Chapter 71

“Why would they?” Deborah said. “Most of the people there knew me and were accustomed to seeing me at that function and other events. As long as we didn’t attempt to sit down and eat dinner, we were okay.”

“After people finished eating,” George said, “we circulated around and danced some more until Deb found out what she wanted to know.”

“And?” Tom said.

“The son of a bitch was there, all right,” she said, “with that slut from the Chamber of Commerce.”

“What do you care, Deb?” George said. “You and he had broken up by then.”

“Yeah,” she said, “but it was too soon for him to be having a good time.”

“Why not?” George said. “You and I were having a good time.”

“True,” she said, “but we were having a good time vertically. He and the slut were planning to have a good time horizontally. I wanted him to suffer a little more deprivation.”

“Women,” Mike said.

The conversation shifted to safer topics. Then Deborah said, “Tom, you’re organist and choirmaster at Good Shepherd, right?”