Jenny put her arms around the trembling woman. “I know you wouldn’t hurt me.” I did go with Kevin, she thought. I did go. No, I don’t believe that. I can’t believe that.

“And Clyde said it was his duty to tell Erich and the sheriff,” Rooney sobbed. “This morning I told Clyde I made it up, that I got all mixed up, but Clyde said he remembers he woke up that night and I’d just come in with the material under my arm and he was mad I’d gone out. He’s going to talk to Erich and the sheriff. Jenny, I’m going to lie for you. I don’t care. But I’m causing trouble for you.”

“Rooney,” Jenny said carefully, “try to understand. I think you are mistaken. I was in bed that night. I never asked Kevin to come here. You wouldn’t be lying if you tell them you got confused. I promise you that.”

Rooney sighed. “I’d like that coffee now. I love you, Jenny. Sometimes when you’re here I can start to believe that Arden may never come back and that I’ll get over it someday.”

It was later in the morning that they came into the house together, the sheriff, Erich and Mark. Why Mark?

“You know why we’re here, Mrs. Krueger.”

She listened attentively. They were talking about someone else, someone she didn’t know who had been seen getting into a car, driving away.

Erich didn’t look angry anymore, only sorrowful. “Apparently Rooney is trying to retract her statement but we couldn’t keep this information from Sheriff Gunderson.” He came over to her now, put his hands on her face, smoothed her hair.

Jenny wondered why she felt as though she were being stripped in public. “My darling,” Erich said, “these are your friends. Tell the truth.”

She reached up, grasped his hands, pulling them from her face. Otherwise she would suffocate.

“I have told the truth as I know it,” she said.

“You ever had spells of any kind, Mrs. Krueger?” The sheriff’s voice was not unkind.

“I did have a concussion once.” Briefly she told them about the accident. All the time she was aware of Mark Garrett’s eyes studying her. He probably thinks I’m making this up, she thought.

“Mrs. Krueger, were you still in love with Kevin MacPartland?”

What a terrible question to ask in front of Erich, Jenny thought. How humiliating this is for him. If only she could go away. Take the girls. Leave him to his own life.

But she was carrying his child. Erich would love his son. It would be a boy. She was certain of that.

“Not in the way I presume you mean,” she said.

“Isn’t it true that you showed public affection for him to the point where the waitress and two patrons of the Groveland Inn were shocked.”

For a moment Jenny thought she would laugh. “They shock easily. Kevin kissed me when I left. I didn’t kiss him.”

“Perhaps I should ask it this way, Mrs. Krueger. Weren’t you pretty upset about your ex-husband showing up? Wasn’t he a threat to your marriage?”

“What do you mean?”

“Initially you gave out to Mr. Krueger that you were a widow. Mr. Krueger’s a wealthy man. He’s adopting your kids. MacPartland coulda ruined your pretty setup.”

Jenny looked at Erich. She was about to say that the adoption papers would show that Kevin had signed them, that Erich knew about Kevin before their marriage. But what point? This was hard enough on Erich without having his friends and neighbors know that he had deliberately lied to them. She evaded the direct question.

“My husband and I were in complete agreement. We did not want Kevin to come to the house and upset the children.”

“But the waitress heard him tell you that he wasn’t giving up, that he wasn’t letting the adoption go through. She heard you say, ‘I warn you, Kevin.’ So he was a threat to your marriage, wasn’t he, Mrs. Krueger?”

Why didn’t Erich help her? She looked at him and watched his face darken with anger. “Sheriff, I think this has gone far enough,” he said firmly. “Nothing could ever upset our marriage, certainly not Kevin MacPartland, alive or dead. We all know Rooney is mentally ill. My wife denies being in that car. Are you prepared to press charges? If not I demand that you stop harassing her.”

The sheriff nodded. “Okay, Erich. But I have to warn you. There’s a possibility the inquest will be reopened.”

“If it is, we’ll face it.”

To a degree he had defended her. Jenny realized she was surprised at his matter-of-fact attitude. Was he becoming resigned to notoriety?

“I’m not saying it will be. Whether or not Rooney’s testimony would change anything, I’m not sure. Until Mrs. Krueger starts remembering exactly what happened, we’re not much further along than we were up till now. I don’t think there was much doubt in any juror’s mind that she was in that car at some point.”

Erich walked the sheriff to his car. They stood for a few minutes deep in conversation.

Mark lingered behind them. “Jenny, I’d like to make an appointment for you with a doctor.”

There was deep concern in his face. Was it for her or for Erich? “A shrink, I suppose?”

“No, a good old-fashioned family doctor. I know one in Waverly. You don’t look well. This certainly has been a strain for you.”

“I’ll hold off a bit, I think, but thanks.”

She had to get out of the house. The girls were playing in their room. She went upstairs and got them. “Let’s go for a walk.”

It was springlike outside. “Can we ride?” Tina asked.

“Not now,” Beth said positively. “Daddy said he’ll take us.”

“I want to give Tinker Bell sugar.”

“Sure, let’s go to the stable,” Jenny agreed. For a moment she allowed herself to daydream. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Erich were saddling Baron and she were on Fire Maid and they could go riding together on a beautiful day like this? They’d planned that, looked forward to it.

A somber-faced Joe was in the stable. Since she’d become aware that Erich was angry and jealous about her friendship with Joe, she’d made it a point to avoid him as much as possible. “How’s Randy the second?” she asked.

“He’s fine. He and I live in town now with my uncle. We’ve got a place over the post office. You’ll have to come and see him there.”

“You left your mother?”

“You bet I did.”

“Joe, tell me. Why did you move out of your mother’s place?”

“Because she’s a troublemaker. I’m just sick, Mrs. Krueger, Jenny, about the things she said to you. I told her if you say you didn’t see that fellow Kevin that night, it’s because it was necessary for you to say it. I told her you been so good to me, I’d a lost my job when Baron got away ’cept for you. If Maw’d minded her business, you wouldn’t a had all that awful talk round here. That ain’t the first time a car went off that road down the riverbank. People woulda said ‘That’s a shame’ and somebody woulda said we need a better sign. Instead everybody in this county is snickering about you and Mr. Krueger and saying shows what happens when you get your head turned by a gold digger from New York.”

“Joe, please.” Jenny put her hand on his arm. “I’ve caused enough trouble here. Your mother must be upset. Joe, please move back home.”

“No way. And, Mrs. Krueger, if you want a ride anywhere or if the girls want to see Randy, I’ll be happy to bring you on my own time. You just say the word.”

“Sshh, Joe, that kind of talk doesn’t help.” She gestured toward the open doors. “Please, someone might hear you.”

“I don’t care who hears me.” The anger died from his face. “Jenny, I’d do anything to help you.”

“Mommy, let’s go now.” Beth pulled at her. But what was it Joe had said that was nagging at her?

She remembered. “Joe, whatever you said to your mother about it being necessary for me to say I wasn’t in the car? Joe, why did you put it that way?”

His face flamed red. Awkwardly he thrust his hands in his pocket, half-turned from her. When he spoke, his voice was a near-whisper. “Jenny, you don’t have to pretend with me. I was there. I was worried that maybe I hadn’t locked Baron’s stall door tight. I was just cutting across the orchard when I saw Rooney. She was almost at the big house. I stopped ’cause I didn’t want to get stuck talking to her. Then the car pulled up, that white Buick, and the front door opened and you ran out of the house. I saw you get in the car, Jenny, but I swear to God I’ll never tell anyone. I… I love you, Jenny.” Tentatively he took his hand from his pocket and closed it over her arm.