Pure | Cate Blanchett

Chapter 28

Andrew stood silent in only a T-shirt and his boxers. He had to crane his neck to see what Cate was doing with the young woman against the side of the house. Her name briefly escaped him -wait- Amanda, that's her name.

The two disappear into a car, driving away into the night. They must have someone helping them. Andrew turns and leaves the bedroom, walking down the hallway and stairs towards the kitchen.

Turning in the lights, the bulbs illuminate the once dark room. Everything seems normal. Andrew takes out his phone and dials his wife's number. The house fills with its ringing only a second later. Walking over and picking up her phone, he glances over the counter for anything.

Pocketing Cate's phone, Andrew searches for any of her necessary belongings. Her purse is still sitting on the side table by the front door. He picks it up and immediately empties its contents.

Her keys and various other things fall to the floor, clattering against the tile. Following suit to the floor, Andrew searches the items for anything missing.

Her wallet.

Cate's wallet is missing. Andrew leaves the mess by the front door and walks back upstairs to retrieve his own phone.

"911 what's your emergency?"

"Yes, I would like to report a missing person,"

***

Andrew sits at the kitchen table with two officers as a team combs through his house.

"And you woke up around 1:30... is that correct?" Andrew nods. His hands are clasped together on the table, his leg bouncing.

"I don't know why, but when I noticed her empty side I went to the window instead of the kitchen. It was then I saw her talking to someone else. She was pushed against the wall not even a minute later," The detective is jotting down the details as Andrew give them.

"Then it looks like Cate is being pulled towards a running car parked a few yards up. She gets in with the other woman and they speed off,"

"So it was a woman she was with?" The detective standing next to his partner clarifies.

"Yes. Cate had been spending a lot of time with the woman, I think her name is Amanda,"

"Do you know when they first met?"

"I don't. It must have been while I was on one of my business trips. I have since started working from home so I could keep an eye on Cate,"

"Why is that?" The detective taps his pen briefly against his note pad.

"I believe Cate has been having an affair with her," Andrew looks up at both detectives. They make eye contact before he jots down the new information.

"You didn't see her face by any chance did you?" He shakes his head.

"I did see she has darker brown hair and owns a motorcycle," the officer notes one last time before standing up.

"Thank you for cooperating, we will be in touch," Andrew shakes hands with both officers and watches them walk out. The team going around finishes soon after that, and then Andrew is left alone in the big, silent house.

***

The kitchen is dark, only the moonlight illuminates the appliances. Andrew stares at his phone in front of him. It's been about a week since Cate ran off and disappeared. The investigation is still underway, but Andrew couldn't help but feel the momentum start to fade.