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“Even if you pled guilty and we got a plea bargain,” Scot said, “the judge wouldn’t have to follow it He can iuidelines And with the media out there, he may want to make an example of you You could spend your life behind bars, Lexi ”

“I a that can happen, and kids should know that How can I stand in that courtroouilty?”

“Hasn’t enough bad coht?” Eva asked

“This discussion is over You’re paying uilty,” Scot said firmly

Lexi sighed They were talking about the law and her future That wasn’t really the point at all, but they were trying so hard to save her She didn’t want to disappoint them, too Especially not Eva “Okay ”

Jude sat in the courtrooht, as she’d often begged hi, playful kid he’d been Now he pulled his pants up and wore a belt and cleaned his roo so hard tothing around her, ofher cry Especially here, in front of everyone they knew

The benches in the courtroootten out about Lexi’s arrest and arraignment, admittance to this courtroom had become the hottest ticket in town People had lined up before dawn in the hopes that they would get a seat Everyone had an opinion on the case: soer to society Some blamed Jude and Miles for lackluster supervision and bad parenting; these were the parents ore their own children didn’t drink A fehack jobs even blas like this wouldn’t happen

Local reporters, and perhaps one or two national journalists, h the hallway outside Jude didn’t look around, didn’t want to see the friends she’d made over her years here on Pine Island, the wo class parties or in the carpool lane or in the checkout line at Safeway Many of theularly, and she took the calls, but they rarely lasted long Jude simply couldn’t think of what to say anymore Neither did she care about representatives of MADD, who had conducted a press conference just thisprison time for Lexi

Lexi

Just the naer or despair She did her best never to think about the girl who’d caused all of this, who’d killed her daughter The girl her son had loved The girl she’d loved

“I’ a seat on Zach’s other side

The judge cracked his gravel down and called for order

The gallery quieted

“Ms Baill,” the judge said, “you are aware of the cried?”

At the defendant’s table, Lexi and her lawyer stood She looked incredibly fragile and s there Her hair was unkempt and frizzy, out of control Her cheap black pants needed ironing and were a little too short