“I had just come out of Judge Page’s chambers,” Gloria began. “I had dropped off the jury instructions for the Michael Zannick rape trial. I decided to exit his chambers through the courthouse because I knew the General liked to do her final trial prep in here. When I entered the courtroom, I heard shouting.”

“Who did you hear?”

“General Lewis was standing in the jury area.” Gloria pointed straight ahead to the twelve built-in chairs that made up the jury box. “She was yelling into the gallery at a man.”

“What did she say?”

Gloria licked her lips and glanced at Helen. When she did, Helen could see the angst in her assistant’s eyes. “Well, I didn’t catch everything, but the man had just asked her how she thought her supporters at the First Baptist Church would feel about what she did in December of ’77.”

Jesus H. Christ, Helen thought, turning around and gazing at the burgundy curtains that covered the windows of the courtroom. There were times when she felt the thick, flowing drapes were the perfect decoration, as they made it seem as if you were in a theater or an opera house instead of a courtroom. They certainly jibed with the drama that was unfolding right now. She witnessed the whole thing . . .

Helen gritted her teeth as Gloria described Butch’s promise to keep his lips sealed if Helen dismissed the charges against Zannick, and Helen’s retort that she was being blackmailed.

“What happened next?” Sack asked.

“The man whispered something I couldn’t hear.” Gloria paused. “Then he made his threat.”

“What did he say?”

“He said if she hadn’t dismissed the charges against Zannick by the time opening statements began in the trial, then he was going to tell Sack . . . you . . . everything.” She licked her lips. “He also said that he’d drafted a press release for the Pulaski Citizen and all the local radio and TV stations, which he would distribute the second she began her opening. Then he asked her whether prosecuting Zannick was worth losing her whole career.”

Sack waited a full two seconds before asking his next question. “Then what happened?”

“The General got mad and yelled, ‘Frederick Alan Renfroe.’” Gloria sucked in a quick breath. “And Mr. Renfroe said he was sorry but that he had no choice.”

“Then what?”

“The General said he was bluffing. That he didn’t have the balls to blackmail her.” Gloria paused. “And Mr. Renfroe said he wished he was bluffing.”

“What happened next, Ms. Sanchez?” Sack asked, his scratchy drawl ringing out over the courtroom.

“General Lewis screamed at him.”

Sack approached the stand and spoke in a lower voice. “What did the defendant scream?”

Gloria turned and looked directly at Helen. “That she was going to kill him.”

“What were her exact words, Ms. Sanchez? Do you remember them?”