Page 84 of State of Affairs (First Family 1)

Chapter Seventeen

Still reeling from meeting with the mayor, Sam joined her team in the conference room where they were working on a fresh murder board. To the far left side was a photo of a smiling, cocky-looking Eduardo Carter, probably taken from his social media, and another photo from the morgue. The detectives had begun to list the information they had on him and the various connections to others.

“What’ve we got?” she asked.

“Numerous domestic calls for the girlfriend, Shanice Williams. Apparently, he’d been escalating lately.”

“We need to talk to her,” Sam said. “She’ll help us determine where we go from here.”

“Your thinking matches ours,” Jeannie said.

“Cruz, you’re with me.” To Jeannie and Gonzo, she said, “Give it another two hours working the computers. Shoot me anything you have before you go.”

“Will do,” Gonzo said.

“It’s weird to walk out the main door,” Freddie said as he donned one of his ever-present trench coats and chased after her while stuffing a pack of powdered doughnuts into his face. His words were muffled by doughnuts.

“You gotta love a Sunday. Never occurred to the media that I’d be working today.”

“They probably don’t believe you’re going to keep your job. That’s still the plan, right?”

“I’m here, aren’t I?”

“Yeah, but I guess I’m wondering if someone’s going to pull the rug out from under you.”

“The only one who could do that is Nick, and he’s not going to.”

“You’re sure about that?”

Sam smiled as she thought of their conversation the night before. “Positive. Don’t worry about it. We’re going to work it out.” She nodded to Vernon and Jimmy, who were leaning against their SUV and snapped to attention when they saw her coming. “I’ll have a detail going forward. That’s his line in the sand.”

“I suppose that’s not the worst thing that could happen. They’re going to let you drive yourself?”

“They haven’t said anything about not letting me do that. I was thinking earlier that it’s probably because Nick turned my car into a mini Beast that’s as safe as the president’s limo.”

“True.” After fastening his seat belt, Freddie said, “What’d the chief want?”

“If I tell you, you have to promise me you won’t tell another living soul.”

“Promise.”

“Even Elin.”

“Even Elin.”

Sam pulled out of the parking lot and headed for GW Hospital. “We met with the mayor. She offered me a promotion.”

Freddie looked over at her. “What kind of promotion?”

“The deputy chief kind.”

“Seriously?”

“Yep.”

“What’d you say?”

“Thank you, but no, thank you.”