Cold Case Chronicles: Beneath the Surface

Chapter 6

Jack was jolted awake by his phone vibrating on the nightstand, the persistent buzzing cutting through the early morning quiet. He glanced at the clock—it was barely 5 a.m. The caller ID showed Amanda's name, and a knot of dread tightened in his stomach as he picked up.

"Jack, it's bad," Amanda's voice came through, tense and barely steady. "Kane's team just pulled a move. Someone leaked our involvement in the case to the media, and they're all over it."

Jack's eyes flew open, and he sat up, rubbing a hand over his face. "What do you mean 'leaked'? We were careful. No one outside of our circle was supposed to know."

"I don't know how, but it's everywhere," Amanda continued, frustration and disbelief in her tone. "The headlines are all talking about a 'witch hunt' against Kane, and they're naming you, Sarah, and me specifically. They're painting us as overzealous and out of control, saying we're targeting an innocent man."

Jack's stomach dropped. This was worse than he'd imagined. Kane's team had clearly been prepared to retaliate, and they'd done it swiftly, turning the investigation on its head and casting doubt on their credibility. He thanked Amanda and quickly hung up, dialing Sarah's number. She picked up almost immediately, sounding groggy and concerned.

"What's going on?" she asked, sensing his urgency.

"Kane's team leaked our involvement to the press. They're spinning it to make us look like we're on a personal crusade against him," Jack said, the frustration in his voice palpable. "We've officially become the bad guys in the public eye, and we don't even have enough to justify a full indictment yet."

Sarah let out a slow, disbelieving breath. "So, he's managed to make us look like the villains before we can even present our case. If the public turns on us, they'll be demanding our removal from the investigation."

"We need to get to the office and talk to Eleanor. She needs to hear this from us before she hears it from anyone else," Jack replied, already pulling on his jacket. "If we can get ahead of this somehow, we might still have a chance to salvage the investigation."

They met at the office within the hour, their faces drawn with fatigue and anxiety. The usually quiet corridors buzzed with whispers, and Jack could feel the weight of the judgmental stares from their colleagues. Word had spread quickly, and the DA's office was a tinderbox of gossip and speculation.

Eleanor was waiting for them in her office, her expression unreadable as she waved them inside. She gestured for them to sit, and Jack and Sarah shared a quick look before taking their seats.

"I don't need to tell you how bad this looks," Eleanor said, her tone calm but with an edge of disappointment. "The media is all over this, and public opinion is shifting fast. They're calling you reckless and unprofessional, accusing you of targeting Kane without cause. I've had calls from half a dozen people already, including city officials and even a few state representatives, all questioning our conduct."

Jack clenched his fists, the frustration simmering beneath the surface. "This was a calculated attack, Eleanor. Kane's team knew exactly how to turn the story against us. They've manipulated the narrative to make us look like the aggressors, when all we're trying to do is hold him accountable."

Eleanor's eyes narrowed as she assessed them. "I understand that, Jack. But perception is everything, and right now, the public is seeing this as a vendetta, not a legitimate investigation. Kane's people have painted him as the victim—a well-respected philanthropist under attack from rogue investigators. If we're not careful, this could bring down more than just your careers. It could taint the entire DA's office."

Sarah looked at Eleanor, her voice steady but tinged with desperation. "Eleanor, we still have strong leads. Dawkins is cooperating, and we've gathered evidence of financial discrepancies linked to Kane's shell companies. We're close. If we can just buy a little more time, we can bring enough to the table to counteract his narrative."