“I was hoping you might be able to help me with that, Andy.”
“I can’t—Dr. Delaware already knows that. I already told him everything I knew—didn’t I, Doctor?”
I said, “Is there anything else you might remember?”
“What? You think I was holding back?”
“Back when we thought Lauren was coming back, I can see your not wanting to violate her privacy. But now …”
“That’s true, I was being discreet. But there’s still nothing else I can tell you.”
“Lauren gave you no hint of where she was going?” said Milo.
“No. It wasn’t that weird—her taking off. I already told the doctor she’d done it other times.”
“For a day or two.”
“Yes.”
“This was a week.”
“I know, but…” said Salander. “I wish I could help.”
“Those short trips,” said Milo. “Did you ever have any reason to think they were for anything other than rest and relaxation?”
“What do you mean?”
“Did Lauren ever mention another reason for traveling?”
“No. Why?”
“Okay, Andy, let’s backtrack to the last time you saw her.”
“Last Sunday—a week ago,” said Salander. “I didn’t sleep well, got up around noon and Lo was in the kitchen.”
“How was she dressed?”
“Slacks, silk blouse—casual elegant, as always. She rarely wore jeans.”
“Did you guys talk?”
“Not much—just small talk. We had a light lunch before she left. Eggs and toast—I can eat breakfast any time of day. She left shortly after—I’d say one, one-thirty.”
“But she didn’t say where.”
“I assumed the U.”
“Her research job.”
“That’s what I figured.”
“On a Sunday?”
“She’d worked other Sundays, Detective Sturgis.”
“But this time she didn’t take her car.”
“How would I know that unless I followed her downstairs?”
“And you didn’t.”
“No, of course not—”
“When did you notice she’d left the car?”
“When I went to get my own car.”
“Which was?” said Milo.
“Later that evening, when I left for work—around seven-thirty.”
“And what did you think when you saw Lauren’s car?”
“I didn’t—didn’t think much, one way or the other.”
“Was that typical, Andy? Lauren not taking her car?”
“Not really. I just— It wasn’t on my mind. I can’t say I even consciously noticed it. When I got home she wasn’t there, but that wasn’t unusual either. She was often gone by morning. We were on different biorhythms—sometimes days would pass before we bumped into each other. I started to get a little concerned by Wednesday or so, but you know. . . . She was an adult. I figured she had a reason for doing the things she did. Was I wrong?”
“About her having reasons?”
“About not doing something sooner. I mean, what could I have done?”
Milo didn’t reply.
Salander said, “I just wish— I feel sick— This is unbelievable.”
“Back to Sunday, Andy. What did you do after Lauren left?”
“Um, tried to go back to sleep, couldn’t, got up and went shopping over at the Beverly Center. I thought I’d buy some shirts, but I didn’t find anything, so I saw a movie—Happy, Texas. Hilarious. Have you seen it?”
Milo shook his head.
Salander said, “You should see it. Really funny—”
“What’d you do after shopping?”
“Came back, had some dinner, got dressed for work, came here. The next day I slept late. Till three. Why are you asking me all this? You can’t seriously think …”
“Routine questions,” said Milo.
“That’s so TV,” said Salander. “So Jack Webb.” Trying to smile, but his face had lost tone, as if someone had yanked out the bones.
“Okay, Andy,” said Milo. “There are police officers at your apartment. It’s going to be disruptive for a while. Legally, I don’t need your permission to search, but I’d like to know that I have your cooperation.”
“Sure. Of course—you mean my room too?”
“If the search does carry over to your room, would you have a problem with that?”
Salander kicked one shoe with the other. “I mean, I wouldn’t want my stuff trashed, or anything.”
“I’ll do it myself, Andy. Make sure everything gets put back in place.”
“Sure—but can I ask why, Mr. Sturgis? What does my room have to do with anything?”
“I need to be thorough.”