Theodore Boone: The Accomplice

Theodore Boone: The Accomplice

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING SERIES • When there’s a friend in need, it’s time to call Theodore Boone—“a terrific character, an everyman kind of kid” ( USA Today )! “Edge-of-your-seat drama, sophisticated plotting, and plenty of spunk.”— Chicago Sun-Times Theo has been worried about his good friend Woody Lambert. Woody is struggling at school and making bad choices. But when Woody is arrested—an unwitting accomplice to armed robbery—Theo knows he is innocent. Racing the clock while Woody sits in jail, Theo will do everything in his power to help his friend and save Woody from an unforgiving system where justice is not equal for all. Brimming with the intrigue and suspense that made John Grisham a #1 international bestseller and the undisputed master of the legal thriller, Theodore Boone’s trials and triumphs will keep readers guessing until the very end. Don’t miss any of John Grisham’s acclaimed novels for young readers! Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer Theodore Boone: The Abduction Theodore Boone: The Accused Theodore Boone: The Activist Theodore Boone: The Fugitive Theodore Boone: The Scandal Theodore Boone: The Accomplice Praise for the Theodore Boone series “Not since Nancy Drew has a nosy, crime-obsessed kid been so hard to resist.” — The New York Times “Classic Grisham.” — Los Angeles Times “Smartly written . . . Theo is a terrific character, an everyman kind of kid.” — USA Today “Edge-of-your-seat drama, sophisticated plotting, and plenty of spunk.” — Chicago Sun-Times “Gripping . . . Everyone will be enthralled by Theodore Boone.” — Scholastic News John Grisham is the author of numerous #1 bestsellers, including the Theodore Boone series. His books have been translated into nearly fifty languages. Grisham is a two-time winner of the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction and was honored with the Library of Congress Creative Achievement Award for Fiction. He lives on a farm in central Virginia. Chapter 1 Boy Scout Troop 1440 was dismissed by Major Ludwig promptly at five p.m. on Tuesday afternoon, and the boys hustled outside to their bikes. As always, Theodore Boone lingered for a moment to say good-bye to the Major, then he stepped into the cool evening with plans to head downtown to his parents’ law firm. At the bike rack he saw Woody Lambert, one of his good friends, and noticed once again that he wasn’t smiling. Woody never smiled these days, and that in itself would not have been noticeable except that in place of a smile or a grin or any sign that life was normal or even okay, Woody was going about his business with a sad, sour expression, as if life was beating him up. As if he carried burdens and prob- lems too heavy for a thirteen-year-old boy. Theo had known him since the fourth grade when the Lamberts moved to Strattenburg. Their home was unstable. His mother was on her second or third husband, and the current one was often away on the job. His real father had disappeared years ago. His older brother Tony had been arrested once and was gaining a bad reputation. Theo suspected that the Lamberts were having serious problems and that was why Woody seemed so unhappy. Theo said, “Let’s go to Guff ’s and get a frozen yogurt. My treat.” Woody immediately shook his head no, even frowned. “No thanks.” He never had spare change, and he was too proud to allow Theo or anyone else to treat. Theo had known this for a long time and felt like a jerk for offering to pay. “You okay?” Theo asked. “I’m fine,” Woody said as he climbed on his bike. “See ya later.” “Call me if you need me,” Theo said, and watched him ride away. Woody did not respond. Home was the last place Woody wanted to go, though he suspected the house would be empty. His mother was working two part-time jobs and on Tuesdays she waited tables at a diner near the college. Her husband, Woody’s stepfather, worked in construction and made good money at times, but the jobs were sporadic. Currently he was out of town, two hours away, and Woody hadn’t seen him in a month. Tony was a sophomore at Strattenburg High but was in the process of dropping out, or flunking out, or getting kicked out for bad grades and low attendance. Tony’s attitude was so lousy he didn’t care how he left the school. Woody parked his bike under the carport, walked through the unlocked door to the kitchen, yelled for Tony, heard nothing, and was pleased no one was there. He was spending a lot of time alone, and it wasn’t all that bad. He had choices, options. He could play video games, watch television, do his homework, or plug in his electric guitar and practice for an hour or so. Of the four, homework, of course, ranked last. His grades were slipping and his teachers were asking questions, but no one at home seemed to care. There was rarely anyone at home. Theo parked his bike outside the rear door of Boone & Boone, the converted old house his parents had owned since long before he was born. He entered through the door, stepp