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I was so grateful when h theacross the corridor The weather report two days ago had forecast Monday as sunny, which h teood thing, since it h to kill Jane, though I caed on , until Jessie Schneider cae now," she said "Coestured us out I’d been afraid we’d be shackled, but eren’t We were handcuffed, though

"When ao home, Jessie?" Jane asked "Hey, you know Sookie didn’t do nothing to Arlene I saw Arlene with some men"

"Yeah, when did you re, heavy woman in her forties, didn’t seem to bear either of us any ill will She was so accusto lied to that she si an inmate said, and very little anyone else told her, either

"A, Jessie, don’t be ht to let Sookie go Me, too"

Jessie said, "I’ll tell Andy you re any weight on Jane’s words

We went out a side door and directly into the parish van Jessie had two other prisoners in tow by that time: Ginjer Hart (Mel Hart’s ex-wife), a werepanther who had a habit of passing bad checks, and Diane Porchia, an insurance agent Of course, I knew Diane had been picked up (which sounded better than "arrested") for filing false insurance claims, but I’d kind of lost track of her case Women were transported separately from men, and Jessie, accompanied by Kenya, drove us over to the courthouse I didn’t look out the as so ashamed that people could see me in this van

There was a hush e filed into the courtroom I didn’t look at the spectator section, but when attorney Beth Osiecki waved her hand to catchin the front row Once I’d noticed her, I caught a glimpse of a familiar face over her shoulder

Tara was sitting behind the places saved for lawyers JB ith her The babies sat in two infant seats between them

In the row behind sat Alcide Herveaux, leader of the Shreveport olf pack and owner of AAA Accurate Surveys Next to him was my brother, Jason, and his packleader, Calvin Norris Jason’s friend and best man, Hoyt Fortenberry, was nearby Chessie Johnson, as keeping Arlene’s kids, was having a low-voiced conversation with Kennedy Keyes and her boyfriend, Danny Prideaux, who not only worked at the home builders’ supply but was also Bill Colowered Mustapha Khan, Eric’s daytiavefrom foot to foot uneasily, his wife, Jimmie, at his side Maxine Fortenberry cary as a thunderstorht another friend of Gran’s with her, Everlee Mason Maxine earing her righteous face It was clear that co she’d never had to do in her life, but by golly she was going to do it today

I had a moment of sheer aht the? It seeht the thoughts in their brains, and I understood that there was no coincidence They were all here on my behalf

My vision suddenly blurry from tears, I followed Ginjer Hart as she entered the defendants’ pew If the jail orange looked awful onGinjer any favors, either Ginjer’s bright red hair was a direct slap in the face to the Day-Glo shade of the ense, had fared better

I didn’t really care about hoe looked in our jail clothes I was trying not to think about the moment I was so touched that my friends had come, so horrified they’d seen et outso terrified I wouldn’t

Ginjer Hart was bound over for trial since no one stepped forward to bail her out I wondered if Calvin Norris, leader of the werepanthers, hadn’t shown up to stand bail for his clanswoman, but I learned later that this was Ginjer’s third offense and that he’d warned her the first and second times that his patience had a li in the last row, looking sad and worn-down

Then, finally, it was e, a kindly but shrewd-looking woe Rosoff" She was in her fifties, I thought Her hair was in a bun, and her oversized glasses made her eyes look like a Chihuahua’s

"Miss Stackhouse," she said, after looking at the papers in front of her "This is your arraigned with second-degree murder, which carries a penalty of life in prison You have counsel present, I see Miss Osiecki?"

Beth Osiecki took a deep breath I suddenly understood that she’d never represented sohtened I could hardly listen to the back-and-forth between the judge and the attorney, but I heard it when the judge said she’d never seen so many friends turn out for a defendant Beth Osiecki told the judge I should be released on bail, especially in view of the very slim evidence that connected e turned to the district attorney, Eddie Cammack, who never came to Merlotte’s, went to church at Tabernacle Baptist, and raised Maine coon cats Eddie looked as horrified as if Judge Rosoff were being asked to release Charles Manson

"Your honor, Miss Stackhouse is accused of killing a woman as a friend to her for many years, a wos to say about Arlene "Detective Beck says Miss Stackhouse had solid reasons to want Arlene Fowler dead, and Foas found with Miss Stackhouse’s scarf around her neck, behind Miss Stackhouse’s workplace We don’t believe she should be freed on bail" I wondered where Alcee Beck was Then I spotted hiested whipping Barbara Beck on the courthouse lawn The judge glanced at Alcee’s angry face and then dismissed him from her mind

"Has this scarf been proved to be Miss Stackhouse’s?" Judge Rosoff asked

"She admits the scarf looks like one she had"

"No one saw Miss Stackhouse wearing the scarf recently?"