Page 91 of Broken Boss

I pull up the DA’s name and punch the call button, pacing my bedroom in sweats, barefoot.

She answers on the second ring.

“Christopher. I wasn’t expecting a call from you. Is everything okay?”

“Actually, I have a bit of a curveball for you, Kara. Do you remember a murder suspect I went up against years ago?—”

I give her Stephen’s name and the rough date. She sounds surprised at the topic.

“This would’ve been right after you moved to the city, correct? When you were a prosecutor?”

“Right. It was my last case before I switched to defense. And I fucked it up.”

The other end of the line is silent.

But Kara is an old hand; she’s been around for years and is good at her job. When she speaks next, her voice is crisp and strong.

“How?”

I tell her everything. Ivy, dead out back of a bar with Stephen’s knife in her ribs, throat slit. His association with Kieran. That man’s recent reappearance and the threats against Autumn.

Kara knows exactly where I’m going with this.

“So you think he’s stalking his ex because she knows something—or he assumes she does. But if that’s the case, why now? Why twelve years later?”

“I think it’s a classic case of a perpetrator thinking it’s safe. Enough time has gone by that he’s comfortable now. And he must have been looking for Autumn. I’m sure when he found her, he wasn’t thrilled that she’s now a lawyer.”

Kara hums. “It’s a relatively clear path, Chris, but I have to ask. What do you have now that makes you think you have the right guy this time? You realize if Stephen Cooper was wrongly accused, that’s going to ruin your reputation.”

All the air goes out of me as I sit at the end of my bed.

“I know. I don’t care. I’d be fine stepping back from work at this point, Kara. It’s starting to feel…”

“Like too much,” she answers sadly. There’s a camaraderie in her tone. She understands what this life is like, and how hard the burnout can hit.

“If I do step back, I don’t want to go out knowing I put an innocent man away. Especially now that I’ve seen the guilty one—I’d never be able to sleep knowing he’s out there. I’ve had a PI trailing Kieran for about a week now. Last night he pawned a necklace that belonged to the first victim.”

“First victim? You’re telling me there are others?”

“One, I think. I have a hunch that if we can get Kieran’s photo in front of her, she’ll identify him. She was attacked recently, same MO. Slit throat, knife in the ribs, assault and battery. Only she survived. I’d love to see her take him down in a trial if she IDs him.”

Kara’s interest is officially piqued.

“Alright. You have a good shot at this. But be ready. The media will have a field day. Reach out to whomever you need to and make sure you’re crossing your t’s and dotting your i’s Christopher. If you’re going to give yourself up, you have to do it properly.”

“I will. Thanks, Kara.”

“And Chris. Whatever you and this woman—Autumn—have going on, you better make sure it’s disclosed before this all hits the fan.”

There’s a sly twist to her voice. I smile sadly, staring down at my feet. “I hear you, loud and clear. I’ll send out a company-wide memo later today and have something ready for the media.”

Kara chuckles, enjoying that she caught me out.

I don’t have the heart to tell her that although there was once something between Autumn and I, I’m afraid it’s irreparably gone now.

There might be no getting her back.

Chapter 33

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