Page 50 of Badlands

“No. However, please note you are under oath and lying to a federal agent is a felony.”

“Well,Iwas not sleeping with him.”

“And the other students? I mean, the female ones.”

A hesitation. Then: “Yes.”

“Which ones?”

Bromley gave a nasty laugh. “All of them, I think. And why not? It was consensual.”

Corrie took a moment to consult her questions. “Did you know Miranda Driver and Molly Vine?”

“Yes.”

“How well?”

“As colleagues. Fellow students.”

“Are you aware of what they did? Going out into the desert, stripping naked, and essentially committing suicide?”

“I read about it in the papers.”

By this point, news of the deaths had been allowed to spread under controlled conditions, but the FBI had withheld the information about the lightning stones.

“It seems a ratherstrangecoincidence that two of Oskarbi’s former students would do such a crazy thing. Do you know why?”

“No, I don’t.”

“When was the last time you saw Miranda Driver?”

“I don’t recall.”

“But you’ve seen her since the days you were students together?”

“I’ve run into her. Same with Molly. We don’t keep in touch.”

“Is that so? I have reports that you did keep in touch with bothof them—regularly.” She didn’t actually have reports to that effect but wanted to see his reaction.

“Sorry, is that a question?” Bromley asked.

“I am questioning the veracity of your statement that you didn’t keep in touch. I think you did.”

“I still didn’t hear a question.”

“Did you keep in regular touch with them?”

“I already answered that question.”

He’s a regular damned lawyer. “How about Oskarbi? Are you in touch with him?”

“No.”

“When was the last time you had contact with him?”

“Not since he went back to Mexico. That would be… about twelve years ago.”

“He was your dissertation advisor. Tell me about him.”

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