Page 26 of State of Retribution (First Family #9)

“Great work by Walters. I’ll make sure Archie hears about it.”

“I thought so, too.”

“What’s the second thing?”

“How are you, and what’re you hearing about Jimmy?”

“I’m fine, and Jimmy is out of surgery and in recovery. Liz is with him, and his parents are on the way.”

“Very glad to hear that.”

“I’m hoping to get over there to see him later on.”

“Let me know how he is.”

“I will.”

“Hang on. Gonzo just came in.”

Sam heard them talking in the background before Freddie came back to tell her, “We’ve got another victim.”

“I have to go back to work,” Sam said to Nick and Scotty, who’d stayed close to her while the twins went back to playing.

Nick’s expression was pained. “I’ve been asked to request you stay home until we have more information about what happened today.”

“That’s not possible. My team needs me, and I have to be there, especially after just having four days off.”

He took her hand and drew her away from the others. “Sam, please. They were adamant that we not take any chances with you or the agents until we know more about who shot at you.”

“And you agreed to that?”

“I didn’t disagree. The thought of someone shooting at you while you’re at work is the stuff of nightmares for me, especially since it’s probably…”

“What? Your fault? As if plenty of people don’t have reason to shoot at me that have nothing to do with you.”

“Having this happen, one day after the drones, is too close for comfort.”

“So you expect me to stay in this house and not go to work or to see the agent who nearly gave his life to protect me… indefinitely ?”

“They’ve asked for some time to investigate.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m not staying home. If the agents don’t wish to protect me in light of today’s events, that’s their call, but I’m going with them or without them.”

“Samantha…”

Sam raised a hand to stop him. “I love you more than anything, and you know that. I’ve supported you every step of the way during this unprecedented time.

I said from the get-go that I’d never give up my job, and I meant it.

That’s my line in the sand, Nick.” She went up on tiptoes to kiss his cheek.

“Please make sure to spend some time with Aubrey. I’ll try to be back as soon as I can. ”

They engaged in a visual standoff that set her already frayed nerves further on edge. Trouble between them was so rare that she was never properly equipped to handle it, even after more than two years of marriage.

She turned to the kids. “I have to go back to work for a little while. Hopefully, I’ll be home to say good night.” The three of them hugged her. “Love you guys.”

“Love you, too,” Scotty said with unusual trepidation. “Be careful out there.”

“I will. I promise.”

As she headed for the stairs, she glanced at Nick, who stood with his hands on his hips, glaring at her. That he didn’t tell her he loved her or to be careful with his wife left her feeling hollow inside as she continued to the first floor, calling Vernon as she went.

“I’ve got to go back to work.”

“They’ve asked us to hold you here for the time being.”

“I’m aware, and I’m still going, with you or without you. If you don’t want to take the risk, I completely understand.”

“I’m not letting you go out there by yourself.”

“Then I need you ready to roll right now. We’ve got another murder.”

“I’ll meet you in the foyer.”

“I’m already there.”

“On the way.”

“Do you need your coat, ma’am?” George asked.

“Yes, please.”

He retrieved it from the closet and held it for her as she put it on.

“Thank you, George.”

“Always a pleasure, ma’am.”

“Could I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“If I walked out that door by myself, would you let me go?”

“Yes, ma’am, but you wouldn’t get past the gate before the Secret Service stopped you.”

Sam contemplated the reality that she was, in fact, a prisoner in her own home. A prisoner to safety, but a prisoner nonetheless.

Vernon arrived a minute later with Debra Nixon, the lead agent on Scotty’s detail.

“Are you with us?” Sam asked her.

“I am. Scotty’s in for the night, and I’ve handed off to his evening detail.”

“Let’s go.”

“We’re required to tell you that we advise against you leaving at this time,” Vernon said.

“I hear you, and I understand the concern, but I have a job to do just like you do, and I need to go support my team. I appreciate the risk you take—always—to accompany me, especially after what’s already been an upsetting few days for all of us.

I’m sorry I’m putting you in a bad spot with your brass, but you can blame it all on me. ”

“We will, don’t worry,” Vernon said with a small grin as he ushered her out the door and into a waiting SUV.

As they pulled away from the White House, Sam leaned forward.

“I’m sorry to ask this of you guys, especially with one of your own in the hospital.

But whatever this is, I need to be out there figuring it out, not stuck in the gilded cage, walled off from real life.

And yes, my position feels somewhat unreasonable to me, too, but if I give in to the fear, that’ll be the end of the line for me on the job. I hope you understand.”

“I do,” Vernon said. “I get it.”

“Believe it or not, I do, too,” Debra said. “It’s not easy being a woman in our line of work, and every concession we make is one step backward for all of us.”

“Yes, that’s it. Exactly. I understand the risk I’m taking.

Hell, it keeps me awake at night worrying about how my raised profile is endangering my team as well as my detail.

But I refuse to be governed by fear. I can’t live that way.

I can be much more useful out working on this case than sitting at home on the sidelines. ”

“Do you think it’s all related?” Vernon asked. “The drones, the shooting, the murders?”

“I haven’t thought that yet, but it bears looking into, although what would four seemingly random murders and a kidnapping/assault have to do with what happened at the Egg Roll?”

“Maybe it’s about targeting you to get to the president?” Vernon asked.

“What do you mean?”

“It’s a stretch. I’ll admit that, but what if someone is killing these people hoping to bring you back to work? While your days vary, your actual routine after a murder doesn’t. You follow a similar set of steps on each case, which makes you somewhat predictable that way.”

“But what does that have to do with Nick?” Sam asked.

“The whole world knows you’re his weak spot, Sam. If something were to happen to you or the children, he would resign.”

“And that’s what they want?”

“Like I said, it’s a stretch, but it’s a theory.”

“Or,” Debra said, “someone wants you out of the way at the MPD for whatever reason. Maybe this has nothing to do with him and everything to do with you.”

Sam thought about that for a few minutes, turned it over from every angle and decided it wasn’t as much of a stretch as Vernon made it out to be. And he was right—if something happened to her or one of their kids, Nick would resign.

He wouldn’t be able to go forward in the job after that. People would know that because of the way he revered his family. Right before Nelson died, he’d announced that he wouldn’t seek the nomination because he didn’t want to be away from his young family for weeks on end to campaign.

He’d identified his weak spot before he ever assumed the presidency, and now… Was someone gunning for her as a way of running him out of office? Or was Debra right? Were they trying to drive her and the sideshow that came with her these days out of the department?

Both scenarios sounded too preposterous to be real, but now that Vernon and Debra had introduced the possibilities, they became more plausible by the second.

Vernon was right. She did follow a similar routine every time she picked up a new case.

Process the scene, visit the family, track down friends, coworkers and others who knew the victim, rinse and repeat.

If X person was killed, it wouldn’t be hard to determine where she was apt to turn up next and to lie in wait for her at that location.

A lump formed in her throat at realizing how easy it would be to predict her movements and those of her team. Not to mention she never should’ve left her family when they were upset about her being shot at, especially with Aubrey showing signs of distress at school.

“Vernon.”

“Yes, Sam?”

“Take me home.”

“What?”

“Please take me home.”

He glanced at her in the mirror.

She met his gaze and gave a small nod.

At the next traffic light, he made a U-turn.