Page 70 of The System

“Kieran, what did you tell Marin’s attorney about us?”

“What? Frank? Nothing. Why?”

“Because he just told the judge that we are sleeping together. And because the judge doesn’t want that to harm the proceedings, I was told to recuse myself. Now, there might be a formal complaint against me, and I could lose more than just this case.”

“He did what?” Kieran said, sitting down next to her. “He asked about you in the hallway. I just told him that we were kind of friends.”

“Kind of friends?” She guffawed. “You didn’t happen to mention the part where I told you how I felt, did you?”

“What? No. Carina, I wouldn’t do that.”

“So, you’ve told no one about that?”

“I told my friend, Ruthie, who lives over an hour away from here and wouldn’t have made a call to some judge to get you removed.”

“You told a friend?” Carina softened a bit.

“Yeah, this morning. I… I knew I would be seeing you today, and I didn’t know how to act around you, honestly, so I told her and asked for some advice. She’s the only one I’ve told, though. As much as I want my sister to have a shitty prosecutor… For her to get that, you’d have to be removed, and I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize your career for it. I’ve been trying to talk her into hiring an attorney who could actually match you in court. Though, if Frank pulled this shit, maybe he’s better than I thought.”

Carina wanted to laugh at that, but she couldn’t.

“I’m sorry,” Kieran added. “I didn’t tell him anything. He said it seemed like we got along well, and I said that we do, but I was careful, Carina. I told him that we get along on everything other than the case, so we never talk about that.”

“So, you lied to him?” Carina said, shaking her head.

“I fibbed a bit.”

“We talk about the case all the time, Kieran. I’ve literally advised you and Marin to do things that hurt my case and help hers. Hell, maybe I should have a complaint lodged against me. I deserve it.”

“No, you don’t. You haven’t done anything wrong. In fact, I think the things you’ve suggested are, at most, things that would save the state later on anyway. If Marin did that interview for Kenna’s show, it would get out to the jury pool, right? You said that. If that happens, she might not receive a fair trial either way, and you might have to interview more people who haven’t seen it to get your jury or even request a change of location for the trial. It was smart for both sides for Marin to turn Kenna down.”

Carina smiled down at the counter and said, “Are you sure you’re not an attorney yourself?”

“No, I just like logic. I told you that. And I’ll talk to Frank and tell him not to file the complaint.”

“And he’s just going to listen to you?”

“Maybe not. But I’ll figure something out, if I have to. I at least owe you that. I feel responsible, Carina.”

Carina looked over and into Kieran’s kind, concerned eyes and said, “You’re not. I am. I should’ve stopped this friendship from happening, and I didn’t. I definitely shouldn’t have gone to your apartment to tell you how I felt. At least, not until this was all over.”

“So, in, like, ten years?” Kieran replied, but it wasn’t sarcastically, and she appeared genuine about it. “Ten years or something like that without being able to talk to you because there’s a case on appeal? I don’t want that.”

“You don’t?”

Kieran shook her head and said, “No.”

“My boss is going to find out, but before he does, I need to go to his office and tell him.”

“You’re going to get in more trouble, aren’t you?”

“Well, he’s not going to be very happy about me being removed. And I’m the candidate he was going to back in the next election cycle, so that could change. The rest depends on the ethics committee and if there’s a formal complaint.”

“I’ll talk to him,” Kieran offered.

“Who?”

“Your boss. The DA. I’ll tell him that Frank lied, and there’s nothing going on between us.”

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