Balance of Power

    Allie turned to her husband, her expression pensive. "Lara may be grieving. But she's certainly well prepared."

    Briefly, Chad thought of his impassioned speech on the Senate floor, a few days after Kyle's death, defending Caroline Masters. "You can be both," he answered quietly. "Some people may think it's calculating, or just plain cold. The truth is that it keeps you from falling apart."

    Silent, Allie took his hand.

* * *

For nearly an hour Sarah had never checked her watch.

    Do you ever look back, Civitch asked Lara Kilcannon, and wonder how you might have changed things?

    All the time, Lara answered quietly. But not just for Kerry and me, or even

for my family.

    Well before these murders, Kerry went to the gun industry and asked them to require background checks at gun shows. They refused. Then he went to the president of Lexington Arms, and implored him not to continue putting the wrong guns in the wrong hands. Lara paused, as though suppressing her emotions. I can't help but feel that if they'd listened, my mother, sister and niece would still be living, and the families of three other victims would not be wondering why bullets meant for my sister Mary murdered the people they loved instead . . .

    Listening, Sarah could not easily imagine how Lara Kilcannon felt. Or, for that matter, the president of Lexington Arms.

* * *

    "Brilliant," Charles Dane murmured. "Now they've both crucified George Callister on national TV. Lexington couldn't get a fair trial anywhere in America."

    Campton looked up. "You still think they're setting up a lawsuit?"

    "Of course. Except they'll use the sister."

    In close-up, Cathie Civitch's face was filled with compassion. As First Lady, you intend to make reducing gun violence your cause. What will you tell the American people?

    Lara seemed to gather her thoughts. First, I will ask them to reflect on the over thirty thousand deaths we suffer every year. I will say to them, "Listen to your own heart, your own intellect, your own experience of life, and decide

whether you think this is the way our country has to be." I will ask, "What kind of world do you want for your children, or your children's children . . ."

    And what, Civitch interjected, would you say to the SSA itself?

    I would ask its members why we have this terrible division on guns.

    They're being asked to fear us, and they have nothing to fear. I'll never forget watching Charles Dane hold up his hunting rifle at an SSA convention and say, "Kerry Kilcannon will have to pry this rifle out of my cold dead hands." Lara paused, her voice thickening with emotion. I thought about that when I stood by my six-year-old niece's casket, looking into her face as I held her lifeless

hand.

    Suddenly, she looked into the camera, saying softly, I don't want your hunting rifle, Mr. Dane. Kerry doesn't want it. Americans just want a country where this never happens to another child . . .

Don't do this, Dane silently warned her. It is such a grave mistake.

* * *

Finishing, Lara imagined the faces of those who watched her. "I hope that many more of you will join us. There is so much for us to do, so many lives to save. And the cost of failure is more than anyone should be asked to bear."

    For a moment, Cathie Civitch was silent. Then she said simply, "Lara Costello Kilcannon, thank you."