Dick Diamond is a professor at the local university and a friend of Milo's. Milo often attends parties at Dick's home and has had multiple affairs with the women Dick works with. When Helen comes to Milo, she tells him that a friend sent her and Milo later learns it was Dick. Dick and Helen had an affair in graduate school. The affair begins again when Milo calls Dick in to help Helen through the grief of her brother's death. This affair continues after Helen returns to Meriwether, even as she lives in Milo's home as his lover.