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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 could say the same about you. Imagine my surprise when I learned you were not just an attorney on this case, but the prosecutor.” He chuckled. “I never thought I’d see the day. Frankly, I think you’re a bit of a traitor to the criminal defense profession. Let me give you a bit of advice, and I won’t even bill you for it: people do insane things. Your client killed that girl. So what? You didn’t kill her. You did your job. The fact that you don’t see that shows your weakness. And guess what, Tatum? I’m going to exploit that weakness, and when my client is acquitted, you’ll leave prosecution, too. Where you going to run then?”

“I don’t know. There’s always your mother’s house. She seems to always welcome me.”

He laughed. “I’m glad we talked. This will be even easier than I thought. Goodbye, Tatum. See you next week.”

I hung up and took a deep breath. The secretary had a little stress ball, a green goblin with bulging eyes. I grabbed it and angrily squeezed it a dozen times before plopping it back on the desk and returning to the conference room.

I couldn’t just hang out all afternoon and do nothing, but as I was stepping out of the building, I ran into Jia, who said, “Leaving already?”

“Nothing to do here. Want a drink or an early dinner?”

“Sure.”

I drove us to Benson’s, and we sat in a booth near the window. I ordered a whiskey and water and Jia ordered a hamburger and beer.

“Why are you here?” I said.

“I’m hungry.”

“You know what I mean. You’re smart, far smarter than anyone in that office knows. I can see it clear as day. You could be at the feds prosecuting terrorists and serial killers. Why waste time on drug offenses and DUIs in a small hick town?”

“You say that like it’s not important.”

“Is it?”

“It is. And I’m not stuck. One day I’m going to be county attorney. Or maybe I’ll go somewhere else. I’ve always wanted to work at a big firm, too, and see what that was like. I like it here for now, though. I just need to figure out what I’m doing as a lawyer.”

I smirked. “Let me tell you something, Jia. No one knows what they’re doing. Not the judges, not the prosecutors, not the defense attorneys, or the cops. We’re all just winging it.”

“I looked you up, and your Wikipedia page said you’ve never lost a trial. That doesn’t sound like winging it to me.”