Page 25 of The System

“I’m just trying to help…” Kieran offered back.

“How are you going to help me, Picket Fence?”

“Can you not call me that, please? I’m here to–”

“Ease your guilt over having a perfect life when I was the one picked up by some woman with problems, apparently, who wanted a kid of her own?”

“What? No, I…” Kieran shook her head. “You’re my sister.”

“Well, I can’t deny that, but I’ve had a lot of sisters, Kieran. Probably forty or so, at least. So-called foster sisters. And there were brothers, too. I’m not sure what good they ever did for me.”

“None of them were your actual sister. I’m your twin, Marin.”

“You got the nice name, huh? Kieran. Did they name you after someone in the family? I got named after a county.”

“Kieran was my dad’s choice. He saw it in a baby book. It’s not a family name or anything.”

“At least, someone chose it for you. I was a Jane Doe for a while before someone named me after the county and called me Marin Smith to have something for the paperwork.”

“I know this is a shock to you, but I am here to help. I brought my ex-husband, who is a defense attorney. He’s waiting outside. He’s agreed to take your case pro bono.”

“I have a public defender.”

“Trust me, Diego is better. He works for a major firm and is head of litigation there. He’s good at what he does. Just, please, let me introduce you.”

“Did you say ex-husband?”

“Yes.”

“And he’s still doing a favor for you?”

“Yes.”

“Interesting,” Marin said with a shoulder shrug. “But still an ex, so maybe your life hasn’t been so perfect, after all.”

“I’ll just go get him for you so you two can talk alone, okay?”

“Sure. Whatever. I’ve got nothing else to do in here, anyway.”

Kieran stood, and the guard opened the door for her, clearly sensing that she needed to get out of there. This wasn’t at all how she’d hoped the first meeting would go. She wasn’t sure what she’d expected, but every time she’d rolled it over in her mind, they’d gotten along, shared bits of themselves, and she’d reassured her sister that she’d help her. This wasn’t that at all.

When she hit the hallway, she let out a deep breath, trying to get herself together because she needed to tell Diego to go in and talk to Marin, and she didn’t want to appear like she needed him to console or be there for her instead. When Kieran turned to walk down the hall, though, she saw Carina, the woman prosecuting her sister, standing right there.

CHAPTER 9

“You look like you could use a cup of coffee,” Carina noted as she took in Kieran’s pale face. “Do you drink coffee?”

“I mostly drink Red Bull, but yes, I drink coffee. What are you doing here?”

“It’s close to five. Maybe not a coffee. If you’re a Red Bull fan, I’d suggest a Jägerbomb.”

“What are you doing here?” Kieran repeated.

“I’m a prosecutor. I’m here a lot. I didn’t know you’d be here. I thought you would’ve come by earlier, when she first arrived.”

“I was waiting on Diego to be free.”

“You need to be escorted out, Ma’am,” the guard said to Kieran.

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