Page 119 of After Anna

“That’s true,” Evans answered, after a moment.

“And in your expert opinion, isn’t it possible that those fibers could have been exchanged while Dr. Alderman was engaged in efforts to resuscitate Anna?”

“Yes.”

“You also testified that you found certain hairs of Anna’s on Dr. Alderman, and conversely, Dr. Alderman’s hairs were also found on Anna, isn’t that correct?”

“Yes.”

“And again, in your expert opinion, isn’t it possible that those hairs could have been exchanged while Dr. Alderman was engaged in attempts to resuscitate Anna?”

“Yes,” Evans answered after a moment.

“Your Honor, I have no further questions,” Thomas said, turning away.

Noah felt like cheering, but he kept it inside. Thomas had scored off an important witness.

But Noah didn’t know if it was enough to save him.

Chapter Fifty-six

Maggie, Before

Maggie sat in the backyard in the dark, having texted Kathy and asked her to call ASAP. She could imagine what Kathy would be doing right now, hurrying the boys to bed, letting the dog out one last time, and twisting the deadbolt on her front door, believing she had locked the danger outside, keeping her family safe. Maggie would’ve been doing the same things, assuming that the bad guys were outside, somewhere else, not under her roof. But she would never think that again.

Maggie eased back on the chaise lounge, clutching her phone. The barbecue smells hung in the air, and the lanterns were still lit, strung from tree to tree along the back fence. The folding chairs and card tables had been put away in the garage, and the cast-iron racks rested atop the grill, since Noah always insisted on cleaning them. It was almost impossible to believe that a man so picky about a barbecue grill could be the same man who would molest his stepdaughter.

Maggie couldn’t believe she was thinking about a divorce, but she was. She loved Noah, or who she thought Noah was, but the foundation of their marriage was shifting beneath her very feet, like a domestic earthquake, the tectonic plates of their very lives, disjointed and broken.

Suddenly her phone rang, and the screen lit up with picture of Kathy in a tiara, from her last birthday. Maggie picked up. “Kath—”

“OMG, that party was so great! I’m so happy for you!” Kathy sounded like she expected a gossipy rehash, juicy fun for them both.

“Thanks, but something’s the matter.”

“What’s up?”

“It’s bad. Very bad. Are you somewhere you can talk?”

“Yes.” Kathy’s voice darkened. “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know where to start,” Maggie began, but tears came to her eyes. “I can’t say it.”

“What do you mean? What is it?”

“I can’t.”

“Maggie. It’s okay. Whatever you did, I love you.”

“It’s not me.” Maggie wiped her eyes on her shirt. She had put on a blousy black top and black capris for the party, her Cool Mom Outfit. It seemed pathetic now.

“What’s the matter, honey?” Kathy’s tone softened.

Maggie prepared to say words she could never believe would come out of her mouth: “I think Noah may have molested Anna.”

“What?”Kathy gasped, shocked. “Youcan’tbe serious.”

“It’s so awful,” Maggie found herself whispering. She couldn’t admit it aloud, even to herself.