“Who was with you? Paige, the child you were in charge of caring for?”

“No.” I want to stop there, but I already know he won’t let me. I knew this would come out. This is the price I pay for telling the truth. But even if he didn’t ask a follow-up question, I spoke an oath. I swore to tell the whole truth. “Beau was with me.”

“Beau Rochester,” he says. “Your boss.”

“Yes.”

“A man fifteen years older than you.”

“Objection,” Lauren says.

“Sustained,” the judge says to Campbell. “Move on.”

“This was relevant to Detective Causey’s investigation of the fire. After all, both of you had an alibi. Each other.”

“We didn’t set the fire.” Lauren had warned me the defense would play dirty. And it’s happening. I’ve been afraid all morning. For days, really. Ever since I called Lauren and told her I’d testify. Though I find now that being faced with the questions, I don’t feel fear. I feel anger. Anger that it’s so hard for victims to get justice. That they have to be tormented by slimy defense lawyers to speak.

“Maybe you didn’t set the fire,” Campbell says, though he sounds doubtful. “But you can’t speak for Beau Rochester.”

“He was with me.”

“The entire night? If you were sleeping, how do you know he didn’t slip away?”

“What does this have to do with your client murdering Rhys Rochester?”

He smiles as if amused by my attempt at a rebuttal. “I’m the one asking the questions, Ms. Mendoza. You claim that Joe Causey said a girl like you might be with a man like Beau Rochester to get his money.”

“He did say that.”

“And did you?”

“Did I what?”

He turns to face the jury. “Did you get Beau Rochester’s money?”

Heat spills over my cheeks. “You could say that.”

“Spell it out for the court, please.” He looks at the judge, warding off any potential objections. “If the victim’s brother paid her off, then that brings the validity of her testimony into question.”

Shame rushes through me. It’s taught, this shame. The way society calls a man who sleeps around a player. But it calls a woman a slut. The way it gives a high five to a man who sleeps with a younger woman. But calls her a gold digger. I’m not ashamed of what I share with Beau, but I’ve been taught that sex is dirty. “Yes, I have some of Beau Rochester’s money. He paid me very well for being a live-in nanny to his niece. He also pays for my college tuition. And he gifted me half the house we share together. Because we’re in love. And you and Joe can try to make that sound as tawdry as you want, but the truth is, when you love someone, you don’t care about money.”