Anna came back to the city. She sat in her office, going through everything she'd missed while she was gone, checking messages, and the like, and then she heard the office door opening.
"You know you can't put him off anymore," said Kaye, closing the door behind her. "He says you two talked."
"We did," said Anna, "He told you?"
"We've been talking," said Kaye, and then, "There's a bit of a nasty rumor going around the District Attorney's office."
"About us?" Anna asked, and felt her heart drop to her stomach. Kaye shook her head.
"No," she said. "About this latest case the two-seven's picked up. All the victims have been involved in cases that ended up in acquittal."
"That's not really that rare," Anna remarked, almost dismissively, though the sinking feeling remained. Kaye shook her head again.
"Different prosecutors might have made this seem like someone just randomly picking people, but the same guy prosecuted all the cases in which the victims were involved."
Anna looked at her with raised eyebrows. "It was Jack, wasn't it?" she asked, and when Kaye nodded, she shook her head.
"No," she said. "I don't give a damn what people in the DA's office are saying, he wouldn't."
"Well, the police haven't dropped him as a suspect yet," Kaye pointed out. "For all you know…"
"Don't you dare go there with me," Anna said flatly, "I don't want to hear it. Until the police prove it was him, it wasn't. Innocent until proven guilty, remember?"
"This isn't going to scare you off talking to him, now, is it?" Kaye asked, but Anna shook her head again.
"No," she said, "No, it won't. I promised I'd talk to him when I came back to the city, and I mean to do so. We're supposed to meet up sometime today."
"Don't say I didn't warn you, then," said Kaye. "I don't want to believe this any more than you do, but all we can really do is watch."
"I wasn't aware that you cared so much," Anna remarked, slowly, and Kaye rolled her eyes.
"I have a ring on my finger, remember?" she said dryly. "Sure, I love the guy, but he's like an annoying older brother, y'know? We talked while you were gone. I know off-limits when I see it."
Anna gave her a look. "We haven't even talked yet; he's not off-limits. Well, to you, maybe, because you're married, but…oh, hell, Kaye, why are we having this conversation?"
"Thought you ought to know what's going around with the prosecutors," said Kaye. "For the record, I don't really think he did it, but you never know. It could all end up coming down to the wire."
Another lead had come. Now Ed and Nina stood on the doorstep of the one they'd figured out was their victim, because the lead had been more than just a little bit obvious.
"What do you want?" Natalie Grant peered out from behind her door, eyeing the two cops suspiciously.
"We need to talk to you," said Nina, showing the other woman her shield. "About a case you were involved in about six years ago."
"I don't want to talk about it," Natalie insisted. "It's over; the bastard got acquitted. What could you possibly want with me now?"
"We have reason to believe that you're being targeted by someone who's going after people involved in cases where the defendant was acquitted," said Ed. "It'd help if you'd talk to us."
Natalie gave a resigned sigh and moved to allow the two detectives into her house. "I don't know anything," she said, almost nervously. "I really don't. What I do know I've seen in the newspapers."
"But you do know something," said Nina. "Has anyone contacted you in any way about this? Made any threats?"
Natalie looked away. "Phone calls," she said. "They've been coming on and off ever since this began, but every time I try to find out who was calling, I find out the number's blocked. Either that, or a payphone. I can hear the city in the background sometimes."
"Do you recognize the voice at all?" Ed asked. "Someone you know, someone you've heard before?"
Natalie shook her head. "No," she said. "He sounds almost robotic. Like he's using one of those voice-changer devices, but I can't tell for sure."
"Have you noticed anyone or anything strange in or around your house or in the neighborhood?" asked Nina. Natalie shook her head again.
"Nothing," she said. "Everything's pretty much the same. Other than these phone calls, but no one's been following me, no one's been watching me…"
As far as you know, Ed thought, but decided not to say it out loud. Instead he glanced at Nina, and when she nodded, he spoke.
"We'll keep in touch, then," he said, and left his card on Natalie's counter. "If you can think of anything, or if you see or hear anything, let us know."
Natalie nodded, but both detectives doubted it would really happen. Even so, they had nothing more to do there, so they left.
"Heard Anna Flynn was finally back in town," Nina remarked, and Ed gave her a startled look.
"What does that have to do with anything?" he asked.
"She's got a few defendants acquitted when she was up against McCoy. Natalie might just be one of those red herrings that's only there to throw us off."
"What makes you think that?" Ed asked, giving her a skeptical look, and Nina went on.
"She seemed nervous. Too nervous. Maybe she has something to do with it, and our doer's just trying to take the heat off himself?"
"He's doing that by making it out to be McCoy that's the murderer," said Ed. "And we're not going there, so don't start."
He was distracted, and that was an understatement. Another case had come, and they were waiting for the grand jury's decision as to whether to indict or not.
"They have no reason not to indict," Connie remarked, "With all the evidence we gave them…if they don't, they're either reading too far behind the lines, or they just don't like us."
Jack offered up a faint, half-hearted smile at this one, and shook his head. "With the rumors going around lately, I wouldn't be surprised. I wish Green and Cassady would come and talk to me already."
"I get the feeling that the fact that they haven't is a sign that they believe you aren't behind this," said Connie, "I really doubt they think you'd actually go out and just commit murder like this."
"I wouldn't," said Jack, "But the fact remains that I can say that now, and have it happen a few years down the road, or even a few minutes down the road."
"You aren't helping yourself here," said Connie. "Making comments like that isn't going to get you anywhere."
"I'm not going to get anywhere, anyway; Branch has already dragged me into his office to ask if I know anything about all this," Jack said dryly. "All I could tell him was that the police were working on it and I hadn't been let in on anything. I don't think it settled well with him."
"Nothing's settling well with him right now; he ought to retire," said Connie, "And don't tell him I said that, either."
Jack smirked. "I wouldn't dream of it," he said. "I doubt you're the only one who holds those sentiments."
"I swear District Attorneys stay longer every time a new one's voted in. Like the city's afraid of change or something."
"Maybe they just like the way he runs things."
"Well, I don't have anything against the man, honestly, but you'd think he'd want more time to spend with his wife, he's more than old enough to retire."
"Maybe he doesn't like his wife."
But the thought seemed so ridiculous, to both of them, that they had to laugh. After a moment, Connie shook her head.
"Not everyone's like you, Jack," she said, but before he could retort, someone came out of the grand jury room, and they rose to their feet. Jack took the paper that was being held out, read it quickly, and sighed.
"Looks like we're going to trial," he said.