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God help hi one

Peggy waited until she heard Wallace leave before she came downstairs to talk to Cindy

“It looks like we’ve both been busy tonight,” Peggy co her clothes and coh her hair

Cindy gave a faint sot t projects tonight Icouple froreed to accompany Wallace to his East Haothas another profitable target to hit, and Wallace is so captivated bythe top of her blouse “He’s ed man”

Observing the sparkle in Cindy’s eyes and the high color on her cheeks, Peggy said, “This ga less of an act andto care for the man”

Cindy’s fingers paused on her collar “I find hient I doubt any woifts, adoration, and attention he’s lavishing on me And truthfully, I feel a little sorry for him I knohat he did to Meili, and I don’t bla to ruin him But in all fairness, it was she who dumped him Wallace has no idea how hard she took their break-up, or that she found out she was pregnant after it was over I believe he would have taken care of her and the baby He’s an honorable hter—isn’t that punishh?”

“He didn’t just lose her,” Peggy amended quietly “She was killed By an anonymous hit-and-run driver Three months after Meili took her own life Do you really believe that was a coincidence?”

Cindy’s fingers faltered for aher hair off her face “Of course not I’m not a fool I know my A Sook It’s an eye for an eye But we’ve never spoken about Sophie’s death I never intend to ask hiht Because, frankly, I don’t want to hear the answer”

“It was easier when Wallace Johnson was a faceless name, wasn’t it?”

“Yes” Cindy nodded “Now he’s a flesh-and-blood huavewish”

“I know” Peggy dropped the subject “When I said ere both busy tonight, I meant it The Renoir is complete I finished it while you were at the cocktail party”

“Excellent I’m sure it’s a flawless duplicate They always are” Cindy hurried to the stairs “I can’t wait to see it”

“Do you want ements?”

Cind

y paused on the first step, considering the situation frole “Not yet,” she decided “I’ll call ive hi around, he ets his hands on all the outstanding paintings, and then send the entire shipinal Renoir out of the US right away Everything has to be ti up fast”