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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 scoffed and stepped to the side. “Fine, you wanna go, go. But guess what? Without that interview and clearance from a psychologist, they’re going to tackle you in the parking lot, drag you back in here, and tie you to that bed. So by all means, go.”

He stood awhile, staring at me. Finally he shook his head and returned to the bed. I went looking for the friendly nurse to reattach his IVs.

48

48

The next day, a Sunday, nothing much would happen in River Falls but church. In fact, the entire town would empty and fill the pews at the local Mormon church. There was one Protestant church and one Catholic church in town, too, but only a sliver of the town went to those.

Gates called and asked if I wanted to go to church with her.

“I’ll pass, but say hi to the big guy for me.”

I essentially had the town to myself. My father never went to church. Only my mother had made me go.

I went to the hospital for a couple of hours. Adam and I sat in silence while he watched television, and then he told me he was tired, which was my cue to leave.

I got a text from Jia that Pritcher had filed three motions: a motion to suppress Anderson’s confession, a motion to change venue to another city, and a motion to remove me as the attorney for conflict of interest. Just three. I was surprised: I could think of at least twenty motions I would file in this case.

Jia texted, And don’t worry about the responses to the motions, I’m drafting them now.

Attached was one more request: to waive the preliminary hearing and hold a hearing on the motions instead. Jia called me after the text.

“Did you see?” she said.

“I did.”

“Why’s he waiving the prelim?”

“No idea.”

The Art of Jury Trial as War, chapter 21: “Never, under any circumstance, waive a preliminary hearing.” The defense didn’t have to say a word, but the prosecution had to present sufficient evidence to convince the judge that they had enough to go forward to trial. Which meant it was like playing poker, where you could see the other player’s hand but didn’t have to show them yours.

“Something’s not right. See if you can poke around and find out why he’s waiving it.”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

I’d been given a key to the office building but realized I didn’t have the alarm codes. I was shocked to find there wasn’t an alarm. Had I landed in Leave It to Beaver? People’s entire criminal files were in this building. If they wanted to get rid of their cases, all they’d need to do was break in here and burn the place down, or at least steal their files.