It was after Sarah had gotten home from work, and we both got to the front door at the same time.

When Sarah saw who it was, she began to retreat into the house. “I’ll let you two talk,” she said.

But I took Sarah’s hand and pulled her, gently, to my side, preventing her escape.

“We just came by to say goodbye,” Trixie said.

“Where you off to?” I asked.

“Out west,” Trixie said. “Seattle, maybe San Francisco. I’m looking at a few things.”

Sarah and I stepped out onto the porch. Katie slipped away from her mother and ran her fingers along the posts in the railing.

“How’s she doing?” Sarah asked.

Trixie smiled sadly. “She’s been through a lot. She sleeps with me. She’s afraid to let me out of her sight. It’s going to take a long time for her to ever feel secure again. Everything I do now is going to be for her. I’m starting over, with Katie. I’m selling the house in Oakwood. And there’s Claire and Don’s estate to settle.” Her eyes were moist. “My lawyer, Niles, is trying to get my three hundred thousand back. The police still have it, they retrieved it from the car after the accident, but they’re holding on to it as evidence. Niles says eventually we’ll be able to get it back. They can’t prove that I’m not entitled to it. But you know what? Even if we don’t, we have plenty to start over with, get another house somewhere, close to a good school. I want to always be there for her, so I might try to get some sort of job that allows me to work from home.” She smiled again. “But something different this time. That other job, that’s over.”

Trixie’s GF300 car was parked at the curb. Sarah and I walked with her to the end of the driveway. Katie wandered in dizzying circles in the front yard, arms extended, like she was an airplane.

Trixie looked at Katie. Her lip trembled slightly, and then she looked at us.

“I came here to thank both of you. For saving Katie. For saving my daughter’s life.” She hugged Sarah, put her arms around her and held her close, and then hugged me, whispering into my ear, “Thank you for explaining things to the police. About what happened in Canborough.”

“Sure,” I said as she pulled away.

Then Trixie turned back to Sarah. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve brought into your life.”

Sarah started to say something, but Trixie, tipping her head toward me, continued, “I know you want to kill him.”

Sarah made no protests.