“I don’t know,” I confess. “I don’t know what the hell he’s doing. I think my blood pressure’s about two hundred over one hundred.”

“I’m hanging up. I’ll text you in a minute.”

The phone goes dead in my ear.

“What happened?” Annie asks from the floor. “You look happy.”

“I’m not sure. But things might look a little better than they did before. I think.”

“Did Mr. Quentin do something right?”

My cell phone pings in my hand. “I sure hope so.”

Rusty’s text reads:

3:12 p.m. Shad just recalled Billy Byrd. Elder asked if questioning would take long. Shad said no. Elder taking 15 minute break. Bathroom, probably. You should feel the vibe in here, man. Feels like 1965. It’s like the Klan’s in here with us.

Billy Byrd? I say to myself. What can Bill Byrd testify about beyond the forensics?

“What, Daddy? What did Mr. Quentin do?”

“I’m not sure,” I say, still dazed by Quentin’s cross. “But I know what he didn’t do.”

“What?”

“He didn’t ask about the videotape.”

“What videotape?”

“The one in Henry’s camera.”

“Daddy, I don’t understand.”

Annie is trying hard to help me, despite being confused.

Fifteen minutes, I think, my heart kicking in my chest.

“What was on the tape, Daddy?”

“Annie,” I say, sitting up and taking one of her hands in mine, “there’s one more witness against Papa today, and Mr. Rusty says Quentin needs my help to handle him.”

Her eyes widen.

“Do you think you can do without me for an hour?”

She bites her lip for about three seconds, then nods.

“Mia must still be around, right?”

“She is. She probably just wanted us to have some time together.” Annie smiles with conscious bravery and gets to her feet. “Miiiaaaa?”

Quick footsteps sound on the staircase, then Mia’s head pops through the door. “What’s up, kid?”

“Daddy’s got to run to court for one more witness.”

Mia smiles a little too quickly and brightly, and I realize she’s working hard to adapt to whatever comes next.

“We’re good, no problem,” she says, glancing at her watch. “You’d better hurry, huh?”

“Yeah. I’ll get Tim to drop me. I’ll see you guys in an hour.”

Chapter 30