The Ninth Step, page 26
Without a single thought of the ramifications. It had been like running into a burning building. That was how she explained it to Russ. She hadn’t considered the risk. Hadn’t reckoned that as a result of her impulse she would be caught up in a maelstrom of publicity, hounded by reporters for weeks on end and subpoenaed by the State to give expert testimony, all of which, as Russ had pointed out, left her, and by association, Russ, himself, vulnerable to exposure. Which was unfortunate, but they both knew there was no question of letting Jody go. And in any case, for all Sophia knows, the very fact that Jody chose her to confess to, and not some other psychologist, might very well have been a test, the gift of a second chance to do the right thing.
Not that it absolves her. She can never be forgiven for her past wrongdoing. But at least Benny was found alive and relatively unharmed, to his parents’ eternal gratitude. But that’s something else Sophia doesn’t deserve.
“It was a good thing you did saving that boy,” the painter says now.
Sophia doesn’t respond. Admiration is one more thing she isn’t comfortable with. A lot of it turned sour anyway when during the punishment phase of Jody’s trial, she made the controversial statement that she was unsure whether it was right to execute a man who couldn’t understand why he was being put to death. Certainly what Jody had done was of the blackest evil, but should he die for it? Who is she to judge? She of all people?
“Do you still see him?”
Sophia glances sidelong at the painter. Suppose he isn’t a painter but a reporter? That would explain the overly meaningful looks he’s been giving her. But in all likelihood he’s merely curious like the countless others who have no qualms about approaching her. “If you could leave the bid on the patio table under the hurricane lamp. . . ?”
“That’ll work,” he says. “It was nice meeting you,” he adds. “Interesting.” The word is tacked on.
Sophia has no idea what he means. Not then.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
About The Author
Reading Group Guide
First chapter of my new book - Volunteer
Barbara Taylor Sissel, The Ninth Step
