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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 nodded and turned back to the judge. “She said, ‘I swear to God, Butch, as Jesus Christ is my witness, I will kill you dead.’”

40

40

Judge Connelly didn’t bother to order a recess when Sack Glover announced that he had no further witnesses and Bo confirmed that the defense wouldn’t be presenting any evidence. Instead, she cleared her throat and said that she was ready to rule.

“After considering the evidence presented by the prosecution today, it is the finding of this court that there is probable cause to believe that on April 1, 2015, the defendant, Helen Evangeline Lewis, committed the crime of first-degree murder in wrongfully causing the death of Frederick Alan Renfroe.” She paused and peered down at the parties. “This case will now be bound over to the grand jury.”

fleuron

An hour later, in the consultation room of the jail, Bo was reminded of the feeling in a locker room after a blowout loss. He and Helen both gazed down at the concrete floor.

“Maybe we should do this in the morning,” Bo suggested. “After we’ve had a moment to process everything.”

Helen smiled, still looking down at the floor. “Juries don’t get to sleep on evidence. We shouldn’t either.” Finally, she raised her eyes. “Look at me.”

Bo did as he was told.

“What do you think?” Helen asked.

“Based on what I just heard, I believe that a jury would convict you and sentence you to the needle.” He paused. “How about you, General?”

“Same,” she said.

Bo stood. “General, you’ve got to tell me your version of what happened. We’ve seen their case now, and it is staggering. We knew the revelation of your abortion was their motive, but our assumption was that all they had was hearsay evidence. Instead, they actually have direct eyewitness testimony from a close confidante of yours, Ms. Sanchez, who witnessed you threaten to kill Butch because he was blackmailing you with the abortion. So . . .” He slapped his hands together. “You already admitted that you went to Butch’s house the night of the murder, and Bonita Spencer puts you there between 9:00 and 10:00 p.m.” He began to pace. “What happened?”

Helen bit her lip but remained quiet.

“What’s the deal?” Bo said, his voice rising, unable to control his agitation anymore. “You killed him, didn’t you?” He walked over to the table and put his hands on it. “You went to Brinkley’s range, did a couple of hours of target practice with your .44, and then went over to Butch’s house, parked on the curb, walked around back where you knew from being married to him for so many years that he’d probably leave the side door unlocked, and then put three slugs in him and pistol-whipped his sorry ass.” Bo smirked. “Or did you beat him with the revolver first and then shoot him? Melvin wasn’t sure. Can you clarify?”

“What do you think, Counselor?”