Love Sting

"You are correct. This coffee is much better tasting", Amy said.

"Told you. This place isn't as popular, but the coffee is not bitter", Beth replied.

"Agree. And the muffins, healthy". They laughed. The friends chatted, ate and sipped their coffees. Just then, an older couple walked in. Beth looked up. Her eyes widened. She gave a glance at Amy, who looked up.

"Holy cow, there he is. He's back", Beth whispered.

"Don't stare, just look". Amy peeked over her coffee cup.

"That's the guy? Are you sure? What's he doing here", Amy asked?

Beth and Amy watched as that couple ordered their beverages and muffins. After she paid, they walked with their food to a table in the corner. Amy looked at Beth.

"Really? She crossed her eyes. Giggles.

"Ok, not being mean here, but he is not what I would call handsome. Or even that good looking". Giggles.

"So, you never finished the story with this guy", Amy said.

"I didn't think he would ever show his face here again", Beth replied.

"Do you know the woman he is with"?

"Nope. I have my thoughts", Beth said, taking a sip of her coffee. "He is a clever one. Only took me a couple of months to figure this out", Beth said.

"If there IS anything".

"I believe there is. I watched a documentary about a similar situation but with stocks. It then clicked. Very clever".

"Ok".

"Right. All observations you understand. It made sense to me". Amy nodded.

"So? Fill me in". Beth smiled.

"Watch his smooth moves. Pay attention to the smartly dressed woman. Strong eye contact. Gently touching her arm". Giggles.

"If there isn't a paper written about this in a peer review journal, then I will write one". Giggles.

"I think you have one big imagination. That's why your picture books do so well", Amy said.

"They just look like an older couple who are interested in each other. Probably not married. Older married couples usually don't act like that in public".

"Really"?

"Yes. My parents would never act like that", Amy said.

"Appearances. All appearances. Looks how she glows with his affection".

"Well, that's the pattern. I didn't see that before. Several years ago, I dated this guy, which entitled me into a group. There was a married couple as well. We would meet up at the Pub on Wednesday's, dancing, food, beverages. This was way before we met".

"Hey, was that the controlling guy who moved to Mexico", Amy asked?

"Yup".

"What happened to that other couple"?

"Sad, really. He had early onset dementia. She came into an inheritance, started divorce proceedings, purchased a motor home, received half of the capital gains from the sale of their house, now lives in Oregon with their sons. He went into a rest home".

"Wow! Very sad".

"So where does Mr. Sweet Talker come into the picture", Amy asked?

"Well, he knew that couple for years before. Rene, foreign, would show up at the Pub with a woman, eat, drink and dance. A month or two would go by and he would come in alone. Then he would show up with another woman".

"Anyone ask him about this new woman"?

"Yup. The relationship just didn't work out or such like".

"Sounds plausible", Amy commented.

"It does. No one questioned it. Just like in that documentary".

"The pattern would continue, with a woman, alone, with a different woman".

"And each time they would act like that", Amy said, pointing to the couple?

"Exactly. Repeat, repeat. I mentioned this pattern to our group. I was told I was wrong and that it was none of my business". Amy raised her eyebrows and smiled. I shook my head.

"Maybe you are wrong".

"Maybe not. I used to pet sit for a friend of a friend. I learned that Rene was in a fatal attraction type of relationship".

"This gets better and better", Amy said.

"This was a year or two ago. Story goes, Rene tried to break off the relationship".

"Ha, not with a woman like that".

"So right. It got ugly quickly. They were the talk of the village. There was a restraining order against her".

"I bet there was", Amy said.

"Then Rene moved away somewhere. He was the talk for quite some time".

"And now he is back", Amy said?

"Back and with another woman. It was a puzzle that had no corners".

"Have to start with the corners. So, watching that documentary, you found the corners"?

"Exactly. I also did a little digging".

"I love this stuff", Amy said with a smile.

"Those women he dated, each one loaned him money, thousands of dollars. Undocumented income. Sound familiar"?

"OMG, Ponzi scheme. A love ponzi scheme". They both stared at the corner table couple.

"Kinda makes me ill".

"I know. He would get the loan and use some of it to make payments to the other women and live on the rest".

"He should have invested in something, besides himself".

"No contract, so collection is a he said she said, futile. Not to mention the shame and embarrassment of it all. Perfect, right"?

Amy nodded.

"Hey, did he ever attempt to hook up with you", Amy asked?

"No. I didn't dress the part. He figured I didn't have any money".

"That's a laugh. Lucky you". Giggles. "Oh look, they are leaving".

As the couple was leaving, a woman walked up to them.

"So, this is your new love interest"? Turning to the woman, "honey, he is a scammer. did he ask you for money yet? He will".

The couple looked stunned.

"Is this true", the woman asked Rene?

"I don't know this woman. I have no idea what she is talking about. She is crazy".

"Are you crazy", the woman asked?

"Crazy in love, at the time. I loaned him money. The payments stopped as did his texts. Where is my 30K"? Then another woman stepped over to them, "and where is my 20K"? Then another woman, "and my 50K"?

The patrons were silent and watching. Just then, 2 sheriff deputies walked in and over to them. One woman took out a paper and showed it to a deputy.

"Lies, all lies", Rene said. The group then walked outside. The entire coffee shop was at the windows, watching.

The sheriff turned Rene around and cuffed him. The patrons gasped. Rene was put into the back seat of the squad car. The patrons, stunned, walked back to their tables. Amy let out a loud laugh, then covered her mouth. The patrons looked at her.

"A love sting. this was a love sting", Amy said. Laughter.