First published 2003
Billy Bob Holland carries secrets from his days as a Texas Ranger, but none cuts deeper than Lucas Smothers. The teenage boy everyone believes belongs to Vernon Smothers is actually Billy Bob's illegitimate son. When Lucas gets arrested for murder, Billy Bob faces an impossible choice. He must serve as the boy's defense attorney while hiding their true relationship. The trial takes place in Deaf Smith, Texas, a town Billy Bob knows well. He has seen how quickly the community turns innocent people into scapegoats. He understands how the powerful prey on those who cannot fight back. As the case unfolds, Billy Bob realizes that saving Lucas will require exposing truths that will damage them both. The legal battle forces him to confront enemies more ruthless than any criminal he faced as a lawman. Every move to protect his son creates new dangers, and Billy Bob must navigate between his duty as a lawyer and his love as a father.
Genres: american-fiction, 20th-century, mystery, crime, family-drama, legal-thriller
Vibes: emotional, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, family-secrets
Setting: Deaf Smith, Texas
Period: 20th-century
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