“Did you pay the bail? Why can’t we just go? I don’t want to stay here.”

“I’ll take care of it. Tell me what happened.”

“I said I don’t know. I was with this guy. I was lonely.” She sniffed, accepting the tissue that Sybill passed her. “We were just talking for a while. We were going to go out to lunch, then the cops came up. He ran away and they grabbed me. It all happened so fast.”

She buried her face in her hands. “They found drugs in my purse. He must have put them there. I just wanted someone to talk to.”

“All right. I’m sure we’ll straighten it all out.” Sybill wanted to believe, to accept, and she hated herself because she couldn’t. Not quite. “What was his name?”

“John. John Barlow. He seemed so sweet, Sybill. So understanding. I was feeling really low. Because of Seth.” She lowered her hands and her eyes were tragic. “I miss my little boy so much.”

“Were you coming to St. Christopher’s?”

Gloria lowered her gaze. “I thought, if I just had a chance to see him.”

“Is that what the lawyer suggested?”

“The—oh . . .” The hesitation was brief, but it set off warning bells in Sybill’s head. “No, but lawyers don’t understand. They just keep asking for money.”

“What’s your lawyer’s name? I’ll call him. He may be able to help straighten this out.”

“He’s not from around here. Look, Sybill, I just want to get out of here. You can’t believe how horrible it is. That cop out there?” She nodded toward the door. “He put his hands on me.”

Sybill’s stomach began to pitch again. “What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean.” The first hint of annoyance sliced through. “He felt me up, and he said he’d be back later for more. He’s going to rape me.”

Sybill shut her eyes, pressed her fingers to them. When they were teenagers, Gloria had accused more than a dozen boys and men of molesting her, including her high school counselor and principal. Even their own father.

“Gloria, don’t do this. I said I would help you.”

“I’m telling you that bastard put his hands all over me. As soon as I’m out of here, I’m filing charges.” She crumpled the paper cup, heaved it. “I don’t give a damn if you believe me or not. I know what happened.”

“All right, but let’s deal with now. How did you know where to find me?”

“What?” A dark rage had been sliding over her brain, and she had to struggle to remember her role. “What do you mean?”

“I didn’t tell you where I was going, where I would be. I said I would contact you. How did you know to call me at the hotel in St. Christopher’s?”

It had been a mistake, which Gloria had realized shortly after making the call. But she’d been drunk and furious. And damn it, she didn’t have the cash on her to make bail. What she had left was safely tucked away. Until the Quinns added to it.