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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

Gloria had also learned the work ethic required of a prosecutor. The hours it took to memorize the facts of the case and what every witness and document brought to the table. It wasn’t enough to know the material. To do the job the way it must be done, a prosecutor had to sufficiently prepare so that nothing fell through the cracks.

Finally, Helen Lewis had taught Gloria the importance of making a decision. To plea a case or try it. To give in to a discovery request or stand your ground. To cross-examine a difficult witness or to pass. You must prepare. You must work your ass off. And then, inevitably, each case requires you to choose. To decide on a course of action. You can’t run from it. You can’t hide. At the end of the day, it’s your responsibility to choose.

Gloria could hear the General’s harsh voice in her mind as she made her way down the hall to the chief’s office. When she reached the door, she didn’t hesitate, nor did she knock.

When she turned the knob and entered the office, Frannie Storm met her eye with a scowl. The chief deputy sheriff was on the phone. She clasped a hand over the receiver. “What do you want, Sanchez?”

“I’m the mole,” Gloria said, her voice unwavering.

“What?” Frannie said, hanging up the phone without saying goodbye.

Gloria could feel her heartbeat thundering in her chest as she took a step closer to the chief’s desk. “I’m the mole,” she repeated. “I leaked the press release to the Vine.”

PART THREE

PART THREE

39

39

Pulaski, Tennessee, May 21, 2015

“ALL RISE!” Ricardo Cassidy said, his voice scratchy from what sounded like a bad cold.

Bo and Helen stood from their seats at the defense table and watched as the Honorable Susan Connelly strode to her place behind the bench. Her Honor was a petite woman in her late forties with dark brown hair. Before taking the bench, she’d been a spitfire criminal defense attorney who’d gone to battle with Helen a few times. Helen had always admired Susan’s work ethic and her street smarts. Breathing a soft sigh of relief, she knew that Susan was by far the better draw for her case than Harold Page. With only two judges in the district, it was a coin flip as to whether you’d have a competent, fair judge or a lazy, dimwitted oaf. Helen was happy to have won the toss.

After taking the bench, Judge Connelly grabbed a blue file folder, glanced at the top of it, and then spoke in a firm voice. “State of Tennessee v. Helen Evangeline Lewis.” She looked up from the bench. “Are the parties here?”