“The scars may not be permanent,” I told her. “My ex-husband attacked me in January. I was cut like you. But the cuts healed, and now you can’t tell. Don’t assume it’ll be forever. Go see a doctor when you’re back home.”

“I appreciate your trying to make me feel better, but I’m not in the mood for that, okay? I’m in a mood where I just want to hate everybody and everything.”

“Believe me, I know how you feel.”

Penny fidgeted in the doorway, as if she were trying to make up her mind about something.

“Do you want to come inside?” I asked her.

“No, I should probably get in my car and go.”

“It seems like you came over here for a reason, not just to say goodbye.”

“Well, I was going to stop by your house before I left town, but I couldn’t make up my mind. And then I saw you checking in here earlier. I figured it must be fate telling me what to do.”

“So let’s talk,” I said.

Penny lingered outside the motel room. “Why are you here, anyway?”

“My ex-husband is back in town. He threatened me.”

“Jesus. While you’re pregnant?”

“Yes, that’s Ricky.”

She shook her head. “This place is poison.”

“Penny, what did you want to tell me?”

“Hang on. I need to get something.”

She walked across the motel parking lot. I saw her bend over at the trunk of the car and remove a paper grocery bag from the local market. Then she shut the trunk and returned to my door. The whole way, she walked furtively, casting her eyes in every direction. She motioned me back inside, and then she followed and quickly closed the motel door behind her. We both sat on the bed.

“There are still a lot of people from the firm staying here,” she said. “I didn’t want them to see me going inside your room.”

“You’ve already been fired. What more can they do to you?”

“Sue me. Bankrupt me. Make sure I never get another job.”

“Over what?”

“Giving you what I’m about to give you.”

Penny reached inside the grocery bag. The first thing she pulled out was a cassette recorder and an electrical cord. She looked around the room for an outlet and plugged in the machine. Then she dug into the bag again and removed a cassette tape in a plastic case.