With a snort Darlene retrieved the document from the study and scanned its contents. 'Well that proves it then.' She declared smugly, hands on hips and a look of mother knows best.
'We were both taken in.'
'No you were taken in and not by Kate.' Darlene then went on to explain the discrepancies in the bill. Two transactions on the same day were made at opposite ends of the city. Add to that she was with Kate all that day, every minute as Kate was terrified it being her first trip into the heart of the city on public transport. She clearly remembered the much smaller purchase being the one she signed for, a gift for Chloe. The large cash withdrawal on the same day kilometers away was obviously not made by Kate.
'Ethan, could there be two cards?'
'I only gave one card to Shelley to activate …Though now that I think about it…'
'Well?'
'A conference call came in at that time.'
'And?'
'I may have given her the folder as well. It contained more blanks and activation codes.'
'Well there you go then. The little floozy organized her own termination payments via credit card.'
'I'd have to check.'
'Pity you didn't do that before accusing Kate.'
'It doesn't matter anyway. She's been lying to us about her memory loss to cover up her sordid past and her plans here. She was after something. It was just unfortunate that Shelley got in first.'
'Got in first for what?'
'Who knows? Whatever it was it was a close call as Wayne was coming in 2 days time.'
'Wayne? You mean of Wayne's Wonderful food?'
'She told you that furphy too, did she?'
With another even louder snort Darlene let him have it. She detailed all the plans for the party - the need for secrecy, the invitations to his close friends and many not so close, the champagne, wine, beer and spirits cooling in the cellar, the band that's promising to cover U2 and other artists Ethan likes and yes, even Wayne the caterer.
With each blast Ethan sat up straighter shaking his head trying to clear the scotch fumes fogging his mind.
'Don't you shake your head at me, my boy.' Inwardly cringing as she'd never called him that before. 'As for those photos, and the inquiry, the Kate I have seen at close quarters would not stoop that low. One picture may tell an thousand words but they can be a thousand lies not truths. If she had remembered everything why leave the photos behind? If she was after everything she could get why is it the only thing she took with her was the teddy bear?' Darlene didn't want to mention the designer clothes. She had a sneaking suspicion that they had disappeared well before today.