A few weeks into the trial, Madeleine's mother told her that she wasn't to play with Colleen 'for the time being'. Madeleine was secretly relieved—the Froelich's house felt dark and gave her that after-three feeling.

She instead spent the glorious days of June at the pool with Auriel and Lisa and later in Auriel's pup tent, mourning. Lisa was moving to New York. The three exchanged comic books and pledged undying friendship. They promised not to shave or get boyfriends without first writing to each other. Madeleine said, "Let's meet in the schoolyard in the year 2000," then the three girls put their hands together in a sort of pledge. It was on the tip of Madeleine's tongue to suggest they become blood sisters, but the idea left as fleetingly as it had come. She could only be a blood sister with Colleen. The girls exchanged autographs and hugged. Madeleine turned down the hug—the idea gave her that dark after-three feeling. Auriel was moving away, too—to Colorado. "Listen," Lisa said dramatically. "I'm in love!"

"With who? With who?"

Lisa giggled. "Mike McCarthy!"

Madeleine nearly fell over. "You're in love with my brother?"

Lisa buried her face in her knees and nodded. Auriel then pronounced her love for Roy Noonan, even though, "He's a total square." Madeleine, who was still in shock, reached over and flipped on the transistor radio. All three girls squealed in disbelieving delight when their theme song, "It's My Party" came on. All three sang along at the top of their lungs, crying if they wanted to.

The next morning, Madeleine testified at Ricky's trial.

"What is your name, little girl?"

Madeleine looked seriously at the judge. He had a face like a frog. Madeleine bit her lip so she wouldn't laugh.

"Madeleine McCarthy."

The judge gestured to the jury. "Speak louder so that these nice men can hear you."

"MADELEINE MCCARTHY!" she yelled.

The judge looked startled. The audience giggled. Madeleine looked helplessly out into the sea of grown-ups, searching for her dad.

"Well, Madeleine. How old are you?"

"NINE!"

"You don't need to shout, Madeleine. Order, please."

Madeleine wrinkled her forehead. She wasn't trying to be funny. The judge noticed her worry and said, "You don't need to speak quite so loudly, Madeleine."

"I'm sorry."

"That's quite fine, Madeleine. Do you know what it means to take an oath?"

"Yes."

"What does it mean?"

Madeleine looked over to the right and saw Ricky Froelich. She smiled at him.

"I don't think we should swear this child."

Madeleine glanced up again, knowing she was in trouble.

"M y lord, that is entirely up to you," said Mr. Waller—Ricky's lawyer. He had bags under his eyes but his gown was very shiny. "Though, I'd like to swear her if at all possible."

"I know you would like it, Mr. Waller, but that is not why we're here. What grade are you in, Madeleine?"

"I'm going into the fifth grade, your honor," Madeleine said. Not too loud or too soft. Just right. She had found her dad, sitting next to her mom, a few rows behind Mr. Froelich and Colleen. He winked at her and she smiled back as discreetly as she could, feeling decidedly like a puppet.

"Madeleine, what does it mean to take an oath?"

"Um. It means…it means you swear to tell the truth."

"And what does that mean? To tell the truth?"

"What is "to tell the truth"?" she repeats.

"Do you know the difference between a lie and the truth?"

"Yes your ma—your honor." Your majesty? Madeleine wondered.

"What is the difference?"

"The truth is when…you tell someone what happened and you don't leave anything out just to try to make them believe something else. And you don't act like they're only asking you one thing, and you have to tell everything and that's what 'the whole truth' means." She breathed out, felt clearer.

The judge nodded wisely. "I wish more adults had a similar grasp. What grade are you in? Or, rather, who is your teacher?"

"My teacher last year was Mr. March, sir."

"Did you like him?"

"No. He was gross."

Everyone laughed.

"Order!" said the judge angrily. "You're being truthful, Madeleine. That's good."

"You live with your family?" the judge asked.

"Yes, sir."

"Do you go to Sunday School?"

"We call it catechism."

"What church do you go to?"

"We're Catholic."

"Roman Catholic. I think this girl might understand."

Madeleine wondered who he was talking to.

"You understand that you are obligated to tell the truth, is that correct, Madeleine?"

"Yes, your honor."

"What is that brooch you are wearing?"

"It's an Acadian flag."

"I think we should swear this little girl."

A big fat man who looked like Mr. Plodd, the policeman from Noddy, walked up carrying a fat book.

"Put your right hand on the bible," he said stuffily. Madeleine put her hand on the bible and went through the motions, just like on TV.

When it was all done, the Judge asked, "Did you know Claire McCarroll?"

"Yes."

"Were you a friend of Claire's, Madeleine?"

"Yes."

"Do you know Richard Froelich?"

"Yes."

"Were you on the playground with Claire and other children on the afternoon of April tenth, 1963?"

"Yes."

"Did Claire tell you…"

"None of that, Mr. Waller," the judge said.

"What did Claire tell you?"

"She told me that she was going on a picnic with Ricky," Madeleine answered truthfully.

"And what did you do?"

"I hummed…a song."

"Which song?"

" 'Beautiful Dreamer'." Madeleine blushed.

"Why did you do that?"

"Cause she was telling stories."

"Why do you think that?"

"Because she wanted to go on a picnic with him."

"No…what I mean is, Madeleine, what made you think that it might just be Claire's imagination?"

"Once she said he took her to a dance at Teen Town."

"And had he?"

"No, it's only for teenagers." Madeleine glanced over to the table. There was a jar on it with something brown and yellowy. "What's in that jar?" she asked.

"Cover that table up," requested Mr. Waller. "Tell me, Madeleine. When you were humming, who else was with you?"

"Colleen."

"Colleen Froelich?"

Madeleine nodded. "And Grace and Marjorie."

"So they overheard that…"

"Mr. Waller."

Mr. Waller cleared his throat. "Madeleine, did you see Ricky and Claire on the road?"

"Yes."

"Did you see Ricky turn left onto the dirt road?"

"No."

Mimi suddenly sprang up from her spot and dragged Madeleine away.

"But I told the truth…" she whispered.