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o’clock tomorrow morning. At the very latest, four.”
    Isaac flat out couldn’t believe it. Not only was she going to have to spend the night in jail, she might end up there all day. He couldn’t even imagine that. There was no way he could let it happen.
    “What court?”
    “Criminal.”
    “Well, whose?”
    “What?” The man was a cretin.
    “What judge?”
    “You’re going to have to check the docket in the morning.” The guy was clearly dying to get back to his solitaire game.
    “Could you possibly tell me what the charge is?”
    The deputy looked utterly exasperated, as if the idea of spending this much time with a member of the public was out of the question for a man in his position. Obviously irritated, he fussed again with the computer.
    “Forgery and bad checks.”
    “What?” Impossible. It just couldn’t be.
    “She wrote some bad checks.”
    “She
wrote
some bad checks? You mean you’ve already convicted her?”
    The deputy didn’t even bother to answer, just turned around and walked away, leaving Isaac alone except for the herd of bail bondsmen.
    He couldn’t believe this. He never heard of a law-abiding citizen spending a night in jail unless they mouthed off at a cop.
    Something nasty was nagging at him. How well did he really know Terri? Maybe he’d attracted some female version of his father and brother. He was no psychology scholar but he was perfectly aware that people with big-time criminals in their families might have to be careful about something nasty surfacing in their relationships. It was the same deal as children of alcoholics finding their nice, teetotaling spouses turning into alcoholics. Nobody knew how it happened, just that you attracted what you were used to.
    Anyway, that was the theory, but Isaac figured his father was so mean and so dangerous a mere bad-check passer wasn’t half bad enough to fit it. Still, he had to wonder.
    Well, he could wonder later. The thing was, to get Terri out of jail— he couldn’t think of anybody he wouldn’t bail out except his father. The problem was, he couldn’t bail her out. He was way out of his depth. He needed to have a lawyer in court with her the next day at ten. How to get one?
    He went home and called the lockup, but getting to speak to a prisoner was the same as talking to one if you were there— an “are-you-kidding?” situation. Isaac had never felt so helpless in his life. In the end, there was nothing he could do but set the clock for seven, thinking to get up and get on it early. Lawyers ought to be up by then— he could call them at home, while they were picking out the power tie of the day.
    At four, the phone rang. “Isaac? Isaac, I’m freezing.”
    “Terri, I’m really sorry; they wouldn’t let me talk to you, or anything. I can’t bail you out until a judge sets bond, which they said will be at ten a.m.” He didn’t mention the “four at the latest” part.
    “I’m so cold. It’s about forty degrees in here. Isaac, why did you lie to me about going home for Mother’s Day?”
    He couldn’t speak; he felt so helpless. No way could he tell her. He said, “Let’s talk about it later. I’ve got to focus on getting you out.”
    She sighed. She was in no position to argue. “They just booked me a few minutes ago. I have the place where I’ll be: JPSO. Wait a minute, that’s not it. CDC Section J.”
    “I’ll be there, Terri. They said you’re in for forgery.” He blurted the last before he could stop himself.
    “That’s what they told me at first too. Now I’ve got an official blue slip that says the charge. Are you ready for this? It’s bank fraud.”
    “Bank fraud. What does that mean?”
    “I wish I knew. Bank fraud! Me! I can’t even balance my checkbook; how would I figure out a bank fraud?”
    That was reassuring, anyhow. “I’ll get you out,” he said. “Don’t worry. I’ll get you out. Whatever happens I’ll be there at ten a.m.”
    “Thanks.” There was so much