They returned to the courtroom, Mum and Dad to their audience pews and Caleb to the dock eyrie, where he could watch everyone with their burning need to talk about what happened, as though repetition removed the horror. Mum’s mum flew in, performed a series of sideways swoops between the benches in her high heels and perched beside Mum. ‘Here you are.’ She spoke loud enough for Caleb to hear, and proudly, as if their location and identity were the results of decisions she’d made herself. Then she smiled at Caleb. Jack came in too. He gave Caleb a concerned glance, that seemed to reassure him that this would be over soon and that he was doing the right thing.

‘Have you won everyone over yet?’ Grandma asked Mum.

Douglas captured the attention of the court by tugging his robe before beginning his opening statement. As before, only random words dripped into Caleb’s consciousness. Not necessarily arson. Fire was a natural part of the environment and far more likely in our changing world. ‘The defence does not dispute… However we will argue… three possible ignition points… targeted for his appearance… innocent… angry… his desire for privacy shouldn’t count against him. Privacy is a right. Many lives were lost that day—’

Caleb listened more closely.

‘—and one young man’s life continues to be at stake.’

Douglas listed other possible culprits – electricity companies, lightning, climate change. Eyes rolled. The audience that had faith in Caleb’s guilt with no evidence at all disbelieved the world’s scientific community about global warming. Mum fidgeted like she wanted to stand up and tell her infant pupils to listen.

‘Caleb has an alibi for all but forty minutes of that day,’ Douglas continued. ‘It’s implausible he started a fire during this time. Moreover, this action is completely inconsistent with Caleb’s behaviour. At the time of the fire, he was infatuated with Penelope Gordon, his first girlfriend.’

What? This was not what Caleb had authorised Douglas to say.

Douglas continued. ‘He would not have committed a crime putting her in danger.’

Where was this coming from?

Thump!

A noise from the audience captured everyone’s attention. Mum had banged the timber bench beside her legs, as though to yell, There!

That answered Caleb’s question. Mum told Douglas to say this. Things always came back to Mum. She had to stay in control.

She was staring at the magistrate. By virtue of her role behind the bench, Nina Haynes had taken over all meaning-making in their lives. Throw the case out, Mum’s gaze insisted. She was convinced by the story she’d paid to have told. It was direct, believable. What she wanted.

Douglas continued. ‘Caleb makes teenage mistakes. But he didn’t light these fires and should be acquitted of all charges on the indictment.’

He returned to his seat. Nina Haynes impassively made notes. Caleb had finally met someone who could withstand Mum’s will.