Marcy hadn’t realized until now quite how certain she’d felt that Archie would be found not guilty of attempted murder; this new charge was throwing her completely.

“Is there any chance of him being found not guilty on the second count?” Claudia asked.

Helen was clearly doubtful. “Criminal trials are as unpredictable as juries,” she replied, “so anything’s possible, but would I advise him to enter that plea? Frankly, I don’t know if it’s the right call. I’m due to discuss it with Gordon Lock, his barrister, when he’s finished in court for the day. I’ll be interested to hear his opinion.”

Speaking for the first time, Andee said, “Something that is in Archie’s favor is the fact that the two counts are separate. If they were tied together as one, which they can be in a case like this, there wouldn’t be a chance of him being found not guilty.”

“This is true,” Helen confirmed, “and it’s the only reason I would counsel him to go ahead with a trial, slim as the chances are of him getting the verdict we all want.”

Claudia turned to her mother. “What do you think he should do?” she asked, aware that this was too big a question for someone who knew next to nothing about the law.

Marcy was trying to picture Archie in his cell. What was he thinking now? How afraid was he? Did he have anyone to talk to about how the door seemed to be closing on the rest of his young life? Probably not, until Helen called him again, and it was too late now to organize a visit to the prison.

Realizing they were waiting for her reply, she said to Helen, “I appreciate you have to leave now, but, Andee, can you stay? We need to talk this through with someone who has a better knowledge of how the law works than we do.”

“Of course,” Andee said, “I’ll do my best, but remember, I’m not a lawyer.”

Helen was already preparing to leave. “I’ll call as soon as I’ve spoken to Gordon,” she promised, and after a quick apology for not being able to stay, she went off.

By the time she rang in the early afternoon, Marcy, after a long discussion with Andee, had come to a decision. There was absolutely no way of knowing if it was the right one, but unless the barrister strongly advised against it, the only chance Archie stood of avoiding a truly punishing sentence was to plead not guilty on the second count—the one that included a reckless disregard for life. It would then be his defense counsel’s job to persuade the jury that he had in fact made certain that the house was empty before he’d set it alight.