Chapter 4: Cora Munro

Cora---I graduated the university two months ago. My father thinks I am going to start law school in the fall at his alma mater, Yale. I have been accepted but I am going to surprise everyone. I am not going! I majored in pre-law at Yale and the more I know about the legal system and lawyers the less I like the idea of becoming involved in that profession. Both my parents are lawyers, defense lawyers. After listening to them discuss their cases for many years I have concluded that about 99% of their clients were guilty. All my parents ever talked about was the different ways they were going to get them acquitted; or get them a plea deal to lessen their punishment.

When I bought my horse and stabled it at Hawkeyes place, I heard the entire story about how some slick attorney had beat the prosecution’s case with a technicality. They both laughed and thought it was funny how that drunk got away with murder. I was almost sick to my stomach. It was at that minute that I decided I wanted no part of being an attorney.

I had no idea that Hawkeye was going to kill the man who killed his wife and child but when the opportunity to help him came up; I jumped at the chance. Justice served, a win for the good guys. That’s how I see it.

The next day Hawkeye wanted to know why I did it. Out in the back corral I explained it to him. Then I told him we would never talk about it again. He agreed.

I continued taking riding lessons from him for another two months.

Mom died and I used her death as an excuse for not starting law school. But finally, I had to tell my father I was not going. I talked to my grandfather, the new director of the CIA. He understood me not wanting to be a lawyer and he offered me a job.

One morning as I was loading my horse in a trailer for the trip to a farm in Virginia: I hugged Hawkeye and thanked him for teaching me how to ride. He grinned that crooked grin of his and said, “No, thank you.” I wondered if I would ever see him again.