“Look at it this way: You’ll be doing the same thing you did so well for all those years, practicing criminal law. The difference will be that you’ll be working with the good guys, and you’ll have the manpower and resources of the great state of Tennessee behind you. The pay is good, there’s no overhead, and you get four weeks of vacation, state health and retirement benefits, the whole ball of wax.”

I sat back and thought for a moment. The money didn’t matter that much. Both of my kids had earned scholarships that paid a significant amount of their college expenses. Our house was paid for and we had a fair amount stashed away. I’d already called both of the kids and discussed the possibility of going to work for the district attorney. Both were in favor, as was Caroline. All that was left was for me to take the plunge and see what happened.

“You make it sound like easy money,” I said.

Mooney nodded his head. “There you go. Easy money. Piece of cake. Come by and see me Monday and we’ll get the paperwork rolling. You start in sixteen days.”

Sunday, September 14

Bjorn Beck glanced at the side-view mirror and watched briefly as the road stretched out behind him into the distant mountains. He looked forward, and then back again. He thought about the constant balance between what lay ahead and what lay behind. How poignant, he thought, this moment of pondering the future and the past. For Bjorn, ahead was his new life in the way of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Behind was the ignorance and intemperance of youth.

Bjorn’s life was now filled with church activities. He was required to attend five meetings each week: the public talk on Sunday, the Watchtower study, the theocratic ministry school, the service meeting, and the book study. During these meetings, the doctrine of the Jehovah’s Witnesses was being ingrained into his open mind. Already he’d learned that he was no longer required to salute the flag of any nation. He wasn’t required to serve in the military or vote. His only allegiance was to Jehovah, the king of kings. He would no longer celebrate Christmas or New Year’s or the Fourth of July or Halloween. The only cause for special celebration would be the anniversary of Christ’s death during Passover. Bjorn found the break from traditional Christianity-and American life-liberating.