Our conversation paused for a moment. In the background on her end of the line, I heard Henry making a series of noises, including his habitual banging of the spoon against the high chair tray. And I heard Karen’s voice talking back to him, telling him how grown-up he was. Those sounds pierced my heart. How I wished I could have been there. How I wished to sit by Henry and feed him mashed-up food. I’d even have settled for changing one of his stink bomb diapers because it would make life seem normal again.

“I have so many questions,” Amanda said. “So many.”

“And I’ll answer them all. I promise. But the cops have a bigger claim on me right now.”

“Just let me come down there. I can explain some things. There’s so much more to this.”

“No, you don’t have to come down here. Stay with Henry.”

I heard her breath on the other end of the line. “Do you need a lawyer?” she asked, again showing her practical side. “Is it that serious? I don’t want you talking to the police without being protected.”

I considered the possibility. “I’m not sure. Maybe.”

“I’m going to ask Dad. He knows every lawyer in Rossingville.”

I wasn’t sure what to think. It hadn’t all sunk in yet. The deep shame I’d carried with me for years, the belief that I’d killed someone in that accident . . . none of it was true. But I couldn’t bring myself to feel relieved.

Maggie Steiner was still dead. Emily was still hurt.

And Jennifer Bates was gone too. Along with Kyle Dornan.

Such a waste. So much waste.

Rountree emerged from a back room and pointed at her watch. I looked around. I had no idea where they’d taken Blake or Aaron. I assumed they were being held in their own rooms, and they’d keep us all separate as we told our tales. At least that was the way it happened on TV.

“I have to go,” I said. “I don’t know how long this will take. I really don’t. I’ll try to call again if I can, but . . .”

“I get it. I’ll be here with Mom and Dad.”

“Okay. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

I started to put the phone down, but Amanda’s voice came through the line, stopping me.

“What’s that?” I asked.

She paused for a moment. Henry’s banging increased in frequency and volume.

“I just said . . . I understand that there may be some things you tell them that are delicate. I get it. I do. I know sometimes these things come out whether we want them to or not. It can all get very tangled.”

I wanted to ask her for clarification because it sounded as though she was speaking about something else, something besides the events that had spun out from Jennifer’s death.