In the courtroom, Lila took a seat in the gallery behind where Andi sat at counsel table and reviewed Donald Gray’s bail study for about the tenth time, a mix of excitement and trepidation tickling her chest. She would be asking for ten grand in bail, but it would be the conditions she wanted on top that would light the fireworks—at least, that’s what Andi had predicted.

Out of the corner of her eye, Lila saw a man in his late forties approach Andi. He was wearing a blue suit that didn’t quite fit him. He chuckled his greeting, the pleasantries bouncing off Andi’s porcelain façade. She raised a hand to stop the man from talking and pointed to the back door of the courtroom. As they passed Lila, Andi gave a nod for Lila to join them—and like an eager puppy, Lila followed.

The three of them entered a small conference room in the hallway outside, Andi speaking first. “Ed, this is Lila Nash. Lila, Ed Chappelle.” The man barely looked at Lila as he shook her hand. “Ed represents Mr. Gray.”

Chappelle placed a briefcase on the table and clicked it open. Then, speaking exclusively to Andi, he said, “I thought you should know that Mr. Gray’s wife called me yesterday. Wanted to talk. I didn’t speak with her myself, of course. I put her in touch with my investigator.” Ed opened a folder and withdrew some papers. “She gave a statement that you need to read.”

Andi took the pages. “Let me guess. She’s recanting.”

“Like I said, I didn’t talk to her, so this isn’t me coaching her or anything. All I did was set her up with the investigator. Bottom line is she lied to the police. Don never hit her.”

“What’s she saying this time.” Andi turned a page as she read aloud. “She had the black eye…before they drove to the convenience store. Got it playing with her dog?” Andi looked at Ed, her face remaining deadpan. “She’s blaming her dog?”

Ed put his hands in his pockets in a gesture of blind confidence. “She’s a real piece of work, Andi. Their marriage isn’t the best, and so every time she gets a bump or bruise, she finds a way to make a police report out of it. She’s building a case so she can take him to the cleaners if they ever divorce. The man’s a wreck—lives in constant fear.”

Andi lowered the transcript and faced Ed. “The man beats his wife and he’s the one in fear?”

“He didn’t beat his wife. You have it right there.” Ed pointed at the transcript. “I can play the tape if you want. Bring her in and you can ask her yourself. Hell, put her under oath.”

Ed painted the edges of his words with indignation as he continued. “You don’t have a victim, so you don’t have a case. If she takes the stand she’ll say Don never hit her, and if she doesn’t take the stand, it’ll violate my client’s right to confront his accuser. Either way, you’ve got nothing.”