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“About me coming back.”
“Why wouldn’t you come back?”
“Never mind. I’ll talk to him.”
***
She ran Coop to ground in his office at Spiral that evening. She hadn’t seen the point in changing into her nighttime work clothes, and she was still wearing jeans along with a bulky gunmetal-gray sweater that was the closest thing she had to armor.
He was sitting at the desk with his ankles propped on top and idly tossing a softball back and forth. All the lights were off except the desk lamp, which cast the side of his face in shadow. He looked up as she came in, then returned his attention to the softball.
She gathered her courage. “Stop being such a chickenshit and get it over with. You know you have to fire me, and I’d appreciate it if you’d do it now so I can stop thinking about it.”
He pitched the ball from his right hand to his left.
She curled her fingers around the cuffs of her sweater. “I know it’s a lot to ask, but I’d like to keep the apartment a little longer. I promise, you’ll never see me.”
He tossed the ball back.
“I’ll give my files to whoever you hire to take my place,”
she said. “And you’d better hire someone, Coop, because this isn’t over.” She’d stay on the case even after he fired her. She owed him answers. And a Super Bowl ring . . .
He dropped his feet to the floor, but whatever he was about to say was lost as Jada burst into the office, her Nerf gun nowhere in sight. “Mom was in an accident!” she cried. “She’s in the hospital!”
Coop shot up from his desk. “Where is she? What happened?”
“I don’t know.” Jada began to sob. “A nurse called me from the emergency room. What if she dies?”
Coop grabbed his jacket. “Let’s go.”
***
They had to take her Sonata because Coop had lent out his Audi for the evening. To Karah.
They found her hooked up to an IV and a monitor. Her curly dark hair spilled out in a lopsided corona around the gauze bandage wrapping her head, and more bandaging protected her left wrist and arm. Two police officers stood at the side of her bed.
Jada ran to her mother. Karah winced as she drew her daughter to her breast. “It’s okay, baby. It’s okay.” Over the top of Jada’s head, Karah saw Coop, and her face collapsed. “I wrecked your car, Coop. After everything you’ve done for me.”
“Don’t worry about the car,” Coop said. “As long as you’re okay.”
Karah slipped her hand into Jada’s hair. “I should never have taken it. I thought I was being so careful.”
“Cars can be replaced,” Coop said. “You can’t.”
The officers were doing their best to keep their professional cool with Cooper Graham in the room. The taller of the two turned to him. “She said you gave her permission to take your car?”
Coop nodded. “Hers wouldn’t start, and I was going to be at my club all night, so I didn’t need it.”
“My professor invited some of us to her house up in Wadsworth,” Karah said, “and I really wanted to go. If only I’d stayed home.” She gazed at Coop again. “I’m sorry.”
“No more apologies. This is why I have insurance.”
“Tell us again what you remember,” the second officer said.
“The road was dark, and there wasn’t much traffic.” Karah looked over at Coop. “I wasn’t speeding. I swear.”
“I’ve seen you drive,” Coop said with a forced smile. “I believe you.”
