I agree, that’s the most unbelievable part. The truth is probably that the wives were oblivious to Foos’ activities, and this notion that they were fine with it was just a lie to salve Talese’s conscience about his own creepy complicity.
There’s also the small matter of the motel having been demolished at a perfectly convenient time. (IIRC it was just after the statute of limitations expired on the voyeurism crimes.)
But what irked me most deeply about the whole thing was Talese’s half-assed effort to find information on the murder Foos allegedly precipitated and witnessed.
Hmmm, he already had evidence that Foos had fudged at least some the dates in his “notes” (since they began before he owned the motel). Maybe he also fudged the dates around the murder? Nah, if you’re Gay Talese, you look for confirmation of the murder story on the exact dates given in the diary/notes, and those dates only. Well, that’s a relief, it seems there was no murder after all!
