Page 47 of State of Suspense

On the way to Bryant’s home, Sam watched her phone, hoping for an update on Lindsey.

“You don’t think it’s anything bad, do you?” Freddie asked.

“I have no idea, but she has been feeling off lately.”

“She was so pale when they wheeled her out. Even her lips were pale.”

“I saw that, too.”

The BlackBerry she used to communicate with Nick buzzed in her pocket. She retrieved it to find a text from Nick asking if she’d heard anything about Lindsey.

Nothing yet, but she was scary pale when they took her out of HQ. Is Terry with her?

Hate to hear that, and yes, he left about twenty minutes ago. Harry is with him.

That’s good. That’ll help.

Let me know if you hear anything.

I will. You too.

“Terry and Harry are at the hospital.” Sam put the BlackBerry back in her pocket. “I’ve completely forgotten where we’re going or why.” She hadn’t been this rattled since the morning they found her brother-in-law Spencer unresponsive at Camp David.

“To see Bryant about the connection between Cox and Forrester and anything else he can tell us.”

“Right.”

Sam checked her watch. “I have to be back to HQ at three thirty for a dress fitting for the state dinner, which has never felt less important than it does now.”

“You have to do what you have to do.”

“It feels wrong to be thinking about something so stupid as a dress fitting when Tom is in the morgue and Lindsey’s in the hospital.”

“You know how she is. No muss, no fuss. She’d want you to do your thing and not worry about her.”

“That’s impossible.” Over the last few years of working closely together, Lindsey McNamara had become one of Sam’s closest and dearest friends.

They arrived at Bryant’s Adams Morgan home and rang the bell. After a few minutes passed with no sign of him, Freddie rang the bell again and then pounded on the door.

“Police, open up.”

“Do we have a number for him?”

“I think so.”

“Find it and call it.”

Freddie got busy on his phone. “Gonzo is texting it to me.” After he made the call, he put the phone on speaker. It rang several times before Bryant answered with a grunt.

“Police at your door. Open up.”

“I’m not saying another word to you without my lawyer present. I know what you’re trying to do.”

“That’s too bad, because we might’ve been able to offer you some help later if you were to return the favor now.”

“What kind of help?”

“That depends on the quality of the info you provide.”

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