Don’t let anyone tell you more than the order says.”

I had imagined an instant in which every injustice would vanish.

Instead, relief arrived tangled with uncertainty.

The prosecutor’s office reviewed the new evidence, including material the conviction-review process had developed, and later filed notice that it would not retry the original charges.

The case was dismissed.

Additional inquiries into other individuals remained separate matters.

On the day Lena called with that final decision, I was trimming roses in Opal’s garden.

I sat down on the grass.