by Marie Force
“You can tell me what the hell is happening with the warrants for Tara’s phone company and the dating app.”
“We’re getting major pushback from both. The phone company says we need to find her phone and then they can help us. The dating app is screaming about the privacy of its users and how it’ll put them out of business if cops start showing up on the doorsteps of the men she dated.”
Frustration boiled up inside her, threatening to spill over into a tirade of epic proportions. A woman was dead. In Sam’s world, nothing was more important than getting justice for her. “Tell me we’re fighting back.”
“Of course we are. There’s a hearing in the morning on both matters. Faith is going to bat for us,” he said of Assistant U.S. Attorney Faith Miller.
“Okay. Keep me posted.”
“You’ll know when I do.”
“I’m meeting with my squad in the morning.”
“You need me there?”
“Nope.” She most definitely did not need her captain there when she asked her squad to start subtly digging into Sergeant Ramsey.
“Why don’t you take a Skip Holland half day and get some sleep.”
Though meant as a joke, the reminder of one of her dad’s favorite sayings hit Sam like a knife to the heart. “Yeah.” She forced herself to reply for the captain’s sake. “I’ll do that.”
“You okay?”
“Yep. Talk to you tomorrow.” She closed the phone and plugged it in to charge. For a few minutes, she sat on the edge of the bed, thinking about all the times Skip had teased her about taking a “half day” after a twelve-hour shift. It had been one of his favorite things to say, and hearing it now from Malone was a reminder that she’d never again hear it from her dad.
Nick sat next to her on the bed and put an arm around her. “What’s up?”
“Nothing.”
“Don’t say nothing when it’s obviously something.”
“I can’t get away with anything when you’re around.”
“No, you can’t, so quit trying.”
“Malone said something just now... One of my dad’s things. It just hit me that I’ll never hear him say it again.”
“I’m sure it’s like a fresh wound every time you remember something.”
“It is.”
“What was it this time?”
“No matter how late I worked or how many hours I’d put in, if I told him I was leaving, he’d say, ‘Taking another half day, I see.’ No matter how many times he said it, it was always funny. And no one laughed harder at his own joke than he did.”
“I can picture it.” He caressed her back and arm, offering the kind of comfort she could only get from him. “I know it’s small solace right now, but you’re lucky to have so many amazing memories of him.”
“I know, and I also know you don’t have that with your dad.”
“It was just different between us.”
What he meant but didn’t say was that he didn’t see enough of his dad for most of his life to have the kind of inside jokes Sam had with Skip. “I’m very lucky to have had him, and I know it.”
“But that also makes losing him so much harder.”
She nodded and leaned her head on his shoulder. “Even after he was injured so gravely, he never lost his sense of humor or his ability to laugh at his own jokes.”
“What can I do for you?”
“Some power snuggling would be nice.”
“Lucky for you, I’m all charged and ready.”
Sam laughed and nudged him. “You’re always charged and ready.”
“For you? Absolutely. Come on.” He stood and helped her up, turning her toward the bathroom so she could get ready for bed. “I’ll be waiting for you in the snuggling capsule when you’re ready.”
He always made her feel better, no matter what madness had overtaken her life and even in the throes of the most profound grief she’d ever experienced. She got undressed and while she brushed her teeth, she studied her face in the mirror. To look at her, you’d never guess that her heart was broken. But inside... Inside, she ached all the time knowing he was gone forever, especially now that she knew more about why he’d been taken from them too soon.
It was all so pointless. Like most things, it had been about greed and people protecting themselves and their source of wealth at the expense of two great police officers.
The wrongness of that was something it would take her years to accept, if she ever actually accepted it.
“Samantha... I’m waiting for you.”
She wiped the toothpaste from her lips, ran a brush through her hair and shut off the bathroom light.
Propped up on an elbow, Nick watched her walk from the bathroom, around the bed to her side. “Best thing I’ve seen all day.”
She got in bed. “That can’t possibly be true.”
He reached for her and pulled her across the mattress until she was snug against him. “It’s absolutely true.”
“Don’t haul me around like a side of beef.”
“You’re my side of beef, and I’ll haul you around if I feel like it.”
She would’ve argued with him, but he kissed her and fried all the brain cells that objected to being called his side of beef.
“I hate to see you sad.” He cupped her face and ran his thumb over her cheek. “Even though I know you’re going to be for a while.”
“People say time helps. I want to feel better, but I don’t want to ‘get over’ losing him, you know?”
“You’ll never get over losing him. You’ll just go forward from here and take him with you.”
“Yes,” she said, her eyes filling. “I will. I love that.” She looked up at him. “You always know what to say to me.”
“That’s because I’m the only one in the whole world who speaks fluent Samantha.”
“Yes, you do, and the rest of the world is thankful to you for that.”
“The rest of the world can eff off. You and our kids are the only ones who matter.”
“You looked so happy when I came in tonight.”
“I am happy. We have it all, babe. Best thing you ever did was bring home our Littles and make our family complete.”
“I’m glad you love them so much and that you finally have the family you always wanted.”
“I do, but everything begins and ends with you. You’re the sun.” He wrapped his arms around her, snuggled her in close to him and made everything better just by being there. “Close your eyes, let it all go and get some sleep.”
“I will if you will.”
“I’ll try.”
She hated that he struggled so much with sleep. “You’re going through this ordeal with Nelson, and here I am making it all about me.”
“Hush. I’m fine. You’re fine. We’re fine. Go to sleep.”
She would’ve thought she was too wound up to sleep, but with the steady beat of his heart echoing under her ear, she was able to drift off into peaceful slumber.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
THEY WOKE TO banner headlines in the city’s premier newspapers. Nelson Defiant, Refuses Calls to Resign in the Post and Nelson Says Affair is “Private” Matter in the Star.
Nick’s head ached as he absorbed the nonstop coverage that showed no signs of waning, days after the scandal first broke.
In yesterday’s meeting with the president, he’d seen the same defiance the papers were reporting this morning. “This is between my wife and me,” he’d said. “It’s being handled.”
Nick wanted to ask him why he felt the need to meet with his vice president about it if he had no plans to resign, but he kept his mouth shut.
“I know you’re probably disgusted that it happened, but so am I. I made a mistake and I’m paying for it, believe me.”
He was disgusted. Glor
ia Nelson was beloved around the world. After standing by his side through the political career that had taken them from South Dakota to the Senate and then the White House, she’d endured two national campaigns and had been a model first lady, advocating for children’s health initiatives.
She deserved better than what she’d gotten from her husband, and the country deserved better than what they’d gotten from their president. But Nick would never say as much to the man’s face. He hoped his silence spoke for him. Sometimes he wished he had a time machine, so he could go back to being a senator.
Though he was honored to serve his country as vice president, at times like this, he wished he had it to do over again so he could say no to the president’s offer.
Especially when he saw the strain weighing on the ones he loved.
Scotty noted the headlines when he sat down for his usual breakfast of cold cereal and chocolate milk. “The kids at school are saying you’re going to be president.”
“How do they know?”
He shrugged. “This one kid said I should pick out my bedroom at the White House, like that’d be up to me. They’re so stupid.”
Nick tried not to smile and knew he should tell him not to call the other kids stupid, but sometimes that was the best word for the way people behaved. He pointed to the papers. “Nelson is saying he’s not going to resign. I think we’re safe.”
“But the Congress can impeach him, right?”
“They can, but I don’t think they will. As bad as it is that he had an affair, that doesn’t rise to an impeachable offense.”
“Why do they call it that? An affair? That’s an awfully nice way of saying the guy cheated on his wife.”
“Uhhh...”
Sam came in, fully dressed for work. “Yes, Nick, do tell. Why do they call it an affair?”
“I, uh, I’m not sure where that term came from.”
Sam poured herself a cup of coffee.
“You would never have an affair, Dad, would you?”
Nick choked on a mouthful of coffee. “Hell, no. First of all, I’m madly in love with your mother.”
“I know.” Scotty rolled his eyes. “It’s so gross.”
Sam nudged him with her hip and then sat with them at the table. “No, it’s not.”
Scotty made fake vomiting noises that cracked up his parents.
“Second of all, I took vows to love and honor my wife for the rest of my life, and I would never disrespect her by being unfaithful. And third of all, she would stab me through the heart with the rustiest of steak knives.”
“No, I wouldn’t. I’d be too heartbroken to bother.”
“As you well know, you never have to worry about that, my love.”
“Neither do you.”
Scotty cleared his throat, probably to remind them he was still in the room. “Is there gonna be kissing? Because if so, I am out of here.”
Sam leaned in toward Nick. “You might want to beat feet.”
“Hurry,” Nick said, leaning into her. “It could get messy.”
Scotty let out a scream and bolted from the table while his parents laughed themselves silly.
“Are we scarring him for life?” Nick asked after a very sweet kiss.
“On a daily basis. But we also feed, clothe, house and love him as well as provide Wi-Fi. Hopefully, those things will override the gross stuff he’s forced to witness.”
“I’m living for the day when he gets a girlfriend. I plan to be merciless.”
“It’ll be the least of what he deserves.” Sam got up to make herself some peanut butter toast and returned to the table with the toast and a second cup of coffee. “What fresh hell is in the papers this morning?”
“They’re reporting on Nelson’s defiance. He’s calling it a personal matter between him and his wife.”
“Which it really is until my thirteen-year-old asks why they call it an affair over breakfast. That’s when it becomes a personal matter in my family and families all over the country who’re having to explain this to their kids.”
“I know. It’s very disappointing, to say the least. But like I said to Scotty, it doesn’t meet the threshold for impeachment.”
“Unless he orchestrated some sort of illegal cover-up to keep it quiet.”
Nick hadn’t considered that possibility. “Which we all hope he didn’t. How close are you to figuring out what happened to Tara?”
“Not as close as we’d like to be. Hopefully, we’ll know more after today.” She got up to put her dishes in the dishwasher and downed the last of her coffee.
“Time to get the Littles up.”
“I’ll give you a hand before I go.”
They spent the next half hour rousing, washing and dressing sleepy five-year-olds, who were most definitely not morning people. Nick could hardly wait to see what they’d be like as teenagers. He looked forward to every stage with them. They’d all been relieved to decide with Elijah that the kids would remain with them until they came of age.
Seeing Scotty in big brother mode had been one of the best parts of having the Littles join their family. He’d been so good with them, and had an understanding of what the kids were going through that no one else had. Nick had never been prouder of his son than he’d been watching him step up for two kids who needed all the support they could get.
When the kids were ready for the day, he knocked on Scotty’s door to let him know it was time to go and then took the Littles downstairs for breakfast as Scotty left with his detail.
Sam came down a minute later, kissed the kids goodbye and then turned to him. “Call me if anything comes up on your end.”
He hooked an arm around her waist. “I might just call you anyway, even if nothing comes up.”
Her smile was one of his favorite things in life. “I’m always happy to hear from my favorite VP.”
He kissed her. “Be careful with my wife. She’s everything to me.”
“Will do.”
After seeing her off, Nick rejoined the twins in the kitchen, keeping watch over them until Shelby arrived to relieve him. He kissed both kids and wished them a good day before running upstairs to get in a workout and shower before he had to leave. He was knotting his tie when his cell phone rang with a call from Terry.
“What’s up?”
“Good morning. I got a call from Hanigan that the president would like to see you at nine-thirty.”
“I just saw him yesterday afternoon. Did Hanigan say what’s going on?”
“Nothing more than he wants to see you.”
What now? “All right.” Nick dreaded whatever he would hear from Nelson.
He arrived at the White House thirty minutes later, surrounded as always by the Secret Service detail that kept him safe. While he appreciated their diligence and attention to detail, he chafed against the restrictions they imposed on him. He couldn’t walk outside his own front door without their involvement, something he was still getting used to all these months later.
Nothing could prepare you for the ways your life would change when constantly surrounded by world-class security.
Terry met him in the reception area of his suite and followed him into his office.
Nancy, one of the administrative assistants, brought him a cup of coffee, fixed just how he liked it, as she did every morning.
He’d told her he could get his own coffee, but she insisted on taking care of that for him.
“Thank you, Nancy.”
“You’re welcome, Mr. Vice President.” She left the room, closing the door behind her.
“Nancy loves you,” Terry said when they were alone.
“Shut up.”
“What? She does. They all do.”
Nick rolled his eyes. “Whatever.” He took a sip of the piping hot coffee. “What’s the word on the street?”
“Derek came by earlier and mentioned that Gloria is planning to move home to Pierre.”
“Whoa. Seriously?”
“That’s what he heard from the first lady’s chief of staff, but let Nelson tell you himself. I assume that’s what he wants to see you about.”
“I’m so afraid he’s going to buckle to the calls for him to resign.”
“He won’t.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“He doesn’t want that asterisk next to his name, or to be lumped into the same boat as Nixon, who committed actual crimes while in office.”
“True.” Nick released a deep breath. “All this drama... Not what I signed on for, even if I knew to expect there’d be some.”
“No one could’ve seen all this coming. I don’t blame you for being pissed.” With the time they had remaining before Nick’s meeting with the president, they went over his schedule for the next few days, including several upcoming events at local schools. That was part of his initiative to meet with young people to share his passion for public service and to hopefully encourage them to consider it as a career path. Of course, the president having an affair didn’t do much to help his efforts, which was just another reason to resent the man for thrusting the entire administration into damage control mode.
A few minutes before nine thirty, Nick walked to the Oval Office for his meeting with Brant accompanying him.
The West Wing was unusually quiet this morning, which only added to the stress boiling in Nick’s gut. Sometimes he thought it would be better if Nelson left office and he took over, just so he could stop worrying about that happening. But those thoughts were fleeting. The closer he got to the top job, the less he wanted it.
Nick was shown right into the Oval Office.
The president stood at the window, looking at the world outside his gilded cage.
“You wanted to see me, Mr. President?”
Nelson turned to him, his face bearing the signs of sleepless nights. He had puffy bags under his eyes and deep dark circles. “Thanks for coming in, Nick.” He gestured to the sitting area. “Can I offer you anything?”
“I’m good, thank you, sir.”
Nelson sat across from him, elbows on knees, shoulders hunched, deeply troubled.
