At nine thirty a.m. I’d been working a crossword puzzle when Tanya Bigelow phoned to tell me her mother had died of cancer a month ago and she wanted a session.

It had been years since I’d seen her or her mother. “I’m so sorry, Tanya. I can see you today.”

“Thank you, Dr. Delaware.” Her voice caught.

“Is there anything you want to tell me now?”

“Not really-it’s not about grief. It’s something…I’m sure you’ll think it’s strange.”

I waited. She told me some of it. “You probably think I’m obsessing.”

“Not at all,” I said. Lying in the service of therapy.

“I’m really not, Dr. Delaware. Mommy wouldn’t have-sorry, I have to run to class. Can you see me later this afternoon?”

“How about five thirty?”

“Thank you so much, Dr. Delaware. Mom always respected you.”

Milo sawed along the bone, held up a wedge of meat for inspection. The lighting made his face a gravel yard. “This look like prime to you?”

“Tastes fine,” I said. “I probably shouldn’t have told you about the call-confidentiality. But if it turns out to be anything serious, you know I’ll be back.”

The steak disappeared between his lips. His jaws worked and the acne pits on his cheeks became dancing commas. He used his free hand to push a lick of black hair off a mottled forehead. Swallowing, he said, “Sad about Patty.”

“You knew her?”

“Used to see her in the E.R. when I dropped in on Rick. Hi, how’s it going, have a nice day.”

“Did you know she was sick?”

“Only way I’d know was if Rick told me and we’ve got a new rule: No business-talk after hours.”

When cases are open, a homicide detective’s hours never end. Rick Silverman works the E.R. at Cedars for long stretches. The two of them talk about boundaries all the time but their plans die young.

I said, “So you have no idea if she was still working with Rick?”

“Same answer. Confessing some ‘terrible thing’ that she did, huh? Makes no sense, Alex. Why would the kid want to dredge stuff up about her mother?”