Prologue
Noah tossed the picture onto the oak table, and picked up another. He shook his head with disbelief as he held a second photo of the teenager’s backside, carved with a butcher’s knife. The view made his stomach turn.
He looked up at the faces staring back at him. “I won’t do it.”
“You don’t have to,” his father said. “Jesse and I will.”
Noah felt the rush of heated anger work its way up his cheeks as he listened to his father’s words. He slammed the picture down on the pile and stared directly in his father’s eyes. “Don’t take this case,” he demanded.
“We need to,” replied his brother Jesse.
Noah sat stunned. Who were these people? A father who’d raised him to be compassionate was sitting here asking him to help represent the devil. The mother who’d taught him how to be a moral man was now pushing that aside in favor of Jesse’s career. He couldn’t believe these people anymore.
“How can you represent somebody like that?”
“It’s my job. My career.”
“The drug affected him differently than it should have,” Dad said. “Ultimately, it was an accident. Take a look at his medical report.” He dropped the paper on top of the photos.
Noah didn’t bother looking at the report. He knew enough about the case. Enough to know he wouldn’t have anything to do with it.
“That’s your reasoning? You’re going to help get a murderer a slap on the wrist for slipping some drugs into a girl’s drink? No rape charge? No murder charge?
Not even a charge for child pornography?” He picked up another picture Jesse would use for evidence in the courtroom. The victim’s face had been angled toward the camera. Her eyes were slightly open, and her mouth formed into a pouty, almost kiss-like, position. Anyone else viewing the picture would have guessed it was an
erotic picture a lover had taken on an outside adventure. Noah knew differently. The picture had been taken right before she passed out.
“Noah, please listen to me,” begged his brother. “Remember our dream? Me, you, and Dad were going to take over the law firm.” Jesse was grasping at straws.
“It was a kid’s foolish dream. I grew up a long time ago!”
“Well, it’s still mine. I really need this case, and I need your help.”
“I won’t do it.”
James Lincoln played with his mustache the way he always did when he had something to say to his sons. “Noah, I thought being a defense attorney ran in your blood? I guess I was wrong. I hear the DA’s office is hiring, why don’t you give them your resume?”
Noah flinched at the remark but refused to bite back.
“Nobody does the research as well as you. Please reconsider.”
Noah jumped to his feet, and slammed his balled fists down, causing some of the pictures to sail to the floor. “If you take this case, I’ll quit the firm and this whole family!”
“Noah, please calm down,” his mother pleaded.
“Mom, reason with them. What if this was your daughter? Would you want the guy to get off?” He bent over and retrieved the worst picture for her to see.
She pointed to Noah’s father. “He’s my husband and I stand by his decision. I’m sorry, Noah, but it has to be this way.”
Noah dropped the picture onto the table and turned his back to his family. No one uttered a word as he made his way to the dining room door. He paused with his hand on the knob. Was he doing the right thing? Would he be strong enough to walk out the door? He glanced back at his family. A smirk played on Jesse’s lips.
