Molly stood before the judge and tried to concentrate as the prosecutor spoke. Philip Matthews had told her the prosecutor reluctantly agreed to allow her to plead guilty to manslaughter, which carried a ten year sentence, because the one weakness in his case was Annamarie Scalli, Gary Lasch’s pregnant mistress, who had not yet testified. Annamarie had told investigators that she was home alone that Sunday night.

“The prosecutor knows I’ll try to throw suspicion on Annamarie,” Matthews had explained to her. “She was angry and bitter at Gary, too. We might have had a crack at a hung jury, but if you were convicted, you’d be facing a life sentence. This way you’ll be out in as little as five.”

It was her turn to say the words that were expected of her. “Your Honor, while I cannot remember that horrible night, I acknowledge that the state’s evidence is strong and points to me. I accept that the evidence has shown that I killed my husband.” It’s a nightmare, Molly thought. I will wake up soon and be home and safe.

Fifteen minutes later after the Judge had imposed the ten year sentence she was led away in handcuffs toward the van that would transport her to Niantic Prison, the State Women’s Correctional Center.

Five and a Half Years Later

1

Gus Brandt, executive producer for the NAF Cable Network, looked up from his desk at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan. Fran Simmons, whom he’d recently hired as an investigative reporter for the six o’clock news hour and for regular assignments to his hot new True Crime program, had just entered his office.

“The word’s in,” he said excitedly. “Molly Carpenter Lasch is being paroled from prison. She gets out next week.”