Our own self-assessment often eludes us, leaving an ambiguous picture. "Kabuo sat in his prison cell, meticulously scrutinizing his own reflection. This was not within his realm of control. His visage, sculpted by the trials of war, mirrored an inner turmoil; a rigid facade that mirrored the turmoil within. . . How could he possibly articulate to the residents of San Piedro the frigid aura he seemed to exude?" The facade he had adopted—"the demeanor forged in the aftermath of battle—might incriminate him for first degree murder, a conviction carrying the heavy weight of the death penalty." To Hatsue Imada Miyotomoto, and thus to Guterson, the most pressing concern was unraveling the true nature of her motives.