The Supreme Court's renunciation of Speer's at empt to outlaw the misdemeanor convict leasing system was so complete that the opinion was not even writ en, but issued summarily and oral y. Among the thousands of words of Judge Jones's famous direction to the federal jury on the de nitions of lega...
She promptly turned down the invitation to pasta. “I’ve got Beady coming over tonight,” she said. “Tell your mother thanks anyway.” I settled into a kitchen chair. Nonna had replaced the clutter on the table with two place settings. The room smelled like something burning. Despite my antipathy fo...
The comforting pressure of Tess’s shoulder and hip against him had eased his anxiety and given reason to his thoughts. Spinner had set off the charge that blew the cave. Knowing the man, Boone reasoned that if marshals had found the cache, Spinner would have let them take it and been glad to esca...
How could Jakob say something like that just as part of sex? Did he think so little of her? Tears pricked at her eyelids and she moved to get up, but Jakob tightened his arms around her. Dammit, she needed to get away from him and regain her composure before she humiliated herself any further. Th...
She opened the message, gasped, then emitted a little cry, which caused Joyce to take her eyes from the road and glance anxiously at her daughter. Molly was staring at her phone, in shock. ‘What is it?’ asked Joyce. ‘It-it’s Fred,’ stumbled Molly. ‘I have a message from Fred.’ ‘What?’ Her mother ...
On certain summer evenings, the elders would point out identifying features among the stars: the tip of a trunk, or the triangular ends of an ear spread out in preparation for a charge – the same shape as the continent of Africa. They would tell us the story of one of these hallowed forebears loo...
And that she was perfectly capable of attracting male attention, especially with that sexy little tee and those shorts that showed off her legs. They weren’t supermodel mile-long or anything—she was almost a foot shorter than him—but they were nice legs nonetheless. With just the right amount of ...
Gently, I tightened the elastic straps connecting the stockings to my garter belt, careful not to cause a rip in the delicate fabric. My mind replayed the day's events in my head as I reached behind my back to loosen the corset-like ties of my dress—the beautiful white and gold ceremony, tearful ...
Tristan might be a womaniser but surely he’s responsible enough to not jeopardise his career like that, or so I thought. He shrugs, seemingly unworried. “We were having fun, and then she decided she wanted more.” I raise an eyebrow, interested in some gossip. “And then ...
She’d insisted they go on ahead to Florida. It was just too dangerous here at the ranch with theft, murder, and now arson. Something radical was going on here and she was going to find out what. It was no safe place for two elderly people. Fortunately, her aunt and uncle hadn’t been hurt. Uncle D...
His widow answered the door. She was startled by my appearance. All the bandages and bruises. Nothing like having a mummy on a crutch show up at your front door. That’s right, I was down to one crutch. It was like being released from bonds. I had my good hand free. Stella Vitole was as I remember...
His cell phone rang all night and the caller id showed Craig was desperately trying to reach him. The thought of having to endure the rest of his life without Khalil by his side was starting to take its toll. Being alone in the room gave him time to think about all that had transpired and he came...
By three in the afternoon, Tony had a chance, so he left Kate polishing and rolling silverware into linen napkins. “Hey, Dad.” He slid into a chair and took a sip of the water his dad hadn’t touched. “Tony.” Mario was still nursing the one beer he allowed himself at lunch. “It’s an interesting da...
Of course, being blind drunk didn’t help.” As soon as Jason mentioned the incident, the memories were back. Heather could see the scene in her mind. The short cut back from the pub to their cottages had seemed like a great idea right until the moment Rick had lost his footing and fallen into that...
“Marry up with me, Mae,” he said for the hundredth time, “and you’ll not regret it.” She dropped a lump of sugar in his tea and prayed the hog-tied criminal in her basement wouldn’t come to before her beau left for choir practice. If he did, Mae would have to explain her secret life. And she was ...