GREAT ABACO ISLAND is a long narrow strip of land at the northern edge of the Bahamas, about a hundred miles east of Florida. Clay had been there once before, four years earlier when he'd scraped together enough money for the airfare. That trip had been a long weekend, one in which Clay had planned to discuss serious issues with his father and discard some baggage. It didn't happen. Jarrett Carter was still too close to his disgrace and concerned primarily with drinking rum punch from noon on. He was willing to talk about anything but the law and lawyers. This visit would be different.

Clay arrived late in the afternoon on a very warm and very crowded Coconut¹ Air turboprop. The gentleman at Customs glanced at his passport and waved him through. The taxi ride into Marsh² Harbor took five minutes, on the wrong side of the road. The driver liked loud gospel music and Clay was not in the mood to argue. Nor was he in the mood to tip. He got out of the car at the harbor and went looking for his father.

JARRETT CARTER HAD ONCE filed suit against the President of the United States, and though he lost the case, the experience taught him that every subsequent defendant³ was an easier target. He feared no one, in court or out. His reputation had been secured with one great victory—a large malpractice verdict against the President of the American Medical Association, a fine doctor who'd made a mistake in surgery. A pitiless jury in a conservative county had returned the verdict, and Jarrett Carter was suddenly a trial lawyer in demand. He picked the toughest cases, won most of them, and by the age of forty was a litigator with a wide reputation. He built a firm known for its bare-knuckle ways in the courtroom. Clay never doubted he would follow his father and spend his career in trials.

The wheels came off when Clay was in college. There was an ugly divorce that cost Jarrett dearly. His firm began to split with, typically, all partners suing each other. Distracted, Jarrett went two years without winning a trial, and his reputation suffered greatly. He made his biggest mistake when he and his accountant began cooking the books—hiding income, overstating expenses. When they got caught, the accountant killed himself but Jarrett did not. He was devastated⁵ though, and prison looked likely. Luckily, an old pal

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1 coconut
n.椰子
参考例句：
The husk of this coconut is particularly strong.椰子的外壳很明显非常坚固。 The falling coconut gave him a terrific bang on the head.那只掉下的椰子砰地击中他的脑袋。

2 marsh
n.沼泽，湿地
参考例句：
There are a lot of frogs in the marsh.沼泽里有许多青蛙。 I made my way slowly out of the marsh.我缓慢地走出这片沼泽地。

3 defendant
n.被告；adj.处于被告地位的
参考例句：
The judge rejected a bribe from the defendant's family.法官拒收被告家属的贿赂。 The defendant was borne down by the weight of evidence.有力的证据使被告认输了。

4 fin
n.鳍；(飞机的)安定翼
参考例句：
They swim using a small fin on their back.它们用背上的小鳍游动。 The aircraft has a long tail fin.那架飞机有一个长长的尾翼。

5 devastated
v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的
参考例句：
The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。 His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

6 pal
n.朋友，伙伴，同志；vi.结为友
参考例句：
He is a pal of mine.他是我的一个朋友。 Listen,pal,I don't want you talking to my sister any more.听着，小子，我不让你再和我妹妹说话了。

7 prosecution
n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营
参考例句：
The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。 He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

8 indictment
n.起诉；诉状
参考例句：
He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。 They issued an indictment against them.他们起诉了他们。

9 license
n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许
参考例句：
The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。 The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。

10 stashed
v.贮藏( stash的过去式和过去分词 )；隐藏；藏匿；藏起
参考例句：
She has a fortune stashed away in various bank accounts. 她有一大笔钱存在几个不同的银行账户下。 She has a fortune stashed away in various bank accounts. 她在不同的银行账户上秘密储存了一大笔钱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 scurried
v.急匆匆地走( scurry的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She said goodbye and scurried back to work. 她说声再见，然后扭头跑回去干活了。 It began to rain and we scurried for shelter. 下起雨来，我们急忙找地方躲避。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 belly
n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛
参考例句：
The boss has a large belly.老板大腹便便。 His eyes are bigger than his belly.他眼馋肚饱。

13 perspiration
n.汗水；出汗
参考例句：
It is so hot that my clothes are wet with perspiration.天太热了，我的衣服被汗水湿透了。 The perspiration was running down my back.汗从我背上淌下来。

14 pointed
adj.尖的，直截了当的
参考例句：
He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。 She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

15 pier
n.码头；桥墩，桥柱；[建]窗间壁，支柱
参考例句：
The pier of the bridge has been so badly damaged that experts worry it is unable to bear weight.这座桥的桥桩破损厉害，专家担心它已不能负重。 The ship was making towards the pier.船正驶向码头。

16 jersey
n.运动衫
参考例句：
He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。 They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

17 sailfish
n.旗鱼，姥鲛
参考例句：
The state offers a huge variety of fish,from largemouth bass to sailfish.这里出产非常多种鱼类，从阔嘴黑鲈到旗鱼等不一而足。 A fine start to the day,and my first sailfish on a fly.这一天的开局不错，这也是我第一次用飞杆钓到旗鱼。

18 trout
n.鳟鱼；鲑鱼(属)
参考例句：
Thousands of young salmon and trout have been killed by the pollution.成千上万的鲑鱼和鳟鱼的鱼苗因污染而死亡。 We hooked a trout and had it for breakfast.我们钓了一条鳟鱼，早饭时吃了。

19 sipped
v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He sipped his coffee pleasurably. 他怡然地品味着咖啡。 I sipped the hot chocolate she had made. 我小口喝着她调制的巧克力热饮。 来自辞典例句

20 bum
n.臀部；流浪汉，乞丐；vt.乞求，乞讨
参考例句：
A man pinched her bum on the train so she hit him.在火车上有人捏她屁股，她打了那人。 The penniless man had to bum a ride home.那个身无分文的人只好乞求搭车回家。

21 touching
adj.动人的，使人感伤的
参考例句：
It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。 His letter was touching.他的信很感人。

22 lobster
n.龙虾，龙虾肉
参考例句：
The lobster is a shellfish.龙虾是水生贝壳动物。 I like lobster but it does not like me.我喜欢吃龙虾，但它不适宜于我的健康。

23 crab
n.螃蟹，偏航，脾气乖戾的人，酸苹果；vi.捕蟹，偏航，发牢骚；vt.使偏航，发脾气
参考例句：
I can't remember when I last had crab.我不记得上次吃蟹是什么时候了。 The skin on my face felt as hard as a crab's back.我脸上的皮仿佛僵硬了，就象螃蟹的壳似的。

24 shrimp
n.虾，小虾；矮小的人
参考例句：
When the shrimp farm is built it will block the stream.一旦养虾场建起来，将会截断这条河流。 When it comes to seafood,I like shrimp the best.说到海鲜，我最喜欢虾。

25 dodged
v.闪躲( dodge的过去式和过去分词 )；回避
参考例句：
He dodged cleverly when she threw her sabot at him. 她用木底鞋砸向他时，他机敏地闪开了。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He dodged the book that I threw at him. 他躲开了我扔向他的书。 来自《简明英汉词典》

26 full-time
adj.满工作日的或工作周的，全时间的
参考例句：
A full-time job may be too much for her.全天工作她恐怕吃不消。 I don't know how she copes with looking after her family and doing a full-time job.既要照顾家庭又要全天工作，我不知道她是如何对付的。

27 indictments
n.（制度、社会等的）衰败迹象( indictment的名词复数 )；刑事起诉书；公诉书；控告
参考例句：
A New York jury brought criminal indictments against the founder of the organization. 纽约的一个陪审团对这个组织的创始人提起了多项刑事诉讼。 来自《简明英汉词典》 These two indictments are self-evident and require no elaboration. 这两条意义自明，无须多说。 来自互联网

28 constricted
adj.抑制的，约束的
参考例句：
Her throat constricted and she swallowed hard. 她喉咙发紧，使劲地咽了一下唾沫。 The tight collar constricted his neck. 紧领子勒着他的脖子。

29 pitcher
n.(有嘴和柄的)大水罐；(棒球)投手
参考例句：
He poured the milk out of the pitcher.他从大罐中倒出牛奶。 Any pitcher is liable to crack during a tight game.任何投手在紧张的比赛中都可能会失常。

30 decided
adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的
参考例句：
This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。 There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

31 sneaked
v.潜行( sneak的过去式和过去分词 )；偷偷溜走；（儿童向成人）打小报告；告状
参考例句：
I sneaked up the stairs. 我蹑手蹑脚地上了楼。 She sneaked a surreptitious glance at her watch. 她偷偷看了一眼手表。

32 stomping
v.跺脚，践踏，重踏( stomp的现在分词 )
参考例句：
He looked funny stomping round the dance floor. 他在舞池里跺着舞步，样子很可笑。 来自辞典例句 Chelsea substitution Wright-Phillips for Robben. Wrighty back on his old stomping to a mixed reception. 77分–切尔西换人：赖特．菲利普斯入替罗本。小赖特在主场球迷混杂的欢迎下，重返他的老地方。 来自互联网

33 tune
n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整
参考例句：
He'd written a tune,and played it to us on the piano.他写了一段曲子，并在钢琴上弹给我们听。 The boy beat out a tune on a tin can.那男孩在易拉罐上敲出一首曲子。

34 deteriorated
恶化，变坏( deteriorate的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Her health deteriorated rapidly, and she died shortly afterwards. 她的健康状况急剧恶化，不久便去世了。 His condition steadily deteriorated. 他的病情恶化，日甚一日。

35 flirted
v.调情，打情骂俏( flirt的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She flirted her fan. 她急速挥动着扇子。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 During his four months in Egypt he flirted with religious emotions. 在埃及逗留的这四个月期间，他又玩弄起宗教情绪来了。 来自辞典例句

36 interfered
v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉
参考例句：
Complete absorption in sports interfered with his studies. 专注于运动妨碍了他的学业。 来自《简明英汉词典》 I am not going to be interfered with. 我不想别人干扰我的事情。 来自《简明英汉词典》

37 cramped
a.狭窄的
参考例句：
The house was terribly small and cramped, but the agent described it as a bijou residence. 房子十分狭小拥挤，但经纪人却把它说成是小巧别致的住宅。 working in cramped conditions 在拥挤的环境里工作

38 forth
adv.向前；向外，往外
参考例句：
The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。 He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

39 hop
n.单脚跳，跳跃；vi.单脚跳，跳跃；着手做某事；vt.跳跃，跃过
参考例句：
The children had a competition to see who could hop the fastest.孩子们举行比赛，看谁单足跳跃最快。 How long can you hop on your right foot?你用右脚能跳多远？

40 cannons
n.加农炮，大炮，火炮( cannon的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Cannons bombarded enemy lines. 大炮轰击了敌军阵地。 来自《简明英汉词典》 One company had been furnished with six cannons. 某连队装备了六门大炮。 来自《简明英汉词典》

41 shuffled
v.洗（纸牌）( shuffle的过去式和过去分词 )；拖着脚步走；粗心地做；摆脱尘世的烦恼
参考例句：
He shuffled across the room to the window. 他拖着脚走到房间那头的窗户跟前。 Simon shuffled awkwardly towards them. 西蒙笨拙地拖着脚朝他们走去。 来自《简明英汉词典》

42 trophy
n.优胜旗，奖品，奖杯，战胜品，纪念品
参考例句：
The cup is a cherished trophy of the company.那只奖杯是该公司很珍惜的奖品。 He hung the lion's head as a trophy.他把那狮子头挂起来作为狩猎纪念品。

43 labor
n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦
参考例句：
We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。 He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

44 bustling
adj.喧闹的
参考例句：
The market was bustling with life. 市场上生机勃勃。 This district is getting more and more prosperous and bustling. 这一带越来越繁华了。

45 piers
n.水上平台( pier的名词复数 )；（常设有娱乐场所的）突堤；柱子；墙墩
参考例句：
Most road bridges have piers rising out of the vally. 很多公路桥的桥墩是从河谷里建造起来的。 来自辞典例句 At these piers coasters and landing-craft would be able to discharge at all states of tide. 沿岸航行的海船和登陆艇，不论潮汐如何涨落，都能在这种码头上卸载。 来自辞典例句

46 poker
n.扑克；vt.烙制
参考例句：
He was cleared out in the poker game.他打扑克牌，把钱都输光了。 I'm old enough to play poker and do something with it.我打扑克是老手了，可以玩些花样。

47 bucks
n.雄鹿( buck的名词复数 )；钱；（英国十九世纪初的）花花公子；（用于某些表达方式）责任v.（马等）猛然弓背跃起( buck的第三人称单数 )；抵制；猛然震荡；马等尥起后蹄跳跃
参考例句：
They cost ten bucks. 这些值十元钱。 They are hunting for bucks. 他们正在猎雄兔。 来自《简明英汉词典》

48 hopped
跳上[下]( hop的过去式和过去分词 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花
参考例句：
He hopped onto a car and wanted to drive to town. 他跳上汽车想开向市区。 He hopped into a car and drove to town. 他跳进汽车，向市区开去。

49 rogue
n.流氓；v.游手好闲
参考例句：
The little rogue had his grandpa's glasses on.这淘气鬼带上了他祖父的眼镜。 They defined him as a rogue.他们确定他为骗子。