Straight from the Heart

She swallowed and gathered the remnants of her sanity. “My brother did not rape or murder Bonnie Davis. I know him. He isn’t capable of a crime like that. And my father would never withhold evidence. He’s a tough lawyer, but he has ethics.”

“Well…” Evan inclined his head. “We’ll see what a jury thinks.”

She got to her feet, anger curling through the shattered fragments of her heart. “How can you do this? They’re my family!”

“I’m not doing it out of spite, Blair,” he told her. “I’m doing it for justice—the same thing you’ve always fought for.”

Blair closed her eyes as turbulent emotions threatened to overcome her. Her brother wasn’t guilty and there was no way Evan could make her believe otherwise.

“Still want to prosecute this case?” Evan asked arrogantly.

Her eyes flew open, her blue eyes burning him like a laser. “That’s cruel.”

Evan picked up a pencil and tapped it on his desk. “It might be, but you and I both know you have a choice to make. You can’t play both sides.”

Her eyes continued to burn. “You’ll have my written resignation in an hour.”

He laid the pencil down slowly. “It didn’t take you long to make that decision.”

“This is my family!” she shouted. “Do you even understand what that means?”

“Your brother committed a horrible crime. Do you understand what that means?”

She covered her ears with her hands. “Stop saying that!”

“It’s the truth, so you’d better start facing it because we’re going to prosecute this to the fullest extent.”

She removed her hands and tried to swallow the huge lump that had formed in her throat. After a moment, she asked, “Where are they?”

“In jail, of course,” was the quick response. “But I’m sure Johnson will have your father out in no time. Blake, that’s another matter. He’s a flight risk. I don’t know if I’m going to recommend bail.”

The lump in her throat became so large she couldn’t breathe. She struggled to maintain her poise. “He won’t flee. I promise.”

Evan twirled the pencil in his hand. “Are you asking me for a favor?”

“I’m asking you to be fair. That’s all.”

“I’ll give it some thought.”

“When can I see the evidence?”

Evan lifted an eyebrow. “Are you going to represent them?”

“No, but I want to see what we’re up against.”

Evan stared directly at her. “You’re not going to see a thing,” he said. “Blake’s lawyer is the only one who’ll be looking at the evidence. And I’d like to know who that is as soon as possible.”

“I’m sure you would.” She narrowed her eyes as something occurred to her. “How did you get Blake’s DNA sample?”

“Don’t worry, it’s all legal. You won’t find a loophole there.” Evan got to his feet. “I’m sorry it had to end like this, Blair. You’re a good attorney.” He shrugged, then added, “Gwen will take over your caseload. Be sure to talk to her about Raye’s sentencing.”

Blair didn’t say anything as she walked to the door. There was nothing left to say. Evan had made up his mind, and now she had to find a way to save her brother.

And her father.

LUCAS WAS SIGNING letters and finishing up some last-minute details. He had a hearing at the courthouse, then he was free for the rest of the day. He was looking forward to his evening with Jennifer. He’d gotten sidetracked by the Logan family, but he wasn’t making that mistake again. He’d told Jennifer about the job offer and she understood. He’d sent roses to show he was sincere.

Lucas glanced up as Joan burst through the door gasping for breath.

He stood immediately. “What’s wrong?”

“I…I…” She held a hand to her chest and took a gulp of air. “I…ran from my car… I had to tell you…what’s happening…”

“What?”

Joan collapsed into a chair. “Sam Logan’s been arrested.”

There was a long pause, then Lucas smiled. “Did you have margaritas with lunch again?”

Joan shook her head. “I only did that once and it was my sixtieth birthday and you don’t have to keep reminding me.”

“Well, you’re talking nonsense.”

“I am not,” she snapped. “Sam Logan’s been arrested and so has his son, Blake.”

The smile left Lucas’s face. “What the hell for?”

Joan spoke in a rush. “Years ago Mr. Logan represented Todd Easton for the murder and rape of a young girl. Mr. Logan lost the case and Easton broke out of jail and beat up Sam’s daughter for revenge. The police shot and killed Easton.” She took another breath. “There were two sets of skin under the girl’s nails, but they could never identify the other boy. Now they have. They say it’s Blake Logan and that Sam paid Easton to keep quiet.”

“Oh, God,” Lucas said, sinking into his chair. None of this made sense. “I met Blake last night and he seemed like a nice guy—clean-cut and decent.” He looked at Joan. “Are you sure about this?”

She raised her eyes to the ceiling, then got up and switched on the TV set in the corner. There, in living color, were Sam and Blake in handcuffs being escorted to jail. Reporters hovered around, throwing out questions that went unanswered. The TV reporter was giving an update of the events and it was pretty much as Joan had said.

“See?” Joan muttered, switching off the set. “So do you think this had anything to do with Mr. Logan’s job offer?”

The same thought had occurred to Lucas. “I’m not sure,” he admitted. “Sam has a very good team. Why would he need me?”

“Lucas Culver.” She sighed in annoyance. “You’re better than all of them put together and Sam Logan knows it. If you ask me, you’ll be getting a call from him.” She grabbed her side. “God, I’m too old to be running. I think I’m having a heart attack.”

“Don’t you dare have a heart attack,” he called out as she walked into her own office.

“Such sympathy,” she mumbled, closing the door.

Lucas sat there, stunned. But one thought kept invading his mind—Blair. How was she taking this? She and Blake were twins—this had to be hard for her. He straightened. Oh, God, Blair worked in the D.A.’s office. How in the hell was she handling that? Even as he asked the question, he knew the answer. He’d bet she’d already resigned. He didn’t know Blair well, but he knew her loyalty was with her family.

He went over last night’s events in his head. Did Blair know what was going to happen? Was that why she seemed nervous and edgy? Blair suppressed her emotions, so it was difficult to tell. But his heart ached for her and that threw him. The woman had done everything but scratch his eyes out, yet here he was feeling sorry for her.

God, what a mess.

But it wasn’t his mess.

By the end of the week he’d be with Jacob, Miranda and the kids. He needed that peace and the serenity Jacob was always talking about. He sighed. The older he got, the more he was becoming like his big brother. Maybe that wasn’t a bad thing, though.

As he signed the last letter, his thoughts returned to Blair. He told himself that he shouldn’t waste his time; she wouldn’t appreciate his concern. She’d already told him that. Then why in hell couldn’t he stop thinking about her?

Dammit, Blair.

CHAPTER FIVE

BLAIR TYPED her resignation, signed it and handed it to Evan personally. She then cleared her personal belongings out of the office and left. She went immediately to the jail, hoping to see her father and Blake, where she was told that her father had been released on his own recognizance and Blake was still being processed. She asked to see him, but they wouldn’t let her. They said he could only see his attorney. She started to lie and say she was his lawyer, but they knew her and her position in the D.A.’s office. Unless Evan specified otherwise, she knew she wasn’t going to get anywhere near him…at least not today.

Although she tried to keep her mind blank, she found it impossible. The whole thing was too horrible to push aside. She had to have some answers, and the only way to get those was to talk to her father. She called his office, but his secretary said he wasn’t there, so she knew the only other place he’d be was at home with her mother.

On the drive to River Oaks, she thought about that time sixteen years ago. Her twin brother had been rebellious and uncontrollable. He’d been drinking, doing drugs. But in her heart she knew he had not committed this crime. She knew him as well as she knew herself, and even on drugs he could not have done such a terrible thing. There had to be another reason his DNA matched the skin under Bonnie Davis’s fingernails.

Evidence doesn’t lie. How many times had she proclaimed those words, believed them religiously and used them to seal a case? Now she’d have to take a second look at what had been driving her all these years. Had it been justice or plain old revenge? No, she couldn’t think about that now. She had to concentrate on Blake and on finding out the truth.

She punched in the code at the gate and it promptly swung open. She recognized the other cars in the driveway: Derek’s, Frank’s and Theo’s. The partners were plotting strategy, planning how to handle the situation. She knew her father would not rest until Blake was free.

She drove to the garages and parked in her usual spot, then hurried through the kitchen, as she had yesterday. God, it seemed like forever since last night. So much had happened and so much was still to come.

Greta met her at the door. “Oh, Miss Blair, it’s awful, just awful,” she cried, wringing her hands.

“Where’re my parents?” she asked.

“Your mother took a couple of aspirin and went upstairs to lie down, and your father’s in his study with his lawyers.”

“Thanks, Greta,” she replied, and headed for her father’s sanctum.

She could hear raised voices, but as soon as she opened the door everything became quiet—too quiet.

Sam was sitting on the leather sofa by the French windows. He looked haggard and old, and Blair’s heart crumbled in agonizing pain. She’d never seen her father like this and for a moment she didn’t know what to do. Then she did what her heart dictated—she ran to him and wrapped her arms around him.

“Blair, darling, I’m so sorry,” he mumbled in her hair.

“It’s all right, Daddy,” she reassured him. “We’ll sort this out.”

“Blair.” Derek spoke up. “I don’t think it’s wise for you to be here. After all, you do work for Holt.”

Blair released her father and faced Derek. “Not anymore. I resigned.”

“Oh, no,” Sam choked out. “I never wanted that to happen. None of this should be happening.”

Blair took her father’s hand and held it tight. “Tell me what’s going on.”

His hand gripped hers just as tightly. “I’m so sorry you got hurt, but I was powerless to stop any of this.”

“Don’t worry about me.”

“I do,” he admitted. “You’re my daughter and I handled last night badly. I wanted to convince Lucas to take this case. I didn’t think about much else.”

“Let’s forget about last night,” she told him. “I understand now why you did what you did. I’m just sorry I ruined the evening.” She didn’t want to think or talk about Lucas, but she knew that she would…later. Right now she had to have answers. “Tell me what happened back then—and tell me the truth. I don’t need to be protected.”

“It’s not a pretty picture.”

“I don’t expect it to be, but I know Blake did not kill that girl.”

Sam gripped her hand with both of his. “He was there, Blair. He was there.”

She swallowed hard. “So? That doesn’t make him guilty.”

Sam shook his head sadly. “It makes everything a mess—a terrible mess.”

“Why was Blake there?” she asked, needing to hear the story but wondering if she had enough strength to listen without breaking down.

“He met Todd and the Davis girl coming out of a party. There was a guy outside selling marijuana and crack cocaine. Todd and Blake bought some, then they drove to that secluded park to get high. The cocaine made Blake sick and he ran into the bushes and puked his guts out. He said that’s when he heard the girl scream. By the time he reached her, Todd had already raped and murdered her.” Sam paused for a moment. “Blake didn’t know if she was dead or not, so he checked her pulse. She reached up and caught his arm, then she went limp. Blake ran down the street to a pay phone and called 911 for help.”

Sam stopped speaking, obviously having difficulty with his emotions, as Blair was. “When Blake returned, Todd was doing cocaine while the girl lay there dead. Blake told him he’d called the cops and they had a fight. When they heard the sirens, they both jumped into the car and drove off.” He took a breath. “Later, when Todd was arrested, I didn’t know Blake was involved. I didn’t find out until Todd almost killed you. That was when Blake told me everything. He was so worried about you, and the guilt was destroying him. I immediately sent him out of the country, hoping I could resolve things, but…”

Sam rose and walked unsteadily to the windows, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Blair took a breath, desperately needing it for what she had to say. “Evan says you knew about Blake’s involvement all along and that you paid Todd to keep quiet.”

Sam whirled around. “That’s not true! During the trial I didn’t know Blake was involved and I never gave Todd a dime. This is all Lloyd Easton’s doing. He claims I paid Todd and now he has Holt believing it.”

Blair swallowed, hating to say what had to come next, but she had no choice. “Evan isn’t doing this on the word of Todd’s father. He has proof. You can count on it.”

“My sources say Evan has witnesses that Todd came out of my house with large sums of money, but that’s just not true. I never met Todd at the house and I certainly never gave him money. Evan can’t prove that I did.”

Blair remained quiet, trying to deal with her father’s statement. She knew Sam Logan and his ethics. Even though his only son was part of this mess, Sam wouldn’t do what Evan was insinuating. Blair didn’t doubt his honesty or his integrity.

“I’m not lying to you, Blair,” Sam said in a low voice. “I should have come forward with what Blake told me after you were beaten, but I couldn’t. Todd was dead and you were struggling to survive. I didn’t see any reason to cause my family any more pain, so I kept quiet about Blake. Now Holt’s got me—and he’s got Blake, too.”

“We’re not giving up, Sam,” Theo said.

“I didn’t say I was giving up,” Sam said sharply. “I’m just stating the facts. Holt thinks he has everything all wrapped up, but this isn’t over by a long shot. Holt might have me on a technicality, but Blake didn’t commit a crime. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and I know Lucas can make a jury believe that. I’ve got to see him and try to convince him to take Blake’s case. It’s our best chance.”

At the mention of Lucas, Blair’s head jerked up. Until that moment, she’d been sitting there in some sort of limbo, trying to understand what had happened all those years ago. Now she knew what she had to do.

“I’ll talk to Lucas,” she offered quietly.

Derek said, “I don’t think—”

“I can handle this,” she interrupted him, speaking to Sam. “Lucas responds much better to a woman. Especially when she’s apologizing,” she added with a wry grimace.

Sam didn’t say anything.

“No offense, Blair,” Derek put in. “Culver wasn’t exactly bowled over by you last night. In fact, he was more than a little put out.”

“And he’s known for his honesty,” Frank said. “When he finds out what we were trying to do, he won’t be too thrilled.”

“I can deal with Lucas,” she stated.

Sam looked at her. “How can you be so sure?”

“Because Lucas has a soft spot for women.”

“I thought it was the other way around,” Theo said with a laugh.

“This isn’t funny,” Blair snapped.

Theo held up a hand. “Sorry.”

“As I was saying,” she went on, “it’s common knowledge around the courthouse that Lucas has a hard time saying no to a pretty face. I hate to trade on that, but I will. Besides, I owe Lucas an apology.”

There was silence for a moment.

“Go ahead, Blair,” Sam said finally. “See what you can do.”

She went to Sam and hugged him. “Thanks, Daddy.”

“Honesty is a big thing with Lucas,” he told her. “Try not to forget that. I wish I hadn’t.”

“I won’t,” she promised, then asked, “Has Mom called Uncle Howard?”

“Of course,” Sam replied sarcastically. “He’s the first one she calls whenever anything happens.”

Blair heard the sarcasm, but she didn’t comment. The relationship between her father and her uncle was tense. Howard was her mother’s youngest brother and he remained an integral part of their lives, which Sam didn’t like. Howard was a sheriff in the Austin area, and he and Sam had different points of view on the law.

However, her mother and Uncle Howard were close. Having no children of his own, Howard was also close to Blair and Blake; Sam didn’t like that, either. But Blair loved Uncle Howard. He’d always been there for her, especially after the attack. He’d taken her to her grandparents’ farm, where Howard and Ava were raised, and given her an opportunity to heal, away from all the distressing realities of her life. The farm was special to her and Uncle Howard knew that, and she’d always be grateful for his big heart.

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