'You said that you think she works outside?
'Her tan suggests that, as does her unmanicured hands. Darlene reckons she, as she puts it, "earns an honest days pay for an honest days work."' only mimicking his outspoken housekeeper safe in the knowledge she was at home, out of earshot. 'Not made of money or used to spending it if Darlene's account of their shopping expedition is anything to go by. Positively no spendthrift.'
'Pleasant change from the others.' mocked Stefan. 'Shame I married one of them. This Wayne of her nightmare, did she say anything else?'
'Only statements like "leave me alone", "go away", "no more", "he mustn't find out.". She was distressed when she woke up but couldn't recall any details of the nightmare, only that she was terrified. I felt it wise not to mention the name Wayne.'
'Suggests a stalker. She might have made an official request? So we have a young, educated, professional who works full time in the sun who is being harassed by a man called Wayne. I've had less to go on.'
Getting to his feet Stefan continued 'I hope to file an interim report in a few days but, my friend, do not have high expectations. Seems to me that if she can't remember her past then maybe that's where it belongs.'
Ethan didn't like the ring of truth in his friends' observation as he showed him to the door.
Standing at the door Ethan asked Shelly, his PA's temporary replacement, to follow him back into his office with her notepad. Thank heavens she was only a temp, Ethan's eyes rolled skyward, as she sashayed past him and propped herself in what she probably thought was a highly provocative pose on the corner of his desk.
'Take a seat Shelly.'
Pouting her displeasure the teenager poured her self into the chair facing Ethan's desk, crossed her considerably exposed legs, crossed her arms to accentuate her already considerable cleavage and sat the top of her pen resting on her slightly protruding tongue. Mentally cursing the award that gave Australian workers 4 weeks annual leave and vowing to change employment agencies Ethan pointedly ignored the blatant come on and set the girl her task for the last half hour of her working week. Her last working week with him as she was soon to find out.
Ethan could appreciate Ellie's reluctance to spend his money.
Having himself grown up with a mother who struggled on a sole supporting parent benefit he took pride in being able to pay for things from money he had earned himself. The trouble was that he doubted that she would ask him or Darlene for that matter for anything she needed or the money to buy it. He didn't want her to go without. Surely there must be some things a woman in her twenties needed that he and Darlene hadn't thought of?