Sun Coast Chronicles (abridged)

This rape case is different from most: the victim is more than willing to testify and there's ample evidence to put the suspect behind bars. But one thing gnaws at Detective Larry Millsaps - young and beautiful Melissa Nelson knows too much about the evidence needed to convict her attacker. Millsaps's investigation unearths the suspect's brutal track record, but also some stunning revelations about Melissa's own past. Caught in a deadly conflict between the ironies of the law and the demands of his Christian convictions, the detective finds himself protecting Melissa - even as evidence mounts that could imprison not only an inhuman criminal, but also the woman Millsaps has come to love.

International art dealer Louis Dubose has been murdered, and the police are certain that they've got their man. Ben Robinson, recently fired by Dubose, has a motive backed by a convincing trail of evidence, and it looks like an open-and-shut case. But one woman, who knows Ben all too well, isn't convinced. Sharon Robinson is about to gamble her own well-being on Ben's innocence, even though her personal indictment against him is almost as bitter as murder.

Reporter Beth Wright is hot on the trail of a story that could expose an ugly scandal at the St. Clair Children's Home. But there's another hunter on the scene, someone who wants to make sure the story never sees print - and who isn't averse to lethal means, either. Nick Hutchins, a social worker, has his own uneasy hunches about the children's home, which are confirmed by Beth's investigation, a high-speed attempt on her life, and finally the startling confessions of an intruder. An appalling picture emerges of helpless children under the sway of a modern-day Fagin. There's one person who can save the children: Beth herself. But using the key could cost her reputation - or her life. One of the Sun Coast Chronicles, Presumption of Guilt is a gripping portrayal of the depths of human evil, the soul-twisting influence of lies, and the far-reaching freedom of God's mercy and grace.