“Gordon thinks it could be worth the risk,” Helen told her, and as Marcy heaved a sigh of relief she gave a thumbs-up to Claudia and Andee.

“Of course, the ultimate decision has to be Archie’s,” Marcy said to Helen, “but when you speak to him please tell him that I think we should continue along the same path, in spite of the change. He should still plead not guilty.”

FOUR DAYS LATER Marcy opened the front door of the coach house for Dan to come in, and as she removed his coat Claudia appeared from her craft room. “Hi, am I too early?” he asked as she came to greet him.

“It doesn’t matter,” she replied. “Have you heard anything from Archie since the change of indictment?”

He shook his head. “Have you asked his mother about his decision?”

Wryly, Marcy said, “She’s too busy with her trial cleaning for chitchat, but she says that she’ll be in court cheering her boy on, not literally I hope, but you never know.”

Taking the gin and tonic Claudia had made for him, Dan said, “I got your email earlier. Still no plans to question Huxley-Browne about the arson?”

Claudia shook her head dejectedly. “Carl Phillips says he’s doing all he can,” she replied, “but there’s still only Archie’s word to go on and it’s just not enough.”

“So the uncle—BJ—isn’t proving useful?”

“Not yet,” Marcy interjected, “but there’s still time. Marcus isn’t due for release for another three weeks. Anything can happen in that time.”

Dan slipped an arm around Claudia and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Marcy’s right about that,” he told her. “You’ve only got to look at this new indictment for Archie. We didn’t see that coming—although maybe not a good example when it’s not exactly going our way.”

Putting on a smile, Claudia decided to change the subject. It was the only way to sideline the feeling of Marcus coming closer as each day passed. “We’re going to Henry’s for dinner,” she said. “His son and daughter-in-law have turned up unexpectedly and he wants us to come and meet them.” She turned to her mother with teasing eyes. “And I’m reliably informed by the Fitbit fanatic here that it’s no more than seventeen hundred steps to his place, so we can walk.”

Marcy’s eyes rounded in protest. “In the dark? I don’t think so.”

Amused, Dan said, “Don’t worry, I’ll drive,” and after taking a sip of his drink he read Archie’s letter again. “There’s no time to get a visit in before next Monday,” he said, “so unless he calls me, or another letter turns up, this could be all we’re going to get from him until we see him in court.”