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DuBose opened one of the boxes and stared down at the contents.
Jack looked over her shoulder and whispered, “I don’t like the sound of that.”
“Let’s get these back and start going through them. And then we need to get ready for Pearl’s arraignment.”
“Well, first, we need to go by the Washingtons’ house. We need to make sure everybody’s okay.”
DuBose glanced at him, a bit shamefacedly. “Yes. Of course.”
“I’m going to call my investigator and have him meet us later today.”
“I hope he’s good.”
“Donny Peppers is better than good.”
Jack turned to look behind him when someone called his name.
Christine Hanover motioned to him from the front row.
Her hair was tied back in a single braid, which emphasized the delicate lines of crow’s feet around her eyes. She had always been slender, but now she looked like she had lost weight just since he had seen her last.
He walked over and said, “Christine, I should have told you before that I was representing Jerome Washington. It was just mighty awkward at the time. In fact, I didn’t even know that your parents were involved when I was first approached about taking on the case.”
She nodded. “I understand that, I guess. It was still a shock to find out.”
“How are your kids? I’m sure they took this hard,” he said.
“Fortunately, they’re all away at a summer camp. We called and told them about what happened. Leaving out the... details.”
“Of course.”
She glanced over at DuBose. “You have a new law partner?”
“Desiree DuBose. From Chicago. Oh, I saw your brother. He doesn’t look too good.”
“He has some health problems, but I don’t know what they are. To tell you the truth, we don’t really see one another anymore.”
“Sorry to hear that. I’m sure your husband has been supportive of you.”
“Gordon is always a rock,” she said. “You ever hear from Jeff?”
“I just found out my daddy got a letter from him when he... when Jeff made his decision. But I don’t know what it said.”
“People are finding out this war is not all we were told it was. So I can understand why an honorable man like your brother would decide to do what he did.”
She walked away as DuBose came over carrying one of the boxes.
“Who was she?”
“Christine Hanover, the Randolphs’ daughter,” said Jack.
“Do you think she knows about the tontine arrangement?”
“If she doesn’t, she will soon.”
CHAPTER 33
JACK AND DUBOSE PULLED INTO the front yard of the Washingtons’ home. Miss Jessup answered their knock, with Darla Jean again wedged on her hip.
