The rules governing so-called hearsay evidence are complex; some scholars believe they exist to prevent a defendant from being accused of crimes without being able to confront his accuser. The exceptions to hearsay are several, but any good lawyer would have objected to Cora’s statement so that the issue could be preserved for review on appeal to a higher court. By Quentin’s failure to object, Dad loses that right. So the question is . . . what the fuck is Quentin doing sitting on his ass like a brown Buddha?

9:22 a.m. Cora establishes your father in her house that night. She went to nearby neighbor’s house to rest. Often did that. Left Tom alone with V, that night n others.

9:25 a.m. Cora says V’s son Lincoln was on way from Chicago that night. Says she told Tom Lincoln was close to Natz, but didn’t tell V. Cora didn’t want Tom to go thru with pact while Lincoln on way home. Didn’t want Tom and Lncln to meet 1st time over Viola’s dead body.

9:28 a.m. Next thing C remembers is getting call from Tom asking how V doing. C trotted home & found V dead. She thought then the pact had been fulfilled, even tho Tom acted like V was alive when he left.

9:31 a.m. Cora had mixed feelings about asst. suicide pact. Religious guilt. She Catholic like V. Cora claims Lincoln was coming because she told him death was close, but nothing about death pact b4 L arrived. Shit, my fingers spazzing out. I may call you and sit here with the line open.

I type: Can you do that w/o getting caught?

9:34 a.m. Less obvious than txting. U may not be able to hear tho. Let’s test it in a bit. Still text 4 now

I hear Drew’s heavy tread descending the stairs. I meet him in the hall, and I can see instantly that the news isn’t good.

“Well?” I prompt him.

“Mrs. St. Denis is going to need a psychiatric consult. She’s been living with a repressed trauma for decades, as I’m sure you know. The assault on her mother-in-law has triggered an unbearable level of terror and guilt. I think she’s a suicide risk, Penn. I sedated her. She doesn’t seem to have any family she feels comfortable having handle this. I met Serenity, and Dolores seems to trust her, but that’s no long-term solution. Do you have any sort of plan?”

“I’ll do whatever you advise, Drew. But I’m going to have to bring the FBI into this. There’s the question of her personal safety. That woman up there can put Snake Knox on death row in Angola.”