Page 20 of Broken Boss

“It’s Saturday morning! I got up early to knock a bunch of chores off my list?—”

A blatant lie as I look around at the messy apartment. Orla is going to kill me if I don’t get this place cleaned up today. She’s always pointing out the irony of how messy I am at home to how impeccably put together I am at work.

“Did you ever look into that library job I sent you?”

My heart aches at his attempt to make my life better, even as his is wasted away behind bars.

“Stephen…it’s near impossible to get in with the New York Public Library. You need a master’s, and I don’t have that!”

“I’m sure they’d take a degree in law, Autumn.”

He says it teasingly, but it still stings. I decided shortly after Stephen was found guilty that I’d be attending law school. Law definitely was not what I wanted to do, but it was something I had to do. And I’ve come to terms with it over the years.

Stephen, on the other hand, insists I should follow my first love—books.

It’s a nice idea. But life doesn’t always work out the way you want it to.

The little mechanical voice on the phone tells us his time is almost up. We quickly say our goodbyes.

“Give Frank a big hug for me.”

Stephen has never met Frank, but I’m sure they’d be totally in love with each other if they did meet.

“I will. Be safe. I’ll see you soon, right?”

There’s hesitation before he answers, “Yeah. I’ll see you soon.”

He hates me coming out to the prison. But why wouldn’t I, when he’s so close? Talking to him on the phone is great but seeing him in person—it helps me believe he’s doing okay. As much as he can be, with ten more years to serve.

I hang up, lay back on the couch, and wrap an arm around Frank. He huffs in my ear gently as if making sure I’m okay.

“Soon, boy,” I murmur, exhausted from keeping the secret from my brother.

Soon.

Before long, I’ll have the opportunity to take down Chris Sharpe—to ensure that everyone questions the validity of every single case he’s ever been involved in.

And maybe, just maybe, that’ll be enough to spur action to investigate if Stephen really did kill that girl twelve years ago.

An hour later, Frank is walked, the kitchen is much cleaner, and I walk outside with the dry cleaning bag slung over one arm. It’s a short walk, only five blocks, and if I’m lucky, they’ll have it done by tomorrow afternoon.

Taking a second for myself, I lift my face to the bright fall sun and breathe deeply. Cars maneuver down the two-lane street, a few people are out and about, but we got lucky and live in a relatively quiet area.

As I turn to my right and start walking, the back of my neck prickles.

Almost like someone is watching me…

Quickly, I glance over my shoulder.

Two moms are walking their babies in strollers, a maintenance crew is unloading into a brick town house, and a few guys are smoking outside a barber shop down the street.

Otherwise, it’s quiet. But as I continue on my way, I can’t help the stiffness in my shoulders.

Sometimes the instincts that come with being a lawyer are more trouble than they’re worth.

Chapter 8

Chris

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