Luke responded. “Yes, Your Honor. Thank you. Those dates work for my client.”
The plaintiff had the right to ask for more time to prepare. But this was where Landsford’s arrogance worked against him. He clearly saw this case as an easy win. Nothing worth preparing for. Precedent would be enough. “Yes, thank you, Your Honor.” Landsford gave Luke a sarcastic sneer. “Those dates work for my client, as well.”
Judge Wells banged her gavel on the bench. “Five-minute recess until the next hearing.” She stood and disappeared through the door behind the bench.
Luke turned to Wendell and shook his hand. “Well, we got past the first hurdle.”
“We got a jury trial.” Wendell grinned. “That means the students can testify.”
“Whoa.” Luke chuckled. “Probably not. We can only respond to what’s brought against us. We have a lot of work ahead.”
Wendell rolled up his sleeves. “I’m ready.”
Jordy and Cami came to the railing that separated the spectators from the courtroom participants. They congratulated Wendell and Luke. Jordy looked at Luke. “We needed a jury trial if we’re going to win, right?”
“Well . . . yes. A jury trial means the case will be decided by someone other than the judge.” Luke was thrilled with the win today. A quick smile broke through his professional demeanor. “Which is a whole lot better for your dad.”
From the corner of his eye, Luke saw something that dimmed his enthusiasm. While they were talking, Cami’s father and the man’s attorney slipped out the back door, caught up in what looked like a one-sided conversation. Landsford babbling about the easy win, no doubt.
But as he left the courtroom, Andy Nelson never even spoke to his daughter.
It wasn’t until Luke was home that night, sitting at the dinner table with his family, that it occurred to him just how brave Wendell was. Tommy had been asking him about the case. “You got a jury trial, so that’s great, right?”
“It is.” Luke loved his oldest son’s interest in law. He had a feeling when the time came, Tommy would be a very good attorney indeed. “We have a long road ahead, though.”
“Tell me about this principal. Wendell Quinn.” Reagan set her fork down and folded her napkin on top of her plate. “What’s his motivation for all this?”
Luke thought about his clients. Most were just regular people who believed they were owed the chance to practice their religion. Since that was what the Constitution guaranteed. But some were more stubborn than faithful. They just wanted to make a name for themselves or take on the establishment.
“Wendell is one of the good guys.” Luke smiled, thinking of the conversations he’d had with the man. “He stands to lose everything in all this. His job, his reputation. Even the woman he loves. She broke things off as soon as he started the club.”
“Wow . . . I didn’t know that.” Reagan reached for Luke’s hand. “That’s awful.”
Tommy leaned in, listening. “That’s what I love about all this, Dad. The passions people have for what’s right.”
Luke looked at his son. “That’s what I love about it, too.”
Malin and Johnny excused themselves from the table to finish catching frogs in the backyard. Something Luke had grown up doing. “I’ll be out there in a few minutes,” he promised them.
“No one catches frogs like you, Daddy.” Johnny grinned. He had the same blond hair Luke had when he was a boy. The family resemblance was a coincidence, since Johnny was adopted. But that didn’t matter. All three of their kids were theirs. Period.
Luke turned back to Reagan and Tommy. “I guess I’m just now seeing how brave Wendell Quinn really is. I mean, this isn’t just a case to him. This is his life at stake. The career he’s spent all his years building. The relationships that matter most to him.”
“What about his son? He’s a football player, right?” Tommy squinted. “He’s one of the best players in the state. Jordy Quinn.”
“That’s him.” Luke thought of the similarities. “He’s like you, Tommy. He backs his father, no matter what. He’d take the witness stand, fight the opposing attorney. Whatever he has to do.”
“What a beautiful thing.” Reagan stood and picked the plates up from the table. “I hope you can win.”
“Dad will make it happen.” Tommy grinned and stood to help his mother. Luke did the same. As they walked into the kitchen, Tommy fist-bumped Luke. “You always win these cases!”
You always win. It was a statement that stayed with Luke while they cleaned up the kitchen and as he hunted frogs with Malin and Johnny. It stayed with him as the kids went to bed and he and Reagan turned in for the night.
What if he didn’t win this time?
You can do this, Lord. But precedent is completely against us. You know that. I don’t want to let them down, but . . .
He was brushing his teeth when he felt the Lord respond.
One, My son. One.
The words seemed to appear on the surface of Luke’s soul. Strong and clear. One. He finished brushing his teeth and stepped out onto the back deck, just off the master bedroom. Luke walked to the railing and stared into the night sky. “One, Lord?”
And then like the cool night breeze it hit him. One. Luke had told Wendell they’d need a host of miracles in order to win this case. Well, now they had one. Which was why Luke needed to trust in God, not just now, but through the entire upcoming trial. God was capable of one miracle. Which meant He was certainly capable of more.
As many as it took to vindicate a brave man like Wendell Quinn.
? ? ?
ANDY NELSON WAS getting used to the feel of an empty house, but that didn’t mean he liked it. Andy’s twin girls, Ensley and Ellie, were staying with Andy’s sister a few miles away. He had explained that Cami was gone, and with work and the trial, he wouldn’t be able to care for the girls. They needed a more stable environment until things settled down. His sister had been happy to help.
On Twitter, Andy followed a host of news services. He sat on the sofa in the living room and pored through the feed. One after another, the story was still trending. Sensational Religious Freedom Case Set for Trial . . . Angry Parent to See His Day in Court . . . Trial Set for Parent Offended by School Bible Study.
Andy turned off his phone. Yes, the case was sensational. He had known it would be the day he called the newspaper. His attorney had told him they’d win the case. There was no doubt in the man’s mind.
Good thing, Andy thought. He was just glad the guy was working for free. He certainly had no money to pay a lawyer. Andy stood and wandered to the front window. He should feel overjoyed about all of it. The slam-dunk case, the free lawyer.
A trial meant more eyes on the case. More people who would be served notice. Bible study and prayer were not allowed in public places—especially not schools. Period. The more people who knew, the more they would stay away from such things in the future.
All of which should make Andy thrilled. Ecstatic. The faith his ex-wife had tried to shove down their throats would eventually be extinct if this sort of case continued to gain public attention. Eventually people would be too afraid to even talk about Christianity.
Andy looked over his shoulder toward the kitchen. He needed another shot. Beer was a thing of the past. Too much time drinking for the same effect. Jack Daniel’s was a whole lot quicker. He’d already had three shots since he got home from court.
His boss seemed to understand about the work Andy would need to miss. “No educator should be reading the Bible with his students,” his boss had said. “Nothing could be more against our legal system.”