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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

“Civil litigation is two people yelling at each other about money for years until one of them caves or a jury decides who’s a little more right than the other guy. Does that sound interesting to you? And we’re in the middle of a freaking murder trial. I need you.”

She nodded. “I know. But . . . they want me to start on Monday. Hit the ground running and all that. I’m sorry. I let Gates know, and I thought I should tell you in person.” She rose. “I really enjoyed working with you. I hope you win this case. I really do.”

I thought about trying to convince her, about berating her and saying she was abandoning Patty, that she was betraying her duty . . . whatever. But I didn’t. Truth was, I was the one who probably put it into her head that she should be in a big city.

Just like that, she walked out, and I sat there with the ball in my hand. I tossed it hard against the wall, and it bounced back and hit me in the chest.

It wasn’t long before I couldn’t handle being in the office anymore. Everything seemed to be unraveling. I decided the best course of action would be to rent a dune buggy, go out into the desert like I used to do when I was sixteen, and ride in the sands until the world’s problems melted away.

The ATV rental place wasn’t far from the City and County Building, so I walked over. On the way there, I saw Pritcher standing outside Benson’s with his two associates. He was wearing a tracksuit and sneakers.

“You raid The Sopranos’ wardrobe, Russell?”

He chuckled, and his two associates said something about seeing him tonight and left.

“Quite the bombshell for your star witness to change his testimony last minute like that.” He grinned. “I must admit your face was just priceless. I wish I could’ve taken a photo. It’d be nice to have that on the cover of the Miami Herald.”

“It ain’t over till it’s over.”

He shrugged. “What’s this I hear about your number two witness absconding? Do all of your players run off before the game even begins?”

I stepped close to him. “If I find out you had anything to do with that boy disappearing—”

“Please. This case should never have gotten this far. Don’t blame me because your reach exceeded your grasp. Face it, Tatum, prosecution just isn’t your thing. Leave it to the bureaucrats who don’t care if they get a conviction or not. Losing all the time will eat at you until there’s nothing left. Just a bit of friendly advice.”