“Not guilty,” the foreman announced, and Maria shot to her feet, punching the air. Before she could cry out Andee gently gagged her and the others tugged her back into her seat.

Whatever happened now Archie wasn’t going to prison for life, but as the jury was thanked and dismissed, tension gripped them again. The judge was ready to pass sentence for the first count, arson with the intent to destroy property.

She spoke first about the consequences of committing crimes ordered by others. “It is you who are here in the dock today,” she told Archie sternly, “not those who paid you to commit the offense, and it was always going to be you, because you did not have the good sense to report to the authorities what you were being required to do. I understand the threat to your mother and the need to protect her, but you did not give the police or anyone else the opportunity to assist her safety. As a result, Ms. Kavanagh’s home was severely damaged by the fire you set. I don’t mention Ms. Kavanagh’s injuries here as they were the subject of the second count.

“There is no doubt in my mind, or in law, that there must be a custodial sentence for the crime you have committed. After studying my options and taking into consideration the restorative justice process that was undertaken—and the eight months you have already spent in custody—my judgment is that you shall receive a two-year prison term . . .”

“No!” Maria cried. “Don’ sen’ him away.”

The judge eyed her meaningfully, but waved down an attempt to eject her. “A two-year prison term,” she repeated, “to be suspended for two years and carry with it a community order . . .”

“What?” Maria said, turning to Dan in confusion. “I don’ . . .”

“He’s coming home,” Dan whispered.

Maria stared at him, wide-eyed with shock, and was suddenly back on her feet. “Ochie!” she shouted at the top of her voice. “Ma boy is comin’ ’ome.”

“Mrs. Colbrook,” the judge warned.

Marcy and Claudia pulled her back into her seat, and with tears in their eyes they hugged her hard enough to break her birdlike limbs.

“He comin’ ’ome,” Maria sobbed. “Ma boy is comin’ ’ome.”

“NOT WHAT WE expected,” Gordon Lock admitted when Marcy and the others found him and Helen in the lobby, “but of course we hoped for it. A wise decision on the part of the judge. It would appear that she believes, as you clearly do, that the lad has potential and it won’t be realized in prison. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a train to catch.”

“Than’ you,” Maria called after him.

He turned, smiled, and waved, before disappearing through the revolving doors into a future that didn’t include any of them.

“What do we do now?” Marcy asked.