"That sounds exhausting."
"It is.But it's also necessary."Diana took a small sip of her tea."These girls come to L.A.with big dreams and absolutely no idea what they're getting into.They've seen the Glimmer posts, the magazine covers, the glamour.They haven't seen the casting calls where they're told their nose is too big or their hips are too wide.They haven't seen the photographers who try to get them alone.They haven't seen the drugs that get passed around at parties, the pressure to stay thin no matter what it does to your body."
Her voice hardened."Someone needs to warn them.Someone needs to catch them when they fall."
"How did you end up doing this work?"
Diana's expression grew distant, her eyes focused on something Kari couldn't see."I came to L.A.with dreams of my own, once upon a time.Small town girl from the Midwest, thought I was going to be a star.I had the look, or so people told me.I had the drive.What I didn't have was any idea how brutal this world really is."
She laughed softly, without humor."It didn't work out.The industry wasn't kind to me.I made some bad choices, trusted the wrong people, ended up in a very dark place."She didn't elaborate, and Kari didn't push."But I stayed in L.A.because I'd already burned my bridges back home.The things I said when I left, the way I left—my family made it clear I wasn't welcome back.So I rebuilt.Found a way to make myself useful.Started helping other girls navigate the same waters that nearly drowned me."
Kari felt an unexpected sympathy for the woman across from her.She understood something about burning bridges, about staying in a place because going back felt impossible."So you look out for the new recruits.Try to protect them from what happened to you."
"I try.I check in on them constantly, make sure they're eating properly, make sure they have someone to call when things get hard."Diana's jaw tightened."This industry attracts predators, Detective.Men who see these young women as prey.Photographers who push boundaries.Executives who demand favors in exchange for opportunities.I've seen it all over the years, and I do what I can to protect the girls from the worst of it."
"What about Tayen specifically?Was someone bothering her?"
Diana was quiet for a moment, her fingers wrapped around her tea cup."Tayen was struggling in the weeks before she disappeared.She seemed withdrawn.Jumpy.I asked her what was wrong several times, but she wouldn't talk to me about it.She just said she was tired, stressed, the usual excuses.But I could tell there was more to it."
"Do you have any idea what might have been bothering her?"
"I wish I did.I've been going over it in my mind constantly since she disappeared.Wondering if I missed something, if I could have done more."Diana's voice caught."That's the worst part of this job.You try so hard to protect them, and sometimes it's just not enough.Sometimes you lose them anyway."
Kari let the silence stretch for a moment, then pulled out her phone."I found something on another model's phone.A woman named Jennifer Blake—she died about eight months ago.There was a conversation thread with someone saved only as 'M.'The messages were...intense.Possessive.Like a relationship that had turned toxic."
Diana frowned thoughtfully."Jennifer Blake.I remember her.She was at Elite Vision for about two years before she passed.Sweet girl, but she got mixed up with the wrong crowd toward the end.Started pulling away from people who cared about her."
"Do you have any idea who M might be?"
Diana considered the question, her brow furrowed."M," she repeated slowly."Just a single initial...that's strange.Most people save contacts by their full name, or at least a nickname.Using just an initial suggests she was being secretive about whoever it was."She looked up at Kari."What kind of messages were they?"
"Romantic at first.Supportive.Then increasingly controlling.Jealous.By the end, Jennifer was trying to create distance, and M wasn't accepting it.The last message from M, three days before Jennifer died, said 'You don't get to decide when this ends.'"
Diana's expression darkened."That sounds like...well, it sounds like someone who thought they owned her.Someone who couldn't handle rejection."She was quiet for another moment, seeming to weigh whether to say more.Then she spoke carefully, her voice lowered."Detective, I don't want to accuse anyone without evidence.Rumors can destroy careers in this industry.But there's been talk about Dr.Pemberton for years.Whispers."
Kari kept her expression neutral, though her pulse quickened."What kind of whispers?"
"That he gets too close to some of his patients.That he crosses lines."Diana shook her head."I don't know the details—it's all secondhand, things I've heard from other girls over the years.He takes a special interest in certain patients.That some of them end up in...situations."
"Situations?"
"Relationships.Affairs.Whatever you want to call them."Diana met Kari's eyes."I've never had any proof, and I've never wanted to spread rumors without evidence.But if you're looking for someone who had access to Jennifer, who might have used a middle name to keep things discreet..."She paused."His middle name is Michael, I think.Or maybe Martin.Something with an M."
"You think Pemberton might have been involved with Jennifer romantically?"
"I think it's possible.He's charming, he's successful, he makes these girls feel beautiful and special.And he has access to them at their most vulnerable—when they're insecure about their bodies, when they're looking for validation."Diana's voice was measured, reluctant."I'm not saying he killed anyone.I honestly don't know.I'm just saying...if you're looking for M, he might be worth investigating more closely."
Kari nodded slowly.Diana's information aligned with what she and Carter had already suspected.Pemberton had the access, the means, and apparently a longstanding reputation for getting too close to vulnerable young women.It wasn't proof, but it was another piece of the puzzle.
"What about Tayen?"Kari asked."Did she ever mention Pemberton?"
"I don't think she was seeing him professionally.She didn't have the money for his kind of procedures."Diana paused thoughtfully."But that doesn't mean he didn't approach her.He attends a lot of industry events.He's always around, always watching, always looking for new patients.Or new...interests."
They talked for another twenty minutes, Diana sharing what she knew about the dynamics at Elite Vision and Image Management, the pressures the models faced, the men who circled the industry looking for prey.By the time they'd finished their drinks, Kari found herself genuinely liking Diana despite her initial wariness.
"Thank you for talking to me," Kari said as they stood to leave."I know you're taking a risk, and I appreciate it."
"I just want Tayen found safe.That's all I care about."Diana pulled on her jacket."And I want whoever's doing this to be stopped.Too many of these girls have died, Detective.Too many families have been destroyed.Someone needs to answer for that."
