Attorney Charles Barnett thought it was all over for him and his heart. In the three years since his partner died, he hasn't felt so much as a spark of attraction to another man. That suddenly changes when Charles is assigned a new case and meets his new client.<br><br>Recent widower Philip d'Autremont has been traveling in all the same circles as Charles, but somehow they've never managed to meet. Now that they have, both men find themselves falling hard and fast.<br><br>But there's more than one hurdle to Charles and Philip beginning a love affair, much less maintaining it: Philip is on trial for murder, a politically ambitious and homophobic district attorney is determined to convict him, and Charles is responsible for Philip's defense.

Trial

“Good morning, Cabot Lodge Lane,” a male voice said.


“William Lane, please, Charles Barnett calling from Atlanta.”


William’s voice came over the speaker. “Hello, Charles, what can I do for you?”


“A great deal, I hope. We’re on a speaker, and present with me are Philip, Richard, and Mark, an associate of mine whom you’ve met. Court is in recess for lunch. We have a set of fingerprints that seems to get lost every time we try to run them through the usual channels. I have reason to believe that somebody in authority locally is pulling strings to keep us from having these prints identified. What I would like from you is a referral to somebody in your area who can submit the prints as though they originated there. Perhaps that will allow us to sneak in the back door with them.”


“Just a minute,” William said. “I’m going to put you on hold and make a call.”


Richard said, “Damn, why didn’t I think of that?”


Chapter 91