I guess when he's on trial is when it's going to be hard, right? All the attention.'
'Harder for you than her,' I said. 'We'll be able to keep her out of the limelight.'
'Yeah... I guess so.'
'Not that the press won't try to get pictures of both of you. It may mean moving around a bit-more rented houses-but she can be shielded.'
'That's okay-that's all I care about. How's Dr. Eves?'
'I spoke to her last night. She said she'd be coming by this evening.'
'When's she leaving for Washington?'
'Couple of weeks.'
'Was moving something she planned or just..
'You'd have to ask her that,' I said. 'But I know it didn't have anything directly to do with you.'
'Directly,' she said. 'What does that mean?'
'Her moving was personal, Cindy. Nothing to do with you or Cassie.'
'She's a nice lady kind of... intense. But I liked her. I guess she'll be coming back for the trial.'
'Yes, she will.'
A citrus smell drifted over from the orange tree. White blossoms dusted the grass at the tree's base, fruit that would never be. She opened her mouth to speak, but shielded her lips with her hand instead.
I said, 'You suspected him, didn't you?'
'Me? I- Why do you say that?'
'The last couple of times we talked, before the arrest, I felt you wanted to tell me something but were holding back. You just had that same look now.'
'I- It really wasn't suspicion. You just wonder-I started to wonder, that's all.'
She stared at the dirt. Kicked it again.
'When did you start wondering?' I said.
'I don't know-it's hard to remember. You think you know someone and then things happen.... I don't know.'
'You're going to have to talk about all of it, eventually,' I said.
'For lawyers and policemen.'
'I know, I know and it scares me, believe me.'
I patted her shoulder. She moved away and hit the fence with her back.
The boards vibrated.
'I'm sorry,' she said. 'I just don't want to think about that now.
It's just too...'
She looked down at the dirt again. It wasn't until I saw the tears drip from her face and dot the soil that I realized she was crying.
I reached out and held her. She resisted, then relented, leaning her full weight against me.
