Page 69 of The System

“Sort of, yes,” she answered honestly. “But, Your Honor, nothing has happened. Kieran’s ex-husband represented Marin up until recently, and I’ve spoken to her several times with that in mind, in part. I’ve stopped by her apartment, yes. I wanted a statement. She’s been to my office. We’ve run into each other at the jail and a few other places as well. We did have drinks one night, but I drove her home and went home by myself. We–”

“I don’t need a play-by-play.” He waved his hand at her. “But you seem to be toeing a line, Carina. Did it not occur to you that this might present a conflict of interest that Marin’s lawyer could use on appeal should Marin May get convicted? Or even during the trial? Or, hell, right now, for example?”

“Yes, Your Honor,” she said, knowing what would happen next. “But nothing in my new friendship with Kieran has interfered with my ability to represent the state in this case.”

“Nothing? You’re honestly saying that being friends with the woman’s twin sister in a difficult cold case hasn’t changed your approach?”

“Judge, I’m sitting here because I’m trying to admit evidence into trial that will serve to a pattern of violence from Miss May. If my friendship with Kieran was interfering with how I do my job, I wouldn’t be here trying to do that when it’s a long shot, to begin with.”

Judge Martin leaned back in his chair and said, “Carina, you need to recuse yourself.”

“Your Honor!”

“Not because I’m forcing you to; though, I have half a mind to do just that. You need to recuse yourself because you know Jason is going to hear about this, and if an official complaint is filed, you need to be able to show that you acted ethically from the moment you were informed by me that–”

“Your Honor, I have acted ethically every single day of my entire career.”

“I’m sure you have, Carina, but this is dangerous, and you know that it could be used against you later.” The judge leaned forward again. “I’m not just talking about in this case. If this gets out, it will harm your reputation as an upstanding lawyer and someone who would make a great candidate to replace Jason in the next election.”

“I’m not worried about the election right now, Judge.”

“Because you’re a better lawyer than politician, but you should be. When we go back out there, I need you to recuse yourself. I’ll accept the recusal and give the state time to replace you on this case and for this hearing.”

Carina sat there without much else to say. She was being pulled off the case. While it was technically a blessing because it cleared the way for her and Kieran to continue their friendship without having to worry about her job, in a very real way, it was also a curse because the judge was right: Carina might have to face the ethics committee. That would go on her record. And if they found against her, she could be suspended, fined, or worse, lose her license. Knowing there was no evidence of anything more than friendship between the two of them helped her believe it would only be a suspension or fine, at most, but that would likely be enough to keep her from running for the vacant DA position when Jason retired.

“Your Honor, I would like to recuse myself from this case and have another ADA assigned,” she said when Judge Martin told her she could speak after they returned to the courtroom.

“You would, Miss Whitlock?”

“Yes, Your Honor,” she confirmed without offering a reason.

“Mr.Richard, any objection to us delaying this hearing and trial until…” The judge looked at his clerk.

“Hearing next week, and trial date for January fifteenth,” the clerk supplied.

“Your Honor, no objection to the hearing,” Frank said. “But my client is being held on remand, and the state’s need to have a new attorney assigned shouldn’t interfere with her right to a speedy trial.”

“Don’t push it, Mr.Richard,” the judge replied, glaring at him. “I’m not granting bail to your client when the crime she’s accused of is murder, and she has a history of running and not getting caught for eight years. We’ll split the difference. Can the clerk find a trial date for Miss May in September?”

“Yes, Your Honor,” the clerk replied, looking like that was impossible.

“Very well. New trial date to be confirmed at the hearing next week. Court is adjourned.”

Carina picked her bag up off the table and turned to Frank Richard, understanding now that it was him. It had to be. He’d hoped to use this as a way to get her removed and replaced with an inferior attorney and to get Marin bail.

“Counselor,” he said as he walked out before her.

Carina followed and didn’t even look at Kieran as she passed her in the gallery.

What she wanted right now was hard liquor, a shot of something to cool her anger, but it was only eleven in the morning, and she still had work to do, so she sat at the bar of the diner across from the courthouse and waited for her coffee to be delivered, wishing it was something stronger instead.

“Carina? What the hell just happened in there?”

Carina turned to see Kieran standing there.

“I might just be facing an ethics inquiry.”

“What? Why?”

---