Two weeks after Philip d'Autremont is acquitted of his wife's murder, it's time for him and his partner and lawyer, Charles Barnett, to start building their life together. But it turns out that not everyone in Atlanta is as ready to leave the trial in the past as Charles and Philip, and a surprise attack leaves Charles in the hospital and Philip's arm in a sling.<br><br>With thoughts of their own mortality fresh in their minds, Charles and Philip make a decision that will change their lives forever. Future plans and home renovations take their minds off the attacks, but the danger isn't over yet: the people behind the attacks are still at large, and they weren't acting alone.

Tribulation

I went upstairs, retrieved a spare clicker for the Jaguar, and made it to my appointment with five minutes to spare.


AFTER PHILIP LEFT, I finished one sandwich and left the bag containing the other one conspicuously on the tray by the bed, thinking that someone might take the hint and not even bother leaving me a tray of hospital slop. Closing my eyes once again, I dozed off until I felt a hand shaking me awake.


It was John, who said, “Torture time again.”


“Almost three.” He did the usual preparation bit, and we did the deed. We made it the full distance and back, and as predicted, it wasn’t quite as bad as the last time.


When I was back in bed and he was cleaning me up, I said, “Have you talked to Joe yet?”


“I’ve tried but haven’t been able to reach him. I guess I’ll have to wait until I see him at home this evening. I’m still just a little bit dazed over what your boyfriend did for us. He’s really something else.”


Chapter 41