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Back Legacy of Lies Save as PDF
Chapters (88)
  1. TITLE PAGE
  2. COPYRIGHT PAGE
  3. DEDICATION
  4. CONTENTS
  5. PART ONE
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. PART TWO
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. PART THREE
  46. 39
  47. 40
  48. 41
  49. 42
  50. 43
  51. 44
  52. 45
  53. 46
  54. 47
  55. 48
  56. 49
  57. 50
  58. 51
  59. 52
  60. 53
  61. 54
  62. 55
  63. 56
  64. 57
  65. 58
  66. 59
  67. PART FOUR
  68. 60
  69. 61
  70. 62
  71. 63
  72. 64
  73. 65
  74. 66
  75. 67
  76. 68
  77. 69
  78. 70
  79. 71
  80. 72
  81. 73
  82. 74
  83. 75
  84. 76
  85. 77
  86. EPILOGUE
  87. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  88. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Helen found it hard to breathe, and she gripped the table with both hands. When she was able to exhale, she forced herself to remain calm. “The letter signed by Butch is hearsay. So is the blog. None of this is evidence, but they’ve now poisoned the jury venire.” She shook her head. “So which funeral service do you think I should use? How about Carr and Erwin? My momma and daddy were buried by them, and they do a hell of a—”

“General, that’s not helping.”

“Well, what is going to help? Half of Giles County now knows I had an abortion, regardless of whether Sack Glover is able to introduce any evidence of it at trial. And do you need a reminder about which way this county votes?”

Bo looked at the cinder block wall.

“Well, let me give it to you anyway,” Helen continued. “In the 2012 presidential election, which Barack Obama won in a landslide, the state of Tennessee was overwhelming in its support of Mitt Romney, and Giles County voted about 70 percent Republican.” She let out a ragged breath. “Regardless of your politics, the reality is that this county doesn’t favor abortion and would never support someone who had one, regardless of the circumstances. I can kiss my job goodbye, and the trial is a formality at this point. Just get the needle ready.”

“We could ask for a change of venue.”

Helen laughed. “To where? California? The whole state of Tennessee is bad for us on this, Bo. Hell, the entire southeast. We’re screwed six ways from Sunday, and you know it.”

Bo slapped his knees and stood. “Chin up, General,” he said, walking to the door. “We haven’t seen all their evidence yet, and you’re right. The press release and the blog entry are hearsay. They don’t come in, and leaking that information to the press was the epitome of bush league.” He paused. “Let’s not panic until we get through the prelim.” He stopped. “OK?”

Helen nodded, but her eyes were filled with concern. “Bo, you came in here so wired that I didn’t have a chance to ask you about your face.”

“What about it?”

“You look like you were on the wrong side of a brawl.”

Bo smirked. Since his return from Walton Farm that morning, he’d showered, shaved, and changed into khaki pants, a blue button-down, and a navy-blue blazer with no tie. His lip was still swollen, but there was nothing he could do about that. “Don’t you worry about me.” He banged three times on the door.

“Where are you going now?”

Bo’s eyes radiated anger. “To raise some hell.”

33

33

Bo didn’t knock before barging into Sheriff Hank Springfield’s office. Hank and Frannie were standing and discussing something, and both of their eyes went wide when they saw him.

“Look, Bo,” Hank started. “I know why you’re mad, and you have every right—”