Page 188 of State of Suspense

“My pleasure, ma’am.”

Sam glanced longingly at the stairs to home before she headed toward the West Wing to find her husband.

Julie, one of the admins, was seated at her desk outside the office.

“Hi, Julie. Is he available?”

“He’s in a meeting. Let me check.”

This was the first time Sam hadn’t been waved right in.

Julie made the call and hadn’t put the phone back in the cradle when Nick came to the door.

Sam went to him, noting he looked stressed. “What’s up?”

“We can’t locate Juan.”

Her heart sank. “Oh no.”

“I’m beside myself.”

“What can I do?”

“I… I don’t know. We’re doing everything we can.”

“How long has it been since anyone heard from him?”

“He was on his two-day break, so it was the end of the day on Monday when I last saw him. No one has heard from him since he left here that day.”

“Have you notified the MPD?”

“Terry did when the chief called earlier about Cox.”

“What’s the latest there?”

“I’m meeting with Cox in the morning and plan to request his resignation, which is the last freaking thing I need to be dealing with right now. All I can think about is Juan risking everything to make me aware that Nelson’s joint chiefs were conspiring to get rid of me. And now he’s missing, or worse.”

“I wish there was something I could say or do…”

He gave her a quick hug. “Seeing you helps. I’m going to be here awhile.”

“Do you want me to stay?”

“You know I do, but you should go relieve your mom with the kids and spend some time with them.”

“If you want me to come down, just call me. I’ll be right here.”

“Thanks. Love you.”

“Love you, too. I’m so sorry about this.”

His grim expression said everything. “Me, too.”

Sam left him to get back to the people waiting for him in the office and went upstairs to the residence. She found her mom, Brenda, at the table with the kids in the family dining room.

“Sam! Ms. Brenda said we could have chicken tenders tonight!”

Alden’s excitement almost made her forget all the stress and worries of the day. “How did she find out that’s your favorite?”

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