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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

“Sounds like you got another election coming up. Saw the billboards in town.”

She nodded. “I’m not sure I’m going to win this one. I think my time is up.”

“Why?”

“Horace, my opponent, is well connected in this town. He came in a few years ago and bought up a lot of property and several businesses. I don’t know if his plan was to become county attorney or not but seems like something he can get now.”

“Just ’cause he’s rich? Come on. You’re a hometown girl. No way he has an advantage.”

“Well, I did some unpopular things. Got a new murder case against some local boys that’s proving to be a real headache and has half the town calling for their blood and half saying it’s a witch hunt. I cut some plea deals on cases the public didn’t want plea deals on. Of course the evidence was terrible, and I would’ve lost if I’d gone to trial, but they just see the headlines and don’t care about the facts. So Horace has painted me as some kind of lunatic that wants criminals released into the streets. Seems to be working so far. We don’t do polls out here, but from what I’m hearing, it’s a fifty-fifty shot between us. But he’s got the money to ramp things up before the election. Not sure I can compete.”

“How much you need?”

“I’m not taking your money, Tatum.”

“You’re a public official seeking reelection. What do you care where the money comes from?”

She pushed off the wall. “I don’t want it. I just came by to see you.” She hesitated a second. “How long are you really planning on staying?”

“I don’t know. Leaving tomorrow or the next day . . . maybe. Just didn’t really know where else to go, I guess.”

She nodded, staring down at the ground. “You seen your dad yet?”

“Yeah. Went about as well as you can imagine.”

“What’d he say about his treatment?”

“What treatment?”

She paused, and I could tell she was unsure what to say.

“Gates, what treatment?”

“He didn’t say anything about his health?”

“No, why?”

“I think you need to go talk to your father.”

“Why? What treatment? What are you talking about?”

“Tatum . . . he has cancer.”

11

11

Adam opened the door the next morning, still in his pajamas. He didn’t say anything, just looked me up and down, and then left the door open as he went inside. I came in and shut the door behind me.