Page 187 of State of Suspense

Sam found Terry’s number on her phone and wrote it down. She tore the page from her notebook and handed it to him.

“This is the end of your involvement in the Cox investigation. Do I make myself clear?”

“Crystal.”

“Good work.”

“Thanks. I think.”

Malone grimaced as he stood to leave. “Only you, Holland. Only you.”

Chapter Thirty-One

Sam had a knot in her stomach as she rode home in the back of the Secret Service SUV. Today had been a lot. Not that every day wasn’t a lot, but finding out that your president husband’s AG was seriously compromised and then having to figure out how to handle that stick of dynamite hardly counted as a regular day at the office.

Not to mention setting up an operation that would use a federal judge as bait to catch a killer.

“What time are we leaving in the morning?” Vernon asked.

“Six forty-five.”

“Sounds good.”

“Does it, though?”

He chuckled. “We can sleep in when we’re retired.”

Sam met his gaze in the mirror. “You’re not retiring any time soon, are you?”

“Not for at least three more years. Maybe longer.”

Her heart swelled with affection for him. “That’s good to know.”

She saw the smile in his eyes. He cared as much about her as she did about him, which was funny, really. She’d been prepared to hate having a detail. What a nice surprise it had been to love spending her days with him and Jimmy, and how odd it was to feel that Vernon had arrived right when she needed someone to fill some of the tremendous void left by Skip Holland’s passing.

It was almost as if her dad had sent Vernon to watch over her for him.

She liked to think that was possible.

“Thanks for everything, guys.”

“Pleasure to work with you,” Vernon said.

“Is it, though?”

They parted laughing as Sam went inside, greeted by Harold.

“Evening, ma’am.”

“Evening, Harold. Is the president upstairs?”

“No, ma’am. He’s still in the Oval.”

Sam was surprised to hear that. He liked to escape as early as possible to spend time with the kids before dinner. “Thanks. I’ll find him there.”

“I can take your coat and get it upstairs for you.”

“That’s very kind of you. Thank you.”

---