the house. She admitted it once I confronted her with it .”
“ She actually said, ‘ Yes, I made this up to come out here? ’“
“ Not those exact words but very nearly, yes. She apologized and said that she just wanted to see me now that she knew I existed .”
The D.A. nodded as though picturing the scene in her mind. “ And when was this? ”
“ Approximately one week after I went to Mr. Solari ’ s office .” Weariness grew in Willow ’ s voice. Her mind was growing muddled.
From questions regarding the attempts to terrorize her to detailed accounts of her every meeting with both of the Solaris, Willow ’ s memory was tapped with every kind of question. Occasionally, the D. A. would respond with a rebuttal query such as, “ Are you aware that Ms. Solari asserts that she did not attempt to deceive you about the reason for her visit? ” Willow ’ s replies were swift and confident. “ I think you should question Officer Chad Tesdall as to the accuracy of my statement. I said she confessed her scheme, and she did. He heard the conversation .”
Once the ordeal was over, Willow stood, shook everyone ’ s hand, and then turned back to the District Attorney. “ Ma ’ am, I have to tell you — I do not want to testify. I can ’ t imagine how I would be helpful. Please don ’ t put me in that position .”
As they watched her exit the room, the reporter, the lawyer, and the D.A. all said in unison, “ Wow .”
Willow overheard them and rolled her eyes.
Wednesday, Willow woke up vomiting. She barely reached the bathroom floor before she retched uncontrollably. Unable to remember exactly when the last time she ’ d vomited was, and feeling exceptionally weak, her heart sank. By the time she ’ d decided to call Marianne for ideas of what to do, another wave of nausea sent her racing for the toilet again.
Ditto cried for relief before Willow crawled downstairs . She made it to the barn just in time for her to heave into the milk pail. A glance at the phone charger told her Chad had left the phone beside her bed before he went to work. She didn ’ t know how she ’ d get back up those stairs , but she had to try.
Another wave of nausea hit in the middle of the yard. She curled into fetal position on the ground, her arms wrapped around the milk pail for dear life and prayed that the Lord would either kill her now or send someone to help. To her utter disgust, she not only lived but no one came . Still, she kept up the running prayer until she managed to crawl back upstairs and into bed.
Keeping the milk pail close, and berating her self for not grabbing a clothes pin to block out the smell while in the barn, Willow collapsed on the bed and hit the button to dial Chad. His voicemail irritated her enough that had she had the strength, she ’ d have thrown the phone through the window. “ How did mother handle illness all alone? ” she wailed miserably.
The phone rang and Chad ’ s name flashed across the screen. Just as she clicked it open to answer it, another attack hit her. “ You ok? ”
“ Do I —” she retched once more, “ sound ok to you? ”
“ Oh , lass, I ’ ll get someone to come in for me and be right there .”
“ Can you do that? ” Willow ’ s voice sounded doubtful.
“ I can do that. Hang in there until I get home .”
Only the sounds of Willow ’ s illness crossed the airwaves until she finally whimpered, “ Hurry — please? ”
Chad immediately dialed the Chief. “ Sir, I ’ ve got a problem .”
“ Waverly call in sick? ” The new officer had called in twice in the past month.
“ No. It ’ s Willow. She ’ s vomiting and she called for help. I ’ m sorry sir , but she wouldn ’ t call unless she couldn ’ t function .”
“ Forget that , son, ” the Chief contradicted, “ t hat woman wouldn ’ t call unless she was at death ’ s door. I ’ ll come in early. You get home .”
Chad was already walking as briskly as possible
“ She actually said, ‘ Yes, I made this up to come out here? ’“
“ Not those exact words but very nearly, yes. She apologized and said that she just wanted to see me now that she knew I existed .”
The D.A. nodded as though picturing the scene in her mind. “ And when was this? ”
“ Approximately one week after I went to Mr. Solari ’ s office .” Weariness grew in Willow ’ s voice. Her mind was growing muddled.
From questions regarding the attempts to terrorize her to detailed accounts of her every meeting with both of the Solaris, Willow ’ s memory was tapped with every kind of question. Occasionally, the D. A. would respond with a rebuttal query such as, “ Are you aware that Ms. Solari asserts that she did not attempt to deceive you about the reason for her visit? ” Willow ’ s replies were swift and confident. “ I think you should question Officer Chad Tesdall as to the accuracy of my statement. I said she confessed her scheme, and she did. He heard the conversation .”
Once the ordeal was over, Willow stood, shook everyone ’ s hand, and then turned back to the District Attorney. “ Ma ’ am, I have to tell you — I do not want to testify. I can ’ t imagine how I would be helpful. Please don ’ t put me in that position .”
As they watched her exit the room, the reporter, the lawyer, and the D.A. all said in unison, “ Wow .”
Willow overheard them and rolled her eyes.
Wednesday, Willow woke up vomiting. She barely reached the bathroom floor before she retched uncontrollably. Unable to remember exactly when the last time she ’ d vomited was, and feeling exceptionally weak, her heart sank. By the time she ’ d decided to call Marianne for ideas of what to do, another wave of nausea sent her racing for the toilet again.
Ditto cried for relief before Willow crawled downstairs . She made it to the barn just in time for her to heave into the milk pail. A glance at the phone charger told her Chad had left the phone beside her bed before he went to work. She didn ’ t know how she ’ d get back up those stairs , but she had to try.
Another wave of nausea hit in the middle of the yard. She curled into fetal position on the ground, her arms wrapped around the milk pail for dear life and prayed that the Lord would either kill her now or send someone to help. To her utter disgust, she not only lived but no one came . Still, she kept up the running prayer until she managed to crawl back upstairs and into bed.
Keeping the milk pail close, and berating her self for not grabbing a clothes pin to block out the smell while in the barn, Willow collapsed on the bed and hit the button to dial Chad. His voicemail irritated her enough that had she had the strength, she ’ d have thrown the phone through the window. “ How did mother handle illness all alone? ” she wailed miserably.
The phone rang and Chad ’ s name flashed across the screen. Just as she clicked it open to answer it, another attack hit her. “ You ok? ”
“ Do I —” she retched once more, “ sound ok to you? ”
“ Oh , lass, I ’ ll get someone to come in for me and be right there .”
“ Can you do that? ” Willow ’ s voice sounded doubtful.
“ I can do that. Hang in there until I get home .”
Only the sounds of Willow ’ s illness crossed the airwaves until she finally whimpered, “ Hurry — please? ”
Chad immediately dialed the Chief. “ Sir, I ’ ve got a problem .”
“ Waverly call in sick? ” The new officer had called in twice in the past month.
“ No. It ’ s Willow. She ’ s vomiting and she called for help. I ’ m sorry sir , but she wouldn ’ t call unless she couldn ’ t function .”
“ Forget that , son, ” the Chief contradicted, “ t hat woman wouldn ’ t call unless she was at death ’ s door. I ’ ll come in early. You get home .”
Chad was already walking as briskly as possible
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