Page 16 of State of Grace (First Family 2)

Vernon and Jimmy were in the black SUV that accompanied Sam everywhere she went these days. When Vernon saw her coming, he rolled down the driver’s side window. “I assume you’ve heard the news about the shooting.”

“Yes, I have, and I’m heading to the White House to be with Nick.”

“We’ll be right behind you.”

When she’d agreed to have a detail trailing her, she’d insisted on continuing to drive herself. As she navigated the short distance “home” to the White House, she tried to muster the courage it would take to get through the next few hours and days. People would be looking to them for solace and compassion, and they’d do their best to provide whatever was needed even as their own hearts ached for the victims and their families.

This is what it will be like, she thought. For the next three years, anytime something awful or tragic happened in the country or the world, people would look to Nick—and her—for guidance on how to handle it.

She swallowed hard, hoping she, and they, had the fortitude to provide the kind of leadership that would be needed to guide the country through such a senseless tragedy.

When she arrived at the White House and was waved through the gate, she parked at the door to the East Wing, where her offices were located. She went right to the office of her chief of staff, Lilia Van Nostrand, who dabbed at tears with a tissue as she watched the coverage from Des Moines.

“Hey,” Sam said, startling the other woman.

“Oh, you’re here.” She stood and came around the desk.

Sam hugged her. “I’m here.”

“It’s so awful.”

“Yes, it is. I’m going to find my husband.”

Lilia nodded. “It’ll be good for him to have you here.”

“That’s what I figured. I’ll see you in a bit.”

“I’ll be here.”

Sam headed from the East Wing to the West, realizing at some point over the last few weeks that the massive White House campus had become more familiar and less daunting.

Nick’s vice presidential reception team had moved to the lobby of the Oval Office and waved her right through when she arrived. They, too, looked as if they’d been crying. Hell, the whole country was probably crying today.

Nick was seated at the Resolute desk, surrounded by aides, all of whom seemed to be talking as he kept half an eye on a television that had been brought in. Only when he glanced away from the TV did he see her in the doorway, a faint smile lighting up his weary face.

“Excuse me,” he said to the others as he stood and came to greet her with the kind of hug he specialized in. “Thanks for coming.”

“I figured you might need this,” she said, holding on even tighter, her arms around his waist inside his suit coat.

“You figured absolutely right.”

“What’s the latest?”

“Forty-two confirmed dead, thirty of them children under the age of ten. The gunman, who is among the dead, was a disgruntled former employee of one of the families attending the event. The five of them are among the dead.”

“Dear God,” she said, blinking back tears. She saw and heard a lot of horrible things in the course of her work, but this was on a whole other level. “What can I do?”

“It helps that you’re here. How long can you stay?”

“As long as you need me.”

He linked her hand with his and brought her with him to rejoin his team as they worked to manage the unfolding crisis.

Sam stood by his side later that afternoon as he again addressed the nation to express their profound sorrow and disbelief at the nightmare unfolding in Iowa.

“These were babies,” he said, his voice breaking, “going to see Santa, full of excitement for Christmas. The person who perpetrated this cowardly act did so out of vengeance toward a former employer. He was known to have had significant mental health challenges, but had refused any form of treatment. I took an oath to preserve and protect the Constitution of the United States, and I shall do so with every fiber of my being, including protecting the right to bear arms afforded by the Second Amendment. But we must find a way to keep assault weapons out of the hands of people who shouldn’t have them. I promise you here and now that finding a way to make that happen will be a cornerstone of my administration. I ask people of goodwill who have watched this tragedy unfold today to join me in this effort to come together as a nation to work toward solutions that would make this country safer for all of us, especially our children. Sam and I send our deepest condolences to the families whose lives were shattered today and to the people of Des Moines and Iowa who are coping with this unspeakable tragedy. We will keep you in our prayers during the difficult days and weeks to come.”

He didn’t take any questions because he didn’t want to debate sensible gun control measures. Not tonight. There’d be time for that later.