Stolen items

Curtis:  There should be two Betty Crocker cookbooks. I had one and your mother had one. 

Me:  The one at your house is mom's.  Her handwriting is in it. I use it at Christmas. I have never even seen another one in all these years. 

Curtis:  You probably took it and threw it away. 

Me:  Why would I do that?  When you can't find something I always get accused of taking it.  I'm not going around taking your stuff. 

Curtis:  Well I don't know what I did with it and I don't want to blame myself, so...

Me:  I guess that's as close as I'm going to get to you admitting you lost it.  

Curtis:  hehehe.