Page 180 of State of the Union (First Family 3)

“I did, and I think this might be something significant with Nate.”

“Wow, that’s amazing. We all loved him when he worked at the house.”

“That matters to me—and I’m sure to her. She said to tell you thanks for the invite to Camp David, but she’s going to stay in Charlottesville next weekend.”

“Any particular reason?”

“He’s coming to visit.”

“Ohhhh. Well, I don’t blame her for blowing us off, then.”

“I’m trying to keep my cool about this, but really… I’m so relieved that she’s taking a chance on him after everything…”

“I know,” Sam said. “Me, too. And he’s a really good guy.”

“That’s all I’ve ever wanted for her—someone who could see how great she is and be patient with her.”

Sam linked her arm through her sister’s. “I can’t wait to see where this goes.”

“I know. Me, too. But we have to play it cool, or she’ll cut us out of it.”

“I can be cool. Can you?”

“I’m working on it.”

In the courtroom, they sat in the front row with Alice. Sam braced herself to listen to the damning evidence she and her team had gathered to tie former DC councilman Roy Gallagher, his associate Mick Santoro and Dermott Ryan, the owner of O’Leary’s, Skip’s favorite bar, to the shootings of two police officers. Ryan’s involvement stung the most. Skip had considered Dermott a friend and had made O’Leary’s the preferred hangout for most of the MPD.

Right before the bailiff had asked them to rise as the judge entered, Freddie slid into the seat next to Sam.

Sam squeezed his arm to thank him for being there. Nick had wanted to come, too, but she’d talked him out of it, saying there’d be plenty of other hearings he could attend, and this one was just a formality.

Farnsworth and Malone came in a second later and took seats across the aisle. Sam wasn’t surprised to see her father’s two closest friends in attendance and sent them a grateful smile.

As Sam listened to U.S. Attorney Tom Forrester present the evidence that detailed how far the defendants had gone to protect their profitable gambling ring, it all came roaring back in a tsunami of emotion. The cold October Sunday morning, Celia’s frantic call that her dad was unresponsive, Sam having to stop the EMTs from taking life-saving measures that were contrary to her dad’s wishes, the unusual tension that followed with Celia, the need to tell people… Nick had been on his way home from Paris…

“Sam,” Tracy whispered.

“What?”

“Why’re you shaking?”

“Am I?”

“Yeah.”

“Just thinking about that day last October.”

“Don’t do that.”

Easier said than done.

It was no surprise that the case was bound over for a trial in September.

She watched the three men, wearing orange jumpsuits and leg chains, be led back to jail where they belonged.

“That wasn’t as satisfying as I’d hoped it would be,” Alice said. “Even if we got the outcome we wanted.”

“It’ll never be fully satisfying, because Dad and Steven will still be gone,” Sam said.