Page 37 of State of the Union (First Family 3)

“My God. Where did they come from?”

“We’re still trying to figure that out.”

“You saved their lives,” LaToya whispered.

“I wish it had happened a long time ago.”

“Let us give thanks that it happened now,” LaToya said. “It wasn’t your fault it didn’t happen sooner. I’ll always be grateful for what you did for me and my family, Detective.”

Jeannie had never felt hollower or more emotionally drained after successfully solving a case. She led LaToya to Carisma’s room, where a Richmond officer stood watch outside. “This is her mother,” Jeannie told the officer she’d met earlier.

He opened the door for them.

Jeannie followed LaToya into the room. Carisma, who’d been bathed and lightly sedated as her many wounds were cleaned, was asleep in the big hospital bed.

LaToya’s hand covered her mouth as she looked at her daughter for the first time in eleven years. Tears streamed down her face when she approached the bedside.

Carisma stirred, her eyes opening to blink her mother into focus. “Mama.”

“It’s me, baby.” LaToya leaned over to kiss her and caress her face. “It’s me.”

“Missed you,” Carisma whispered.

“Oh, baby, I missed you so, so much, and I’ve never been happier to see anyone.”

They hugged each other for the longest time.

Satisfied to see them reunited, Jeannie tiptoed from the room, wiping away tears as she stepped into the hallway.

“It’s unbelievable,” the Richmond officer said. “The way she kept those kids.”

“Horrifying.”

“I heard you were the one who led the marshals to that house. Great bust, Detective.”

“Thank you.” Jeannie understood that this was the kind of bust that made cops into celebrities, that launched their careers into all-new stratospheres, but as she collected her partner and headed home to DC, all she felt was heartsick over the whole sorry mess.

While the kids slept in, Sam and Nick watched in horror as the story unfolded live on CNN. They’d woken to a text from Jeannie that said to turn on the TV. In all, ten children ranging from three months of age to Carisma at twenty-four had been found living in utter squalor in the Richmond house. So far, they’d publicly identified only Carisma as one of the victims and noted that Daniella Brown was facing numerous felony charges.

Jesse Best stepped up to a bank of microphones outside the house where the ongoing operation proceeded behind him. As he briefed the media on the raid that had led to the rescue of the children who’d been held prisoner and detailed the conditions inside the house, Sam’s stomach turned, especially when he noted that the three dogs who were found in the house were obviously well cared for, unlike the children, who’d been starved and viciously abused.

Sam noted that the usually stoic and unemotional marshal looked exhausted and ravaged by what he’d witnessed in that hell house.

“I’ll take a few questions,” Best said.

“What led you to the house?”

“We were acting on a tip from DC’s Metropolitan Police Department.”

“Oh shit,” Sam said on a long exhale. “Shit, fuck, damn, hell.”

Her cell phone rang with a call from Captain Malone.

“Hey,” Sam said.

“This is a shit storm of such epic proportions,” he said without preamble, “I can’t begin to articulate them all. I know you’re on vacation, but I need you back here to help manage the fallout.”

Sam glanced at Nick, who nodded. “I’ll be there later this morning.”