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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

When the jury was led out, Pritcher turned to me and said, “Not too late. He’ll take agg assault with probation.”

“Probation for rape and murder? I’m not some newbie law school grad, Russell.”

He shrugged. “Suit yourself. But when that jury says not guilty, remember I offered.”

60

60

Jia, Will, and I convened in the hall. Gates had been in the courtroom and followed us out. She leaned against the wall with a grin on her face.

“What?”

“Nothing. It’s just nice to see you in a courtroom again.”

“Again?”

“I may have caught one of your trials on Court TV.” She checked her watch. “I have a meeting with the county council. I’ll see you this afternoon. Day ends at one.”

“What?”

“Judge Allred ends her days at one. I thought you knew.”

“She finishes her trial days at one in the afternoon? This trial will take triple the time.”

She shrugged. “It’s how it works. Let me know if you need anything from me.”

I watched her walk away, and Will said, “I think she likes you. She doesn’t like very many people, you know.”

“Appreciate the love advice, but let’s stay focused on the game. Where the hell is Howard?”

“He should be here. There’s a cafeteria on the top floor. The cops hang out there sometimes.”

“Go get him. I want him sitting next to me before Russell finds him and starts messing with his head.”

When Detective Howard joined me at the prosecution table, he was dressed in a shirt and tie and still had his badge clipped to his belt, but no gun.

“Where’s your gun?”

“In the car. I don’t bring it to court.”

“Go get it and put the holster on the right side toward the jury.”

“Why?”

“It gives you a sense of authority. Trust me on this.”

He folded his arms. “Nah. I’m good.”

I sighed and looked behind me. Hank Winchester sat in the back of the courtroom. He nodded once to me, and I nodded back. His face was empty of emotion, until he looked at Anderson. There was just a slight difference in his eyes and his brow furrowed.

On the prosecution table I had laid out several files and bags of evidence. Behind me, in the audience pews, sat Jia and Will.