Free of Malice by Liz Lazarus

Author:Liz Lazarus [Lazarus, Liz]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: thriller, suspense, psychological, law, legal thriller, EMDR, PTSD, self-defense, vigilantism, criminal justice, guns, gun control, gun safety, malice, Free of Malice, second amendment, music, song, Let Me Breathe, Atlanta, Georgia, movie, film, book, novel, fiction, Liz Lazarus, Amy Lazarus
ISBN: 978-0-9909374-2-5
Publisher: Liz Lazarus
Published: 2018-12-10T00:00:00+00:00

Wednesday, August 30 morning

I couldn’t help but feel that I had disappointed Barbara. This was the first week I was visiting the Georgia Building without my usual Tuesday therapy visit.

As I passed Mike on my way into the building, he asked, “Been out in the sun?”

I looked at my chest.

This damn rash!

I assured him that I was fine and stopped in the lobby bathroom to douse myself with more cortisone cream.

I took the elevator to the eighth floor and put the bag of bagels and cream cheese I had brought in the kitchenette. Joanne followed me, pulled out some plates and napkins, then called Thomas to join us. We took our plates back to Thomas’ office and Joanne returned to manning the front desk, bagel in hand.

We sat down in our usual spots, me in the leather chair and Thomas facing me behind his desk. I picked up from where we had left off at the restaurant.

“So last time, we were going to talk about self-defense. It seems like that’s my only option.”

“It’s probably your best option,” he replied. “So when we go to trial, it will be my job to prove that you were acting in self-defense. Our first order of business will be to prove that he actually attacked you.”

“What do you mean? Isn’t that obvious?”

“Well, you said there were no fingerprints found in your house that could be traced to him.”

“Right, but they didn’t look very hard since I wasn’t raped.”

“What about the forced entry? Any evidence there?”

“Troy, my neighbor, found where he had pried open the kitchen window.”

Thomas asked, “Can you prove the damage to the window happened that night? How do you know the window wasn’t already in that condition?”

I had never thought about anyone questioning the break-in.

Thomas continued, “What if the DA says that Perry was never in your house? What if he says this innocent guy was just outside jogging and the next thing he knew he was face down on the pavement with your bullets in his back?”

“Who is going to believe he was just out jogging at 4 a.m.?” I replied sarcastically.

“Maybe he couldn’t sleep. Maybe he was training for a marathon before work. The important fact is this—if he can’t be physically linked to being inside your home, it would be only your word saying that he was. What if the DA throws even more doubt into the situation? Say he concedes, for argument’s sake, that you were attacked. How do you prove that the person you shot was the person who attacked you?”

“I don’t follow.”

Thomas explained, “You lost your view of him when you were retrieving your gun. Say Perry was out jogging and saw some other guy sprinting past him who was the real attacker. You could have shot the wrong guy. Think about that. Not only do we have to prove you shot him in self-defense, but we have to prove he was the person who attacked you.”

“But he was.”

“You said yourself you never got a good look at his face.

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