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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

The judge grimaced and then turned to the sheriff. “Hank?”

Hank Springfield had been the sheriff of Giles County for the past two and a half years, rising to the top position when Ennis Petrie was sent to prison. Hank had an athletic, lanky build and in a former life had been the starting fullback for the Giles County Bobcats. Now, at just under forty years of age, his brown, curly hair was beginning to have some salt and pepper on the sides. Helen had always thought Hank was attractive in a boyish way. She also liked his eyes, which were sky blue. They pierced hers now with concern. “General, we received a 911 dispatch from Butch Renfroe’s house off East College about fifteen minutes ago. A neighbor had gone to Butch’s home to check on him when Butch hadn’t shown for their morning workout and wasn’t answering his cell phone.” Hank paused, glancing at Judge Page before turning back to Helen. “Butch is dead.”

Helen’s knees shook and her legs felt wobbly. She grabbed the chair in front of her and sucked in a quick breath.

“General, are you OK?” Hank asked, touching her lightly on the elbow.

Helen blinked back tears and looked at him. “I’m fine.”

“I need to go,” he said. “It’s a crime scene, and I should be there.”

“Crime scene?” Helen managed.

He nodded. “He was shot several times.” The sheriff paused. “His face and upper body were also badly beaten.”

Helen gripped the chair and sucked in a ragged breath.

“General?”

“Go,” she said. When he hadn’t moved, she straightened her body. “Go,” she repeated, speaking through clenched teeth. Then, as Hank shuffled out the door with the three deputies trailing on his heels, Helen looked at Page, who was now standing behind his large desk. “Judge, we’d ask for a short recess until . . .” She stopped, feeling tears again welling in her eyes, but she fought them off. “. . . until the sheriff’s office can complete their initial investigation of the crime scene.”

Page turned to Lou Horn, who’d sat down in one of the visitor chairs. “Any objection, Lou?”

The defense lawyer’s face was ghost white as he brought a shaking hand to his lips. Slowly, he shook his head.

“OK,” Page said, gazing at Lou with concerned eyes. “I’m going to adjourn with instructions to arrive back at nine tomorrow morning. By then . . .” He sighed. “Maybe we’ll know the next step.”

11

11

Helen left the courthouse ten minutes later, telling Trish that she didn’t feel well and was going home. Once in her car, she pulled onto East College Street. As she passed the Dollar General, she saw several police cruisers turning left down Pecan Grove Drive toward Butch’s home.