Sorry, I'm late, Tom.
It's all right, Rita. Where have you been?
At the police station. I've lost my handbag. Or perhaps someone's taken it. I don't know.
Oh, no. What happened? Sit down. Was there anything important in it?
Important! My checkbook, all the papers I need for work.
Oh, that's terrible. But how did you lose it?
Well, as you know, I was with a friend all morning and we had lunch together. After I had lunch, I went shopping. And when I wanted to buy something, I couldn't find my checkbook. Then I remembered that it was in my handbag. And my handbag was in my car.
So you went back to your car.
But I didn't find it there.
And you went to the police station?
Not immediately. Before I went to the police station I called my friend's office. No luck.
You should go to the restaurant where you had lunch and look for it.
Oh, I should have done that.
Now you'd better telephone the manager right away.