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Back The Hallows Save as PDF
Chapters (89)
  1. TITLE PAGE
  2. COPYRIGHT PAGE
  3. DEDICATION
  4. CONTENTS
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. 64
  69. 65
  70. 66
  71. 67
  72. 68
  73. 69
  74. 70
  75. 71
  76. 72
  77. 73
  78. 74
  79. 75
  80. 76
  81. 77
  82. 78
  83. 79
  84. 80
  85. 81
  86. 82
  87. 83
  88. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  89. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I couldn’t risk taking Steven to trial and having him get up there and blame it all on Anderson while Anderson blamed it all on Steven. The jury would acquit one of them, or both of them. These were local boys with family connections all over the place. The jury’s default position when the trial started—to draw blood—might reverse, and they might start looking for any reason to acquit. Normally a party situation for me, but from this side of the aisle, not so fun.

“Prelim starts soon,” Pritcher said. “We should talk.”

We rose and went out into the hall. I glanced back through the glass at Anderson, who spat a snot rocket onto the table.

“He’s a charming little guy.”

“Not the worst I’ve had.”

“Gotta admit, I thought you’d pop him for talking to you like that, Russell. You don’t seem the grin-and-bear-it type.”

He nodded and glanced down at his feet. “We do what we have to do. Look, I believe him. Do you?”

“I don’t believe anybody about anything. Makes life a lot easier that way.” I looked back to Anderson. “But I spoke to his ex, and she’s adamant that Steven killed Patty and that Anderson doesn’t have it in him.”

He folded his arms. “And when exactly were you going to send me this interview?”

“Relax, you’ll get everything.”

He shook his head. “I expect it all the second the prelim ends, and I’m going to be asking for a continuance for the trial date.”

“We don’t even have one yet, but okay. I’ll stipulate. Whenever you want, as long as your boy is cooling his heels in here.”

He exhaled through his nose and eyed Anderson. He pointed at me and said, “Investigate Steven. You’ve got the wrong man in there,” and then turned and left.

I stood staring at Anderson, who looked over to me and grinned. He shouted, “Jay! I’m ready to go back to my cell.”

47

47

Back at the office, I used Jia’s computer to draft a power of attorney and a motion to declare incompetence for my father. I would have to have him evaluated by a psychologist that would write a report to the court, and so I listed the one I used for most of my cases. The one whose yacht I had paid for over the years with the amount of work I referred to him. Then I called him and he said he could be out in a few weeks.

“Tomorrow, Jerry. Preferably today.”

“Well, if you insist, I’ll make it work.”