Page 97 of The Happy Month

“He was my health teacher.”

“Can you elaborate? Not every high school sophomore marries her health teacher.”

“Again, would you watch your tone,” Colcott said. “Ms. Blanchard was sexually abused by her teacher. She’s a victim.”

“She later married the man who abused her.”

“While she was still a child.”

To Sammy she said, “Bernie Carrier was your health teacher. When did that class begin?”

“I was a sophomore.”

“What year were you a sophomore?”

“Nineteen seventy-five.”

“The class began in the fall of nineteen seventy-five and ended in the spring of seventy-six. Several months prior to the murder. That would mean your relationship with Bernie Carrier began prior to Pete Michaels’ murder.”

“I suppose that’s right.”

“Miss Gonzalez should stop referring to sexual abuse as a relationship. My client was a child. Bernie Carrier sexually abused her.”

Lydia nodded, seeming to concede the point. “Miss Blanchard. Can you tell us when your ex-husband began abusing you?”

“He’s not my ex-husband.”

“You’re still married to your abuser almost twenty years later?”

“I was very young. I didn’t necessarily understand what was happening.”

“Can you elaborate on that? Starting with how the abuse began.”

Sammy glanced at her attorney. Clearly, she did not want to tell this story. But her attorney couldn’t save her, so she began: “I started staying after class. Thinking up questions to ask. I played dumb. I already knew men liked that.”

“Are you saying you were the aggressor?”

“She was fifteen. He was fifty-six,” Colcott said. “The abuse was illegal regardless of how it came about.”

“I’m not blaming Mrs. Carrier,” Lydia said, voice as sweet as maple syrup. “I’m just trying to establish what happened.”

“Blanchard, please,” Sammy said.

“If you like. Coach Carrier was married when the abuse began. You lived with your parents. How did the two of you manage to meet?”

Colcott reached out and turned off the tape. “My client was led to believe this deposition was about her husband admitting to killing Pete Michaels. Which you’ve already established. At this point, you’ve strayed too far.”

“I don’t think so,” Lydia said. “A judge will want these questions answered. Not to mention the DA.” She reached out and turned the tape recorder back on. “Tape was paused by Mr. Colcott resulting in a thirty-second lapse.”

After an awkwardly long pause, Lydia repeated, “How did you and Coach Carrier arrange your meetings?”

Sammy glanced at her attorney. He showed her an open palm, meaning there wasn’t much he could do.

“My parents were alcoholics. They left me alone. A lot. When they did, I would call Bernie’s house and let the phone ring twice and then hang up. He’d know to come over.”

She’d told me that before, but now we had it in a deposition. Better. Much better. It also matched the way that Pete and Larry met each other. And the way the killer lured Larry to Pete’s house.

“When did you learn that Mr. Carrier was also abusing teenage boys?”