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Authors: Brenda Adcock
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help you, Harriett," Doug said
patting her shoulder. "You know, I was looking forward to changing the
sign on the door to Winston, Dunne, and Markham."
"So
was I, Doug," she said as she stood to conclude the meeting.
Harriett
was in the process of going through a stack of papers on her desk when Alex
came into her office, instructing Eleanor to hold any calls. Going around the
desk, she bent down and kissed the top of her head.
"I
don't want you to leave, Harriett. I love you."
"This
isn't about just you and me, Alex. There are others we have to consider."
"I'll
leave Gwen and go with you if that's what you want."
Harriett
stood up and walked away from her.
"What
good would that do, Alex? Everyone in Dallas will still know that I freed a
killer to kill again. We both know you can't leave Dallas. The firm depends on
you. I have to do what's best for me and for Lacey now."
Alex
pulled Harriett into her arms and held her tightly. "What will I do
without you?"
"Same
thing I'll be doing. Wishing our lives had taken a different road."
Harriett
moved to Austin a month later, but kept up with the Wilkes case through the
Dallas newspapers and began paying regular visits to a psychologist in Austin.
By the time the Wilkes case was nearing its conclusion, she had begun coming to
grips with something that was every attorney's nightmare. Without informing
anyone, she made the decision to return to Dallas to observe the conclusion of
the Wilkes case, timing her arrival to coincide with the return of the jury's
verdict. Lewis Sullivan had presented an insanity plea based on the fact that
Jared Wilkes suffered from multiple personality disorder. A string of expert
witnesses had argued the case for weeks and now sat with their fingers crossed.
When
the jury forewoman announced the verdict of "not guilty by reason of
mental disease or defect" she couldn't believe it. Although she was seated
in the rear of the courtroom, she could see Wilkes's face clearly. For
everyone's sake, she hoped he would spend the remainder of his life in a mental
institution. As Jared stood to be hugged by his mother before being led away,
he spotted Harriett in the back of the courtroom. When he was sure she was
looking at him, he smiled and winked at her. He had gotten away with murder and
wanted her to know it. The drive back to Austin seemed to take forever as
Harriett tried to put as many miles between her and Jared Wilkes as possible.
Chapter
Eight
HARRIETT
COULD SEE her breath in the cold morning air as she shifted from one foot to
another on the front porch of a restored two-story turn of the century house
that sat on spacious grounds a few blocks from the State Capitol Building. She
hadn't been able to sleep more than three or four hours the night before.
Finally giving up the battle, she had quickly dressed and left her townhouse
before the sun was up. She was being childish and even though she knew that,
she needed to talk to Helen.
When
the front door opened, Helen Mortenson, a fifty-ish woman with silver hair,
blinked into the sunlight that was just making its way over the horizon.
"Harriett?"
"Good
morning, Helen. I'm really sorry to disturb you so early, but could we
talk?" Harriett asked, clearing her throat slightly.
"Of
course, my dear." Swinging the door open wider, Helen pulled the belt of
her robe tighter. "You look like you haven't slept a wink."
Stepping
onto the polished wooden floor of the home's foyer, Harriett looked around at
the familiar surroundings. "I'm sorry if I woke you and Eric."
Wrapping
a chenille-clad arm around Harriett's shoulders, Helen said, "You didn't,
dear. I was just making some coffee when I heard the doorbell. You look like
you could use some, and I know I can."
Harriett
stood leaning against a kitchen counter, feeling a little self-conscious, as
she waited for Helen to fill two large mugs with the steaming brown liquid. She
had met Dr. Helen Mortenson soon after she had moved to Austin, and
patting her shoulder. "You know, I was looking forward to changing the
sign on the door to Winston, Dunne, and Markham."
"So
was I, Doug," she said as she stood to conclude the meeting.
Harriett
was in the process of going through a stack of papers on her desk when Alex
came into her office, instructing Eleanor to hold any calls. Going around the
desk, she bent down and kissed the top of her head.
"I
don't want you to leave, Harriett. I love you."
"This
isn't about just you and me, Alex. There are others we have to consider."
"I'll
leave Gwen and go with you if that's what you want."
Harriett
stood up and walked away from her.
"What
good would that do, Alex? Everyone in Dallas will still know that I freed a
killer to kill again. We both know you can't leave Dallas. The firm depends on
you. I have to do what's best for me and for Lacey now."
Alex
pulled Harriett into her arms and held her tightly. "What will I do
without you?"
"Same
thing I'll be doing. Wishing our lives had taken a different road."
Harriett
moved to Austin a month later, but kept up with the Wilkes case through the
Dallas newspapers and began paying regular visits to a psychologist in Austin.
By the time the Wilkes case was nearing its conclusion, she had begun coming to
grips with something that was every attorney's nightmare. Without informing
anyone, she made the decision to return to Dallas to observe the conclusion of
the Wilkes case, timing her arrival to coincide with the return of the jury's
verdict. Lewis Sullivan had presented an insanity plea based on the fact that
Jared Wilkes suffered from multiple personality disorder. A string of expert
witnesses had argued the case for weeks and now sat with their fingers crossed.
When
the jury forewoman announced the verdict of "not guilty by reason of
mental disease or defect" she couldn't believe it. Although she was seated
in the rear of the courtroom, she could see Wilkes's face clearly. For
everyone's sake, she hoped he would spend the remainder of his life in a mental
institution. As Jared stood to be hugged by his mother before being led away,
he spotted Harriett in the back of the courtroom. When he was sure she was
looking at him, he smiled and winked at her. He had gotten away with murder and
wanted her to know it. The drive back to Austin seemed to take forever as
Harriett tried to put as many miles between her and Jared Wilkes as possible.
Chapter
Eight
HARRIETT
COULD SEE her breath in the cold morning air as she shifted from one foot to
another on the front porch of a restored two-story turn of the century house
that sat on spacious grounds a few blocks from the State Capitol Building. She
hadn't been able to sleep more than three or four hours the night before.
Finally giving up the battle, she had quickly dressed and left her townhouse
before the sun was up. She was being childish and even though she knew that,
she needed to talk to Helen.
When
the front door opened, Helen Mortenson, a fifty-ish woman with silver hair,
blinked into the sunlight that was just making its way over the horizon.
"Harriett?"
"Good
morning, Helen. I'm really sorry to disturb you so early, but could we
talk?" Harriett asked, clearing her throat slightly.
"Of
course, my dear." Swinging the door open wider, Helen pulled the belt of
her robe tighter. "You look like you haven't slept a wink."
Stepping
onto the polished wooden floor of the home's foyer, Harriett looked around at
the familiar surroundings. "I'm sorry if I woke you and Eric."
Wrapping
a chenille-clad arm around Harriett's shoulders, Helen said, "You didn't,
dear. I was just making some coffee when I heard the doorbell. You look like
you could use some, and I know I can."
Harriett
stood leaning against a kitchen counter, feeling a little self-conscious, as
she waited for Helen to fill two large mugs with the steaming brown liquid. She
had met Dr. Helen Mortenson soon after she had moved to Austin, and
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