She curved her lips bitterly. “You have no idea what kind of torture it is. The doctor’s visits, hospitals, the stockpiling of bills. I am tired of holding out for hope. And, by some miracle, I was able to insure his life for half a million dollars.”

“Then you thought about poisoning him?”

She lowered her head heavily.

“You’re judging me. And I hoped that you would understand me.” Tears shone in her eyes. “I sacrificed my youth and my beauty for him.”

Her cell phone rang as it lay on the dresser. Glancing at the Caller ID, Martha exploded.

“It’s him again, damn him!” Wiping away tears, she pressed the screen to answer the call. “Yes, dear, I am running a bit late. My shrink saw the terrible condition I was in and decided to give me an extra relaxation therapy session. No, he said it’s free; we will see once we get the bill from him. How are you feeling? Thank God. I am planning to go to Whole Foods to get ginseng for the tincture, since we drank the last one. Tell the home aid, if she agrees to stay with you for another couple of hours, we’ll pay her time and a half. You don’t want to? You think we shouldn’t spend money. You’re right. Kiss.”

Setting the phone down, Martha spoke between gritted teeth.

“Fucking moron.”

Then, turning her gaze to Robert, she took out a sheet of paper from her purse and handed it to him.

“This is for you, so you don’t think I’m playing cat and mouse with you.”

One quick glance was enough for Robert to understand that he held a document written on the letterhead of the law firm Shapiro and Brown.