Page 142 of Key West Homecoming

“You okay?” Rachel asked as they turned onto Whitehead.

“I’m okay.”

“You’ll be quiet the whole time. I’ll do the talking. If Ellsworth addresses you directly, stand when you answer. Look at him, not Ted Ballard and not Arthur. Answer briefly, then sit down.”

“Understood.”

“There will be people in the gallery. Some of them will be there for you, but don’t turn around looking for them. Ellsworth doesn’t like anyone playing to a crowd.”

“I won’t turn around.”

“Edmund is coming. Rebecca’s driving him.”

“Connie called me at eleven last night to ask if there was a way she could come without anyone noticing.”

Rachel smiled. “What did you tell her?”

“That nobody would notice. She’s coming late and leaving before it’s over.”

“There may be others.” Rachel glanced at her. “Don’t turn around.”

“I won’t.”

They climbed the courthouse steps and stepped into the cool air inside. Emma had barely crossed the marble floor when the weight of what was about to happen settled in her stomach.

She stopped.

Rachel stopped too. She didn’t ask what was wrong or tell Emma everything would be fine. She simply waited beside her.

Emma drew a slow breath. For weeks, she had wanted this day to come. Now that it had, she wished she had five more minutes before walking into the courtroom. She wasn’t ready to hear Gloria’s life discussed in terms of wills, property and everything Arthur had taken.

Then she thought about the pearl earrings in her ears.

“I’m ready.”

Rachel nodded, and they walked to the courtroom.

The room was smaller than Emma expected. Two counsel tables faced the judge’s bench, with six rows of wooden benches behind them. A clerk sat to one side while a court reporter prepared her machine. The pale green walls looked as though no one had thought about changing the color since 1960.

Ted Ballard was already at the far table with Arthur beside him.

Arthur didn’t look up when Emma and Rachel entered. His hands were folded on the table, and his eyes stayed there.

Emma sat beside Rachel. A moment later, Yolanda came through the door pushing a wheeled cart loaded with file boxes. She parked it beside Rachel, took the small chair at the end of the table and gave Emma one firm nod.

A quiet cough sounded like Edmund. Someone shifted on a bench, and she wondered if it was Jake. A few minutes later, the door opened and closed so quietly that Emma thought of Connie slipping into the back row exactly as she’d planned. Knowing they were there helped more than she expected.

At ten o’clock, the bailiff called the room to order and Judge Ellsworth came in.

He was in his sixties, with gray hair and glasses hanging from a chain around his neck. He sat without ceremony, put on his glasses and opened the folder in front of him.

“Be seated.”

Everyone sat.

“This is the matter of the estate of Gloria Marie Kendrick. Ms. Alden for the petitioner and Mr. Ballard for the respondent. I’ve read the filings from both sides, the deposition transcript from Monday and the supplemental materials submitted Tuesday.” He looked at Rachel. “Ms. Alden, walk me through the timeline of the two wills.”

Rachel stood.