Greater Love
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About this ebook
The Tides of Truth series follows one lawyer's passionate pursuit of truth--in matters of life and the law.
As the storm clouds gather, Tami does her best to weather the growing turbulence in every area of her life.
She's just accepted a job with a law firm but now wonders if she made the right decision. She has two strong men vying for her heart--and is about to lose them both if she can't determine which one is right for her.
And Tami's new case is anything but simple. When she first meets her prospective client, she immediately knows the rough young teen is lying, guilty...and utterly terrified of something beyond the charges she's facing. What she doesn't realize is just how far reaching the effects of the case will go. Or how close to home the deadly results will hit. For by the time the storm breaks, someone close to Tami will have paid the ultimate price.
Through it all, Tami will experience greater sacrifice, greater friendship, and greater love than she's ever known.
Robert Whitlow
Robert Whitlow is the bestselling author of legal novels set in the South and winner of the Christy Award for Contemporary Fiction. He received his JD with honors from the University of Georgia School of Law where he served on the staff of the Georgia Law Review. Website: robertwhitlow.com; X: @whitlowwriter; Facebook: @robertwhitlowbooks.
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Reviews for Greater Love
7 ratings2 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Robert Whitlow's "Tides of Truth" series comes to a satisfying conclusions with "Greater Love."The last in the series left Tami Taylor with some decisions to make about her future--both in the professional and personal arenas. "Greater Love" opens in Tami still struggling to find the answers and looking for wisdom and guidance not only from her friends and family but also from God. Readers of this series will recall that Tami was raised in a very conservative Christian denomination and throughout her life has looked to Bible and God for guidance in making decisions and how she relates to the world. That hasn't changed with "Greater Love" and, in fact, becomes even more relevant to the on-going struggles Tami faces as the novel unfolds.I've been a fan of Robert Whitlow since I discovered his books on the library shelf years ago and have eagerly awaited each new installment. Watching him grow as a writer has been a pleasure and "Greater Love" continues to show that growth. Whitlow's greatest strength is his creation of real, compelling and authentic characters and situations. This extends beyond his central cast of Tami and her two suitors to everyone that Tami comes into contact with. But the story of "Greater Love" isn't just about Tami's personal journey, though that may be of the greatest interest to a majority of readers. It's also about the redemptive power of love and putting others before yourself and loving them as God intends. Whitlow shows us this in the story of Jessie, a teenage run away who is arrested for stealing a bag of doughnuts from a local bakery. Tami is assigned her defense and must try to uncover the truth behind the girl's lies and fears. While the legal aspect of the story isn't quite as solid as that displayed in previous Whitlow legal-driven thrillers like "The List," the storyline effortlessly integrates with the personal and spiritual struggles Tami faces.In the end, "Greater Love" is a satisfying conclusion to the "Tides of Truth" trilogy. As a character, I'd enjoy seeing more from Tami Taylor, but for now this part of her story is complete. And now I'm left waiting another year for whatever Whitlow has in mind next for his readers. Whatever it is, I'm sure it will be worth the wait.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Tami Lynn is about to take the Bar Exam and has some really big decisions to make. She has to decide where she will begin her practice of law. There is two offers on the table. One in a firm that Tami worked at last summer and one just getting established with women she's acquainted with. She will also have to decide who will win her heart. Will it be Zach or Vinny? You also meet a young girl name Jessie who is on the run and very soon the paths of Tami and Jessie will intersect. The case is a lot more than what's on the surface and will ultimately cost the life of someone close to Tami.I liked many aspects of the story. Tami was a sweet, innocent girl who really wanted to do God's will for her life. She was respectful to her parents and those in authority over her. I liked the whole idea of a love triangle between Zach, Tami and Vinny. I also liked Mr. Callahan and thought he gave wise council to Tami. The story did have some suspense and I have to say I really wasn't sure who Tami would choose as her life's mate until near the end. Now for the things I think just didn't fit. Sister Dabney was a character I did not like. I don't agree that women preachers/prophetesses is Biblically correct. But the part that I really felt was incongruent was the fact that an ultra-conservative girl like Tami, who even out of college is still submissive to her parents, goes to Sister Dabney's church and even follows her "prophet type" advice. It just wasn't realistic to me. I liked Zach and Vinny but never really felt the struggle between them having to do with Tami. They felt like shallow characters to me. I'm being honest when I say that I struggled through this book because of those items but was committed to finish it. I know his books have gotten some good reviews but the story just didn't work for this reader. Thank you Thomas Nelson (Booksneeze) for providing this complimentary review copy.
Book preview
Greater Love - Robert Whitlow
GREATER LOVE
OTHER NOVELS BY ROBERT WHITLOW INCLUDE
Tides of Truth series
Deeper Water
Higher Hope
Mountain Top
Jimmy
Life Everlasting
Life Support
The Sacrifice
The Trial
The List
GREATER LOVE
Book Three in the Tides of Truth series
ROBERT WHITLOW
Greater_Love_pass3_0003_001© 2010 by Robert Whitlow
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Thomas Nelson, Inc., titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail [email protected].
Scripture quotations are from the following sources: HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved; THE NEW KING JAMES VERSION. © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved; and the KING JAMES VERSION.
Publisher’s note: This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. All characters are fictional, and any similarity to people, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Whitlow, Robert, 1954-
Greater love / Robert Whitlow.
p. cm. — (Tides of truth series ; 3)
ISBN 978-1-59554-450-6 (soft cover)
I. Title.
PS3573.H49837G74 2010
813’.54—dc22
2009052635
Printed in the United States of America
10 11 12 13 14 RRD 6 5 4 3 2 1
To the unselfish among us. Your reward is sure.
Greater love has no one than this,
than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
JOHN 15:13
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
Reading Group Guide
Prologue
THE GIRL BOLTED INTO THE BLACKBERRY PATCH . SHE CRIED OUT in pain as the tiny briars ripped her skin. The two men chasing her thrashed about in the darkness. The girl stuffed her fist in her mouth, bit down on her knuckles, and slowly eased herself to the ground.
Over yonder! I heard something!
one of the men called out.
The sound of the men came closer. The girl could see the beams of flashlights in the tops of the bushes. She was wearing a dark shirt and blue jeans. Tucked in her jeans was the smooth leather pouch she’d snatched from the edge of the table when the men dragged her stepmother’s boyfriend into the night.
Her arms were tanned dark by the Georgia sun and streaked with red dirt. In the stillness tiny gnats found her face and began crawling across her cheeks and into her ears and nose. She didn’t dare slap them away.
Jessie, we know you’re close by,
the other man called out. Ain’t nobody going to hurt you. Come on out and show yourself, and we’ll give you something nice.
What are you talking about?
the first man hissed.
The cuts on Jessie’s arms, hands, and face stung as sweat ran into the open wounds. She gritted her teeth then licked her lips. Her tongue brought several gnats back into her mouth. Growing up south of Macon, she’d eaten a bushel of gnats by the time she turned fifteen. In the distance, she heard the sound of thunder.
She ain’t coming out,
the first man said to the second. And now it’s going to come a shower. That’s why we should have brought the dogs. They’d love rompin’ through this here thicket. Blackie would flush her out in no time.
Well then, why don’t you shut up and go back to the shed and get them on down here,
the second man answered. I’ll stay close by in case she tries to make a run for it.
Should I call Clay while I’m up at the house?
And tell him we brought his pouch into the house instead of leaving it locked up in the car? We had two jobs to do—teach Rod a lesson and deliver the pouch from the German guy in Atlanta. He ain’t going to be happy with one out of two.
I thought it would be better to keep it in sight in case Rod made a run for the car. He’s got a set of keys. I didn’t know the girl was there.
And that’s why we’re in this mess. Now git. For all we know she may already be at the highway.
Jessie heard one of the men move away. The thunder rumbled closer. It wouldn’t hurt her feelings if the men beat up Rod. Twice, the dark-haired man had hit her so hard it made her woozy. Her stepmother didn’t say anything. Rod had bought her a new car and gave her twenties like they were ones.
Jessie wasn’t afraid of the dogs, especially Blackie. They’d become friends since Rod brought them home. If the men brought the dogs to the thicket, Blackie would come straight to her, if for no other reason than to lick her face.
Jessie shared the men’s fear of Clay. The way Rod acted when Clay came into the room and then talked about him after he left was proof enough for her. Rich people in fancy clothes could be scary, too.
There was a flash of lightning followed by gunshot thunder. The man who remained behind swore. Another flash of lightning hit a nearby pine tree. There was a loud crack as the tree split apart. Jessie screamed then clamped her hand over her mouth, sure she’d given away her location. Barely breathing, she crouched and waited for the man to come rushing toward her. But all she heard was the sound of a tree creaking and popping. The flashlight beam disappeared.
Jessie eased up from her hiding place. The damaged tree was clearly visible. Flickering flames marked the path the lightning took as it hungrily sought the ground. Another bolt of lightning lit up the thicket with daytime brightness. In the split second of illumination, Jessie saw a man lying at the foot of the tree, his arms splayed out and his legs in an awkward position. She didn’t look twice.
She ran out of the thicket as fast as she could go. But not toward the highway. She’d read in a library book about a runaway girl who discovered the best way to travel without anyone knowing about it was along the railroad tracks. Unlike cars, trains don’t have curious eyes.
As Jessie ran toward the train tracks, huge drops of rain began falling from the sky. She stopped for a second to rub the cool moisture across her arms and face, then kept running as fast as her brown legs could take her. She didn’t know if dogs could pick up a human scent in the rain.
Jessie wasn’t going to slow down and find out.
1
THROUGH THE WINDOW I COULD SEE A FEW BROWN LEAF stragglers clinging to limbs of an oak tree. Powell Station was in the Appalachian foothills so snow wasn’t uncommon in November, but it rarely fell until after the middle of the month. I rolled onto my side and pulled the quilt up to my chin. I was glad to be home, among my family, spending a few days in the daily routine of life.
I slipped out of bed so as not to wake the twins, Ellie and Emma. After retrieving the morning eggs, I joined Mama in the kitchen. Our diet was high in cholesterol, but there wasn’t a carton of soft drinks on our property, and honey from hives behind the garden was our favorite sweetener.
Mama and I had worked together in the kitchen from the time I was old enough to be trusted at the stove until I left for college. When I returned home, familiar patterns returned without effort and we moved about efficiently without getting in each other’s way. I loved meal preparation. There was a sense of fulfillment in fixing hot, delicious food for the people I loved. Daddy claimed my scrambled eggs were fluffier than cotton candy at the county fair.
Daddy and Bobby came inside and washed their hands at the garden sink beside the rear door.
It’s a glorious morning!
Daddy exclaimed to Mama. Do you know why, Lu?
Mama smiled. We all knew the answer.
Because we’re here together,
Mama replied.
Daddy dried his hands and kissed me in the usual place on top of my head. He grabbed Ellie by the shoulders.
Which one are you?
he asked, peering into her blue eyes.
Daddy, you know!
she answered with a quick smile.
Daddy kissed her on the right cheek. Emma came up for a kiss on the left cheek. Daddy grabbed Mama and squeezed her waist.
The timer I used for the hard-boiled eggs went off. While I cooled the eggs enough to remove the shells, Ellie filled large bowls with steaming oatmeal. Emma set a cup of raisins and a jar of honey on the table, then put a cloth napkin at every place and correctly positioned on each a knife, fork, and spoon. I’d never been embarrassed by a lack of table manners. Mama’s homeschool curriculum included a course in etiquette that we were expected to incorporate into everyday practice. We ate our meals at a long picnic table painted white. Mama and I sat across from each other at the end nearest the cooking area.
Tammy Lynn, will you pray?
Daddy asked.
We held hands around the table. I reached across and took Mama’s hand. It was slightly dry and coarse. Her fingers spoke of a lifetime of service to others.
Thank you for this fresh food, my loving family, and this crisp, fall day. Bless them all. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Well done, Tammy Lynn,
Daddy said. Who said lawyers forget how to pray? That was downright poetic.
I won’t be a lawyer until I graduate from school and pass the bar exam next summer,
I corrected.
You’ll do both,
Mama said confidently as she stirred a few more raisins into her oatmeal. And the Lord will direct your steps.
Ellie popped a large bite of hard-boiled egg into her mouth. Tammy Lynn woke me up this morning talking about moving to Savannah and getting married and having babies.
That was her prediction for my future,
I responded quickly.
But you didn’t disagree,
Ellie answered, her voice muffled by egg.
Don’t talk with food in your mouth,
Mama said.
I turned toward Daddy and Mama. I have to tell Braddock, Appleby, and Carpenter by the first of December if I’m going to accept the job offer with them. If I turn them down, I could work with Julie Feldman and Maggie Smith in Savannah or come back to Powell Station and open my own office.
I know what Zach wants you to do,
Emma replied. Take the job with Bradley, Applecart, and whatever so he can keep a close watch on you.
That’s not the way he looks at it.
But it’s the way he looks at you,
Ellie replied. I can still see the dreamy expression on his face when you were doctoring his hand after the catfish stung him.
Has he given you any advice?
Mama asked, ignoring my sisters.
He told me the advantages and disadvantages of coming to work for his firm or being part of a new practice like the one Julie and Maggie are setting up.
Being around him every day would be a big, big advantage,
Ellie said, taking a sip of orange juice.
Last week Julie sent me pictures of the place Maggie rented in a new office park,
I continued. It looks nice. They have an office reserved for me if I want it.
How can they afford that?
Daddy asked.
Julie’s father is loaning them a bunch of money. In return, Julie gets to be a partner from the start. She claims her daddy won’t make them pay back the money.
That’s not right,
Emma cut in. The Bible says, ‘The wicked borroweth and payeth not again.’ Psalm 37:21.
Tammy Lynn, you be the lawyer; your little sister can go to Congress.
Daddy laughed.
AFTER BREAKFAST , ELLIE AND I RINSED THE BOWLS IN THE SINK. She leaned over and spoke in a soft voice.
If you work at the law firm with Zach, you can find out if he’s the one. I think he is, but I know it’s up to Daddy, Mama, you, and God, of course.
He’s the first man I’ve courted,
I answered, glancing over my shoulder to see if Mama was still in the kitchen. And I can’t be thinking about marriage all the time. Part of the reason to court a man is to learn how it feels to be around a male who isn’t a member of the family.
Doesn’t the thought of him make chills run up and down your back?
As if on cue, an involuntary shiver ran down my back.
Not all the time,
I answered, shrugging my shoulders.
Ellie continued. And after you get used to his ponytail, it doesn’t make him look girlie at all, especially when you see how broad his shoulders are.
You shouldn’t be paying attention to Zach Mays’ shoulders.
I’m not. It’s a scientific observation.
MID-MORNING I FOUND MAMA SWEEPING THE FRONT PORCH. The autumn sun shining through the trees in the front yard cast mottled light against the well-worn wood.
I’d like to see Mr. Callahan while I’m here and ask his advice.
Mama finished a stroke that sent several leaves swirling off the porch and into the cool air.
That’s a good idea. You can borrow the car.
It was about five miles to the retired attorney’s large home on top of a gentle hilltop surrounded by lush pasture where his prize Angus cattle grazed. A jar of honey in my hand as a gift, I rang the doorbell. The white-haired lawyer opened it and inspected me with piercing dark eyes that contained both fire and compassion. It was easy to imagine Mr. Callahan giving a passionate appeal to a jury.
Come inside,
he said in a mellow voice.
I handed him the jar of honey. This is for you and Mrs. Callahan.
Thank you. I’ve been out of honey for a few weeks. Bobby brought a jar when he picked up a calf a few days after you and the young, healing prophet with the ponytail came by to see me.
Zach wouldn’t want to be called either a prophet or a healer. He’s an admiralty lawyer.
Didn’t I get better after he prayed for me?
Yes, sir.
Then it doesn’t matter what he calls himself.
Mr. Callahan held up the honey. Let me prove my case. Your mama can make a pretty label to decorate the outside, but wouldn’t you agree that it’s what’s inside this jar that counts?
Yes, sir.
It’s the same with people.
I followed Mr. Callahan through the living room to the kitchen, a spacious room that featured a decorative island and bank of windows that welcomed sunlight.
My wife’s in Chattanooga shopping with her sister,
Mr. Callahan said, placing the honey on the corner of the island. Your daddy told me Joe Carpenter offered you a permanent job, the first female clerk to receive an offer at Braddock, Appleby, and Carpenter since women got the vote.
They’ve had a few woman attorneys over the years but never hired a female summer clerk.
When do you start?
I’m not sure I’m going to accept.
Why not?
he asked in surprise. Do you have a better offer?
That’s why I came to see you.
Mr. Callahan motioned to a small round table in the corner of the room. We sat, and I told him about the new firm Maggie Smith and Julie Feldman wanted me to join. His face remained impassive.
Maggie’s been with the district attorney’s office for a few years and wants to go out on her own,
I said. Julie Feldman is the Jewish girl who also clerked at Braddock, Appleby, and Carpenter. She’ll graduate from Emory in June. They want me to be their associate. It will be a small firm, but I believe they have a great future.
Mr. Carpenter rubbed his chin. Wouldn’t Ms. Feldman be an associate, too? She doesn’t have any more experience than you do.
Her father is a rich doctor. He’s loaning the money to help them get started. In return, Julie gets an instant partnership.
In nothing.
Mr. Callahan snorted. Braddock, Appleby, and Carpenter is the best firm in Savannah. It’s okay to go out on your own after you learn your way around the courthouse. But two inexperienced lawyers and an assistant DA who’s had her cases handed to her on a platter by detectives who did the hard work is a recipe for disaster.
I swallowed. I’d not expected Mr. Callahan to have such a strong opinion.
You started your own practice in Powell Station. It worked out well for you.
Don’t forget. I worked three years for another lawyer in Cartersville before moving up here. I learned enough from him to keep from making any dumb mistakes that cost me my license or caused me to go broke. And I still had a few lean years before the decent cases started rolling in. Borrowing through a personally guaranteed credit line at the local bank just to survive isn’t fun.
Mr. Callahan leaned forward. How many of your classmates at the law school have multiple job offers?
I’m not sure. Except for the girls on my intramural basketball team, I don’t talk to many people about their plans.
How many of those young women have a decent job to go to after graduation?
I quickly ran through the lineup of the seven girls. We’d played together for three years in a fall league at the University of Georgia.
One is accepting a job with an insurance defense firm in Macon. Another is going to clerk for a superior court judge in Fulton County. The others are sending out résumés and trying to arrange interviews and so on.
I paused. If nothing develops they’ll get desperate in a few months.
Exactly.
Mr. Callahan sat up straight and eyed me for a moment. Are you looking for someone to tell you what to do?
I wouldn’t mind it,
I admitted sheepishly.
Have you talked to your parents?
They know about the options, of course, but they haven’t given me their opinion.
Well, I don’t want to create confusion with what they might say.
No, it’s okay. I’m already confused.
Mr. Callahan looked past my shoulder. Tammy Lynn, do you know why you’re struggling with this decision?
I hesitated. Because I want to do God’s will?
Mr. Callahan waved his right hand in a way that brushed aside my answer.
That’s important, but to get to that point it’s necessary to be honest about yourself. I like pretending to be a cattleman, but sometimes I miss the chance to really grill a witness. Will you let me conduct a bit of a cross-examination to find out what’s going on inside that pretty, intelligent head of yours?
I managed a slight smile. Go ahead. If it helps, it’ll be worth it.
Mr. Callahan stood, pushed his glasses down his nose, and put his hands behind his back. Ms. Taylor, isn’t it true you’ve had a lot of success for a girl taught at home until high school?
I sat up straighter in the chair.
Yes, sir. Mama is the best teacher in the world. I’d read most of the books on the reading lists for my college literature classes before—
Mr. Callahan held up his hand. A simple yes is sufficient. You don’t have to prove the value of your upbringing to me. I’m just laying the foundation for my question.
Okay.
And isn’t it true that you’ve had athletic success, too?
Yes, sir.
Didn’t the girls’ high school basketball team go to the state tournament your senior year?
Yes, sir.
And weren’t you named all-conference point guard?
I blushed that Mr. Callahan remembered such a minute detail from my past. I nodded.
And isn’t it correct that you’ve done well in law school?
I’m not on the law review, but I’m in the top quarter of my class.
A lot of successful attorneys weren’t on the law review.
Mr. Callahan grunted. Including me. And now you’ve broken the gender barrier for summer clerks at an outstanding law firm in Savannah. I bet the partners didn’t spend much time discussing the below-the-knee length of your dresses before deciding to offer you a job. Don’t you think they focused on your analytical ability and personal character?
Are you asking me to speculate?
Mr. Callahan pointed his finger at me. Careful. A witness who toys with me usually regrets it.
I smiled. I’m sure the partners at the firm cared more about my legal abilities than my conservative wardrobe.
That’s better.
Mr. Callahan paused. So, Ms. Taylor, after all your hard work in several areas of life, is there a possibility you’re afraid of success at the next level?
No, sir. That’s not it.
Mr. Callahan studied me for a moment. When a witness doesn’t give the expected answer, the attorney must try a different tact.
I waited. Mr. Callahan stepped closer.
As a first-year associate attorney, you’ll make an excellent salary at Braddock, Appleby, and Carpenter, probably two or three times what your daddy brings home in a year as a supervisor at the chicken plant. Are you worried the deceitfulness of wealth will draw you away from your love for God?
I’d thought about that issue. I won’t know until the money is in my bank account. I’m praying for grace not to let it drag me down.
And I doubt it will,
Mr. Callahan replied, rubbing his chin. What about Zach Mays? Do you believe God is drawing you together?
I blushed a second time.
I’ve not seen him since the end of the summer. He’s busy at work, and I’m in the middle of the school term.
If he’d wanted to visit you at school, would you have let him?
I bit my lower lip. Yes, sir. What does that have to do with the job?
Mr. Callahan smiled. That was a credibility question, just to let me know you’re in a truth-telling mood.
I always try to tell the truth. Or repent as soon as I don’t.
I’ll hold you to that. Look, let’s be real. Are you afraid working on a daily basis with the young healing prophet might ruin your relationship with him?
Mr. Callahan’s question produced a sudden ache of longing for Zach Mays in my chest. My phone conversations with him had been light, not serious. We’d not voiced what we might feel in our hearts. As I’d told Ellie, I was just getting used to being around a man who wasn’t a family member.
No, sir,
I answered slowly. I want to be around him. But it’s not necessary to work at the same firm for that to happen.
Does Joe Carpenter’s firm discourage two lawyers who work there from dating each other?
Ms. Patrick, the office manager, told me romance between summer clerks and lawyers wasn’t allowed, but I don’t know about lawyers. I don’t think it would be a problem.
Although it’s awkward if a couple takes domestic squabbles to work in their briefcases.
I opened my mouth, then quickly shut it.
There will be arguments,
Mr. Callahan continued.
I know. Even Mama and Daddy have their disagreements. She’s taught me the biblical principles of conflict resolution and helped me understand the differences between men and women.
Mr. Callahan raised his eyebrows. I thought it was the man’s job to make all the adjustments.
That’s usually true,
I answered with a straight face.
Mr. Callahan rubbed his palms together. I know you’ve thought about this next question, but I need to ask it anyway. Are you worried the firm will assign you cases that violate your moral convictions?
That happened last summer,
I answered, remembering the lawsuit the firm filed against Sister Rachel Dabney. It all worked out in the end. But I can’t count on that happening every time.
Mr. Callahan chuckled. That doesn’t sound like a woman who has the faith to move mountains. Here’s what you could do. Tell the firm up front there are types of cases you want to avoid and get it settled before it comes up.
I tried to imagine delivering an ultimatum to Mr. Carpenter.
I’m not sure Mr. Carpenter—
I wouldn’t be afraid about confronting Joe Carpenter with an honest request. I’ve known him since law school. He loved your spunkiness and wants you to accept the job so badly he’ll negotiate with you.
How do you know that?
Mr. Callahan sat down at the table. He called and talked to me a few weeks ago. Wanted me to use my influence to convince you to come to work for him.
He did?
I asked in shock.
Yep, phoned me while I was on the tractor hauling a round bale of hay to the cattle in the south field. I told him I wasn’t sure I’d see you before Christmas but would give my opinion if asked. During the summer, Joe saw what the rest of us already know about you.
I waited.
Mr. Callahan shook his head. I’m not going to flatter you any more than I already have, but you’re more likely to be forced into cases you don’t want to handle at a start-up firm that needs every dollar it can collect in fees than a firm that can pick and choose its clients.
I sighed. I don’t have to guess what you think I should do.
Right. I think Braddock, Appleby, and Carpenter is the way to go, at least until you learn the ropes. Law school may teach you to think like a lawyer, but it doesn’t teach you how to practice law.
I shrugged. Yes, the secretaries and paralegals at the firm knew more practical stuff than I did.
And you don’t have a clue whether either Smith or Feldman has the administrative abilities to run a law firm.
Julie was smart but not always organized. I didn’t know about Maggie. My work history was limited to the processing line at the local chicken plant, a part-time job as a sitter for elderly women, and a three-month summer clerkship.
Talk with your parents,
Mr. Callahan concluded. Their advice is more important than mine.
But I respect your advice, and I wanted to know what you think. You’ve always helped me think through problems. Thanks for being honest with me.
You deserve a straight answer. I’m confident that when the time comes, you’ll know what to do. Once you make your decision, don’t look back.
2
JESSIE SHUFFLED ALONGSIDE THE RAILROAD TRACKS. IT HAD stopped raining, but a midnight mist kept her from seeing far ahead. Her eyes fluttered shut as she tried to steal a few seconds’ rest. Stumbling forward, she fell, skinning her left knee on a rough crosstie. The sharp pain woke her up.
There’d been no sound or sign of pursuit, but the grotesque image of the man lying at the foot of the tree was etched in her mind with photographic clarity. Every time she closed her eyes, the sight of the man’s twisted body returned.
It wasn’t the first time Jessie had seen a dead person. At age seven she found her father sprawled across the bed with his mouth hanging open and an empty bottle of pills on the floor. She dashed into the living room and found her stepmother passed out drunk on the couch in the living room. Jessie poured a glass of cold water on her stepmother’s face, and fifteen minutes later an ambulance, sirens blaring, came to the house. It left slowly in silence with the body. There wasn’t a funeral.
Jessie gingerly touched the sore place on her knee. Alone, she was more tired than afraid. The shifting shadows cast by tree limbs when the moon peered from behind the clouds didn’t bother her. Jessie’s fears became real only when people were present. She found her greatest security in solitude, her favorite escape in the pages of a book.
After her father’s death, Jessie and her stepmother spent a lot of time in homeless shelters and more than a few nights huddled under bridges. Jessie knew the worst enemy of the homeless was cold weather, the unrelenting chill that made toes and fingers ache and dawn’s warmth seem light-years away. Tonight was warm and muggy. Jessie licked her lips. She was thirsty. She’d not had anything to drink since lapping dirty water from a rain puddle.
The tracks turned slightly left then crossed a broad ravine. Jessie stopped and looked down a steep embankment. She couldn’t see the bottom, but it had to be deep. The tops of trees beside the tracks barely reached the level of the rails. There wasn’t a bridge, just tracks laid on thick wooden pilings. She peered ahead, trying to determine how long the span might be. Meeting an oncoming train with no place to jump to the side would be a recipe for disaster.
Standing still, she listened, trying to pick up the sound of an approaching train. Hearing nothing, she took a few cautious steps forward. Then Jessie remembered a scene from a book set in the Old West. In it, she’d learned that an Indian tracker would kneel down and put his ear against the metal rails to hear the vibrations caused by an approaching train. Lying on her stomach, Jessie rested her ear against the cool steel. It gave off a low hum. She raised her head and strained her eyes. The mist was getting thicker, not thinner. She listened again. There was no mistaking the presence of a humming sound, but she didn’t know what it meant.
Returning to solid ground, Jessie decided to wait for a few minutes. She found a large pine tree with a thick blanket of needles wrapped like an apron around its base. The needles might be a nest of chiggers, but she sat down anyway and leaned against the tree. In less than a minute, she heard a rumbling sound in the distance. A train was coming. Not in front of her, but along the track she’d already walked.
Jessie watched the black cars zip past and breathed a sigh of relief. The flashing red light on the last car disappeared across the bridge. She pressed her hands against the slightly prickly pine needles that weren’t much rougher than the ancient sofa someone gave her stepmother. An enveloping fog of fatigue convinced her she’d fled far enough for the night.
Lying down, Jessie took the pouch from the front of her jeans. Her stepmother had a leather jacket, but it felt like plastic compared to the supple pouch. Jessie rested her head on the pouch and closed her eyes.
MR. CALLAHAN SENT ME HOME WITH ENOUGH FRESH STEAKS FOR a feast. I handed Mama the heavy packet.
Mix the marinade, and we’ll eat steak for supper,
she said. This meat is too good to freeze.
Mama used a steak marinade that included olive oil, pepper, garlic, and several other spices. I mixed the ingredients in a bowl, then poured the liquid on top of the steaks and put them in the refrigerator to soak in the flavors.
Did you have a good visit with Mr. Callahan?
she asked from the corner of the kitchen where she was scrubbing the floor.
Yes. He appreciated the honey.
Was Mrs. Callahan there?
No, she was with her sister in Chattanooga.
Did you ask his advice about the job?
Mama stood and wiped her hands on her work apron.
Yes.
There’s wisdom in a multitude of counselors,
she answered evenly. And there’s no denying Oscar Callahan has played a big role in your becoming a lawyer.
I finished rinsing out the bowl used to mix the marinade.
He thinks a multitude of counselors is the right move, which means I should accept the job at Braddock, Appleby, and Carpenter. Mr. Carpenter actually called him and asked him to use his influence to persuade me to work for the firm.
Mama and I sat at the table while I told her about my conversation with the retired lawyer.
Being with Mr. Callahan made me wish he was still practicing law and could ask me to join him. It would be wonderful living at home, helping you when I was here, spending more time with the twins, going to church—
But that’s not an option, is it?
Not really. I don’t know anything about the two lawyers who bought Mr. Callahan’s practice and doubt they need an associate so soon after getting started themselves.
That doesn’t sound much different than the situation with Julie Feldman and Maggie Smith.
So, you and Daddy agree with Mr. Callahan,
I responded quickly.
Mama rubbed her forehead. Daddy and I have been praying about it. We’ll talk after supper.
As much as I wanted to know