Lauren tugged at my hand, I glanced at Carol, and then we left together. When we arrived at a fondue restaurant, Carol could not wait to ask Lauren how she found Melanie’s biological mother.

Lauren smiled smugly and told us everything. She had tasked her friends with finding Abby and had been waiting for an opportunity to put her to use. It was clear why Matthew was so embarrassed.

Lauren had searched for Abby for several months. About a month ago, she received word that Abby was in the suburbs. The older woman had been hopping from one place to another, marrying and causing trouble for her various husbands.

However, Abby had never established herself properly.

Lauren had brought her back to Foswood in time for Matthew’s party. She had wined and dined Abby for an entire evening, subtly influencing her. Hence, Abby could not wait to reunite with her ‘successful’ daughter.

Carol and I burst into laughter as we listened to Lauren’s story. It was quite a spectacle, and the Murphys we