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"You’re serious?" Sometimes with Marta it was hard to tell

"Very"

"But you haven’t confronted Jack?"

Anne heard Marta’s sigh "I’ve tried, and every ti and starts talking about soot up and left the room I’et so angry with Jack and with myself that I’m a worthless mess"

"Of course you’re eht to be"

"I trusted Jack"

Anne had trusted Burton, too Although she was reluctant toher friend a disservice if she didn’t share the painful lessons she’d learned "Keep an eye on your finances" She hated to give her more to worry about, but this was the trap Anne had fallen into, at great cost to herself

"Jack would never--"

"I said the sa about Burton," Anne told her "What you need to remember is that if Jack’s untrustworthy in one area, he could be untrustworthy in others"

"Like Burton?"

Anne sed around the lu her throat "Like Burton," she repeated

"How much did he cheat you out of?"

Anne didn’t want to think about it, didn’t want to confess how blind and foolish she’d been "A quarter of a million dollars is my best estimate"

"Oh, my," Marta breathed "That er now"

"But how can you be?" she deed on Anne’s behalf

"What else can I do? Hate him? Do you honestly think Burton cares how I feel about hione through it over and over again "It wouldn’tis myself"

"But you must’ve been an einning I was angry, and then I was so hurt I couldn’t stop crying For a while, I wondered if it was even worth living"

"Oh, Anne"

She’d never told anyone about those dark, ugly thoughts Anne wondered if she should be confessing how bleak everything had see those first dreadful months When she’d discovered how bad her financial situation was, she’d sunk to her lowest depths Once she’d learned she could cope with even that, her sense of self had begun to reassert itself

"Frankly, I would’ve wanted to kill hihed "I considered that, but I preferred not to spend the rest of hed, too, but there was little humor in it

"You want advice?" Anne had been in the same position Marta was now She knew that her friend probably hadn’t been ready to hear her suggestions when they’d spoken the week before She also kne difficult it was toany kind of crisis

"Please" Marta’s voice was as soft as a whisper

"If I were going through it again, the first thing I’d do is see an attorney and have our joint assets frozen"

Marta’s breath came in a rush "You told me to see one when I met you in Seattle, but now? So soon?"

"The sooner the better"

"Okay," Marta said, her voice gaining conviction "I can do that"

"A good one, but not one you both know"

"All right" Marta hesitated "Should I tell Jack what I’ve done?"

To be fair to both parties, Anne felt she should "I would In your own time It doesn’t have to be confrontational"

"I should keep it si and I’ve seen an attorney Period End of story"

"So like that"

"I’ll do it" Marta sounded detered to put her arms around her friend and offer her reassurance and comfort Marta, so experienced and sophisticated, was as emotionally vulnerable as Anne had been

"Callto encourage her

"About the painting?"

Anne had forgotten about her angel "That, too, but right now I’m more concerned that you take care of yourself"

"I…I think I’ll wait until after the holidays," Marta said "To see an attorney, I mean"

"Don’t," Anne warned "Do it today, before you lose your nerve"

"You’re right, you’re right I will"

"And stay in touch," Anne said

"I will," Marta pro more she could say or do It was Marta’s decision

Fourteen