'I think he was. So why would she lie?'

'Maybe she doesn't want you to know her business, whiz.'

This is the night the murder was committed, and Paige was supposed to go to dinner at her parents' house, she told me. She let it slip.' Mary glanced over her shoulder. A circle of women talked near a display case that contained model squad cars. 'What do you think about that?'

'I don't think it means anything. Not much anyway.'

'What if she really did go to her parents' tonight? What if her boyfriend went, too? That doesn't mean much?'

'That didn't happen, Mare. Newlin confessed. He called nine-one-one from the scene. He's even willing to take responsibility for the crime, which he should.'

"He could be protecting her.'

'Set himself up for murder? Who would do that?'

'A loving father,' Mary answered without hesitation, and Judy looked at her like she was nuts.

'My father would never do anything like that, and he loves me.'

'For real?'

'Of course not. Confess to a murder he didn't commit? He's not like that.'

'My father would do it, in a minute.' Mary summoned an image of her father's deep brown eyes and soft, round face. 'He would do anything for me, make any sacrifice. If he could save us from something terrible, any kind of harm, he would.'

'Doesn't right or wrong matter?'

'Wrong is if something bad happens to me or my sister.'

Judy shook her head. 'Well, it's not a given, and I really doubt that's what happened with Newlin. Don't be distracted by his looks.'

'I'm not.'

'You are, too. You'd have to be. But like you told him, there's a ton of evidence that he did it and there's no evidence that Paige did it.'

'How do you know? We're not looking for any. Nobody is.' The more Mary said it, the more it seemed possible. 'The cops bought his story and they're going with it. We bought

his story and we're going with it. Jack Newlin is about to plead guilty and go to jail for life, right?'

'Right.'

'But what if he's innocent? What if instead of having a client who's telling us he's innocent when he's guilty, we have a client who's telling us he's guilty when he's innocent?'

Jack saw Paige enter the interview area, a reed of a girl wrapped in a chic black leather jacket. Her wet blue eyes took the dirty interview room in with one appalled look and she rushed to the chair in front of him, her expression so anguished it made Jack feel as if she were the one in prison for life. Which now, in a way, she was.

'Dad, I can't let you do this,' Paige said, her voice urgent. Tears spilled from her eyes and her brow was a network of premature worry lines. 'I can't let you. I won't let you.'

'You have to. You have no choice.'

'But it's not right. Your job, your life.' Paige wiped the tears beginning to streak her cheeks. Her hair, slicked back in the ponytail style Jack favored, was damp from the rain outside. 'Dad, they could give you the death-penalty!'

'No, they won't.' Jack tried to keep calm. He had so many questions for her, but above all, he had to convince her to follow his plan. She could ruin her life in one night. 'Listen to me, Paige. If I plead guilty, they won't charge me with the 'death penalty. That's how it works.'

'But Dad, your whole life, in prison? That's terrible.'

'Not at all. They'll send me to Woodville with the other rich guys. It's like a country club. Sammy Cott went there last year. Took ten strokes off his game.' Jack smiled, but couldn't coax one from Paige. 'Come on, honey. I'll be okay.'

'No, you won't.' Paige began to cry. The people… the other prisoners… they'll hurt you.'

'That won't happen, not to me. Lawyers get special status

in prison, didn't you know that? Jailhouse lawyers are very valuable. Nobody hurts them.'

'Yes, they do,' Paige blurted through her tears. 'I saw it on TV. On HBO… there's this show. You should see what they do… to them. There's a lawyer in there and they…'

That's only on TV.' Jack had to cut her off. She could get hysterical and she had to keep her wits about her. 'I'll do fine, honey. I may even like it. I'll finally represent some honest clients, huh?' He smiled again, but Paige was crying too hard to see, her head bent and her lovely face covered by slim hands. Jack felt his heart wrench as he noticed her hands shaking. He loved her so much, this beautiful child. He had just been getting to know her when this happened. 'It's all right. Don't cry, sweetie.'

'It's not… all right.'

'It will be. I'll make it all right, you'll see. You can visit me every week, whenever you want to. The world doesn't end because I go to prison. We'll see more of each other than before. Who knows, our relationship may even improve.' Jack laughed then he saw her shoulders finally relax. Her face came up from her hands, bleary-eyed but smiling, and his heart eased. He felt struck at the power of love, even at the most unexpected times. Especially at the most unexpected times.

'Dad, that's not funny.'

Think of the upside. No more suits and ties, which I hate. And they make all my food for me. You know what a lousy cook I am. Remember when I made the tofu turkey for you? And that hummus you love? It came out like spackle.'

That's not funny either.' Paige giggled, and Jack beamed.

'It's not meant to be funny. Dad jokes are never funny, everybody knows that.'

'You aren't that kind of dad.' Paige sniffled.

'I am, too!' Jack said, in mock offense. I'm no slacker when it comes to bad jokes. Remember the avocado?'

'No. Tell it to me.'

'Okay, what did the avocado say to the celery before they got married?' Jack's heart caught in his throat as his daughter replied:

'Avocado never-ending love for you.'

'Right,' he said, his voice thick. 'That's a pretty bad joke, isn't it?'

'It's a terrible joke.' She wiped her eyes.

'You would say, "it sucks."'

'It sucks bad.' Paige laughed, and the sound touched Jack so deeply that he kept talking, hoping the congestion in his throat would work itself out.

Think of this that way, honey. I'm more responsible than anyone for what happened. It was brewing from the day your mom and I married. You don't know all the reasons for it and you don't have to pay for it. I do.'

'No, you didn't do it.' Paige kneaded her forehead, still creased with worry. 'My head is killing me. I should tell the police what happened. I should be the one confessing.'

'Don't do that! Don't even say that! I won't allow it,' he said sternly, and Paige looked up, startled.

'I could tell them, you know. You couldn't stop me.'

'I'd say you were lying to protect me. They would believe me and not you.'

'Why?' Paige's eyes bored into his, and Jack knew he needed to be convincing now. He could see she was actually considering it. He should have anticipated that. She always had a soft heart.

'There are lots of reasons. Because I told them a story that implicates me, for one. Because they'll have direct evidence against me, for another.'

'How?'

'It's not for you to know.'

'Whatever, it doesn't matter. I could tell them the truth.'

'No, please. Who would you rather send to prison, a pretty young girl or a lawyer? It's a no-brainer.'

'I don't know.' Paige was shaking her head. Her skin was mottled from stress. 'God, my brain's going to… explode.'

'Paige, for once in your life, let me do something for you.'

'You did things for me. You worked, you had a job.'

That's not something I did for you, and what I made was a drop in the bucket compared to your mother and you know it.'

'You were there, Dad.'

True, I was present. I was in attendance.'

'I didn't mean it that way -'

'But I did. / did.' Jack leaned over the counter. 'I was there, but that's it. I let your mother run the show. I was just a guy in the background. I was there, at the birthday parties. I was like an actor playing a role – Father. But I really wasn't a father to you, not the way a father should be.'