LOOKING BACK

When we left off, Allie was six months pregnant with their son. Their home was a grand addition to the main family house. Except for the landscaping and driveway, the house was completed. Molly, David's mother, went with Allie to buy furniture for the house. Allie's case was overturned, and all references and charges regarding her murder conviction were removed from her record. She was cleared, and the charges were dropped for the murder of Carol, who she was later accused of killing. David had received his privileges to practice law in New York and received his privileges in Vermont where he now resided. His father, Lou, asked him to join his law firm as a full partner. They planned to establish a criminal-defense branch of the firm. Lou had never taken the firm to that level because he hoped that David would return home one day and become a partner at the firm. Lou's dream came true. David was now home to stay. One day, it would all belong to David. The firm and assets were worth millions. With the publicity from Allie's cases, David was now the most sought-after criminal defense attorney in the region. Business could not have been better. Allie, David, Molly, and Lou, developed a stronger family bond and friendship. Together, they passed the most difficult tests during those difficult times.

Lou was a quiet man and very intelligent. He did not give his opinion that often, but when he did, everyone listened. His demeanor alone commanded respect. Lou was instrumental in developing the town and its continuing growth. The town offered something for every season. Hunting, skiing, camping, boating, and fishing were available to the local resident and tourists. It boasted pristine woods and lakes. Lou knew how to capitalize on this. The town was one of the most sought-after vacation spots in New England. The town was always clean. Not a piece of paper was found in the street. The town had the best of everything while keeping its quaint country-style appearance and atmosphere. There were no serious crimes. Their laws were strict, and an experienced police force was on hand to handle anything that might occur. Unlike most other areas and towns, this town did not have to rely on the seasonal tourist. It attracted tourists year round.

The layout of the town was excellent for tourists. The town was modernized while keeping its quaint country-style appearance. This downtown area was zoned as the "Historic District" to preserve its heritage. It remained separated from the outskirts of town. The larger malls, dance bars, fast-food restaurants, and other businesses were located away from the historic district on the roads leading into and out of the downtown area. It was a fifteen-minute drive to reach the outside of town, which was located close to the newly built highway. Access to the highway was ideal. The highway was the main reason the town grew so quickly. The town council never wanted the historic district to lose its appeal for those that made it their permanent home. The town council wanted the historic district to be far enough from the outlying areas to keep the different lifestyles separate. That was paramount to everyone who resided there as the town grew. There were dances on Saturday nights and festivities on the holidays. The town was similar to a closely-knit family. All were welcome, and it maintained its family appeal. The shops in the center of town closed at six o'clock except for two restaurants and a pharmacy. The downtown businesses were owned by the residents and catered to the tourist trade. The downtown area offered a variety of businesses. Craft shops, dress shops, a hardware store, bed and breakfast establishments, an old-fashioned general store and fully remodeled hotel, as well as others. Maintaining a family atmosphere was paramount in this part of town. During the week, the two main restaurants in town stayed open until nine in the evening and ten o'clock on the weekends. When the workday was over, it was family time. The businesses on the main roads leading into and out of the town stayed followed their own set hours. Combined, the bed and breakfast lodgings in town and the hotel were booked all year, and the lodging establishments on the outskirts of town enjoyed the same success. Many enjoyed the old town family atmosphere, while others enjoyed the more modern style of the nightclubs, bars, and other attractions outside of town. The hotels and motels outside of town had few vacancies due to the overflow from the main town. Friends stopped over to visit other friends at night. "The Café," was a less formal restaurant, whereas "The Tavern," was a more elegant restaurant. On the weekend, unless you were a regular or had a reservation, you had no chance of getting into either restaurant during the busy dinner hours. They would leave some tables open for the locals that were there weekly. Both restaurants were large and had ample seating capacity.

Molly, David's mother, owned a specialty dress shop in town that catered to both the middle and high-end buyer. She sold a full line of women's accessories as well. Molly, a beautiful woman, carried herself with grace and was a down-to-earth person. Molly looked upon Allie as a daughter. Molly's daughter Jessica was killed by a drunk driver when she was eight years old. Molly's love and devotion to David had no boundaries. She felt sad that her daughter would not be part of her life and business, especially now, that David was partners with her husband, Lou. For Molly, Allie took Jessica's place. Allie loved fashion. Allie chose to enter into a partnership with Molly and expand the shop to include a day spa and hair salon. Allie created her designer clothing line called Allie M. With everyone's past now behind them. These were exciting times. Almost six months had passed since everything had been resolved, and life appeared to be back to normal. Allie was due in three weeks. Her wedding plans with David's were to take place in two months. Allie and David did not want to wait long before Allie got pregnant again. They were getting older and wanted their children to be close in age. They were hoping for a girl the next time. Could life be any better? Getting to this point in their lives was hard work. Allie was unknown in the fashion industry but had great patterns and sketches of her work. Once the line was in production, Allie hoped that being close to some large retail stores, along with the tourist trade would help her brand to become recognized.

It was found out later that Logan Miller murdered the town council member Jack. Allie did not commit the murder as previously thought. This finding was instrumental in getting Allie's murder conviction overturned. It was determined that Jack's murder was orchestrated by Tom, the town sheriff, and the "Judge," who were both from the town where Allie previously lived. The...