Night Road(67)

“Yes, that’s right. I’m sorry to simply stop by, but your phone seems to be off the hook.”

“Reporters,” she said, stepping back. “They call constantly asking for a ‘comment on our tragedy.’ Come in.” She led him into the great room, where sunlight shone through the giant windows. The view over the Sound was spectacular on this crystalline day.

Dennis had just taken a seat when Miles walked into the room, dressed in shorts for running.

“Miles,” Jude said. “This is Dennis Uslan. He’s the prosecuting attorney for our case.”

Miles looked at Dennis. “I wasn’t aware we had a case.”

Dennis rose from his seat. “That’s what I wanted to speak to you about. I’m getting a lot of pressure from MADD and the community to charge Alexa Baill with DUI vehicular homicide. Obviously a trial can be a lengthy and heartbreaking undertaking, and I wanted to know where you stand on the idea.”

“What would happen to Lexi?” Miles asked.

“If convicted, she could face more than fifteen years in prison, although, admittedly, that outcome is extreme. She could also be found not guilty or plea bargain to something lesser. Any way you go, though, it’s tough on the victim’s family.”

Jude flinched at the word victim.

“I don’t think it will help anyone if Lexi goes to prison,” Miles said. “We need to forgive her, not punish her. Maybe other kids could learn from her mistake? She could—”

“Forgive her?” Jude couldn’t believe what her husband had just said.

“Mrs. Farraday,” Dennis asked, “what do you want?”

Jude knew the right answer, knew what she would have said before all of this, what she would have believed: that Miles was right. Only forgiveness could ease Jude’s pain.

But she wasn’t that woman anymore. “Justice,” she said at last, seeing Miles’s disappointment in her. “What mother wouldn’t want that?”

*

In the nine days since high school graduation, Lexi had become a lost soul. On Monday morning, she’d shown up bright and early for work at the ice cream shop, only to be told (kindly, but told just the same) that she’d been fired. Try and understand, Mrs. Solter had said, there’s a lot of anger against you in town right now. It would be bad for business to have you working here.

After that Lexi had stayed home, reading one book after another. For the first time in years, she turned to Jane Eyre for comfort. She was reading it again when someone knocked on her door.

“Lexi?”

“Yeah?

“Your lawyer is here.”

Lexi put down her book and went out to the living room.

“They filed charges against you,” Scot said before Lexi even sat down. “DUI vehicular homicide and assault. Your arraignment is Wednesday. We’ll plead not guilty and get a court date.”

“Not guilty?” Lexi said, trying to process it all. She didn’t even know what she felt anymore.

“The question is not whether you were driving or whether Mia died. It’s about legal responsibility. You had an accident. You didn’t commit a crime. So our plan is…”

Lexi didn’t hear anything past “responsibility.” Suddenly, she was her own mother, trying to run away from what she’d done. “No,” she said sharply.

Scot looked at her. “No, what, Lexi?”

“I’m going to plead guilty,” she said.

“You most certainly will not,” Eva said.

Lexi loved her aunt for that. “Come on, Eva. Am I supposed to get away with killing my best friend? I did it, and we can’t afford—”

“You will not plead guilty,” Eva said again. “I have the money in my retirement fund.”

“You’re letting your emotions run wild,” Scot said. “I can see that you’re a good person, and you want to do the right thing, but pleading guilty isn’t it. DUI vehicular homicide is a class-A felony, punishable by up to life in prison. Believe me, prison is not where you want to be, Lexi. And with the sentiment out there … we have to fight for your freedom.”

Could she stand up in court and say she wasn’t guilty when everyone knew she was? “We all know what’s right here. Don’t you want me to do the right thing, Aunt Eva?”

“You are too young to know what’s right here, Lexi. You did a terrible thing. I admit it. But is prison the answer? No. You were there; you visited your mother.” Eva moved closer. She cupped Lexi’s face in her chapped, dry hands. “I know you’re worried about me, but don’t be. We can afford whatever we have to.”

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

“I am an example,” Lexi said quietly. “I am the worst thing that can happen, and kids should know that. How can I stand in that courtroom and say I’m not guilty?”

“Hasn’t enough bad come from that night?” Eva asked.

“This discussion is over. You’re paying me for my advice, and this is it: you’re pleading not guilty,” Scot said firmly.