“I’m not a murderer. I’m not!” she screamed at the top of her lungs. Atlas reared back, his hair standing on end. Seeing that she had frightened the shepherd, Cady drew him to her and sobbed into his neck. He whimpered, unable to help his mistress.

“I should have stayed in California. I should have done a lot of things, but I didn’t. Why didn’t I? Why?” Cady cried brokenly.

“I think she’s starting to get that backbone you’re always harping on, Lola,” Mandy said from her position by the window. “She’s bawling her eyes out, and if she isn’t careful, she’s going to squeeze that dog to death. I hate to say this, but that young woman is nothing like she was as a child. I remember her being a little daredevil, a bright, sassy little thing with that long pigtail swinging down her back. She zipped around on that bike you bought her like she was born on it. She could do those pop-wheelies or whatever you call them better than the boys. She’s so withdrawn, so inside herself, I’m having a hard time with it.”

Lola shook her head. “I will never understand her parents. They said she, a little slip of a girl, killed that bully, Jeff King. I know that Asa was parroting the Kings. He derived great pleasure out of doing that. Since he and Agnes never had an original idea of their own, I think they just accepted the Kings’ version of what they think happened. I say it was just the other way around, that bully probably tried to hurt Cady but no one would listen to me. Just because Asa and Agnes said it was better for her not to remember doesn’t make it so. The only thing the authorities had to go on was the Kings’ insistence that somehow, some way, Cady killed their son.”

“We need to do something. Knowing that people are blaming her for that boy’s death must be tearing her apart,” Mandy said.

Anthony placed both hands on Lola’s shoulders to calm her. He gently massaged her neck. Lola all but purred.

“Yes, Mandy,” Anthony said, “but she’ll weather it. She’s got Lola’s spunk.”

“We are doing something. We’re waiting. We planted the seeds. They’ll sprout. She’s got the dog now, so that’s giving her some confidence. As much as we want this to happen overnight, it isn’t going to happen. Did you spread the word in town that she’s back?” Lola asked.

“I went to the post office to pick up her mail and to tell them from now on to deliver it all here. Miriam Terwilliger is the worst gossip in town. She’ll tell everyone. I stopped by the pet store and purchased a heavy-duty dog leash for Atlas. I said your granddaughter was back with her big dog. I think I might have said, big killer dog. Big killer dogs aren’t something we have a lot of around here. I was trying to get my point across. Then I went to the bakery and picked up a dozen cream puffs for your granddaughter. Betty Donovan is almost as big a gossip as Miriam Terwilliger. I think it’s safe to say the town knows she’s back.”