"What other subjects do you teach?"

"Social justice. That's a two-semester course spanning the nineteenth and the twentieth centuries. As well as an honors seminar in urban studies and a super-honors mini-course in poverty and social adjustment."

"Super-honors?"

Hauer winked. "Kids who are really motivated get rewarded with extra homework and long papers."

Milo said, "Sounds like you've got a busy schedule."

"One who loves his work is never busy, only engaged."

"Ah... that apply to sex with Elise?"

"Oh, yes, Lieutenant. We were both definitely engaged--engrossed, really."

"How often did you and Elise get mutually engrossed?"

"As often as we could--no, forgive me, I'm being flippant again because this really has unnerved me."

"Being here."

"Being here to discuss Elise's death. Which I'm assuming was unpleasant and irregular, otherwise why would I be here, forgive the teleology--the circular logic."

Milo handed over his card.

Hauer said, "I hope she didn't suffer, Elise did not like to suffer."

"She told you that?"

"Oh, yes, explicitly. 'I'm not into pain, Rico.'"

"How did the topic of pain come up, Mr. Hauer?"

Hauer crossed long legs. White silk socks thin enough to suggest chestnut ankles contrasted with the black pants. "You're probably assuming paraphilia--pain in a sexual context. But not so, Lieutenant, the conversation was postcoital. Elise did what many women do in that situation. Began talking about herself." Conspiratorial grin.

Milo remained impassive. Hauer turned to me for empathy. I pretended to be a DMV clerk.

He said, "What I'm trying to get across is, Elise began talking about her childhood. A very unpleasant childhood, as it turned out."

"How so, Mr. Hauer?"

"A father who withheld love. In my view, it had turned Elise needy and vulnerable. That particular night, her point was that she'd escaped an unsatisfying family situation and had no desire to repeat it. Hence, 'I'm not into pain, Rico.' To my mind it sounded like anxious denial--trying to convince herself that she was strong. On the other hand, not repeating history would be a positive step, so I didn't debate her."

Hauer turned serious. "She yearned for gentleness. In fact, I'd say that was the unifying concept of her sexually. That's why I find it so unnerving that someone has harmed her. Was it violent?"

"We're keeping the details to ourselves for now."

"Yes," said Hauer. "That makes sense."

Milo said, "You always treated her gently."

"I'm a guy who loves to make women happy, Lieutenant. The pleasure of others increases my own."

"So if a woman wanted it rough, you'd oblige."

"Within bounds, but that wasn't Elise. Quite the opposite, she was more tickle than tussle."

Milo flipped pages in his pad. Hauer looked out to the garden, smiled serenely.

"You like working at Prep?"

"For the time being."

"Thinking of leaving?"