“Robert brought it to my door and told me you’d abandoned her in that house.”

“I was serving overseas,” I said.

“I know that now.” She looked at the courtroom doors and then back at me.

“I sat in there all morning.

I’m so sorry.”

She went in and sat in the third row, and Clare touched my elbow.

“We have two minutes,” Clare said.

When we came back in, Judge Whitfield had his glasses on and his notes lined up neatly.