like your husband’s been seeing Cora.”
“I know about it, Luke.”
“Well, Carter was supposed to be gone for two days. He came in early last night and he caught your husband with Cora.”
The pain had become a dull ache in Leah’s broken heart, and she listened without looking at the sheriff. “What happened?”
“It looks like Carter had a gun, and he started shooting. He hit Cora, but he didn’t kill her. Then Stuart jumped up, and they started struggling for the gun. It went off and Carter took a bullet right in the heart.”
The silence in the room was heavy. Luke Garrison wished that he were anywhere else in the world. Like others in the community, he had a great sympathy for Leah Winslow. He had known of Stuart’s infidelity, as he knew most things thathappened in the county. Now he sat there helpless, knowing that the agony for this woman was just beginning.
“What will happen to him, Luke?”
“He’ll have to stand trial.”
“But it was an accident, wasn’t it?”
Garrison knew his politics, and he understood how unlikely it was that this shooting would be called an accident. “It depends on the jury,” he said carefully. Then honesty compelled him to say, “It’s serious. He could hang for it, Leah. Have your father-in-law get the best lawyer he can. Stuart’s going to need it.”
Leah sat there with her hand on her stomach, the child inside of her moving rapidly as a wave of nausea came over her. A deadness seemed to settle on her spirit, and she could not think clearly. She was aware that Luke Garrison was watching her carefully, but she could not frame a single word.
She remembered a spiritual that Annie sang a lot, but the only words she could remember clearly were, “And the walls came tumbling down.”
CHAPTER SIX
The Verdict
Leonard Stokes stood looking out of his office window. Fall had come, and now the red, gold, and yellow leaves of the sweet gum tree were dropping to the ground, making a multicolored carpet on the dry, dead grass. Somehow autumn always brought a sense of fatalism to Stokes, for he was a man sensitive to moods and to those about him. It was a trait that had served him well as a lawyer. He was only thirty-five, but already he was the rising star in the firmament of the state judicial system. A tall, lean man with sharp gray eyes, Stokes had been the hottest defense lawyer available, and many had been shocked when he had left a lucrative practice in order to become district attorney for a rather minimal salary. What those people did not understand was that Stokes intended to move up in the world, and a record as a crusading district attorney would get him a good start on the governor’s chair. After that there was always the Senate, and beyond that, who knew where his political ambitions would lead?
Turning from the window, Stokes moved back to his desk, sat down, and stared at the elderly man who was seated across from him. “You’re not looking too well, Mordecai.”
Mordecai Frasier indeed did not look well. He was in his eighties and had been a legend for many years, both as a lawyer and finally as the chief justice of the State Supreme Court. He could have risen to greater heights but had chosen to remain in his native state of Arkansas and had served his people admirably all of his life.
“I’m doing very well for an old man.” Frasier’s voice was thin now. He had lost his trumpet voice, which had been powerful enough to fill any courtroom in the state, making many lawyers realize they had met their match. His eyes were faded, and his hands trembled, so he quickly folded them in front of him. “I think we need to do some more talking about the Winslow case.”
“I can’t see that there’s a lot to talk about, Mordecai.”
“Well, after all, it wasn’t premeditated, and there was no malice intended.”
“You can’t change one fact, I’m afraid. Carter Simms is dead and buried, robbed of his life, and Stuart pulled the
“I know about it, Luke.”
“Well, Carter was supposed to be gone for two days. He came in early last night and he caught your husband with Cora.”
The pain had become a dull ache in Leah’s broken heart, and she listened without looking at the sheriff. “What happened?”
“It looks like Carter had a gun, and he started shooting. He hit Cora, but he didn’t kill her. Then Stuart jumped up, and they started struggling for the gun. It went off and Carter took a bullet right in the heart.”
The silence in the room was heavy. Luke Garrison wished that he were anywhere else in the world. Like others in the community, he had a great sympathy for Leah Winslow. He had known of Stuart’s infidelity, as he knew most things thathappened in the county. Now he sat there helpless, knowing that the agony for this woman was just beginning.
“What will happen to him, Luke?”
“He’ll have to stand trial.”
“But it was an accident, wasn’t it?”
Garrison knew his politics, and he understood how unlikely it was that this shooting would be called an accident. “It depends on the jury,” he said carefully. Then honesty compelled him to say, “It’s serious. He could hang for it, Leah. Have your father-in-law get the best lawyer he can. Stuart’s going to need it.”
Leah sat there with her hand on her stomach, the child inside of her moving rapidly as a wave of nausea came over her. A deadness seemed to settle on her spirit, and she could not think clearly. She was aware that Luke Garrison was watching her carefully, but she could not frame a single word.
She remembered a spiritual that Annie sang a lot, but the only words she could remember clearly were, “And the walls came tumbling down.”
CHAPTER SIX
The Verdict
Leonard Stokes stood looking out of his office window. Fall had come, and now the red, gold, and yellow leaves of the sweet gum tree were dropping to the ground, making a multicolored carpet on the dry, dead grass. Somehow autumn always brought a sense of fatalism to Stokes, for he was a man sensitive to moods and to those about him. It was a trait that had served him well as a lawyer. He was only thirty-five, but already he was the rising star in the firmament of the state judicial system. A tall, lean man with sharp gray eyes, Stokes had been the hottest defense lawyer available, and many had been shocked when he had left a lucrative practice in order to become district attorney for a rather minimal salary. What those people did not understand was that Stokes intended to move up in the world, and a record as a crusading district attorney would get him a good start on the governor’s chair. After that there was always the Senate, and beyond that, who knew where his political ambitions would lead?
Turning from the window, Stokes moved back to his desk, sat down, and stared at the elderly man who was seated across from him. “You’re not looking too well, Mordecai.”
Mordecai Frasier indeed did not look well. He was in his eighties and had been a legend for many years, both as a lawyer and finally as the chief justice of the State Supreme Court. He could have risen to greater heights but had chosen to remain in his native state of Arkansas and had served his people admirably all of his life.
“I’m doing very well for an old man.” Frasier’s voice was thin now. He had lost his trumpet voice, which had been powerful enough to fill any courtroom in the state, making many lawyers realize they had met their match. His eyes were faded, and his hands trembled, so he quickly folded them in front of him. “I think we need to do some more talking about the Winslow case.”
“I can’t see that there’s a lot to talk about, Mordecai.”
“Well, after all, it wasn’t premeditated, and there was no malice intended.”
“You can’t change one fact, I’m afraid. Carter Simms is dead and buried, robbed of his life, and Stuart pulled the
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