“We’ll start on Saturday,” I said.

The county courthouse corridor was crowded at ten o’clock the following morning.

Julian stood near the elevators in a sharp dark gray suit, adjusting his gold wristwatch three times in forty seconds.

Serena stood two paces behind him in a plain beige raincoat, her wrists bare without her heavy diamond charm bracelet.

Julian’s defense lawyer, a tall man with slicked gray hair, stepped away from his clients and walked straight toward Samuel and me.

“Mrs.