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“Your momma was hanging up the laundry outside. Lucy was with her. She went to get another basket of clothes when she heard Lucy screaming. She ran out and Lucy was lying in the grass, her head and face all bloody. Your mother saw a man jump the back fence and run off into the patch of woods there. If I ever get ahold of that son of a bitch...”
“But why in the world would anyone hurt Lucy?” asked Jack.
Frank eyed his son nervously.
Jack paled. “You... you think it was because of what I’m doing?”
Frank looked over at the local newspaper that was lying on a chair set against the wall. He grabbed it and held up the front page.
YOUNG NEGRO COUPLE ON TRIAL FOR MURDERING
TWO ELDERLY WHITE PEOPLE IN THEIR HOME
“Buddy of mine from the war called and said the same headline is running in his newspaper in North Carolina. His son’s a reporter for the paper down there. He also said the Associated Press picked the story up. Says it’s running in damn near every paper in the country. And you and Desiree are named as the lawyers.”
The doctor glanced at DuBose. “I watched Huntley and Brinkley last night. They had this woman’s picture up on the TV, and they had a phone interview with her where she was talking about fighting for equality for Blacks. They said it must be an important case to draw the NAACP’s attention. Lots of folks around here probably watched that. Might’ve riled up someone.”
Jack looked at DuBose. “So that’s what you talked about with them?”
“Yes. We need that sort of media exposure when we’re fighting back against the likes of Howard Pickett.”
“Did you mention my family? Lucy?”
“No, I never talked about any of that. I never would.”
“That’s the truth,” added the doctor. “I listened to the whole thing. They just talked about the case.”
Jack turned and stalked off down the hall. DuBose hurried after him and caught up to him around the corner.
“Jack, I was just doing my job. I hope you can understand that.”
He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. “I don’t blame you, Desiree. Lucy is lying in that hospital bed because of me and the choice I made.”
He turned, slammed his fist against the wall, and screamed, “Goddammit!”
Tears clustered in her eyes, a shaky DuBose took a step back and said as calmly as she could manage, “I... I can get other lawyers on the case. You can withdraw and then maybe this will—”
“He’s not withdrawing from anything,” said the voice.
They turned to see Hilly Lee standing there.
“Momma?” said Jack. He wrapped his arms around her. At first she looked taken aback, but then Hilly Lee hugged her son fiercely.
“What do you mean he’s not withdrawing?” said DuBose.
Hilly let her son go and said, “I didn’t agree with your decision to represent that man, or work with her,” she said, glancing at DuBose. “But what I know is whenever you let a bully make you turn and run, that bully will never go away. He will own you.”
“But—” began Jack.
“I taught you and your brother that lesson when you were boys. And now I’m telling you, as a man, that you are not walking away from this. You go on and do your job. You and her,” she added, drilling another stare at DuBose. “And you punch those people right in the damn face and you show them they don’t control one thing about you, son. Not one goddamn thing.”
Hilly turned and walked back to be with her daughter.
CHAPTER 52
JACK SAT BEHIND HIS DESK while DuBose stood on the other side watching him.
His hand trembling, he lifted the glass of whiskey to his mouth and finished it.
