She took my hand, her small fingers wrapping around my index finger with a surprisingly firm grip.

I stood up, holding her hand, and looked at Samuel and Julian.

They both gave me a quiet nod of farewell.

We walked out of the annex, our footsteps quiet on the carpet, then louder as we hit the marble of the main lobby.

The heavy glass doors of the courthouse opened, and the cold Denver air hit us.

The snow was falling faster now, covering the gray concrete steps with a clean, white blanket.

Behind us, the lights of the city were coming on, casting long, yellow reflections across the wet streets.

The Lawson name, the money, the lies, and the courtrooms were all behind those heavy glass doors.

I looked down at the little girl walking beside me, her small boots crunching in the fresh snow.

I led her down the steps toward the car, where the road was clear, and the mountains lay ahead of us.