Flesh and Blood, an Alex Delaware novel by Jonathan Kellerman: Summary

The 437-page was printed by Ballatine Books New York in 2001.  The story focuses on Lauren Teague’s death, an old patient of Dr. Alex Delaware. The book is unpredictable as far as the plot goes and it is enjoyable. The twists and turns kept the reader engaged and interested to read more. Mr. Kellerman has kept the writing style simple for the readers to follow and the book is delivered in intellectual conversation. In this story we get to know the characters through their dialogue with one another. Psychological mystery, murder, crime, LA life, betrayal, love, parenthood, and narcissism make the plot interesting one.  (Dieng Plateau‘s memory).

Flesh and Blood, an Alex Delaware novel by Jonathan Kellerman: Summary

An old patient, Lauren Lee Teague, gets in touch. In take date, ten years ago, presented problems with poor school achievement – possible depressed- suspect drug use. Her father, Lyle Teague did something in the building trades and her mother, Jane Teague, was a former flight attendant, now a full-time mom. A heavy smoker – forty- five minutes without tobacco had been torture. Alex Delaware gave consultant for her but stop suddenly. Fifteen, but she could’ve passed for twenty. A striking good – looking girl found her parents only got married because they had to. She found her parents wedding license just two moths before her birthday. It’s only two sessions and a cancellation call with no explanation.

Six years later, Alex saw her in a bachelor party and escaped the party nearly blind with shame. A glimpse of what the parents of whores and felons go through. At twenty –one Lauren was free to do what she wanted – stripper-slut. Lauren worked with pimp Gretchen Stengel. The next day, she visited Alex Delaware. She found him from the paper. Alex still did practice but most of his work was the consultation: court cases and some police work. She said her parents finally got divorced.

Now, four years later, her mother, Mrs. Jane Abbot, called Dr. Alex Delaware. Lauren was missing for a week. Detective Milo Sturgis was in charges in Lauren case. Rooming with a gay man, Andrew Salander, said Lauren worked for some modeling. Jane Abbot said her daughter was inspired by Dr. Delaware. She studied psychology at the U University and did a research job.

Shawna Yeager was a student of U and had majored in psychobiology. She was missing a year ago. A single paragraph summed up her pre-college history: small-town beauty queen/ honor student travelled to the city attended the U. She left the dorm and informed her roommate, Mindy Jacobus, that she heading to the library to study. No leads. The campus paper carried the story for a week. Her mother, Agnes Yeager, a widowed waitress, was driven to LA from her town by a representative of the chancellor’s office and providing living in a graduate student dorm during of the research. Both Shawna and Lauren were A student and self-supporting too, one banking on pageant money, the other, ‘investments’. Two weeks before Shawna vanished after a research job.

Detective Milo Sturgis was in charge of Lauren’s death. They found Lauren’s body. She has been dead for five days or more, at the bottom of one of the Dumpsters, under a load of trash, shot twice in the back of the head. Lauren was dead at twenty-five but Alex’s memories were dominated by a fifteen-year-old face.

Lyle Teague remarried and had two young daughters. His daughter Lauren visited him at Christmas and showed up with the presents. She was dressed expensive and Lyle already knew his daughter got the money from. She called him for bail. Lauren was arrested for prostitution when she was nineteen.

The ad job experiment led to some names. Alex investigated Professor Gene R. Dalby. He claimed Lauren was his student but he didn’t know Shawna. Milo Sturgis investigated Dr. Benjamin J. Dugger, an experimental psychologist. The divorced psychologist Dugger admitted Lauren was a research aide in his project.

Alex got some details of information about Shawna from Adam Green, the student journalist who had covered Shawna’s story. Mrs. Agnes Mavis Yeager was a nice person and raised Shawna all by herself. Her father died when she was a little- some kind of trucker and the daughter turns out to be gorgeous, goes on to be beauty queen. Adam found the Shawna’s nudies photos at the Duke magazine. Everyone said Shawna was smart, she did not have boyfriend because she liked older guys. She had gotten big-time strokes for her looks and she was still a country girl. Some clues: older man, younger woman, Dugger’s ad, sexual hang-ups, and nude pictures. The two victims had similar situation to understand; the search for the perfect father; in Shawna’s case literal fatherlessness, in Lauren’s a cold, hostile with her father.

Duke magazine had been a major force in the crumbling of sexual censorship barriers, and Tony Duke fought his share of legal battles. Tony Duke was a farm boy morphed to starving bookkeeper to failed Hollywood scriptwriter. Marc Anthony Duke’s name pulled up sixteen quick hits, mostly press pieces and the official Duke magazine website. He passed the day – to- day operations of Duke Enterprises to his daughter Anita. He married had been widowed two decades ago and later married his former model, Sylvana Spring (Cheryl), with whom he had sired two children. Old Duke and Cheryl had concluded divorce.

After the daughter has been dead, now the mother, was shot too. She has been dead for several hours before her husband found her. Melville Abbot was accused shot her. Michelle Salazar, Lauren’s friend, told story of Gretchen Stengel. The pimp got no heart, she fired Michelle but she liked Lauren. Michelle got fired, on contrary Lauren quitted on Gretchen. She had saved up enough money and it was for school. After the interview with detective Milo, her friend Michele and Lance were shot too. Milo and Alex were suspicious on Lyle Teague, pimp Gretchen Stengel, Andrew Salander, and Dr. Benjamin Dugger.

Dr. Delaware studied Duke’s family. He found ex-wife Sylvana with her two young kids. A boy got down on the beach and Alex has helped him. While Anita Duke and her husband, Kent Irving, visited the two young Dukes, they were suspicious – flavor of flirtation on that house. Sylvana invited Alex and wanted to thank him for saving her son. Kent D. Irving was former garment manufacturer, and now Vice President and Project Manager for Duke Enterprises. He disliked Alex around Sylvana.

Sylvana joined a psychological experiment that she saw the ad in the paper then she met psychologist Ben. He brought her to his father Marc Anthony Duke. Both Sylvana and Lauren were in an experimental project of Dr. Ben. Milo still kept suspicious on Lauren’s roommate, Andrew Salander and his boy lover; make million bucks from Lauren’s death, an American way. Lauren told Andy she was going out to meet her real father, Tony Duke. Her mother told her. Jane met Duke while working as flight attendant on a jet Duke had chartered. He invited her to spend the layover at some mansion he was renting. After Jane got divorced, she was really poor for a while. So she wrote to Tony Duke and he started sending her money.

When she and Lo connected, she started sending Lo a regular allowance but she never told Lo where it really came from. Jane’s husband, Mel Abbot, was a rich TV producer, real generous. Jane wouldn’t give Lo details about her father. The mother had a golden goose farting into her hand and knew that if Duke found out his daughter was a hooker. It would screw the deal. Lauren researched her family tree and discovered Ben Dugger. She applied to be paid subject – not for the money, for the connection. Lauren told everything to Ben Dugger. They agreed to do the right way, not sprang it to everyone. Anita didn’t do well with change – Tony Duke’s illness had plunged her lower. Tony would be dead soon.

Sylvana and Kent Irving conspired to control Duke’s empire. They tried to kill Alex. Sylvana told everything including killing Lauren and her mother. It was Kent’s idea to kill Lauren since he knew who she was. Kent shot his lover Cheryl before she spoke up. Ben found Cheryl was shot by Irving and he tried to help Alex. But Irving’s stray bullet had passed through Ben’s thigh. Irving also framed Mel Abbot in murdering his wife but he was released. Gretchen set up Michelle and Lance and she walked. She insisted she never heard of Shawna.

Alex investigated Shawna’s death and visited Agnes Mavis Yeager. He learned Shawna things. Gene Dalby was in her transcript. He had lied and pretended not to know her. Dalby had been marriage twenty-three years, he was basically faithful. But Shawna was something else to him and the girl was madly in love with Dalby. She was also serious narcissistic, really into her looks, and her brains. It led her to ad of photographer’s model, claiming to be freelancing for Duke, Playboy, and Penthouse. She and her roommate went for audition, ended up being nudies shots. The photographer worked for all top magazine, promised her a gig with Playboy, a ticket to be fame and fortune. Dalby said they fought. Shawna tripped and fell from the hill. Her head hit the rock and laid there. He drew a map where Shawna died. The news said professor arrested in coed’s death.

Sekapur Sirih 

Novel psikologi thriller ini masih seri tokoh psikolog Alex Delaware. Penulis Jonathan Kellerman. Kali ini cerita berfokus pada kisah misteri kematian Lauren Teague, seorang gadis mantan pasien dari Dr. Delaware. Ceritanya menarik dengan plot yang sangat memilin dan susah ditebak. Buku misteri pembunuhan setebal 437 ini diterbitkan Ballatine Book tahun 2001. Kenangan indah dan kesejukan udara  alam hijau Dataran Tinggi Dieng.

Terjemahan dalam versi bahasa Indonesia: Flesh and Blood (Tubuh dan Darah), seri novel Alex Delaware, karya Jonathan Kellerman

Pasien Lauren Lee Teague, seorang remaja lima belas tahun, dikirimkan kedua orang tuanya pada psikolog anak Alex Delaware. Bermasalah dalam buruknya nilai pelajaran sekolah, sering mengumpat, kenakalan remaja lainnya, tapi yang paling meresahkan orang tuanya: diduga gadis itu terlibat dalam penggunaan obat-obatan terlarang. Ayahnya Lyle Teague bekerja bidang pemasaran properti dan ibunya seorang ibu rumah tangga dan dahulu seorang pramugari pesawat carteran. Wanita menarik yang sulit berhenti dengan rokoknya. Hanya dua sesi saja gadis itu tidak muncul lagi. Selama dalam pertemuan itu dia menggambarkan kekecewaannya pada orang tuanya. Dia menemukan surat nikah yang hanya dua bulan sebelum kelahirannya.

Empat tahun kemudian, seorang relasi mengadakan pesta mewah, dengan sangat malu Alex meninggalkan tempat itu. Salah satu dari wajah penari telanjang dihadapannya adalah Lauren. Keesokan harinya gadis itu muncul dihadapannya, di rumah yang juga menjadi ruang praktek. Gadis itu mengetahui banyak tentang Alex dari koran. Psikolog anak yang kini bekerja dengan polisi dalam beberapa kasus pembunuhan namun psikolog itu masih melayani pasien lama. Usia dua puluh satu, Lauren berhak menjadi apa saja termasuk menjadi pelacur – penari striptis. Dia menjadi anak buah germo terkenal Gretchen Stengel. Kekuatiran orang tuanya sepuluh tahun lalu ternyata beralasan. Lauren pun menceritakan perceraian orang tuanya.

Empat tahun kemudian, Jane Abbot menghubungi Alex. Lauren menghilang dan tidak kembali ke apartemennya, sudah berminggu-minggu. Kini gadis itu berumur dua puluh lima tahun namun di ingatan Alex dia masih lima belas tahun. Lauren terdaftar sebagai mahasisiwi psikologi pada Universitas U. Menurut ibunya Jane, dia terinspirasi dari Dr. Delaware. Teman seapartemennya, Andrew Salander, seorang pekerja bar memberi banyak informasi pada detektif Milo Sturgis.  Awalnya pria gay itu mengira Lauren adalah anak orang kaya, penampilannya selalu mewah dan tumpukan uang dalam amplop penuh angka nol. Dia royal dan sering mentraktirnya. Dia curiga profesi model hanyalah kedok saja. Gadis itu selalu mendapat nilai A, rajin belajar, dan ikut dalam sebuah riset di kampus.

Setelah perceraiannya, Jane menempuh sekolah perawat. Dia menjadi perawat orang kaya pemilik TV bernama Mel Abbot. Duda tua yang kini berada di kursi roda dan baru kehilangan pewarisnya, putra satu-satunya. Kehidupan Jane Abbot pun berubah, hidup layaknya orang kaya. Mantan suaminya, Lyle Teague, menikah kembali dengan wanita hampir seumuran Lauren dan memiliki dua putri kecil. Dia mengunjunginya beberapa kali saat Natal dengan pakaian mewah dan selalu membawa banyak hadiah pada adik-adiknya. Sebenarnya Lyle sudah tahu dari mana uang itu berasal. Beberapa tahun sebelumnya Lauren meneleponnya dari penjara minta uang jaminan. Dia ditahan terlibat masalah pelacuran.

Penyelidikan pun mengarah ke beberapa nama termasuk para dosen yang pernah mengajar Lauren dan psikolog Dugger dan Gene Dalby sebagai penyelenggara riset percobaan. Teman stripsi-nya, Michelle Salazar, diwawancarai. Gadis itu telah dipecat Gretchen, germo yang tidak punya nurani. Nasibnya bertolak belakang dengan Lauren. Walau Lauren disukai, tapi dia keluar dari Grecthen. Tabungannya sudah cukup untuk dana kuliah.

Sudah setahun Shawna Yeager dinyatakan hilang dan sempat menjadi tajuk utama berita kampus selama berminggu-minggu. Mantan ratu kecantikan daerah yang menempuh kuliah di Universitas U jurusan psikologi. Beberapa kesamaan antara Lauren dan Shawna: keduanya sama-sama cantik, berambut pirang, membiayai uang kuliah sendiri, partisipan dari experimen psikologi, kehilangan figur ayah, dan model.

Usai perceraian, Jane Abbot sempat miskin hingga menyurati Tony Duke. Kiriman uang pun lancar setelah itu dan Jane membaginya pada putrinya. Walau dia telah memberitahu ayah biologis putrinya adalah Tony Duke namun Jane tidak pernah jujur memberitahu uang itu darinya. Kebetulan juga suami kayanya, Mel Abbot, adalah orang yang murah hati. Lauren sangat kaget dengan kenyataan dia adalah putri seorang pemilik majalah dewasa Duke dan termasuk orang ternama di Los Angeles. Ketika Jane menjadi pramugari, dia melayani jet carteran atas nama Tony Duke, dan wanita itu diundang dalam pesta pribadinya. Dalam usianya yang sudah tua dan hampir mati, Tony ingin bertemu putrinya namun Jane selalu saja mengelak. Beri alasan Lauren bermasalah dengan kejiwaan. Dia kuatir, jika Tony tahu anaknya seorang pelacur-penari striptis maka kiriman uang akan dihentikan.

Lauren pun mencari jati diri keluarganya. Keluarga Duke. Dr. Benjamin Dugger, seorang psikolog sukses sedang mencari partisipan eksperimen dan Lauren melamarnya. Setelah akrab dengan psikolog itu dia memberitahu siapa dirinya dan mereka sepakat untuk menundanya bertemu Tony Duke. Kondisi ayahnyang semakin memburuk. Anita Duke, adik perempuannya, juga tengah larut sedih dengan perubahan kondisi ayah mereka. Kini bisnis Duke Enterprise ditangani putrinya yang merupakan sarjana lulusan ekonomi dari kampus ternama. Dia menikah dengan pemilik perusahaan garmen Kent Irving, yang sekarang menjadi manajer lapangan perusahaan Duke.

Marc Anthony Duke adalah seorang petani yang merantau ke LA, awalnya menjadi penulis skrip tapi memutar haluan dalam bidang pornografi menghantarkannya pada gelimang uang hingga memiliki majalah dewasa Duke dan usaha lainnya. Tony kini menua dan hampir mati. Setelah istri pertamanya meninggal, dia menikah dua kali, dan sempat vakum tak beristri selama dua dekade, sebelum menikahi Sylvana Spring, mantan modelnya. Gadis itu kemudian dikenal dengan Cheryl. Gadis pirang itu mengikuti program eksperimen Dr. Dugger. Psikolog itu mengenalkannya pada ayahnya. Duke memiliki dua anak kecil dan setahun terakhir menceraikan Sylvana. Tapi Sylvana (Cheryl Duke) masih tinggal di properti mantan suaminya karena tidak ingin kedua anaknya jauh.

Alex mempelajari keluarga Duke dan menguntiti kehidupan Sylvana. Dia menyelamatkan putranya yang tenggelam ketika bermain di pantai. Sebagai rasa terima kasih janda cantik itu membawa Alex ke rumahnya dan mereka pun beberapa kali bertemu. Anita dan suaminya Kent mencium gelagat aneh pada Alex. Utamanya Kent tidak menyukai Alex dekat dengan Sylvana. Puncaknya Sylvana dan Kent berusaha membunuh Alex.

Saat itu pula Sylvana mengakui bahwa dirinyalah yang menembak mati Lauren dan ibunya Jane. Kent adalah otaknya. Dia ingin menguasai harta Duke. Setelah mengetahui Lauren adalah putri Tony Duke yang kelak akan  menjadi ancaman baginya, dia menyingkirkannya. Kuatir rencana busuknya terungkap, lelaki itu menembak mati kekasihnya, Sylvana. Alex hampir saja terluka, beruntung, Ben Dugger mendapati mereka. Tembakan peluru Irving melukai paha Ben. Alex pun berhasil menjatuhkan Irving. Gretchen Stengel mengakui dia yang membunuh teman Lauren: Michelle dan Lance; mereka terlalu banyak bicara tentangnya dan bisnisnya. Tapi germo itu tetap mengaku sama sekali tidak pernah tahu nama Shawna.

Alex kembali membuka kasus kematian Shawna dan mengunjungi ibu gadis itu. Sejumlah bukti barang milik Shwana didapat. Gene Dalby sempat membohonginya ternyata dalam transkrip nilai Shwana, ada nama Gene Dalby. Akhirnya Profesor itu pun mengakui kalau dirinya memang terlibat dengan Shawna. Awalnya sebagai partisan dalam proyek eksperimennya namun keduanya pun menjalin hubungan. Dalby telah dua puluh lima tahun menikah, sebenarnya dia adalah suami setia. Tapi dia mendapati sesuatu yang berbeda dan membuatnya nyaman dalam diri Yeager. Mantan ratu kecantikan, yang sadar dirinya cantik dan berotak.

Seorang narsis, ingin terkenal, dan sangat mencintai dirinya. Tanpa sepengetahuan Dalby, kekasihnya mendaftar diri pada sebuah iklan foto model dan ternyata foto bugil. Sang fotografer menjanjikan akan mengorbitkan pada majalah porno terkenal Playboy atau Duke. Dalby sangat kecewa dan marah. Pertengkaran pun tidak terhindarkan. Shawna berlari emosi, terjatuh ke jurang, dan kepalanya terantuk ke batu hingga di dasar lembah. Dia pun memberi peta tempat kejadian pada Alex. Berita di televisi menyiarkan: ‘Seorang profresor ditahan atas keterkaitannya pada kasus kematian mahasiswinya.’