BooksBarbecue
Back When We Were Bright and Beautiful
Chapters (72)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Epigraph
  4. Part One
  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. Part Two
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. Part Three
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. Epilogue
  68. Author’s Note
  69. Acknowledgments
  70. About the Author
  71. Also by Jillian Medoff
  72. About the Publisher

The other reason I spoke up is tactical. Team Billy is at an impasse. Lawrence has decided, unequivocally, that the risk of losing is too great; he and DeFiore are pushing Billy to take a plea. Eleanor and Nate refuse; they want to go to trial. Billy is too depressed to offer a meaningful opinion. And while I agree with Eleanor and Nate, no one cares what I think, not since I left town, essentially abandoning my family in their time of need. With Eleanor and Lawrence at odds, and questioning DeFiore’s every move, we don’t have a coherent defense. Time is ticking. If Billy takes the plea, he’ll end up in prison. If Billy goes to trial and loses, he’ll end up in prison. What could I do? What would anyone do?

DeFiore will be livid, but once I explain, he’ll get over it. He may even thank me. Someone had to advocate for Billy. So I gave Haggerty what he asked for, and set the record straight. Knowing he’d check and double-check, I stuck to the truth, even when it made us look bad. I’m not a lawyer, but I am a sister. I know my brother better than he knows himself. Who else but me can create a portrait of Billy that will convince a jury of his innocence? The story is so simple it’s stupid: Billy suffered. Billy stuttered. Billy triumphed. Billy has a heart of gold. Billy was an easy mark. Billy fell in love. Billy gave and gave. Billy got burned. Billy got railroaded. Not guilty, Your Honor.

I hear the front door open. “One more minute, Ms. Quinn,” Haggerty calls out.

“It’s Cassie,” I call back. “And no rush.” Like I said, fuck you, Haggerty.

It feels good to assert my independence, to tell the truth. I was smart to leave New York. New Haven brings out my clear, steady self. The fighter. The girl that won’t quit. The self that disappears when I’m home, with my family.

I brush my teeth, so I won’t reek. Unlike Billy and Nate, I’m old school when it comes to weed. I prefer the harsh burn of smoke, like my lungs are on fire.

My phone dings with a text. It’s Marcus, killing my mood: Can’t stop thinking about you. Remember that first kiss in the park? On the bench? The ducks? Christ, I wish you were here. xx

Oh yeah, fuck you, too, Marcus.

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