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?”