'Oh just a contract caterer - Wayne's' Wonderful food. Darlene is short listing suppliers for…Christmas. She expected his call and asked me to tell him to call again tomorrow. She forgot this was her day off and wants him to…call tomorrow-said that-so she can suss him out for Christmas.' Kate knew she was babbling but couldn't help it.
The rising blush matched the desire flooding her groin in response to the exquisite agony of being pressed against Ethan's chest. It warred with the growing fear. Her boiling blood combined with the subterfuge were causing her to prattle on. Oh what a wicked web we weave….
Liar Ethan ground out. 'Darlene usually cooks everything for Christmas. It's her thing. She really gets a kick out of going the whole traditional route. Do you know why she suddenly wants to get it catered? And why is she organizing Christmas in early August?'
Come on tell another one. Kate hesitated and spluttered 'Ah…um' her supply of easy answers apparently gone.
'After all I'm a bit confused.' Ethan continued sarcasm dripping from his tongue. 'Who doesn't suspect anything? Why won't He know what's hit him? More importantly who's …He?'
Kate almost gave it up but then she remembered the excitement on Darlene's face each time they discussed details of the party. She felt this was one way to repay the housekeeper for her kindness and generosity. She couldn't give in so easily.
Letting go of her arm and roughly putting her from him Ethan began to circle Kate like a lion around its prey, watching her rub where his grip had left a mark. He continued in a menacing tone. 'But there's no point is there?'
Kate's palpable relief was short lived.
'No point but plenty of secrets.─ Big secrets. ─ 50,000 of them. And that's not including the thousands of dollars splashed on fancy perfume, jewellery and designer clothing.'
Kate was confused. Alarmed by Ethan's slow circling, the chill in his voice and the glitter in his eyes she whispered. 'What do you mean?'
'$50,000. Sound familiar? Oh I suppose you thought that if you withdrew less each time than the $10,000 that results in mandatory notification then you would travel below the financial 'watch dogs' radar. The goodies you bought well you wouldn't expect a statement to reach my office for a few weeks and I presume by then you would have been long gone. What you didn't count on was the little known service provided by my bank. All new credit cards are monitored for unusual activity and then clamped if suspicious, standard procedure, to stop fraud.' Ethan almost spat out the last word, his tone laced with contempt.