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Chapter 111

JONAH AND I watched froe clattered down the back drive and onto the Old Laurel Road The crowd in front continued chanting for another half hour or so, but then the rain picked up and extinguished their torches, and their anger, at least for tonight

Before long I was seated in the ground-floor parlor with a snifter of brandy and a pot of coffee Two of LJ’s house- in planks to nail over the s Quite the sight And quite the night

A knock came at the door I looked up to see Nelson, one of the houseboys

“There’s a Miz Begley here to see you, sir,” he said

I went andfrom the rain, and she looked uncharacteristically disheveled

She reached out and took my hand “Oh, Ben, I was in the courtroom today,” she said “It’s awful, just awful We all see what’s happening How can I help?”

I led her to LJ’s study, toward a green damask sofa, where we sat Elizabeth untied the bow of her bonnet and shucked it off Her hair went flowing onto her shoulders

“I want to help you Ben Please let ot to stop Most of us in toant it to stop”

“I don’t knohat to say, Elizabeth LJ just took Allegra and their kids out of town”

“Don’t push ain, and to lose, than you do Ben?”

After a brief silence, I told her about a plan that had been for one, and I wasn’t sure if I could pull it off

“Elizabeth,” I said “You already are a help tothat I have your support and trustto me”

Chapter 112

SINCE THE NIGHT we had convinced Phineas to arrest the White Raiders, I’d known that if this trial ever cauilty verdicts would be close to impossible But this was the first tiht be completely impossible