“It’s a murder trial for that Methodist minister in the Park Cities. Don’t tell anyone though—we should keep it quiet.”

Dan shrugged. “How will you know if he’s guilty?”

“It looks like he’s pretty guilty. I just can’t believe you got picked.”

“Pat . . .”

“Sorry.”

Anne watched Dan wolf down his food. “They present evidence, and then the jury decides. I’m part of the decision.”

“This is CBS News live coverage of the scene in Midland, Texas. Dan Rather with Bruce Hall. We eagerly and anxiously await the next development.”

“Oh.” Dan scrutinized the tomatoes in his salad.

“It’s a big responsibility.”

“His lawyer is going to make him out like he’s running for Jesus. Or that he has . . .” Pat circled his ear with a fork. “Problems. Watch.”

“We shouldn’t discuss it.” Alive or dead. Guilty or innocent. Settle down.

“I’m not trying to argue. I’m just saying that if not him, who—”

“Stop . . .”

“Did he do it, Mom? Do you think he did it?”

“I don’t know yet, Dan.”

“Yes, Bruce?”

“Dan, it looks like they are getting ready to bring something up the hole. I can’t tell. They are tightening the slack on the cable.”

“Why doesn’t the judge decide?”

Pat stabbed at his pork and ran it through applesauce. “Who is the judge?”

“This is still a very dangerous procedure as you bring up this child . . . This has been an exhausting fifty-eight hours.”

Anne turned away from them. “Wait . . . quiet.”

“And here she comes!”

And then the baby was there on the TV. Her head and fragile body tied to a spine board. Her eyes were open. Not frightened. Aware.

“Live and direct from Midland, Texas, Jessica McClure is up. She is alive. What a fighter.”

And Anne pushed away from the table and began to weep. Her husband and son looked at each other, astonished, as she ran down the hall to the bedroom, sobbing.

October 19

[ OCTOBER 19 ]

Like the crusaders’ fortress in Acre, the American offices on the east concourse of Love Field were a besieged relic from the airline wars of the 1970s. Back then, Love Field was the gateway to Dallas, but American, Delta, and Braniff didn’t want to contend with the peanut fares of scrappy upstarts the likes of Southwest and Texas Air. So with the help of future House Speaker Jim Wright, the big carriers made two moves. First, they transformed eighteen thousand acres of pasture west of the city into an international airport the size of Manhattan: DFW. Second, they lobbied the FAA and prevailed in limiting Love Field traffic to Texas and bordering states. Keep that pissant Herb Kelleher in his chicken coop, shuttling abuelas to El Paso and college kids to Harlingen. This was the gospel according to Bob Crandall.