The Second Chair

For their continued support, I would also like to extend thanks to Barbara Peters, Ed Kaufman, Shelly MacArthur, Otto Penzler, Michael Koller, Michael Bufano, Pat Hernandez, Martha Farrington, Eric Lamboley and Debbie Stowell, Susan Ho

Several characters in this book owe their names (although no physical or personality traits, which are all fictional) to individuals whose contributions to various charities have been especially generous. These people and their respective charities include Judge W. Arvid Johnson (CASA), Lou and Pat Belou (Davis Rotary), La

For important personal reasons, I'd like to thank Scott, Brenda and Mary Lou at the Cinci

My assistant Anita Boone is simply an outstanding human being, and the work she does makes my own workdays more a pleasure than they have any right to be. My agent and friend Barney Karpfinger is an unending source of brains, humor and goodwill- he is the absolute best at what he does, bar none, and I remain extremely grateful for our relationship.

John Lescroart

JOHN LESCROART, the New York Times best-selling author of such novels as The Mercy Rule, The 13th Juror, Nothing but the Truth, and The Hearing, lives with his family in northern California.