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birth, and the fact of a dead infant found on the premises of her farm—but there are no eyewitnesses to what happened between the birth and the death of the infant. Until my client gets her fair trial, we aren't going to know how or why this death occurred.”
    She smiled tightly at the judge. “In fact, Your Honor, there are four main reasons bail should be allowed in this case. First, the girl is Amish and being charged with a violent crime, although violence in the Amish community historically does not exist. Second, because she's Amish, she has a much stronger tie to this community than most other defendants. Her religion and her upbringing rule out any risk of flight. Third, she's barely eighteen, and has no financial resources of her own to attempt an escape. And finally, she has no record—this is not only her first arraignment but the first time she's encountered the legal system in any way, shape, or form. I'm proposing, Your Honor, that she be released on stringent bail conditions.”
    Judge Gorman nodded thoughtfully. “Would you like to share those conditions with us?”
    Ellie took a deep breath. She'd love to; she just hadn't thought of them yet. She looked swiftly toward Leda and Frank and the Amish woman sitting between them, and suddenly it all came clear. “We respectfully request bail, Judge, with the following stipulations: that Katie Fisher not be allowed to leave East Paradise Township, but that she be allowed to live at home on her parents' farm. In return, she must be under the supervision of a family member at all times. As for bail—I would think that twenty thousand dollars is a fair amount to ask.”
    The prosecutor laughed. “Your Honor, that's ludicrous. A bail statute is a bail statute; and Murder One is Murder One. It's like that in fancy felony cases in Philadelphia, too, so Ms. Hathaway can't plead ignorance. If the proof wasn't evident we wouldn't be charging it this way. Clearly Katie Fisher should not be released on any bail.”
    The judge let his gaze touch upon the prosecutor, the defense attorney, and then Katie. “You know, coming in here this morning, I had no intention of doing what I'm about to do. But if I'm even going to consider your conditions, Ms. Hathaway, I need to know that someone agrees to be responsible for Katie Fisher. I want her father's word that she'll be supervised twenty-four/seven.” He turned to the gallery. “Mr. Fisher, would you make yourself known?”
    Leda stood up and cleared her throat. “He's not here, Your Honor.” She pulled hard at her sister's arm, dragging her to a standing position as well. “This is Katie's mother.”
    â€œAll right, Mrs. Fisher. Are you willing to accept total legal responsibility for your daughter?”
    Sarah looked down at her feet, her words so soft the judge had to strain to hear them. “No,” she admitted.
    Judge Gorman blinked. “I beg your pardon?”
    Sarah raised her face, tears in her eyes. “I cannot.”
    â€œI can, Your Honor,” Leda said.
    â€œYou live with the family?”
    She hesitated. “I could move in.”
    Sarah shook her head again, whispering furiously. “Aaron won't let you!”
    The judge impatiently rapped his fingers on the desk. “Is there any relative of Ms. Fisher's here today willing to take responsibility for her round the clock, who doesn't have a problem with the church or her father?”
    â€œI'll do it.”
    Judge Gorman turned to Ellie, who seemed just as surprised to have uttered the words as he had been to hear them. “That's certainly devoted of you, Counsel, but we're looking for a family member.”
    â€œI know,” Ellie said, swallowing hard. “I'm her cousin.”

FOUR
Ellie
    W hen George Callahan stood up and roared his objection, I had to stop myself from seconding his motion. God, what on earth was I thinking? I came to East Paradise burned