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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

Burgess Cloud liked to have his posttrial powwows at the Voo Doo, and this time the location seemed appropriate. Bo sat next to his attorney on a stool at the rustic cherrywood bar and gazed into a glass of Jack Daniel’s over ice. He had yet to take a sip.

“The ruling is only temporary,” Burgess said, squeezing Bo’s shoulder. “Now that you have your law license back, you can open up an office, and you’ll be up and running in short order.”

“We lost,” Bo said, gaping at him. “You understand that, don’t you? I was just stripped of legal custody of my kids.”

“We did not lose,” Burgess said, taking a sip from a pint glass of amber-colored beer. “A loss would have been a final judgment, but Woodruff qualified his ruling. You can get them back, Bo. You will get them back if . . . you follow the judge’s instructions.”

“Get a job, buy a house in town, and stay out of trouble,” Bo mumbled, lifting his glass off the bar but then setting it back down.

“Yes,” Burgess said, draining the rest of his beer in one long gulp. “Which, as you might remember, was exactly what I told you last month. If you had taken those steps on the front end as I’d recommended, today’s decision might have been a full victory.”

Bo gritted his teeth, knowing that his attorney was right but not appreciating the I told you so sentiments.

“Another beer, Mr. Cloud?” the bartender asked.

Burgess glanced up at the attendant and then over Bo’s shoulder toward the front of the bar. Then he hopped off his stool and pulled a ten and a five out of his wallet. “No, I’m good, Pete. This ought to cover it.” He placed the bills by his empty glass and leaned down and whispered into Bo’s ear. “We didn’t lose today, all right? Trust me. I’ve been doing this a few years. But in order to win in six months, I’m going to need your help. It’s time to move forward, Bo.”

Before he could respond, he saw his attorney pointing behind them. “You have a visitor.” Burgess winked and gave Bo’s shoulder another squeeze. “I’ll call you next week to see how things are going.”

Bo nodded at his attorney and then looked over his shoulder. He tensed when he saw who was heading his way.

T. J. Haynes walked with a forward lean and nodded at Burgess as they crossed paths. Then, without sitting, he peered down at his father.