‘I know all about murder investigations,’ she told him. ‘My husband’s an attorney, too.’

‘Then you know how serious this is.’

Mrs Hardy did not seem convinced. ‘I know how important you all think it is,’ she said mildly. ‘Look, Mr Randall, I’m just trying to find out how long this will be. I’ve got to pick up my children at school. If I’m not going to be out of here by one o’clock, I’m going to have to make some phone calls.’

‘I think that’s a good possibility,’ he said with conscious ambiguity.

She didn’t think it was too important, did she? Well, she’d find out.

As it developed, he began with her just before noon. She had just decided to make her phone calls when Scott called her to testify. She thought it couldn’t be too long. She’d have plenty of time. There was no need to call.

After he administered the oath that she tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, Scott had her identify herself, and then started right in. ‘Mrs Hardy, were you acquainted with the deceased, Bree Beaumont?’

‘No. I never met her.’

‘But you did know her husband Ron?’

‘That’s correct.’ Mrs Hardy was sitting at a table in the front of the room, facing the twenty jurors. Now she looked up at them and explained. ‘Ron is the full-time parent in their family, so we saw each other mostly at school and other child-related events.’

‘And how long have you known him?’

‘I don’t know exactly. A couple or three years.’ Another explanation to the jury. ‘He’s kind of an honorary mom. We tease him about it.’

‘We?’

‘You know, the other moms at school.’

Scott was just fishing, talking about whatever came up. Here before the grand jury, strict relevancy wasn’t much of an issue. ‘Did he seem to resent this role?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I mean, being Mr Mom? Did he ever talk about resenting that his wife worked and he didn’t?’