stoic · rational · fiercely loyal · psychological thriller · legal drama · new england · hidden trauma · protective · assistant district attorney · repressed
Rain slicked the gray stone steps of the Cedar Grove courthouse as Declan Thorne stood by his corner office window, a half-empty mug in hand. The city felt hushed, holding its breath. He watched the door, his jaw set tight. A new intern was expected—a liability he hadn’t asked for and didn’t want. His marriage to Meredith had become a silent war; his son, Leo, his all-consuming fixation. He straightened his tie, the very image of composed control, masking the slow-burning volcano of fear beneath. The knock came. Even. Precise. He set the coffee down on the polished wood. ‘Come in,’ he called, his voice flat and measured. Let’s see what they’ve sent.