I don’t get a return phone call. Instead, Drake McKenney shows up at my office twenty minutes later.

Even though I’ve worked for the man for fifteen years, this is only the second time I’ve been in a room with the District Attorney. The first time was this morning.

“Terrible news today,” he says. “Lauren was . . . quite simply, what we all aspire to be as prosecutors.”

I get the feeling he’s workshopping this turn of phrase for when he has to deliver a more public eulogy. I know that Lauren wasn’t as big a fan of Drake McKenney as he’s now professing to have been of hers.

“Yes. Just terrible.” I pause in case he wishes to express more of his sadness, but he doesn’t say another word. “The reason I called you is because one of the lawyers in the group just asked me where Lauren was, and I realized that we need to make some statement before the news becomes public.”

“That’s why I’m here,” McKenney says. “Bring everyone into a conference room, and I’ll address the troops.”

We don’t actually have a room big enough for addressing the troops. The largest space on the floor is used for document review, but it has a long conference table that seats thirty. The entire Special Vics Bureau numbers more than a hundred, so it’s a standing-room-only situation, with many outside the doorway, in the hall.

Some in the room wear nervous looks, but I’m certain no one knows why the entire bureau has been assembled. This type of all-hands meeting has never happened in my tenure, but that’s been all of nine months. My guess is that most of the ADAs think they’re about to hear something about layoffs or a salary freeze.

“Thank you all for coming on such short notice,” McKenney begins. He doesn’t see the need to identify himself, even though I’d be shocked if anyone present has ever formally been introduced to him. Then again, everyone knows who he is. “I’m going to be brief. I’m here today to share with you some very tragic news. Lauren Wright was found murdered this morning. News of her death will be released to the media shortly. As you know, I often talk about this office as a family. Like a family, we share each other’s triumphs. And like a family, we pull together when we suffer a tragedy. Today is the saddest day of my tenure as District Attorney. The one small measure of comfort I take from Lauren’s murder is knowing that we will work together and not rest until we bring the responsible person or persons to justice.”

McKenney looks over to me. I’m not sure if it’s because he wants me to say something. It would be highly uncharacteristic for him to share the stage, so I stay silent.