Tides of Truth [02] Higher Hope Read Online Free

about your basketball career,” Zach said as he flipped on the car’s headlights.
    “I wouldn’t call it a career. I played on the local high school team for four years.”
    “Four years on the varsity?”
    “Yes.”
    “How many ninth graders were on the varsity besides you the first year you played?”
    “None.”
    Zach nodded. “That’s impressive. I want all your statistics: points per game for each year, rebounds, assists, and how well the team did in your conference, including any tournament games.”
    “I’m not sure I remember all that stuff.”
    Zach turned his head and encouraged me with a nod. “Yes, you do.”
    I’d loved playing basketball and had a knack for recalling statistics. Zach wouldn’t let me leave out any details.
    “There was a four-game stretch my junior year when I had more turnovers than points and missed half my free throws.”
    “Did the coach ever bring up your bad games after you made the game-winning shot in the play-offs?”
    “No. All he cared about was how we performed in pressure situations.”
    “It’s the same with Joe Carpenter,” Zach answered. “That’s why he praised you for standing up to him in the Moses Jones case. If you didn’t give in when he had the power to fire you, he figures a lawyer on the other side of a lawsuit won’t intimidate you either.”
    Even though criminal law wasn’t his area of practice, Zach had mentored me in the Jones case.
    “I was just trying to do the right thing.”
    “And believed that was more important than anything else. It’s one of your strengths. The danger is confusing wrong and right.”
    “Such as thinking that Mr. Carpenter and Mr. Braddock were co-conspirators in covering up Lisa Prescott’s murder and wanted to send Moses to prison for a crime he didn’t commit?”
    “Yeah,” Zach answered with a grin. “That would be a glaring example. But they won’t ever find out about it from me.”
    We passed an exit for a field that was the location of a Civil War battle during Sherman’s march toward Atlanta.
    “Mr. Carpenter brought me into a new client meeting this afternoon.”
    “Litigation?”
    “Yes.”
    “What kind of case?”
    I stared out the window. “I really don’t want to talk about the office.”
    “Careful, don’t be obstreperous. That violates the rule that sum-mer clerks take advantage of every opportunity to talk to one of the lawyers.”
    “Right now, you’re my driver, not my boss.”
    Zach laughed. “I’m good with that. Lawyers who can’t leave the office behind are an unhappy lot.”
    We rode in silence for a few miles.
    “Would you like to play some one-on-one when we get back to Savannah?” Zach asked.
    “What?”
    “Basketball. You’d probably beat me, but there are courts at the YMCA where I work out. I’d love to see your jump shot.”
    I’d never played coed sports in high school or college. Trying to guard a sweating man, or worse, having him guard me, didn’t sound like a good idea.
    “No, maybe we could play a game of horse.”
    “Or obstreperous.”
    “I’m not sure I can spell it.”
    “That will be my problem,” he said. “I’ll be the one missing shots.”
    WE PASSED A REST AREA. Trucks with running lights that looked like Christmas tree decorations were parked for the night. We turned north onto a secondary road. In about an hour I would be home. The jittery feeling in my stomach at the thought of Zach meeting my family returned.
    “How do you feel?” I asked.
    “Hungry. Do you want to stop at a convenience store for a snack?”
    “No, I mean about meeting my parents.”
    Zach moved his hands to different positions on the steering wheel. “Are you trying to take away my appetite?”
    “You’re nervous?”
    “Not enough to get a haircut.”
    “I didn’t ask you to cut your hair—”
    “Which let me know there’s no Delilah in you,” he answered, pulling on his ponytail. “Not that I’m claiming to be much like Samson either. I’m a