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"Goodness," Shirley warned again

"I’lance at the nae of the folded sheet

"Is it anyone we know?" Mercy de closer

Goodness eyed Shirley, as trying not to reveal her own interest "Well, is it?" Shirley finally asked

"No," Goodness said "I’ve never heard of Anne Fletcher, have you?"

"Anne Fletcher?" Shirley echoed, and then as if her knees had gone out from under her, she sank into the chair reserved for Gabriel "Anne Fletcher froel repeated slowly

Goodness looked again, lifting the edge of the sheet just a bit higher this time "Formerly of California," she said

"Oh, no!" Shirley cried "She one"

"The San Juan Islands," Mercy said, leaning over Goodness to take a look for herself

"She’s in the Caribbean?" Shirley said, sounding distraught

"No, in Puget Sound--Washington State," Goodness told her

"I remember it well," Mercy said with a dreamy smile "Don’t you remember the Bremerton Shipyard? We had so much fun there"

"What I reel, "was all the trouble we got in when you started shifting aircraft carriers and destroyers around"

"I don’t kno ize for that," Mercyher ar like that’s happened since, and frankly I think you’re…"

Her words faded as she saw Goodness studying Shirley "How do you know Anne Fletcher?" Goodness asked softly

"Poor, poor Anne," Shirley ht "I knew her el I ith her ave birth to Anne"

So Shirley had a connection to Anne Fletcher "I didn’t read the request," Goodness said, er than ever to throw caution to the winds and take a second, longer look

"Maybe there’s so we can do," Mercy said It sounded as if she was encouraging Goodness to flout protocol, and Goodness was happy to go along with the iestion She quickly scooped up the prayer request, then almost dropped it when a voice boomed behind them

"Do for whoel Gabriel

Goodness spun around and backed against the side of the huge desk, crushing her wings in her atteood Gabriel was their friend, but he wouldn’t tolerate their snooping around his desk

"Nothing" Mercy moved closer to Goodness until they stood shoulder to shoulder, wing to wing

Shirley was lost in her own thoughts, sitting in Gabriel’s chair, apparently oblivious to their dire circumstances

"Do?" Goodness choked out "Are we supposed to be doing so for someone?"

"It’s Anne Fletcher," Shirley whispered, peering up at Gabriel, apparently still in a stupor "We’ve got to help her"

"Anne Fletcher?" Gabriel’s brow furroith concern

"She’s said a prayer for Roy," Goodness explained, and boldly handed Gabriel the request, asit had been read "She wants to believe But she’s worried about her son and has given up hope that anyone can reach hiazed up at Gabriel with large, pleading eyes Her wings were folded back and she hung her head as though she felt the same sense of despair Anne Fletcher did

Goodness had never seen Shirley so upset Clearly this Anne person was so sound Shirley glanced up and with a look of panic realized she was sitting in his chair She bolted upright, then leaped to one side

It was such a rare sight to see Shirley ruffled that, had she not felt so worried about her friend, Goodness would’ve been amused

Once his chair was vacant, Gabriel sat down, ignoring the prayer request Instead, he removed the runt, he set it on his desk He opened it to the sectionlist of na to risk standing on tiptoe and taking a look Even she understood when it was best to restrain her curiosity

"Anne Fletcher," Gabriel said thoughtfully "It’s been five years since the divorce"

"Anne’s divorced?" Shirley whispered "Oh, ?"

"Actually, quite well," Gabriel told her "She’s adjusted far better than we’d expected" He nodded, sone back to her art and that’s helped her It says here that she’s living in Washington State, on a set Sound"

"Burton always discounted her talent," Shirley said, and leaned on her pale volume that documented human lives "She could’ve been a successful artist had she continued her studies"

"Stillthat she was in the know She hated being left in the dark when it caued her They were the very pinnacle of God’s creation, fearfully and wonderfully made, yet so obtuse It was hard to believe free will could cause such problems