“I know people.”
“That is exactly what I do not need.”
James pointed at her wrists.
“Look at your arms.”
“They're fine.”
“They're red.”
“Dad.”
“He said people like you.”
“I heard him.”
James stopped.
Anger filled his face.
Then grief.
That surprised Ava.
He looked toward the floor.
“Your mother would've burned that store down.”
Ava laughed despite herself.
“No, she wouldn't.”
“She would've considered it.”
That was true.
James hugged her.
Ava let herself lean into it.
For the first time all day, she stopped being District Attorney.
Owner.
Witness.
Lawyer.
She was simply someone's daughter.
James whispered:
“You okay?”
Ava closed her eyes.
“I don't know yet.”
That was the honest answer.
Monday morning, Ava arrived at the District Attorney's office through the employee entrance.
No press.
Marcus Hale waited inside.
Forty-six.
Black.
Former homicide prosecutor.
The one person in the office who could tell Ava she was wrong without visibly enjoying it.
He handed her coffee.
“Don't thank me.”
“I wasn't planning to.”
“You look tired.”
“You look old.”
“Good morning.”
They walked to her office.
A folder sat on the desk.
Ava stared.
“Is that Keller?”
Marcus nodded.
“Public personnel material only.”
“I am recused.”
“You asked during transition for policy summaries involving repeat complaints.”
“True.”
“This is not investigative material.”
Ava sat.
“Tell me.”
Marcus did.
Two prior complaints.
One from a Black attorney stopped outside a jewelry store after hours.
Keller claimed he matched a burglary description.
He did not.
Complaint closed because stop lasted four minutes and no force was used.
Second from a Latina teenager accused of shoplifting at another luxury retailer.
Store later found missing item in inventory storage.
Keller allegedly told her mother, “Girls like her come down here looking for opportunities.”
He denied the wording.
No body-camera audio because microphone malfunctioned.
Complaint inconclusive.
Ava leaned back.
“Anything connected to Halpern?”
Marcus nodded slowly.
“Both retailers used him.”
Ava's eyes narrowed.
There it was again.
Thomas Halpern.
Loss prevention.
Former lieutenant.
Private consultant.
Personal police contact.
Marcus continued:
“The outside investigators already noticed.”
“Good.”
“You are not touching this.”
“I know.”
“I mean it.”
“Marcus.”
“You own one of the businesses.”
“You were the detained person.”
“You are the elected prosecutor.”
“You have three conflicts stacked on top of each other.”
Ava looked at him.
“Four.”
“What?”
“I am also annoyed.”
Marcus smiled.
“Most dangerous conflict.”
She laughed.
Then became serious.
“Keep me out.”
“I will.”
“Even if I ask.”
“Especially if you ask.”
Good.
That was why he was there.