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painful for everyone involved。 Maybe his selfish interest in closeted skeletons wasn't as important as Lee's stability。
He slid the shoe box back to its original position； then threw the vodka bottle in the wastebasket for the second time。 He dressed quickly and left the building。 He asked the gate man about Lee。 According to a sheet of paper on his clipboard； she'd left almost two hours ago； at eight…ten。
It was customary for lawyers at Kravitz & Bane in Chicago to spend Sunday at the office； but evidently the practice was frowned upon in Memphis。 Adam had the place entirely to himself。 He locked his door anyway； and was soon lost in the murky legal world of federal habeas corpus practice。
His concentration； though； was difficult and only lasted for short intervals。 He worried about Lee； and he hated Sam。 It would be difficult to look at him again； probably tomorrow； through the metal screen at the Row。 He was frail and bleached and wrinkled； and by all rights entitled to a little sympathy from someone。 Their last discussion had been about Eddie； and when it ended Sam had asked him to leave the family stuff outside the Row。 He had enough on his mind at the moment。 It wasn't fair to confront a condemned man with his ancient sins。
Adam was not a biographer； nor a genealogist。 He hadn't been trained in sociology or psychiatry； and； frankly； he was； at the moment； quite weary of further expeditions into the cryptic history of the Cayhall family。 He was simply a lawyer； a rather green one； but an advocate nonetheless whose client needed him。
It was time to practice law and forget the folklore。
At eleven…thirty； he dialed Lee's number and listened to the phone ring。 He left a message on the recorder； telling her where he was and would she please call。 He called again at one； and at two。 No answer。 He was preparing an appeal when the phone rang。
Instead of Lee's pleasant voice； he heard the clipped words of the Honorable F。 Flynn Slattery。 〃Yes； Mr。 Hall； Judge Slattery here。 I've carefully considered this matter； and I'm denying all relief； including your request for a stay of execution；〃 he said； almost with a trace of cheer。 〃Lots of reasons； but we won't go into them。 My clerk will fax you my opinion right now； so you'll have it in a moment。〃
〃Yes sir；〃 Adam said。
〃You'll need to appeal as soon as possible； you know。 I suggest you do so in the morning。〃
〃I'm working on the appeal now； Your Honor。 In fact； it's almost finished。〃
〃Good。 So you were expecting this。〃
〃Yes sir。 I started working on the appeal right after I left your office on Tuesday。〃 It was tempting to take a shot or two at Slattery。 He was； after all； two hundred miles away。 But he was also； after all； a federal judge。 Adam was very aware that one day very soon he might need His Honor again。
〃Good day； Mr。 Hall。〃 And with that； Slattery hung up。
Adam walked around the table a dozen times； then watched the light rain on the Mall below。 He swore quietly about federal judges in general and Slattery in particular； then returned to his puter where he stared at the screen and waited for inspiration。
He typed and read； researched and printed； looked from his windows and dreamed of miracles until it was dark。 He had killed several hours with footless piddling； and one reason he worked until eight o'clock was to give Lee plenty of time to return to the condo。
There was no sign of her。 The security guard said she had not returned。 There was no message on the recorder； other than his。 He dined on microwave popcorn； and watched two movies on video。 The idea of calling Phelps Booth was so repugnant he nearly shuddered at the thought。
He thought of sleeping on the sofa in the den so he would hear her if she came home； but after the last movie he retired to his room upstairs and closed the door。
28
THE explanation for yesterday's disappearance was slow in ing； but sounded plausible by the time she finished with it。 She'd been at the hospital all day； she said as she moved slowly around the kitchen； with one of her kids from the Auburn House。 Poor little girl was only thirteen； baby number one but of course there would be others； and she had gone into labor a month early。 Her mother was in jail and her aunt was off selling drugs； and she had no one else to turn to。 Lee'd held her hand throughout the plicated delivery。 The girl was fine and the baby was okay； and now there was another unwanted little child in the Memphis ghettos。
Lee's voice was scratchy and her eyes were puffy and red。 She said she'd returned a few minutes after one； and she would've called earlier but they were in the labor room for six hours and the delivery room for two。 St。 Peter's Charity Hospital is a zoo； especially the maternity wing； and； well； she just couldn't get to a phone。
Adam sat in his pajamas at the table； sipping coffee and studying the paper as she talked。 He hadn't asked for the explanation。 He tried his best to act unconcerned about her。 She insisted on cooking breakfast： scrambled eggs and canned biscuits。 And she was doing a good job of busying herself in the kitchen as she talked and avoided eye contact。
〃What's the kid's name？〃 he asked seriously as if he was deeply concerned with Lee's story。
〃Uh； Natasha。 Natasha Perkins。〃
〃And she's only thirteen？〃
〃Yes。 Her mother is twenty…nine。 Can you believe it？ A twenty…nine…year…old grandmother。〃
Adam shook his head in disbelief。 He happened to be looking at the small section of the Memphis Press where it registered the county's vital records。 Marriage licenses。 Divorce petitions。 Births。 Arrests。 Deaths。 He scanned the list of yesterday's births as if he were checking scores； and found no record of a new mother named Natasha Perkins。
Lee finished her struggle with the canned biscuits。 She placed them on a small platter along with the eggs and served them； then sat at the other end of the table； as far away from Adam as possible。 〃Bon appetit；〃 she said with a forced smile。 Her cooking was already a rich source of humor。
Adam smiled as if everything was fine。 They needed humor at this moment； but wit failed them。 〃Cubs lost again；〃 he said； taking a bite of eggs and glancing at the folded newspaper。
〃The Cubs always lose； don't they？〃
〃Not always。 You follow baseball？〃
〃I hate baseball。 Phelps turned me against every sport known to man。〃
Adam grinned and read the paper。 They ate without talking for a few minutes； and the silence grew heavy。 Lee punched the remote and the television on the counter came on and created noise。 They were both suddenly interested in the weather； which was again hot and dry。 She played with her food； nibbling on a half…baked biscuit and pushing the eggs around her plate。 Adam suspected her stomach was feeble at the moment。
He finished quickly and took his plate to the kitchen sink。 He sat again at the table to finish the paper。 She was staring at the television； anything to keep her eyes away from her nephew。
〃I'll probably go see Sam today；〃 he said。 〃I haven't been in a week。〃
Her gaze fell to a spot somewhere in the middle of the table。 〃I wish we hadn't gone to Clan