning flashed what he considered a charming smile. “There were a couple weekends – retreats thrown by the firm.” He glanced around the warren. The symphony of computer clicks hadn’t slowed when we entered and no one was watching us now.

Milo said, “Where were the weekends and when did they take place?”

“Palm Springs and Mission Bay. As for the when…” Browning consulted his day planner. Read off dates.

Nine weeks ago and less than a month ago.

“Did she drive down and meet you or did you travel together?”

“Palm Springs she drove herself. San Diego, we went together. Please don’t tell Debbie. We’re happy now, it would be disruptive.”

“No doubt,” said Milo.

“Look,” said Michael Browning, “I’m being totally open with you. Even if I had reason to lie, I wouldn’t because I’m no good at it. Debbie says I’m one big poker tell.”

Milo asked where he’d been the night Kat disappeared.

Another page flip through the planner. The color leached from Browning’s cheeks. Milo took the book. “Says here ‘meeting, year-end deductions, TL.’ What’s that stand for?”

“Code,” said Browning.

“For what?”

“Is it really important?” Browning asked.

“Now it is,” said Milo.

“Sir, I’d never hurt Kat. Nothing but affection ever passed between us.”

“Until she booted you out.”

“When we were together it was always loving. I swear. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t lie and I have no reason to. A part of me might’ve loved Kat. I certainly wouldn’t hurt her.”

Milo said, “TL.”

Browning leaned on his low-backed swivel chair. The seat creaked. “As long as Debbie doesn’t get involved.”

“Another woman.”

“Nothing serious,” said Browning. “A fling. Do you really need the details?”

“You bet, Mr. Browning. And we’ll get them one way or the other.”

“Okay, okay. Tenecia Lawrence. She was an intern from Valley College, spent a summer working for me and came in for a recommendation letter to the business school at the U. One thing led to another.”

“You wanted to review her qualifications.”

“It was mutual,” said Browning. “If all she wanted was the letter, she could have just called.”

Milo smiled. “First date for you and Ms. Lawrence.”

Browning said, “Strictly speaking, no. We hung out a bit when she interned.” Touching the rim of his desk. “She’s black.”

The irrelevancy hung in the air.

Browning said, “She’s twenty, gorgeous, legs to infinity. I’m not going to make excuses. It’s the way I’m wired.”

“Let’s have her phone number,” said Milo.

“How about I just give you the facts? Tenecia and I spent that entire weekend together, I can produce hotel receipts. Debbie was at her mom’s. She’s hormonal. It leads to changes.”

“The number.”

“Receipts aren’t enough?”

“If Ms. Lawrence confirms your story, they may be.”

“May?” Sweat beaded Browning’s flat, ruddy brow. “I have no anxiety about Kat, but Debbie-”

“If you didn’t kill Kat, Debbie will never know we were here.”

Browning exhaled. “Thanks. Thanks so much, I really appreciate it.”

“Don’t call Ms. Lawrence before we do,” said Milo. “We’ll know.”

“Of course not, that never entered my mind.” Browning held out a hand for a shake.

Milo pretended not to see it.

I said, “The last time you saw Kat, did she mention anything about an encounter with a customer?”

“A customer?”

“At her workplace.”

“Oh, that,” said Browning. “If you’re talking about what I think you are.”

We waited.

Browning said, “The freak, right? Transvestite, whatever.”

“Tell us what Kat told you.”

“A guy came into the store, checked out the goods. Kat figured out it was for himself.”

“How?”

“She said he looked sneaky and nervous. She thought it was hilarious. Kind of faced off with the guy, like ‘What do you think you’re doing?’ Kat could be like that.”

“Like what?”

“Aggressive.” Another shrug. “It had its benefits.”

“How did the man react to being confronted?”

“She said he got ticked off and left and she felt good about handling him.”

“How’d she describe him?”

“Um,” said Browning. “She really didn’t.”

“Nothing at all?”

“She did say he was big, looking at plus sizes. That really cracked her up. Guy in a size sixteen cocktail dress.”

“What else did she tell you?”

“That’s it,” said Browning. “It wasn’t like I wanted to continue the discussion.”

“Why not?”

“We were having a good time. Last thing I wanted was to talk about perverted stuff.”

“Put her out of the mood,” I said.

“Put me out of the mood,” said Browning. “Kat was always ready. Made a lot of noise. Sometimes it got so loud you could almost think she was faking it but she wasn’t.”

“How could you tell?”

“No one fakes it with me. No need to.”

“Mr. Speedfreak and Mr. Amoral Cretin,” said Milo. “She did know how to pick ’em.”

He sped back to the city, fighting the curves on Coldwater Canyon. “Good thinking bringing up the cross-dresser.”

“Browning’s her most recent lover, I figured it might come up.”

“Pillow talk… sounds like she told everyone who’d listen.”

“Proud of herself,” I said. “For handling him.”

“Aggressive with the wrong guy. But putting that aside, do either of these jokers bear further attention?”

I said, “Cline’s got the anger and the dope-fed impulsiveness to do damage to Kat if she caught him at the wrong time. But he’s got no obvious motive and he seems way too wired to pull off something so well planned. My guess is the agency security logs will back up his alibi but I’d definitely try to get them. Browning comes across agreeable but to my mind, he’s scarier. He lies easily and lives to manipulate and I have no doubt he’d eliminate Kat, or anyone else who got in his way. His alibi’s even simpler to verify.”