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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

Mindi Bower had no family here except for a sister, a young woman of about seventeen or eighteen. Blonde and petite, she looked like a child in an adult’s world. Lost. She sat in the back. She got up without a word and left the courtroom, glancing at me only once. She held my gaze for a second and then disappeared out the doors.

“I don’t even know how to thank you,” Marcus said.

“Don’t worry. We’ll get creative with your billing and find a way,” I said, slapping his shoulder.

His family all wanted to shake hands and spread congratulations around, and I glad-handed a bit and then sneaked out of there. Sarah was waiting by the front doors.

“Congratulations, Counselor. Hope that felt good.”

“No emotions means no emotions, win or lose.” I put on my sunglasses, and as I brushed past her, said, “Try not to be too sad. I’m sure there’ll be more innocent people you can falsely arrest.”

3

3

The prestigious law firm of Gordon & Graham sat in the Peterson building on Ocean Front Avenue in South Beach. The most expensive office space in this part of Florida. When Tim Gordon and I started this firm, we shared one office in a building that had been shut down by the health department twice. Within two years, we had moved into a decent office space with three associates and a few staff. Within ten years, we had moved into the Peterson with twenty-four associate attorneys and twice as many staff. Our firm was known for one thing and one thing only: winning. I had once been quoted in an interview for Miami Lifestyle magazine, saying, “I didn’t get into this profession to lose.” I hated slogans, but it had become our de facto slogan, and I swore nothing brought in more money than that little line dancing through the heads of rich and famous Miamians who’d had tin bracelets slapped on their wrists in front of the cameras. We even had it on our pens and mugs.

As I pulled up to park, I saw a small dog on the sidewalk. I stopped the car and got out. The dog was white with matted fur, all skin and bones. I had always had a soft spot for dogs in a way I didn’t seem to for people. They loved you unconditionally, no strings attached. I had rarely met a person who didn’t have an agenda in exchange for their love.

I bent down and he gently put his head on my foot, exhausted. I rubbed his head and picked him up.