Page 26 of The System

“It’s fine. She’s with me,” Carina told him with a nod. “I’ll walk her out. Where is Diego?”

“In the lobby? Is it a lobby if it’s a jail? A waiting room?”

Carina laughed a little and motioned for Kieran to follow her out. The guard moved behind them, and they started walking toward the waiting room.

“I think we can call it whatever we want. What’s he doing out there?”

“I didn’t want him in there with me when I first met her. And he’ll be in there with her alone, too.”

“Ah,” Carina said as they arrived at the door.

There was that all-familiar buzz-and-click combo, and while she was used to it, Kieran seemed visibly bothered by it based on the expression that the woman’s face showed. Then, the door opened a little, and Carina pushed it the rest of the way.

“Well, if you’re interested, I was going to head to a bar myself. I could use a glass of red wine. I just had to talk to a man whom I plan on convicting of sexual assault, so I need a drink.”

“Miss Whitlock, what are you doing here? Were you talking to my client?” Diego asked her when he saw both of them emerge.

“Counselor, your client is still in the room,” the guard behind them said.

“I was not. I was here on another case and ran into Kieran here on my way out.”

“Kieran, is everything okay?” Diego asked and moved beside Kieran before he began rubbing her back. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Kieran shifted, moving out of his way, and said, “I’m okay. She’s ready for you now.”

“How did it go?” he asked and looked over at Carina as if he expected this to be a private moment that she was intruding upon.

“We talked. We didn’t have a lot of time because I want her to meet you.”

“And you’re telling me you just happened to be here right when Kieran was leaving the room?” he asked Carina.

“You can check the visitation records if you want, Mr.Hart. I’ve been on the schedule for the past three days to talk to someone I’m about to take to trial. I haven’t even spoken with your client yet and wasn’t planning on doing so today.”

“I need to go in,” Diego told Kieran then. “I’ll be out as soon as I can, and we’ll go home.”

“We don’t have a home,” Kieran corrected him, which Carina found funny but didn’t laugh.

“I can take you,” she offered.

“Sorry?” Diego asked.

“I can take her home. I’m sure you need to talk to your client for a while. If Kieran needs a ride home, I’m heading out now.”

“You don’t have to,” Keiran replied politely. “I don’t mind waiting. I knew I would if we drove together.”

“It’s no trouble, really.”

Kieran glanced from Carina to Diego and said, “Yeah, okay. That would be great, actually. I have some work to do.”

“Kieran, I won’t be long. I can–”

“It’s fine,” Keiran interjected. “I’ll just go with Carina, and you can take your time.”

Diego took her by the elbow – gently, but still – and turned Kieran toward him. Carina glared at him then. She’d sensed that Kieran was at least a little uncomfortable with her ex-husband. And she didn’t know why, but she didn’t like that Diego touched her when Kieran clearly didn’t want him to.

“You can’t talk to her about the case, okay? Don’t let her try to get anything out of you on the ride home,” he told Kieran.

“I don’t know anything, Diego,” Kieran said slowly and rolled her eyes.

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