Chapter 3

     Alice walked into the Gallery, hoping to catch Bette for an early lunch. The cleaning crew was still active and it looked like everybody was very busy after the weekend. "Damn, not much chance of dragging Porter from here today" Alice muttered to herself. She made eye contact with James across the room, so she pantomined she was looking for Bette. James nodded understanding and indicated Bette’s office. Alice threw him a quick thumbs up and headed back behind the scenes to the interior level of the Gallery that housed the various offices needed for all the staff and Bette.

     She walked into the office and her breathing quickened slightly, as it always did when she caught sight of Bette Porter. They had dated for awhile a few years ago and she still had a soft spot in her heart for her but she realized their relationship was much stronger as friends rather than lovers. Bette was sitting in her chair staring at a painting on one of her walls, apparently lost in thought. "So, this is why you get paid the big bucks!" Alice said as she sashayed into the room and plopped herself down in the chair across from Bette’s desk. Startled, Bette bolted upright, "Alice, uh Hi, what’s up!" Bette flushed guiltily. "Sorry, were we supposed to meet this morning?" she asked as she flipped though her day calendar. "No, no Porter relax, I was just checking to see if you could do an early lunch.’ Alice smiled. "I assumed from the amount of activity on the floor that you couldn’t, " she said pointing back over her shoulder to the Exhibit area "BUT, you don’t appear AS busy in here."Alice smirked. "Pulled the Boss card, did ya!" Alice finished crossing her arms and arching an eyebrow. Bette ran a hand through her hair, "I am extremely busy, really, I was just taking a break," Bette finished lamely. Alice gave Bette the once over, noted the heightened colour, signs of obvious guilt, the fatigue in her eyes and she knew something was up. "Okay, you can fool some of the people some of the time but…. yadda, yadda yadda. Give, what’s up?" Alice leaned forward waiting, then before Bette could speak she added intuitively, "This wouldn’t have anything to do with a MIss Tina Kennard, by any chance?" Bette’s look was all Alice needed to verify her guess. "It does, wow, I’m good. Okay, grab your coat now we HAVE to do lunch, I want details babe." Bette knew that Alice was like a dog with a bone when she caught the scent of a good story and there was no way she would quit this line of questioning so she gave up gratiously and reached for her purse. She dropped it when Alice asked, "Did you fuck her yet?" PLOP! "Alice! for god’s sake." Bette muttered exasperated. "So you did? Hope there wasn’t anything breakable in there" she said indicating the purse. "Now move it Porter, I want details." Alice said firmly as she shoved Bette towards the door.