Conflict of Interest

Chapter Fifty Three

"Well, give him credit, it's a pretty succinct title. Hits on all the major points without getting too wordy."

"That's not funny."

"You didn't ruin Carver's life," I felt the need to tell her.

"God, I know that. You know that, and I'm sure Jennifer knows that. It doesn't keep her from spreading slander."

"When does she leave for Nashville?"

"Could be any day now," Carrie said flippantly, certainly making a point of showing that she didn't care. "God knows her investigation is over, and I don't think she'll stick around for mine."

"Internal Affairs might call her," I said, saying the wrong thing again.

She leaned against the back of her couch and covered her face with her hands.

"Carrie," I said again. "It's going to be fine. You have two other witnesses who saw what you saw. Grace is going to testify on your behalf."

"Mhm," she said, trying not to scream. "My intern and your ex-fiancée. Credible witnesses. Clearly no one there has an agenda."

"It's the truth," I tried to reason, knowing full well that that isn't how it works.

"Kim," she said sternly. "If there's one thing I know well in this world, it's the shitty things prosecutors will do to nail a conviction. They'll use it."

"I've been cleared by Internal twice," I tried to point out. Not helping, not helping, not helping. "The prosecutor dropped the charge both times."

"You weren't running for public office."

"What should that matter?"

"There's only one Green Falls DA, who oversees all prosecutorial bureaus, including Internal Affairs. Whoever is prosecuting me, I'm trying to become his boss. And maybe he doesn't like my treatment of crime, or my stance on capital punishment, or he's jealous because I'm young and I'm Carter's favorite, or we graduated law school together and I slept with his girlfriend, or I stepped on his toe in an elevator once. The point is, if he has any reason not to want me in office, he'll take it to trial."

"You're getting ahead of yourself. Just relax."

"Again, very helpful."

"I'm trying to be helpful," I said, wishing she'd stop attacking me. "It's not easy when you're like this."

"Yes, this murder charge is so inconvenient for you, isn't it?"

"Do you know how tiring it is when you're upset and I can't say anything right?"

"I know," she finally acquiesced, as though those words struck some sort of nerve with her. "I know, I know. I'm sorry. I'm acting like my ex-girlfriend. I'm just under a bit of stress right now."

Finally, I thought. Out of the woods. "I know, baby," I said, placing a hand on her shoulder again. "But it's going to be over soon."

"Did you just 'baby' me?"

"Did I what?"

"You don't need to infantilize me to show your affection," she bit back.

"Oh my God, you crazy feminist," I tried kidding. I thought we were over this. I was wrong. She loosened herself from my grip and turned to face me, looking me sternly in the eye.

"I mean it, we're not the same person. I'm not a replacement. Baby worked for for her, as she had the IQ of one and certainly cried like one, but not for me, okay?"