“Why’d Giovanne boot you?”
“He didn’t but he gave me the look. I know the look. They’re bending over backward not to have problems and you just made me a problem.”
He touched the Band-Aid, pressed down, winced. “Damn. Just signed a lease on a place in Cathedral City.”
Milo cocked his head toward the casino entrance. “This ain’t exactly Caesar’s, Ted. Why’d you leave Vegas after Mandy was killed?”
“I got . . . I was bummed, didn’t want to deal with people.”
“So you took off?”
“Yeah.”
“Where?”
“To Reno.”
“After that?”
“Utah.”
“Why Utah?”
“It’s where I’m from.”
“Mormon?”
“Once upon a time—listen, I already told those Vegas cops everything I knew. Which is nothing. Some customer probably killed her. I never liked what she did, but I was heavily into her, so I stuck around. Now what am I supposed to tell you? And why are the L.A. cops interested?”
“Why didn’t you return to Vegas, Ted?”
“Bad memories.”
“That the only reason?”
“That’s enough. I was the one identified her body, man.” He shook his head and licked his lips.
“You weren’t avoiding anyone?”
“Who should I avoid?”
“Mandy’s killer.”
“A customer? Why would I avoid him?”
“How do you know he was a customer?”
“I don’t, I’m guessing. But what else? Working girls get messed up all the time—who’m I telling? You know. Occupational risk. I warned her.”
“She’d been roughed up before?”
“A mark here and there. Nothing serious. Until.” He touched the Band-Aid again, rubbed his pitted neck.
“Any idea who roughed her up before?”
“Nah. She never gave me names—that was our arrangement.”
“What was?”
“I stayed out of her face and she gave me her spare time.” Twisted smile. “I was into her a lot more than she was into me. Ever seen a picture of her? From before, I mean.”
“Uh-huh,” said Milo.
“Gorgeous, right?”
“The two of you ever live together?”
“Never. That’s what I’m trying to tell you. She wanted her own place, her own space.”
“Her own place for work.”
“Yeah,” said Barnaby, louder. Cracking his knuckles, he looked at his fingers sadly. “She was unbelievable. Part Hawaiian, part Polynesian. They’re the finest-looking people in the world. At first, I was totally nuts over her, wanted her out of the life, the whole bit. I told her, babe, learn how to deal, the way you look you’ll clean up on tips. She laughed, said she had to be her own boss. She loved money, was really into stuff.”
“What kind of stuff?”
“Clothes, jewelry, cars. She used to buy a new car every few months, sell it, get another one. Corvettes, Firebirds, BMWs. The last one was a used Ferrari convertible, she got it at one of those car lots outside of town where the losers dump wheels for cash. She used to tool around the Strip in it. I told her you’re the first girl I know so into cars. She laughed, said I’m into big engines, Teddy. That’s why I like you.”
The hands started moving again. “So look where it got her.”
A vanload of buzz-cut GIs was disgorged into the casino, laughing like schoolkids. Barnaby stood straighter and stared at the swinging glass door.
“That’s all I know, okay? You had to come out here because the same fuckhead did some girl in L.A., right? Same way Mandy was done.”
Milo didn’t answer.
“One of those serial killers, right?” said Barnaby. “Figures.”
“What does?”
“They always go after hookers.” Frowning. “Which is what Mandy was, even though she thought of herself as an actress.”
“She tell you she was an actress?”
“Yeah, but half-kidding.” Barnaby looked down at the pavement, bounced one sharp toe against the other.
“What do you mean?”
“Like, I pretend to be what the customer wants, Teddy. I’m an actress.”
“She ever do porn movies?”
“Not that I know.”
“No?”
“No!”
“She ever get specific about what kind of pretending?”
“No.”
“Or who she pretended for?”
“When I asked she got pissed, so I stopped asking. Like I said, she kept everything separate.”
Psychic link between call girl and professor. Milo glanced at me.
“She had her place, you had yours, Ted?”