Jonathan Kellerman - Dr. Death

"She was sick a year and a half ago. That's why I'm here. She was sick and I'm overprotective. She doesn't like me to be, but I can't help it. I try to give her space, usually we talk only two, three times a week. But I haven't heard from her in a few days, so I called her at work Friday and they said she'd taken some vacation time. I held off yesterday, but today…"

She frowned. "She's entitled to her vacation, but she should've told me where she was going."

"Does she usually?" I said.

Sheepish smile. "Honestly? Not always, but I don't let that stop me. What can I say? I decided to stop by this morning early, 'cause my kids have Little League in an hour. Just to make sure everything's okay. So there's no problem, you just want to talk to her?"

"Right, just following up, ma'am," said Milo. He eyed the fabric samples. "Interior-design work?"

"Fabric sales. I work for a jobber downtown." Another glance at the house.

Milo said, "Looks like they've been gone for only a day or so. Do they travel a lot?"

"From time to time." Kris Lamplear's eyes jumped around. "Paul probably took her somewhere on one of his impulsive romantic things."

"He's a romantic fellow?"

"He thinks he is." She rolled her eyes. "Mr. Spontaneous. He'll come in and announce they're going to Arrowhead or Santa Barbara for a couple of days, tells Tanya to pack, call in sick. Tanya's ultraresponsible. She takes her job seriously. But she goes along with him, usually. He works for himself, so taking off like that's no big deal. He likes nature stuff, loves to drive."

"Nature stuff," said Milo.

"The great outdoors, he's a member of the Tree People, the Sierra Club, watches birds, actually reads the auto-club magazine. It was his idea to be up there on Mulholland at that hour. He's always pushing Tanya to rise and shine, exercise, all that stuff. As if that's going to do the trick."

"Do what trick?"

"Heal her up," she said. "Make sure she stays in remission-she had cancer. Hodgkin's disease. The doctors said it was curable, she's got a good chance of being cured. But the treatment knocked her out. Radiation, chemo, heavy-duty. The whole thing changed her. She is fine, I know she'll be okay, but I'm sorry, I'm still the protective older sister, so sue me. She should at least tell me where she's going, don't you think? Our parents are gone, the two of us are it, she knows I worry."

She tugged her shirt down, stared at the house. "I know I'm being neurotic. I'll get home and there'll be a message from her-don't tell her you met me here, okay? She'll get p.o.'d."

"Deal," said Milo. "So you don't keep a house key for her."

"You mean like some people do? That would be nice, wouldn't it. But no, I'd never ask for one. Tanya wouldn't take well to that."

"Wanting to be independent."

Kris Lamplear nodded. "Her having a key to my house would be fine. And I'm married, have kids, I wouldn't mind. But she'd be all sensitive. Even when she was going through her treatments she was that way. Telling everyone she could do things for herself, not to treat her like a cripple."

"So Paul's a hands-off guy," I said.

"What do you mean?"

"To get along with Tanya he'd have to respect her independence."

"I guess," she said. "To be honest, I don't know why she stays with him. Maybe 'cause he was there for her when she was down."

"When she was sick?" I said.

She nodded. "That's how they met. Tanya was in the hospital for her chemo and he was volunteering there. He ended up spending a lot of time with her. When she couldn't hold food down, he'd be there, feeding her ice chips."

Describing an altruistic act, but she sounded disapproving. I said, "Nice guy."

"I guess-I used to wonder why he was doing all that. To be honest, he doesn't seem like the volunteering type-but what's the difference, she makes her own decisions."

"You don't like him," I said.

"If Tanya likes him… No, to be honest I think he's a pompous jerk. I think Tanya may be seeing it, too. Finally." Her smile was reluctant, mischievous. "Maybe it's wishful thinking, but she doesn't defend him as much when I tell her he's a pompous jerk."

I smiled back. "Which hospital did they meet at?"

"Valley Comprehensive over in Reseda. A dump as far as I'm concerned, but that's where her HMO said she had to go. Why all these questions about Paul?"

Milo said, "He and your sister are important witnesses. In a homicide case, we need to be extra thorough. Does Paul still volunteer at the hospital?"

"Nope. Soon as Tanya was discharged and they were dating, he quit. That's what made me wonder."

"About what?"

"About if it was just a technique to hit on women. She's recuperating, and all of a sudden they're dating. Couple of months later, both of them move out of their apartments and they rent this place."

"How long ago was that?"

"Over a year," she said. "I shouldn't put him down if she likes him. He treats her well enough. Does the cooking, the cleaning-all the cleaning, now that's a good deal. Doesn't leave clothes on the floor-he's real neat, a neat freak, I never saw Tanya live so organized.

He even grooms Duchess-Tanya's dog-can spend a half hour brushing her. Duchess likes him now. At first she didn't, and I'm thinking, Yes, animals have a sense. But then she took to him and I'm thinking, What do I know? Or maybe dogs aren't that smart. After all, it was Duchess who got them into this mess by finding-but you know that, don't you."

"What else did Tanya tell you about finding Dr. Mate?"

"Not much. Like I said, she was grossed out-Tanya isn't much of a talker anyway. Paul was really into it, though. I'm sure he'll be jazzed that you're back to ask him more questions."

"Why's that? "said Milo.

"He thought it was neat-fascinating, he called it. Learning about police procedure. After Tanya called me, I came over. To give her support. Paul had the TV on, waiting to see if he and Tanya would be on. So he'll be jazzed at more attention."

"Happy to oblige," said Milo. "Any idea where we can find him?"

"No, like I said, it could be anywhere. He announces to Tanya they're going somewhere and most of the time she agrees. He drives and she sleeps in the car."

"Most of the time?" I said.

"Sometimes she puts her foot down. She doesn't like when her work piles up. When she turns him down, Paul gets all pouty and usually he stays home and keeps pouting. But sometimes he goes off by himself for a day or so… I have no idea where they are, but you could try Malibu. That's the one place Tanya likes to go."

"Where in Malibu?" said Milo, keeping his voice casual.

"Not the beach. We've got-Tanya and I own some land up in the Malibu mountains. Western Malibu, it's more like Agoura, across the Ventura County line and up into the hills. Five, six acres, I don't even know the exact size. Our parents bought it years ago, Dad was going to build a house, but he never got around to it. I never go there because there's really nothing there and it's kind of a mess-dinky little cabin, no phone, gross bathroom, tiny little septic tank. Half the time the electricity lines are down, the road's always washing out. My kids would go crazy from boredom there."

"But Tanya likes it."

"Tanya likes things quiet. When she was recuperating from chemo she went there. Or maybe it was to show she was tough. She can be stubborn. The place is probably worth some money now, I would've sold it a long time ago."

"Does Paul like it?" I said. "Being a Tree Person?"

"Probably. What Paul really likes is to drive, just for the sake of driving-like gas is free and he's got all the time in the world."

"Working for himself in real estate."

"I don't know what he does in real estate-he doesn't seem to work much, but he must be doing okay," she said. "He always has money. Isn't stingy with Tanya, I'll grant him that. Buys her jewelry, clothes, whatever. Plus he cooks and cleans, so what am I complaining about, right?"