When blood from two dead bodies is found pooled between rows of sugarcane in a field near his home in Franklin, Louisiana, Public Defender John Clark, III, finds himself entangled in far more than a straight-forward criminal defense of the accused. His client, barely eighteen-year-old Danny Howard, who is visibly black but contends he is white, faces the death penalty twice. In the course of constructing the defense, the secret to Danny's parentage is revealed. John meets Medley Butterfield, a Mississippi girl with a past. His attraction for her threatens his resolve to avoid commitment. Uncovering the truth behind the brutal murders brings John and Medley into dangerous conflict with political influence and criminal power. Ultimately, Danny and his family, and John and Medley, experience the pain and power of love.

Author Biography

Anne L. Simon was born in the East, educated at Wellesley, Yale and Louisiana State University Law Schools, and moved to South Louisiana fifty years ago. She practiced law with her husband, raised a family, and became the first female judge in the area. Now retired, she travels, enjoys family near and far, takes long walk with her dog Petey, and writes stories based on experiences in her adopted home.