“I’m serious. I think there might be something going on between her and Chloe.”
Roberta shrugged. “What evidence do you have of this?”
Classic Roberta. She had no other reaction than,“Evidence? Where’s your evidence?”This was why Lara liked her. That and she cooked a mean lasagna.
“I have my reasons for thinking this.”
“That means you have no evidence.”
Lara huffed. “I caught the girl reading something on Kennedy’s stationery. She was secretive about it. And giggling over it.”
“Okay, but have you seen them together like that? Has either of them said anything?”
“Well, no…”
Roberta shrugged again. “If you’re that worried, fire the girl.”
“That doesn’t solve my problems.” Kennedy would find someone else to fool around with. Probably in the city where Lara would never find out. “Besides, it’s such a pain in the ass hiring live-in maids around here. I have to take applications, interview them, give them trial runs… Chloe’s only been here a few months. I don’t want to go through that again if I don’t have to.” Obviously, if Chloe were screwing the boss’s spouse, then she would have to go.
“Your problems sound like they’re in your head.”
Lara could have responded in any number of ways. She could have yelled at Roberta. Could have fired her on the spot for saying such a thing. Could have sent a warning shot with her sharp, biting tongue.
Instead, Lara said, “You’re right. They are. Except my instincts have brought me this far in my life, and my instincts say that something is going on. Something is being kept from me in this house.”
“Well, I know nothing about it, ma’am.” Roberta waved her knife around for emphasis. “But if you do find out that the asshole is cheating on you, know that I can slip any ol’ thing intoher chicken soup. Like a shitton of laxatives, if you know what I mean.”
“I think I get your point.” As amusing as it would be to destroy Kennedy’s colon for a day or two, Lara wasn’t sure what that would accomplish. “I appreciate your candor, as always.”
“That’s why you come to me.”
“Indeed.” Lara turned, shoulders square and ponytail pulling against her scalp. “Let me know if you notice anything, though.”
Before she could step out of the kitchen, Roberta called out, “There was one thing, ma’am.”
Lara stopped. “Oh? Do tell.”
“This is conjecture on my part, but maybe it will mean something to you.”
“Please, go on.”
Roberta looked around the kitchen, as if anyone but her, Lara, and the deliveryman who brought the food three times a week ever came in there. “The other day, when I was serving Ms. Anderssen breakfast, I saw her pull the maid aside and whisper something into her ear. It was not work-related, ma’am. The girl was blushing like crazy, and Ms. Anderssen looked fairly pleased with herself.” Roberta caught her words. “More so than usual.”
“I see. Is that all?”
“No.”
Lara braced herself.
“She then asked her if she would meet her in her office for something personal on a day you went shopping in town. They were in there for two hours. I had to clean the whole dining room by myself, so I gave Chloe a bit of an earful on your behalf.”
Well, that was certainly not something Lara wanted to hear. Nevertheless, she thanked Roberta again and wandered off to consider this information and what it possibly meant.
Kennedy and Chloe definitely had something going on. Lara could confront her. She could pull that maid aside and demand aconfession. Yet what good would that do? All Lara would do was scare her into either quitting or lying. And Kennedy would keep on keeping on.
Kennedy.
Her fucking partner.
