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Vivi Ann closed her eyes It felt as if everything were draining away—blood, hope; life

“You told uy as harassing her last year”

“That’s why you’re sure they’ll come after you”

“It’s why I’m afraid” He reached out, touched her chin “Go ahead and ask me, Vivi I know you want to”

She heard the desperation in his voice, saw it in his eyes All his life he’d been let down, and he expected it of her, but she knew him Knew hi and how he talked about their family There was darkness in her husband’s past; but those days were behind him Love wasn’t a surface emotion for Dallas, nor was friendship Nobefore, she kneouldn’t kill Cat “I don’t have to, Dallas I know you’re innocent”

He see, he looked away

“Now get ready We’ve got to go to your friend’s funeral”

For the next two hours, they went through theroutine in silence, except for Noah’s nearly constant babbling

At eleven o’clock, Aurora and Richard showed up, looking glum and concerned Vivi Ann and Aurora stared at each other for a long ot into Richard’s rain-spotted black Suburban They dropped Noah off at their house, along with Janie and Ricky and the sitter, and then drove to the church

There, the peere almost full of black-clad mourners

Throughout the short, impersonal service, Vivi Ann held Dallas’s hand She could feel his tension; sohtly it hurt When the funeral was over, she got to her feet, pulled hied into the aisle and went downstairs, where food filled the table and no one would make eye contact with Dallas or Vivi Ann As usual, the wooodbye People stood around, talking in sroups There were no pictures of Cat set up on easels around the roo

“Hypocrites,” Dallas muttered beside her “Look at them Those women crossed the street to avoid her if they could”

“Don’t,” Vivi Ann said sharply

Aurora, Richard, Dad, and Winona caratitude for their support, but she could see by her dad’s face that he was not happy about being here

And then, suddenly, Al was there, in uniform “Come with me, Dallas Raintree,” he said in a loud, showy voice “You’ve got some questions to answer”