Mom choked back her crying and walked around through the gate, watching me every minute like maybe if she looked away, I'd disappear. She put her arm around my shoulders and hugged me hard. "I didn't say it like that ... it wasn't the way the judge made it sound ... I never thought they'd ... I'll do something. I promise."

       Mom turned around to the sheriff . She went all through school with him, so she knew him pretty good. "Henry, would you go talk to the judge ? Tell him if he lets John come home with me, I'll keep him there all the time. I'll see he doesn't get in any more trouble." Her voice cracked. "We'll work things out."

        Sheriff Deetz shrugged. "Sorry. You haven't got the say over John anymore. The juvenile authorities have that now, Marilyn. Nothing I can do."

       I tried to make her feel better. "Hey, I'll make out all right. And you get another lawyer for me, you hear? Jackson sure didn't do me any good." I tried to smile at her, but how could I, when I was scared to death myself?

       She wiped her nose and stuffed her handkerchief in her pocket. "I will. I'll go over to The Dalles or Hood River or maybe even into Portland to find a lawyer. I should never have let Pete talk me into getting that paper pusher Jerry Jackson. I'll ask Norman."