The gathering winds marked the edge of a huge snowstorm that moved slowly from Ohio into Indiana. During the dark hours before dawn, the storm swiftly dumped half a foot of powdery snow on the houses, lawns, and streets of Hawthorne. With another eight to ten inches forecast by late-afternoon, school was canceled for the day. Upon waking and learning of their good fortune, the Hawthorne and Mitchell children eagerly looked forward to enjoying a day spent building snowmen, throwing snowballs, and sledding down the gentle slopes of a nearby hill.
Even more than he wanted to enjoy the snow, Gerallt wanted to privately thank Matt again for everything he'd done to prove their innocence. So shortly after breakfast, he bundled up and headed next door to his friend's house.
"Isn't it great?" Mat
