Page 52 of Sam to the Rescue

“Yeah, we’re solid.” I can’t stay angry. He and his wife have come through for us more than once. They’re essential to the success ofSuds and Sam.

“Excellent. By the way, I need to interrogate you.” He sighs heavily and stands but I stay seated.

“No way. Pick someone else to do it, preferably a rookie.” I don’t mention the bet I made with my wife. With his boss in the other room, it probably wouldn’t help my cause.

“Sorry, Sebastian. Everyone else declined. Seems your reputation proceeds you.”

Pouting, I lean back with my arms crossed. “Shit. Y’all take all the fun out of being arrested.”

We finish in short order because O’Brien knows all my tricks. As a consolation prize, he allows me use of a guest computer at one of the empty desks.

“Well, well, well.” I open an email from Joey and grin.

He glances up from a mountain of paperwork. “Good news?”

“Yeah. My wife’s cousin found our missing person. He’s here in Syracuse, buying anti-alien laser cream.”

“I can’t believe people actually believe that nonsense.” Sipping his coffee, he grimaces, then shakes his head.

I read a little further. “Huh. No way. It seems our missing guy was trying to deprogram his best friend, Silliman, who got caught up in the cult. Who knew?”

“Silliman?” When one brow raises, I turn the screen and show him the driver’s license.

“Seymore Silliman?”

“I know. You can’t make this shit up.” Pleased to solve another case, I create an invoice and hit send.Cha-ching.

Time drags on as I pace, drink bitter coffee, and whine in a most un-SEAL-like manner. “Can’t you go in and tell her she’s won?”

The G-man grins without mercy. “You made your bed…”

“Fine.” Stretching, I pour another cup of mud and as I sit back down, a few mercenaries show up in handcuffs, Edge is with them and shoots me a look that could kill.

I tap Colin on the shoulder and point them out and. “Where’s the rest?”

“We’re still rounding them up.” He goes back to his form-filling while I find an online video game.

Eventually Sam is released. Bright eyed and bushy-tailed she skips into the bullpen. “One year, baby. You agreed.”

“We need to renegotiate. The game was rigged.”

“You snooze, you lose. Sorry. Not sorry.” She giggles and she does this sexy, twisty victory dance.

I pull her to my body and hug her tight. “My God, I love you.”

Chapter 38

A month later…

Sam

“Ta-da!” I enter my kitchen via a real door instead of a window and dozens of people applaud.

Suds clunks a beer with Slate, salutes me, and walks down a set of wooden stairs where the fire escape used to be.

Slate follows us to the flagstones. “The door is great but where’s the egress to the street?”

I point out the metal flap over the basement stairs. “Through there.”