Page 103 of After Anna

“It was fine.” Anna flopped on the bed. “But I don’t need Noah to take me anymore. I’ll use a driving school for one or two more lessons. I just signed up online.”

“You don’t want Noah to take you?” Maggie sank into the bed, disappointed. “What happened?”

“Nothing.” Anna hesitated. “Why, did Noah say something happened?”

“No, but why do you want a professional? Was he too critical? He’s usually patient, even if he’s, well, picky.”

“No, he’s fine.”

“Did he give you a hard time about the car?”

“No.”

“Did he bring up the Jamie thing?”

“No. It’s nothing he did.” Anna pursed her lips. “It’s just that I felt kind of uncomfortable.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know, but I just felt, uncomfortable. Maybe because of all the drama.” Anna looked away. “I think it’s better this way, really, Mom.”

“You sure?” Maggie asked, worried that the rift between Anna and Noah was getting worse.

Anna turned away, eyeing the canvases. “That was so thoughtful of you to do that.”

“It was fun,” Maggie said, troubled.

Chapter Forty-nine

Noah, After

TRIAL, DAY 5

“Dr. Alderman, let’s briefly review your testimony, shall we?”

Noah nodded, not knowing whether he should answer. It sounded as if Linda was about to end her cross, and it couldn’t come soon enough. He straightened in his chair.

“Dr. Alderman, Anna Desroches moved into your home on April 22, isn’t that correct?”

“Yes.”

“And she was murdered only eighteen days later, on May 10, is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“You thought she was beautiful, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“And you complimented her on her looks during your driving lesson, did you not?”

“Yes.”

“And after you learned that she stood to inherit $50 million, you offered to give her driving lessons, is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“And when Anna asked you if your son Caleb could go, you lied to her about the real reason he couldn’t go, telling her that it was because she had to concentrate, isn’t that correct?”