The Burden of Truth — Lois Lewandowski

Probation officer Gillian Jones knows that someone or something drove her client, 17-year-old Jessica Coffers, to abandon her newborn baby. Even though Jessica is now raising the rescued infant, some people in Bend Brook, Nebraska still consider her a cold-blooded killer and they are pressuring the county attorney to file additional charges. Jessica's guardians want to put the baby up for adoption and Gillian would love to adopt the child - but not until she understands the circumstances surrounding his birth.

Bob Johanson has cancer and needs some answers about his deceased daughter before he dies. Over twenty years ago someone attempted to rape his daughter and used her childhood nickname of JoJo. Now Bob wants Gillian to identify the would-be rapist. Gillian considers the request a lost cause until details of the assault reveal that Bend Brook might be harboring a serial rapist.

When the county attorney is murdered, Jessica is the prime suspect, but Gillian knows the killer sought old police reports that would identify the rapist. As Gillian struggles to uncover the truth, she finds the questions painful and the answers deadly.