Free Guilt by Association by Marcia Clark

breakup had rounded the sharp edges of that pain but hadn’t washed
     it out. Time and again, I’d notice that I hadn’t thoughtabout Daniel for a few days and I’d congratulate myself on being over him… until I caught a glimpse of him in the courthouse.
     Then all the old feelings, mixed with the despondency of loss, would flood through me, leaving me with an ache so strong it
     stopped my breath. Bailey and Toni never argue when I say I’ve gotten past it, but they both know better. I’m hoping that
     if I keep on saying it, someday it’ll be true.
    “So Graden’s riding point on Jake’s case,” I said, bringing us back around to the more immediate issue.
    Bailey nodded. “The working theory right now is that the kid they found with Jake was blackmailing him. Kid’s nude picture
     was in Jake’s shirt pocket. Jake couldn’t pay—he cracked and decided to check out and take the kid with him.”
    “Is that so?” I said, suddenly incensed by the cavalier judgment. “Did anyone ever stop to consider that nothing about this
     fits the person Jake actually was? Not a fucking thing!”
    Bailey raised an eyebrow. “The person Jake actually was? Something you want to tell me about you and—”
    “Of course not,” I said heatedly. “It’s just not right. He was a good guy, and he deserves better than to have everyone believe…
     this crap.”
    Bailey nodded as Drew reappeared. While she ordered dinner (in the most sultry voice I’d heard outside of a James Bond movie),
     I forced myself to power down. It wasn’t Bailey’s fault that everyone was taking this crime at face value. When Drew turned
     to me, I was tempted to again throw dietary caution to the wind and get the shrimp scampi Bailey had ordered, but I took pity
     on my waistband and got the salad niçoise instead. Drew made a face that said “Again?” but I ignored him. He probably hadn’t
     gained a pound he didn’t want since he was born.
    As Drew left to turn in our orders, I said, “Sorry, Bailey. I’m just wondering why no one’s digging below the first inch.
     I knew Jake pretty well, and I—”
    She put up a hand to stop me. “You’re preaching to the choir. But I want you to prepare yourself. How well did you really
     know Jake? Did you go to his crib? Did he come here? Did you meet his family? His girlfriend? You ever do anything together
     except work in an office?”
    I just shook my head. And as far as I knew there was no girlfriend. An unbidden tendril of doubt snaked its way into my thoughts.
     At Jake’s age, and with his looks and charm, there should have been a woman, a man—
someone
in his life, past or present, who should have come up in conversation at least once. Closemouthed as I was, I’d certainly
     mentioned Daniel’s name a time or two. I didn’t like the way this was making me feel. “Look, I’m not saying you don’t have
     a point, okay? I just want to make sure they don’t close the case before they’ve explored all the options.”
    “Why don’t you talk to Hales?”
    “I have. He basically said the same thing you did. And he’s being really closemouthed about it for some reason,” I groused.
    “He’s probably under pressure not to leak.”
    I took another sip of my drink and pondered what I could do on my own. Being a prosecutor, I was not, as they say, without
     resources.
    Bailey looked at me appraisingly. “What’re you going to do?”
    “Not sure yet.”
    Drew brought my salad and Bailey’s scampi. My stomach growled as I inhaled the rich aromas floating up from her plate.
    Bailey smiled. “Want a bite?”
    “Thought you’d never ask,” I said, picking up my fork.
    “And… Rache?”
    “Yep?” I said as I concentrated on getting my fork under a good, healthy chunk of Bailey’s shrimp. It melted in my mouth,
     and I savored the mix of flavors for a moment, then realized that Bailey was waiting to get my attention. I looked up at her.
    “I’ll help.”
    I stopped midchew.