Page 32 of State of Retribution (First Family #9)
“The expected stuff. I pushed back. I think he understands our position, even if he doesn’t agree with it.”
“What does he want?”
“There’s no point discussing that, because it’s not happening.”
“So that means he wants me off the streets and cocooned in the White House, doing first lady stuff.”
“He wants you safe, which is our goal, too. So we’ll discuss how you safely do the job you love. I made it clear to him that any other alternative is unacceptable. I told him to figure it out.”
Sam waved a hand in front of her face. “ So hot.”
“What?” His annoyance was almost as sexy as him flexing his presidential muscles on her behalf.
“You. Fighting for me. Hot as fuck .”
“You’re a lunatic,” he said with a huff that made her laugh.
“You knew that when you married me.”
He leaned in to kiss her. “And I wouldn’t change a thing about my lunatic, except for the commentary about my alleged hotness.”
“Every woman in America with a heartbeat thinks you’re hot.”
“Stop it. You’re in the Oval Office, where serious business takes place.”
“Whatever you say, hottie.”
“Honestly, Samantha. Will you please grow up?”
“Nah, I’m good like this.”
He smiled. “Bickering with you makes my whole day worth living. I hope you know that.”
“Why do you think I say things that’ll cause the bickering?”
He rested his head against hers. “So you had a big morning with the Littles, huh?”
“Yep. They had questions. I had answers. I think it’s all good.”
“So freaking cute that Alden said it was too many letters to write on his papers.”
“I almost died laughing over that. I told him he could abbreviate, and then I had to explain what that means.”
“I love them so much. I’m so excited to officially adopt them.”
“How soon do you think it’ll be?”
“We’re getting close to a court date.”
“That’ll be a three-ring circus.”
“Whatever it takes to make them ours forever.”
A knock sounded at the door. Julie had been told to wait for him to reply whenever Sam was with him. “Come in.”
“Mr. President, Director Pierce and his team are here to see you.”
“Send them in.”
As Nick stood to welcome his guests, he hoped this meeting wouldn’t become contentious as they fought for what was important to them.
After hearing from Nick that he’d laid down the law with Pierce, Sam was a little more relaxed than she’d been earlier, even if she was under no illusions about what the Secret Service director and his team would have to say.
“We’ve reviewed the film from yesterday’s incident,” Pierce said after they’d exchanged pleasantries.
He sat on the sofa while Brant, Vernon and Debra stood behind him.
“It’s quite disturbing, to say the least. We believe you were either followed or someone was waiting for you to show up there.
Either way, this presents a significant safety issue going forward. ”
“I believe someone may be targeting me in an attempt to intimidate my husband and possibly drive him from office—or to run me out of the department.”
Pierce tilted his head as if he hadn’t heard her correctly. “What do you mean?”
“Think about it. People have been in an uproar over an unelected vice president ascending to the top job. He’s had defections from his secretary of State, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the AG.
It’s been a rough six months, but he’s put his head down and persevered, doing the job despite the bullshit.
What if someone decided to take more drastic measures to get his attention by targeting me to get to him?
What if the drones and the recent spate of murders are all about getting to him through me?
Or what if someone wants me out of the department badly enough to go to extreme measures that’ll have my husband and the Secret Service pulling me off the job? ”
The director’s expression was unreadable.
Sam had left out the part about the theory being Vernon’s first.
“That… That’s quite a stretch, ma’am.”
“I realize that, and we’re in the earliest stages of investigating this possibility, which is what I’d be doing right now if I wasn’t here.”
The director’s expression indicated he didn’t appreciate her candor, but whatever. She had a job to do, and he was keeping her from it. “I’ll be heading into work after this meeting.”
“Have you no regard for the danger that puts your agents in, ma’am?”
She made no attempt to hide her ire. “I have all the regard in the world for Vernon, Jimmy and every other agent who protects me and my family. That you’d question my regard for them as a fellow law enforcement officer is insulting.”
“I apologize, ma’am. But as the director of this agency, it’s my job to assess the risk to my team as well as the people we’re charged with protecting and make recommendations accordingly.”
“I appreciate and respect your position, but I intend to continue to do my job with a detail or without one. If Vernon and the others feel it’s too dangerous to protect me, I’ll respect their wishes. I don’t expect anyone to take unreasonable risks to protect me.”
Ambrose held Sam’s unblinking gaze when he said, “Agent Rogers.”
“Yes, sir?”
“Are you willing to continue to lead Mrs. Cappuano’s detail?”
“I am, sir, and Agent Quigley will be filling in while Agent McFarland is on medical leave.”
Sam remembered meeting Quigley before and how he was so young, he still had acne. She felt a twinge of anxiety over asking another young agent to take her on at this dangerous moment.
“Agent Quigley has been fully briefed on the current situation?” Pierce asked.
“He has, sir.”
Pierce let out a deep sigh when he realized he was outnumbered. “I know this may go without saying, but our entire focus is on keeping you and your family alive. Anything we recommend is with that goal in mind.”
“We appreciate you all more than we could ever say,” Nick said.
“I hope you know that, but we also have lives to live while I’m in office.
I have to believe we can find a balance between your goals and ours.
With that said, I want to add that we’re aware of your recommendation to send Scotty to a private high school, but Sam and I are very much in agreement that he’ll attend Eastern in the fall.
We’d like you to do everything within your power to make that work for him. ”
“He should be made aware of our recommendation,” Pierce said.
“He will be,” Nick said with a touch of annoyance. “Neither of us has a single doubt what his reaction will be.”
Pierce stood somewhat abruptly. “Then I guess we’re done here. Thank you for your time, Mr. President, Mrs. Cappuano.”
“Thank you, Ambrose, Brant, Vernon and Debra,” Nick said.
“Yikes,” Sam said after they’d closed the door behind them.
“Right?”
Sam was filled with anxiety. “I feel unsettled. I have to be honest.”
“What do you mean?”
“We’re going against their recommendations, which means if one of the agents is hurt—or, God forbid, killed—while protecting me or Scotty, then that’s on us.”
“No, it isn’t. It’s on the person who does the killing. What is it you’re always telling me? Don’t take the blame for stuff that isn’t your fault.”
“But if we’re doing things they’ve deemed unsafe, then it’s partially on us if one of their people is harmed.”
“Pierce said they can choose not to be on your details.”
“True, but it still makes me queasy to think of one of them being hurt or killed.”
“That could happen at any time, regardless of current events. They know that, or they wouldn’t be in those jobs.”
“I guess.”
“It’s true, Sam. They understand they may have to take a bullet for us the way Jimmy did yesterday. And speaking of him, I want to do something for him and his wife to thank him. What should that be?”
“They’re having a baby soon. Something for the baby?”
“Something big, like a college fund or something.”
“That’s a bit extreme.”
“He saved the life of my precious wife. Nothing we do for him or them would be extreme.”
Sam leaned in to kiss him. “I’ll give it some thought and get back to you. In the meantime, I think I have permission to get back to work. Don’t tell anyone, but I’m outta here.”
“Please be careful out there. You’re the sun, the moon, the stars and the whole damned world to me.”
She fanned her face. “Hot. As fuck .”
“Shut up and go to work.”
Sam laughed and stood to leave.
At the door, he gave her a tight hug. “I mean it. All bravado aside. Please don’t take any unnecessary chances.”
“I never do, and I never would. Too damned much to live for.”
“I love you.”
“I love you more, and don’t argue with me. I already won that fight.”
Nick laughed as she opened the door to find Terry O’Connor about to knock.
“Hi, Sam. Sorry to interrupt.”
“Hey, Terry. I was just leaving. See you guys later.”