Lila shook her head firmly. The motion was decisive, unhesitant. It was clear that Lila was sure she did not hear Jacob that night. A collective gasp ran across the room.
Scout sat taller beside her, his posture stiff, attention unbroken. Merritt’s unease deepened; there was a faint hum beneath the courtroom’s stillness. The dog wasn’t restless, but waiting for something to happen. He sensed the tension the humans hadn’t yet named.