She decided to take a shot in the dark also.  “Bette, if they act against you now, know that it will be a failure of nerve.”

Bette frowned slightly.  “I beg your pardon?”

“Your enemies.  If they move overtly against you, it will be a colossal strategic mistake.  They know it, and are just waiting for you to weaken.  If their defenses were impenetrable they would have moved against you already.  Taken what they wanted.  But they haven’t.  So that means you have the advantage, Bette.  Use it.”

Bette rubbed her eyebrows absentmindedly, lost in thought.  She gazed out of the window, looking beyond the mighty, flowing river, and at the soaring skyscrapers jostling for space and dominance in the Manhattan skyline.  The empire state.  Homeground of the wealthiest, and probably most ruthless, ruling class, to ever bestride the earth.  It was beautiful … and violent.  It was also home.  The upper east side oasis of calm and peace in the turbulent sea that swirled around them beckoned Bette’s thoughts, happy memories of their lives in the duplex flooding in in a rush.  I just want to go home.  To Tina.  To Angelica. 

She heaved a deep sigh.   She now lived outside the castle walls, so to speak, ironically, struggling to defend their home from outside.  She had to keep her nerve.  Prevail.  She turned her gaze back to Brooke.  No, I need to more than prevail.  Win.  That’s what I need to do.

She steeled herself to go on the attack.  “Brooke, I mentioned earlier that I wanted to ask you a few things first, before I explained about the redhead.”

Brooke nodded, still studying Bette.

“Back in late 2008, did you notice if there was anything peculiar going on with Phillip at that time?  Did he seem distracted or otherwise acted unusually then?”

Brooke frowned.  “Well I think everyone was losing their heads around that time, Bette.  And for many months after.  The financial world, and everything else, looked like it was about to crash, remember?”

Bette nodded, “Yes, of course.  What I meant was … over and above that, was Phillip more preoccupied with something else?”

Brooke shook her head.  “I don’t recall anything in particular, no.”

Bette sighed disappointedly, and began to rub her eyebrows absentmindedly again, apparently regrouping.