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He touched his battered face. “Pretty damn sure, yeah.”
“How about if I’m lead counsel and you’re second chair? If Mr. Washington is okay with that. And if we win, I can move on to other campaigns that need my attention.”
“You make it sound like a battle plan.”
“That’s exactly what it is, because we’re at war. We have the enemy on the run. One enormous change is that they no longer have the law on their side. So they come to rely on people like Howard Pickett and George Wallace, and their money and their connections and their lies, and their vitriol used to rile up the public.” She ran her gaze over him. “Why don’t we have a drink and discuss this further? I passed a place. They didn’t wash all the paint off, so I can still see the NO COLOREDS ALLOWED. But I assume it’s okay now?”
With her help, he struggled into his jacket and put his gun in his pocket.
She said, “Think you’re going to need that?”
“The night’s still young.”
CHAPTER 25
THE GOLDEN LEAF?” SAID DUBOSE, staring up at the sign on the building.
“Tobacco, the cash crop that built Freeman County,” answered Jack.
“Of course.”
The NO COLOREDS ALLOWED was, as she had said, still visible, like a knife wound semihealed to a blistered scar that might never fully vanish.
There were about twenty people in the bar, one bald, tattooed man tending to the drink orders, two waitresses housed in slinky outfits serving those drinks, and a mustached, cowboy-hatted man and his guitar, strumming well but singing poorly.
Jack and DuBose took their seats at a table and the stares commenced.
“You get these looks in Chicago?” asked Jack, noting the gawkers.
“I don’t really have experience being out with a white man. But there are a lot of mixed-race couples in the Windy City, so most people don’t take much notice anymore.”
A waitress with frizzy blond hair and thick eyeliner came hurrying over.
“My God. Jack? Jack Lee?” she exclaimed.
He looked up at her, recognition dawning. “Hey, Amy, is that you?”
She smiled. “Good Lord, I haven’t seen you in forever. And you haven’t changed a bit, still the same tall, good-looking Jack Lee. Give me a hug, you handsome thing.”
He stood and did so. She squeezed him so tight that Jack’s bruised ribs ached like someone had hit him again. She must have had eyes only for Jack, because when Amy finally noticed DuBose sitting there, the smile vanished like someone had shot it off her face.
She snatched a glance at Jack as he sat back down. “You with her?”
“She’s a professional colleague.”
DuBose said, “Nice to meet you, Amy.”
Amy looked around at all the people staring. Even the singing guitar player had ceased his vocals to ogle.
When Amy looked back at Jack she said, “What happened to your face?”
“Just a disagreement among some folks.”
Amy eyed DuBose. “Jack was quarterback on the football team and also president of the debate club. All the girls were crazy about him, and his brother, Jeff. The Lee brothers were pretty famous around here. And then Jeff became a Green Beret, and now Jack’s a lawyer and all.” She looked at his empty ring finger. “And never found himself a wife, if you can believe that.” Amy gave Jack a bewildered look as if to say, And now you’re here with her?
DuBose said politely, “Well, some people just aren’t the marrying kind.”
Jack interjected, “How have you been, Amy?”
