Mina typed the parenthetical. Her pinky found the asterisk and the stroke for LAUGHTER without her telling it to, and she felt, absurdly, a small proprietary pride, as if the laugh had been her doing.
THE COURT: Are you married, Mr. Agostini?
PROSPECTIVE JUROR: No, ma'am.
THE COURT: Have you ever been married?
PROSPECTIVE JUROR: Engaged once. In 1980. She gave the ring back.
THE COURT: I'm sorry to hear that.
PROSPECTIVE JUROR: That's all right. She sent it by registered mail, insured for the full value, which I thought was very thoughtful. Very responsible. It was the most considerate thing she did the whole time I knew her.
(Laughter.)
Again her pinky found the key. Mina did not look up. She did not need to look up to know that he was not looking at the judge as he said it, but at a point to the judge's left and slightly below, at a small walnut table with a lamp on it.
Pratt rose to ask his questions, and Pratt was not interested in fiancées. Pratt was interested in insurance. Did he have any feelings, one way or another, about insurance companies? Remy thought about it with the same honest, effortful look he had given her across the meatloaf when she had asked him about promises.
"I think," he said at last, "an insurance company is a promise with a lot of paper attached. I think people ought to keep their promises. I think that goes for everybody, Mrs. Lucchesi included, the company included, me included. That's about all I've got."
Pratt looked at him a moment, weighing it, and Mina could see him decide that the answer was neutral enough, and sit down.