Walter wrote something for the judge.

It’s sealed.

Thomas won’t say what’s in it.”

Helen picked up her fork and put it back down without taking a bite.

“Sealed means it stays shut until the time comes that it matters.”

“The time comes on May fourteenth.”

She reached across and slid the court timeline over to her, the one Thomas had handed me with the dates printed in a tidy column.

She ran her finger down the sheet.