Erin Leigh-Padgett

Under Lock & Key Erin Leigh-Padgett

In this courtroom thriller, a battle of wits and words breaks out between an up and comer versus a down, but definitely not an outer, veteran. Think: L. A. LAW vs. Boston Legal. At stake are, possibly, the issues of civil liberties, personal privacy, and the defined limits of common decency. In one corner stands the tactical champion of the public and its societal norms. In the other stands a strategist who doesn't know the meaning of the word quit - often to his own detriment. Both attorneys are pursuing the preservation of truth, justice, and the American way of life but - predictably - each has markedly differing opinions about what constitutes any and all of them. Meanwhile, two lives hang in the balance. At the center of the controversy: meet Dayna, a young woman who wanted nothing more than someone who would take notice, pay attention, nurture her, invest in her, and support her dreamscapes. Is she a woman wronged? In this modern tale of devotion, duty, desire, and discipline, follow Dayna's personal "Pygmalion" story. Learn more about the shadowy and influential government figure who serves as Dayna's guardian, protector, and mentor; part White Knight, part Guidance Counselor, and part concerned husband - sometimes gravely so. On the other hand, is he what he represents himself to be? He's a walking contradiction between arch conservative and anti-establishment anarchist guises - or would they be disguises? And what, or even how, will the stalwart judge decide about this case? Weaving serious contemporary debate with judicial process, interpersonal relationships, clinical psychology, and unveiled confidentiality, author Erin Leigh-Padgett attempts to deliver a treatise on voluntary power-exchange while addressing the musical picture raised in The Moody Blues Song by Graham Edge entitled Late Lament: "Breathe deep, the gathering gloom. Watch-lights fade in every room.... Cold-hearted orb that rules the night; removes the colors from oursight; red is grey and yellow white...but we decide which is right; andwhich is an illusion."