“Our filing asks the court to assign sole liability for the debt to you, along with full mandatory repayment of the forty-two thousand dollars taken from the joint account.”

Mark slammed both hands flat on the mahogany table.

“You don’t have the money to fight this in court, Claire,” Mark said, staring straight across the table at me.

“You work part-time retail shifts for hourly wages.

My corporate legal allowance will burn through whatever little savings you have left in less than three weeks.”

“My client won’t be paying legal fees out of her retail wages,” Rachel said.

She reached into her dark leather briefcase and lifted out a thick white folder stamped with an official state seal.