âCut the crap, Blair. I know why youâre here.â
She shook her head in frustration; this was not going the way sheâd planned. âLucasââ
âIâll make this simple for you,â he said, not concealing his anger. âIf youâre here to ask for my help, the answer is no.â
âThatâs unfair,â she cried. âYou havenât even heard what I have to say.â
âIâm not interested.â
âMy brotherâs innocent. He didnât murder that girl.â
âSounds like the D.A. has an airtight case.â
âI know you can poke holes in everything he has.â
Lucasâs eyebrows shot up. âReally? So you need a cutthroat attorney? Thatâs what you called me, isnât it? A cutthroat attorney putting criminals back on the streets for big bucks and personal gain.â
Her cheeks grew hotter and she gripped her hands together. âYes, I said that,â she admitted. âAnd at the time I meant it. I had my reasons for feeling that wayâ¦.â
Blair realized her hopes were dwindling fast. âBlake and I are twins,â she said. âWeâre closer than most siblings.â She took a deep shuddering breath. âI canât let him be convicted of a crime he didnât commit. Please help me.â
Dear Reader,
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your many letters and e-mail messages concerning The Truth About Jane Doe and Deep in the Heart of Texas. Iâm so pleased you enjoyed the books.
Straight from the Heart is a story about Lucas Culver, Jacobâs brother in Deep in the Heart of Texas (published in August 2000). He was a strong character in that book and my editor and I felt he would make a great hero. So my job began: finding the perfect woman for Lucas.
Lucas is an outgoing, well-liked defense attorney who truly believes that everyone is innocent until proven guilty. I had to find a woman who was his complete opposite so Iâd have something to write about! The heroine is Blair Logan, a courageous, straitlaced assistant district attorney; sheâs dedicated her life to putting criminals behind bars. How these two people come together in a quest for love and truthâthatâs what this book is about. I hope it will keep you turning the pages.
From my heart to yours, I give you Lucas and Blairâs story. Enjoy.
Sincerely,
Linda Warren
Thanks again for the many letters. I love hearing from you. I can be reached at P.O. Box 5182, Bryan TX 77805 or you can e-mail me at [email protected].
I dedicate this book to my parents.
When I think of my dad, I remember his big heart,
his wonderful sense of humor and his belief that I could do anything. Heâs the reason I had enough courage to try my hand at writing. Ever since I can remember, I have loved to read. Whenever my dad saw me reading, heâd say, âGirl, you always got your head in a book.â One day, just to get my attention, he added, âYou should be reading those encyclopedias I spent so much money on, then youâd be learning something.â After that, when he saw me reading, Iâd say before he could, âNo, Daddy, I havenât read those encyclopedias yet.â It became a standing joke between us. Then one day, out of the blue, he said, âGirl, youâve read so many books, why donât you write one?â Thatâs how the dream began.
Sadly, before my dream could become a reality, my dad
passed away. But when a senior editor at Harlequin called to say she wanted to buy my first book, I could almost hear his voice. And I said, before he could, âNo, Daddy, I havenât read those encyclopedias yet, but Iâve learned something. Hard work pays off. Just like you taught me.â
So I dedicate this book to my father, James Siegert.
And to my mother, Mary Siegert. When I think of my
mother, words fail me. She was the center of our family, always there for her children, and since I was the only girl, we had a close relationship. When Alzheimerâs took her mind, it was the biggest heartbreak of my life. She passed away while I was writing this book. She is at peace now and she is with my dad and she remembers. Momma, I love youâalways.
And to the other mother in my life, my mother-in-law,
Faye White, who breaks the stereotypes about mothers-in-law. Thanks for the love and support.
And a special thanks to Gil Schultz, the investigator, and
Laurie Siegert, my lawyer niece, who answered all my questions with patience and understanding.
Any errors you find are definitely mine.