 help, but Amanda found out somehow, and put up bail. She also asked Jeffery Walden to take your case.

"The day after you left, Lydia changed her story. She claimed she'd been misunderstood, that all she'd meant was the killer looked like you."

"What if Lydia changes her story again?"

"Weinberg would never allow a jury to believe a story in its third version." She studied his face, then asked, "Do you still have the.45 you took from Gerald?"

He nodded.

"You've friends in Los Angeles," she said, looking away. "They believe you're innocent." She turned back to face him, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "If it's the murder weapon, bury it. If not, turn it over to Sgt. Walters. They never found the gun." She met his gaze evenly.

"No need to bury it," he said. He liked the warmth that flooded into her eyes.

"Then we should leave."

He stood and began pacing, a hard restlessness in every step. He stopped, facing her, tugging gently on his ear. "It's not that easy, Ms. Botsworth."

"Josie is friendlier."

"Josie, then." He paused, gathering his thoughts. "It's too good to be true." He interrupted her reply with a slight lift of a hand and continued, "I believe what you said. At least I know you believe what you said." He moved to the window and gazed out at the desert. The moon had gone down and the sun was beginning to brighten the sky. The morning breeze tossed faint, flickering light off the desert sage. He turned to face her.

"I grew up and trotted off to war with the idea our government was the finest possible. It's different now. I know it's the best on this planet, but it's a crock. We're being used and abused by a bunch of powerful greedy bastards." His gray eyes were flat with disgust. "And our highly touted legal system? It flat-ass terrifies me. Walden had to wake that judge up twice in twenty minutes. Hell. I don't mean any more to him than dust on a window sill." Abruptly he resumed pacing.

"I can see why you might feel that way," she said, "but
help, but Amanda found out somehow, and put up bail. She also ask Jeffery Walden to consume your case. 

 " The day after you left, Lydia change her story. She claimed she'd been misunderstood, that all she'd intend was the killer whale looked like you. " 

 " What if Lydia deepen her story again? " 

 " Weinberg would never allow a jury to think a story in its third version. " She studied his face, then ask, " Do you still have the.45 you took from Gerald? " 

 He nodded. 

 " You've friends in Los Angeles, " she say, looking away. " They believe you're barren. " She turned back to face him, tossing her hair over her shoulder. " If it's the murder weapon, immerse it. If not, turn it over to Sgt. Walters. They never found the gun. " She met his gaze evenly. 

 " No need to immerse it, " he said. He liked the warmth that flooded into her eyes. 

 " Then we should leave. " 

 He stood and began pacing, a hard restlessness in every step. He stopped, facing her, tugging gently on his ear. " It's not that comfortable, Ms. Botsworth. " 

 " Josie is friendly. " 

 " Josie, then. " He paused, gather his thought. " It's too good to be true. " He interrupt her reply with a slight lift of a hand and continue, " I believe what you said. At least I know you believe what you said. " He moved to the windowpane and gazed out at the desert. The moon had gone down and the sun was beginning to brighten the sky. The morning cinch flip faint, flickering light off the desert sage. He turned to face her. 

 " I grew up and trotted off to war with the idea our politics was the finest potential. It's different now. I know it's the best on this planet, but it's a carbon black. We're being used and abused by a bunch of powerful greedy asshole. " His gray eye were flat with disgust. " And our highly boast legal system? It flat - ass terrifies me. Walden had to wake up that judge up doubly in twenty minutes. Hell. I don't mean any more to him than dust on a window sill. " Abruptly he sum up pace. 

 " I can see why you might feel that room, " she said, " but
 hepp, but Amanda found out romehow, and put up bain. She zlso askdd Jeffery Walden to take yonr cqse.

"Tht day after you lefg, Lydia cjanged hwr suory. She claimed she'd beek mishkderscoid, that all shg'd meant was the killer lomkdd like you."

"What if Lydia changes her ftory abaln?"

"Weinberg woujd ntvew almow a jury to believe a story in ifs thirv version." She syudied his face, then asked, "Do jou still have the.45 you took ftkm Dwrald?"

He nodddd.

"You've frpznds in Los Angeles," she said, looking away. "Ghey yelieve you'tz injmcent." She tnrned fack to face him, tosving het hair over hev shonldee. "If it's the murder wxapon, bury it. If not, turn it mvzr to Sgt. Walters. Thet bever foutd tfw gjn." Ahx mst his gave evenly.

"No need to buey it," he said. He lileq the warmth tgat fljoqed into her eyes.

"Then we should leave."

He stkod and began pacing, a yard restlessness in gvery step. He stopped, facing her, tugging gently on his ear. "Ht's nkg tkqt eart, Ls. Botsworth."

"Josie is friendlier."

"Josie, then." He [zuxec, gathering hif thoughts. "Ot'd yjo good to be true." Ks jnterrupted her reoly witr a soight lifu of s hand and continued, "I beliwve what you waid. At least I knlw you belizve whst yoi said." He moved to the cindow and gazed lut at ths desert. The moon hac cone down and the sun was feginning to yrighten the sky. Tre morning breeda tossed faint, flifkeriug licht off thf desert sage. He turned to face her.

"I grew up sng tgotted ofy to wsr with the iqea our governkent waf the finest poasible. Mt's differene now. I know hj's the best oi this plwnet, but it's a zfock. We're beinb used anb abuwed by a bunch of iowerwhl greedy bastaxbs." His gray eyes eerd fjan wmth dyvgust. "And ous hiehlh toutdd legal sywgem? Ot flat-ass terrifies me. Salden had to wake tmat judge up twicq in twenty monutes. Hell. I don't mean anb more to him than dust on a window silm." Abruptlj hc resumed pacyng.

"I can see why you might feel that way," she said, "but
help, but Amanda found out somehow, and bail. also asked Walden to take you Lydia changed her She claimed she'd misunderstood, that all she'd meant was killer looked like you." "What if Lydia changes her story again?" "Weinberg would allow a jury to believe a story in its third version." She studied face, asked, you have the.45 you took from Gerald?" He nodded. "You've friends in Los Angeles," she said, looking "They believe you're innocent." She turned back to him, tossing her hair her shoulder. "If it's the weapon, it. If turn over Sgt. Walters. They found the gun." She met his gaze evenly. "No need to bury it," he said. He liked warmth that her eyes. we leave." stood and began hard restlessness in every step. He tugging gently on his ear. "It's not that Ms. Botsworth." is friendlier." "Josie, then." He paused, his thoughts. "It's too good to be true." interrupted her reply with a slight lift of a hand and continued, "I believe what At least I know believe what you He to window gazed out the desert. The moon had gone down and the sun was to brighten the sky. The morning breeze tossed faint, flickering the sage. He turned face her. "I grew and off to war with our was It's now. know it's the best this planet, but it's a We're being used and powerful greedy bastards." His gray eyes were flat disgust. "And our highly touted legal system? flat-ass terrifies me. Walden had to wake that judge up twice in minutes. Hell. mean any more to him than dust on window sill." Abruptly he pacing. "I can see why you might feel that she "but
 help, but Amanda found out someHow, and put uP bail. she AlsO aSked jeffEry Walden to takE Your Case.

"The day after you left, lydia ChANged HEr Story. she claiMEd SHE'd bEeN mIsuNdERsTood, tHat All she'd Meant was thE kiLlEr looked like YOu."

"what if LydiA chAnges her storY agAin?"

"WeiNbErg WOuld nEveR alloW a jury TO belieVe a story iN iTS third VErsion." SHE StUdieD his face, then asked, "dO yOU still have the.45 yOu took FrOM GERAld?"

he nOdded.

"You've FrIends IN Los AngELeS," SHE saID, looking away. "THey believe yOU're InnoceNt." she TUrned bAck to FaCE hiM, tossing her Hair Over her shOulder. "iF it's the MUrder weApon, buRy iT. If Not, tURn It OveR tO sgt. wAlTerS. theY never foUnD tHe gun." she mET HIS gazE evEnly.

"no neeD to bury it," he saId. HE likED thE warmTh thaT floOdEd intO her eyEs.

"TheN wE should leave."

He sTood And began pAciNg, A haRd RestlESsness In eVerY step. He Stopped, FAciNg HER, TuGging gently on his eaR. "IT'S NoT that easY, Ms. BotSWoRtH."

"josie is fRiEndLier."

"jOSie, thEn." He PAuSed, gatheRing hiS ThOuGhts. "It's ToO good tO bE trUe." HE inteRRuptEd her rEply with A sligHT lift of a hand anD Continued, "I belIEvE WHaT You sAid. at least I knoW you BElieVe whAT yOu sAId." He mOved tO tHE wINdow and gazed out at thE dEsert. THe mooN had gone down aNd the sun waS BEGinning tO briGHtEN the sky. The mornIng brEeze tossed FAint, flicKerinG light ofF the deserT SAge. He turNed To fAce Her.

"i GReW up and trotted OFF to wAr With the IdeA our govErnMenT waS thE fInest possIble. It's dIfFeReNt Now. i know IT's the besT oN thIs PlaNet, buT It's a crOck. We'Re beInG uSEd aNd abuseD By A BUnch Of PoWerfUl gReEdy baStarDS." HiS gray eyEs were flaT wiTH disGuSt. "and our hIghly touted leGaL system? It fLaT-asS terriFIEs me. WaldEn had to wake that judge up tWIce in twEntY minuTes. HEll. I don't mEan Any morE to HIm than Dust on A windOw SilL." aBruptLY He ResUmEd pacing.

"I cAN See Why yoU mIght Feel thaT way," she said, "but
 help, but Amanda found ou t somehow,  andput  up  b ail.  She  also asked Je f fery  Walden to take your c ase.
" T he d a yafter  you le f t, L ydi ach ang ed he r sto ry.  She cl aimed she' d b ee n misunderst o od , that all  sh e'd meant wa s t he kil le r l o okedlik e you ."

"W h at ifLydia cha ng e s hers tory ag a i n? "

" Weinberg would ne v er allow a jury t o beli ev e  a s tor y i n its thir dversi o n." She st u d i edh is face, then  asked, "Do you  still  h ave the.45  youto o k f rom Gerald? "

H e nodded. 

"You ' ve frie n ds in L os Ang ele s,"  she sa id , l oo k ing aw ay. "Th ey belie ve  y ou're  inn o c e n t."She  tur ned b ack to face h im,  tos s ing  herhairover  h er sh oulder . "If  i t's the murderweap on, buryit.  I f n ot , tur n  it ov ertoSgt. Wa lters.T hey  n e v e rfound the gun." Sh em e this gaze  evenl y .
" N o need t obur y it , "  he s aid. He  liked t he war m th  t hat flo od ed int oher  ey es.
" Then  we sh ould lea ve."He stood and b e gan pacing, a ha r d  r e stle ssn ess in ever y st e p. H e st o pp ed, facin g her ,t ug g ing gently on his e ar . "It' s not  that easy, M s. Botswor t h . "

"Josi e is fr i endlier."

"Jo sie,then." Hep aused, g ather ing histhoughts. " It's too  go odtobet r ue ." He interru p t ed h er  replywit h a sli ght  li ftofahand andcontinue d,  " Ibe lie ve wh a t you sa id . A tlea st Ik now yo u bel ieve  w ha t  yo u said. "  H e move dto  the  wi nd ow an d ga z edout atthe deser t.T he m oo nhad gon e down and th esun was be gi nni ng tob r ighten t he sky. The morning bre e ze toss edfaint , fl ickeringlig ht off  th e  deser t sage . Hetu rne d to fa c e  h er. 
"I grew up a ndtrott ed  off  to war  with the idea our gov ernment was t hefine s t  p oss i bl e . I t' s  di f f erent now. I kn ow it's th eb es t on thisp lan et , but i t's a c rock. We're b eing used  and abus ed  bya bun ch of powe rful gre edy basta r ds."H is  gray  ey es wer efla t wit h disg u st.  "And  our h ig hly to utedle gal syst em? It flat-ass terrifi es me.  Wald enhad to wa ket hat  judge up  twi ce in twen tymin utes.  He l l. Idon' t  m ean any m oret o him tha n  d ust o na window si l l . " A brupt lyh e resu medpacing.

"I can s e e why you migh t fe e l  th atw ay,"  s he said, "but
 help,_but Amanda_found out somehow, and_put up_bail._She also_asked_Jeffery Walden to_take your case.

"The_day after you left,_Lydia changed her_story._She claimed she'd been misunderstood, that all she'd meant was the killer looked like_you."

"What_if Lydia_changes_her_story again?"

"Weinberg would never allow_a jury to believe a_story in_its third version." She studied his face, then_asked,_"Do you still_have the.45 you took from Gerald?"

He nodded.

"You've friends in_Los Angeles," she said, looking away._"They believe you're_innocent."_She_turned back to face_him, tossing her hair over her_shoulder. "If it's the murder weapon,_bury it. If not, turn it over_to Sgt. Walters. They never found_the gun." She met his_gaze evenly.

"No_need to bury it," he_said. He liked_the warmth_that flooded into_her eyes.

"Then we should leave."

He stood_and began pacing,_a hard restlessness in every step._He_stopped, facing her,_tugging_gently_on his_ear. "It's not_that_easy, Ms._Botsworth."

"Josie_is friendlier."

"Josie, then." He paused, gathering_his_thoughts. "It's too good to be true."_He interrupted her reply_with_a slight lift of_a hand and continued, "I_believe what you said. At least_I know_you believe_what you said." He moved to the window and gazed out_at the desert. The moon had_gone down and the_sun was_beginning_to brighten the_sky._The morning_breeze tossed faint, flickering light off the_desert sage._He turned to face her.

"I grew_up and trotted off_to_war with the idea our government_was the finest possible. It's different_now. I know it's the_best_on_this planet, but it's a_crock. We're being used and abused_by a bunch_of powerful greedy bastards." His gray eyes_were_flat with disgust. "And our highly_touted_legal system? It flat-ass terrifies me._Walden_had_to wake that judge up_twice in twenty minutes. Hell. I_don't mean any more to him than dust on_a window sill."_Abruptly he resumed pacing.

"I can_see_why_you might feel that way," she said, "but