"I deserved that, I truly don't know what's going on." Either she was lying or Loraine had lied to him. Neither possibility made any sense.
"You know you can check your phone to see where that text came from. Are you the one lying?"
"I did check. The number didn't mean anything to me."
"You have colossal nerve to come here without even knowing me and laying all this on me. What sort of man are you?"
"An idiot. Nevertheless, I didn't come here intending any harm. I should have checked it out somehow and never approached you. Believe me Tammy." There was no sign she was softening. "I know you can't wait to get out of here. One more question before you leave, are you friends with Norma Martin?"
"What's she got to do with this?"
"Loraine said the three of you are friends."
"Really getting strange now. She owns the Jardin Café west of town. She's Cuban-American from up north somewhere. I had the real estate listing for the restaurant for a full year and couldn't move it. In the end, she bought it through another agent. I didn't make a dime. I've never even met her."
"Another of Loraine's lies. I wish I'd never gone to that party."
"Kind of cool of you to be so unconcerned about a woman's age and leave with her. No one can accuse you of robbing the cradle. I guess all her extensive cosmetic surgery can fool some men."
"I figured she was a little older. At first, I thought she might be as old as fifty. Then I got up close and started thinking sixty. Then Towson said she's seventy something. Aren't seventy-year-olds supposed to just sit around reading books and playing bridge?"
"Towson ought to know, he was married to her."
"What?"
"Sure. Back awhile, before he was mayor. Her maiden name was Dellin. They met at a Mensa meeting. How's that for classy dating?"
"Married huh? How'd she ever get into Mensa?"
"You keep implying she's dumb. She must be playing you. Loraine is smart and sophisticated. You're really out of it, you know. For a minute there I was starting to think somehow you might be a nice, harmless guy."
"Help me, Tammy. Why is she doing this to me?"
"When did she tell you all this?"
"This morning."
"You were with her this morning, where?"
He hesitated and dropped his eyes. "Well, actually we were at a motel."
She raised her eyebrows at that. "This just keeps getting better and better. And you want my help?"
"We just talked. I was having an innocent Saturday morning at home, when she phoned asking for help. I went over. I had nothing to do with any of this until she phoned." He leaned closer. "Is it possible Loraine is the one who was raped? That could be it. She didn't want me to know. She's calling out for help. Hiding her bruises with her sunglasses. That's why she didn't want the lights on in her motel room."