At 6:05 the jury returned a verdict of not guilty. Thomas Ray Cardell was a free man again, after twelve months in solitary confinement. He hugged Jameel and wept with his mother. They huddled with Sebastian in a corner of the courtroom and waited for all the cops to finally leave. The reporters were waiting outside and Sebastian needed to chat with them.

When he and his client walked out of the Old Courthouse, they raised their hands together as a small crowd cheered. Across the street, a line of cops watched them. Later, they sped away in Sebastian’s car and headed for a bar in the suburbs. They drank a beer in celebration and relief. Neither had an appetite.

“What’s next, Tee Ray?” Sebastian said. They had been so focused on the trial they had given no thought to what came next.

“Next is a new name. Tee Ray sounds like something from the streets, don’t you think?”

“Thomas, then?”

“I’ll have to think about it. You know, Sebastian, we make a pretty good team. What if I get a job working in your firm, take classes at night, finally get to law school and make myself a lawyer? Then we could be real partners.”

“I didn’t realize I was hiring.”

“I got nowhere else to go, plus I’m fascinated with the law. Surely you can use a bright guy like me around the firm. I can do research, investigate, hustle clients, whatever you need.”

Sebastian chuckled, raised his glass, and said, “Deal. Here’s to my new partner.”

John Grisham

John Grisham is the author of twenty-eight novels, one work of nonfiction, a collection of stories, and five novels for young readers.

www.jgrisham.com

www.facebook.com/​JohnGrisham

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