“I’m telling you, Bette, I wasn’t there!” Tina got up from the couch and started pacing the room, trying to get a handle on her frustration.

“Tina, I saw you with my own eyes. I understand that you’re upset. Alice is way out of line to be accusing you of stealing, but you were there, Tina. Now if you would just explain to Alice that it was all a mistake, a big misunderstanding -”

Tina stopped her fitful circuit of the room and looked Bette in the eye. “I’m telling you the truth, Bette. I wasn’t there. I was working late at the office. I wish I had called you from there like I had half a mind to when I was on my way to the restaurant to meet the two of you. Then I wouldn’t be accused of something that I didn’t do.”

Bette paused before answering and spoke slowly, as if she was choosing her words carefully. “Tina, sometimes when a person is under a lot of stress, they do things that are out of character for them. I know that you’re working overtime on that huge project for the studio.”

“Bette, will you please just -”

Bette held up a hand. “I get it, T, believe me I do. I’ll talk to Alice and we can get this whole thing cleared up. I’ll tell her you liked the ring and wanted to borrow it. There’s no way you could have known it was special to her because her father gave it to her. That’s why she flew off the handle like that. You know Alice, she wouldn’t have cared otherwise.”

“I didn’t take her stupid ring, Bette. I don’t take people’s things without asking. You know that. I still ask you before I wear anything of yours!”

Bette sighed. “Tina… I saw you in Alice’s hotel suite. I walked in right as you two were yelling at each other. She said you took the ring out of her bag and put it in your pocket when she had her back turned. We left together, because Alice was so upset and I couldn’t diffuse the situation. You practically yanked me through the door and hailed a cab. I wanted to go back and fix things but you wouldn’t hear of it.”