A Prison. Rufus Harms still weeps for the death of the little white girl he killed. He's been in prison for 25 years for this crime. For some unknown reason, the army, his last employer, is requesting information from him. Suddenly everything comes into place. He orders his former lawyer, the one who blotched the job, to come visit him at the prison.

Samuel Rider feels he owes this to Rufus and when he hears the real story, he decides to send an appeal to the highest Court. The Supreme Court of the United States.
Michael Fiske has been clerking for one of the Justices for the past three years, something very unsual. As a routine for him, every morning he checks in the mail room to see what the prrisoners have sent appeals in forma pauperis (lacking the requisite forms for an appeal to the Supreme Court). Michael falls upon the letter sent by Samuel Ryder, reads it, and breaks a sweat, nothing that a bomb was in his hand. Against all rules and regluations, he takes it with him out of the mail room without filing it. He wants to make sure that this is not the ranving and ranting of a lunatic, discontent prisoner.

At the same time, Justice Elizabeth Knight and Chief Justice Harold Ramsey are at each other's throats on several cases. She knows she has little chance to win, and that Ramsey will stand up not to change the precendent decided over 30 years ago, concerning the military exception. Micheal and Sara, both clerks, work in the shadows to get what their own Justice want. Sara with Knight and Micheal with Murphy, who tends to favor Knight on several subject. But always happening on a wall called Ramsey. Michael has asked Sara to marry him, but he knows that by not saying yes immediately, she implied no. He also knows that for the few minutes she saw Michael's brother, John, she fell madly in love with him

In richmond, John is trying to get deals for the scumbags he defends. A former policeman, who became a lawyer by working for a lawyer for 8 years, without the prerequisite lawschool teaching. Michael tries to reach his brother for advise about Rufus Hamrs' appeal; but John ignores his call as he resents the fact that his mom who has Alzeimer's think he is Michael and has forgotten her other child.
Michael finds out where Rufus Harms is imprisonned and with the faous appeal, he goes to visit him. He talks to Rufus who when learning he came with the documenst goes into a fit. Michael is taken back to the gates where the director of the prison tries to convince him Rufus is one of those prisoners who would accuse anyone to get out. At the same time, someone is trying to innject Rufus with a lethal substance but Rufus knows it and the doctor, who is acting as his savior, is forced to send him to a local hospital. Michael disappears, Rufus escapes to find the truth and John is left without having been able to talk to his brother before he dies. Sara is left regretting that she said no to Michael. And Rufus is running for his life trying to establish the simple truth......

I liked this book, not as much as the Winner, which review will be posted as soon as i get that damn book from my bestfriend back!!!! I just gave you a glimpse of what the eginning is like but it is much more complex, more characters are involved, like the FBI and the D.C. police and you do have a glimpse on how the U.S. Supreme Court. For me this would be invaluable and has more meaning than a simple thriller with a serial killer however smart that serial killer could be. And you get attached to Rufus and his belief in God and to Sara and John.... Paper back, like most of the book I read, so you can buy or borrow it from the library. It's a good book, you won't be disappointed!!!