Nadia was back. Would she would head right back upstairs, or come through toward the kitchen to leave her pocketbook there? Shelby hesitated, trying to ready some excuse, and then wondering if she really had to justify her actions in her mother’s home to this young girl. She hesitated a moment too long.
Talia walked into the living room and stared at Shelby. Her eyes widened.
‘What do you think you’re doing?’ she said.
TWENTY-SIX
Shelby stared back. ‘I didn’t know . . .’
‘You’re going through my papers?’ Talia exclaimed.
Shelby licked her lips. ‘I didn’t expect you home,’ she said.
Talia put her hands on her hips. ‘Obviously,’ she said. ‘I decided to come home for lunch and check on Mother.’
‘Look, Talia—’
‘Don’t “look Talia” me. That is my private business. I can’t believe my eyes. Why are you going through my papers?’
Shelby was embarrassed to be caught. But she reminded herself that she was looking for proof of a crime. She had hoped to arm herself with black and white proof. But, now, looking at Talia, she felt a reckless sense of entitlement. She could not imagine why, or how it could be possible. But if it were, no amount of snooping she could do would ever compare to that sort of treachery. If Talia had done this, arranged for the murder of Shelby’s child, there was nothing left to care about between them. ‘I’m looking through your receipts,’ Shelby said boldly.
‘Looking for what? You’ve got a lot of nerve.’
‘Faith’s parents went on a cruise. I need to know who paid for it.’
Talia looked completely baffled. ‘Faith? My graduate assistant?’
Shelby nodded. ‘Her father claims that he won the cruise in a contest, but he didn’t.’
‘So?’ said Talia.
‘He’s lying about it. Somebody paid for it.’
‘What’s that got to do with you snooping through my papers?’
Shelby hesitated. ‘I wondered if you paid for it,’ said Shelby flatly.
Talia shook her head. ‘Have you lost your mind? Why in the world would I send Faith’s parents on a cruise?’
‘It was the cruise that Chloe was on,’ said Shelby.
Talia looked at her blankly. ‘So?’
‘You tell me,’ said Shelby stubbornly.
‘I’ll tell you this. I haven’t got that kind of money, and if I did, I certainly wouldn’t spend it on people I don’t even know.’
‘You have plenty of money,’ said Shelby.
‘And how do you know that?’ Talia demanded. ‘Oh, that’s right. You’ve been going through my bank records.’
‘Did you do it?’ Shelby asked.
‘Do what? I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
There was the sound of a key in the front door lock, and then the door opened, and Nadia came in, carrying a shopping bag and her umbrella. Talia turned and looked at her aghast. ‘Where were you?’ she demanded. ‘Who is with mother?’
Nadia looked furtively at Shelby. ‘Your sister. She said she would stay with mother.’
‘I pay you to stay with her,’ Talia cried. ‘How dare you just go off shopping and leave my mother alone?’
‘Your sister said—’
‘You don’t do what my sister says,’ Talia cried. ‘You do as I tell you.’
‘I told her to leave,’ Shelby interrupted. ‘I said I would be here until she got back.’
Talia turned on Shelby with fury in her eyes. ‘And this is how you stay with her? You leave her all alone and come down here to snoop through my accounts?’
Nadia stood in the foyer, uncertain about what to do next. All of a sudden there was the sound of a loud thud from the second floor, and then a weak, plaintive moan.
‘Mother,’ Talia cried. She turned away from Shelby and left the room, running up the stairs. Nadia followed dutifully behind her. As Shelby watched them go, she had a sudden revelation, both disheartening and, at the same time, comforting. Talia was not worried about what Shelby might find in her accounts. She had rushed off to her mother’s side without a backward glance. She was not worried, Shelby realized, because there was nothing to find. Shelby heard Talia descending the staircase. She came back into the living room, glaring at Shelby.
‘How is she?’ Shelby asked. ‘Is she all right?’
‘How do you live with yourself?’ said Talia through gritted teeth. ‘You don’t give a damn what happens to her.’
‘This is more important,’ said Shelby.
‘She’s your mother.’
‘I know that,’ said Shelby. ‘I do my share.’
‘The occasional check,’ Talia said bitterly. ‘I suppose you think you shouldn’t have to help pay for her care. Your own mother.’
‘My mother used to chase me with a hammer, crawling under