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The Alibi
A sensational murder case might further his career but an assistant DA struggles with his conscience
Hammond Cross is a prosecuting attorney for the city of Charleston, who makes a career-threatening mistake. He impetuously sleeps with a beautiful woman with a dark past after only knowing her for a few short hours. At approximately the same time, the brutal murder of Lute Pettijohn, one of Charleston’s most famous, and despised celebrities has begun to unravel. Is there some connection? This is how Sandra Brown’s novel of intrigue and suspense begins.
Rory Smilow, a homicide detective who also happens to be Hammond Cross’ enemy, and Steffi Mundell, an aggressive colleague and rival of Hammond’s for the position of District Attorney, are practically first on scene at the murder site. With no leads, the two begin their investigation at the home of Davee Pettijohn, Lute’s flamboyant wife, who secretly hated her husband. Davee’s obviously dislike for the overly assertive Steffi causes her to contact the District Attorney, Monroe Mason, and insist that the case be given to Hammond Cross, Davee’s old childhood friend. Due to the tension between Hammond and Rory, Mason deems it necessary to also allow Steffi to work with the gentlemen in a supervisory capacity. With all three of these brilliant minds working together, the evidence and clues of the case begin to stack up. Unfortunately for Hammond, the evidence stacking up is against his lover of only a few short hours, Dr. Alex Ladd.
Although their affair was brief, Hammond cannot help but feel deeply for this beautiful, but mysteriously troubled woman. He also fears the repercussions of the affair on his career due to her obvious connection with the murder. Working secretly on his own, Hammond sets out to uncover his own evidence. He begins searching for evidence that may somehow clear Alex of the crime. He also must live in fear that Alex may have to expose her encounter with him as the only alibi that may shed some doubt on her involvement with the murder. Using favors owed, and a bit of blackmail, Hammond only proceeds to uncover deeply disturbing facts about Alex’s past. Facts that my connect her to, not protect her from the evidence against her.
Alex Ladd has spent most of her adult life trying to hide the scandalous mistakes that she made as a young teenager. The exposure of these mistakes could ruin her successful career as a psychologist. She is especially cautious now that she has formed a deep attraction to Prosecuting Attorney Hammond Cross. She feels that he would lose all respect for her if he knew the truth about her past. Now she is finding that her past may not only be exposed due to the murder investigation, but could also connect her to the murder of Lute Pettijohn. She knows that if she could only tell the truth of her whereabouts the night of the murder, she could raise doubts as to her connection to the crime. But telling the truth could mean exposing the real reason she seduced Hammond Cross. The truth could also ruin Hammond Cross’ future of one day becoming District Attorney.
The Alibi is a novel of intrigue that keeps the reader guessing around every corner. Just when the reader thinks that they have solved the mystery, the author throws out another curve ball that truly makes the story a twisty roller coaster of suspense.
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