Page 105 of State of Alert

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Aubrey pickedDescendants 3for TV time, much to Alden’s dismay. He was into all thingsStar Warsthese days and wanted to watch it on repeat. He cuddled up to Nick while Aubrey snuggled with Sam, and Skippy landed on Scotty.

Sam glanced over at Nick, who smiled at her. She loved seeing him happily ensconced in the family he’d wanted his whole life. No one deserved a happy family more than he did. The thought of anything threatening his hard-earned happiness put her into fight mode.

Hearing more about Nicoletta’s past had been enlightening, but it didn’t change anything for Sam. She was still the same grifter she’d been before Sam knew about how she’d been treated by her mother when she’d gotten pregnant as a teenager. Having witnessed Nick’s devastation more than once as his mother had breezed in and out of his life, she couldn’t bear to see him leveled by her again.

She recalled him rushing to Cleveland after a doctor had called him, at Nicoletta’s request, to say she’d fallen down a flight of stairs. He’d been so full of hope that his mother wanted her only child with her, but that hadn’t been her ultimate goal. Nick had come home believing she’d thrownherself down the stairs as a ploy to get him there so she could hit him up for money.

The outrage of that incident and many others was a reminder of why they needed to keep their distance from Nicoletta and her madness. Sam picked over the conversation with Worthy, looking for deeper motivations on his part. Was he hoping for access to Nicoletta’s famous son? She wouldn’t put anything past Nicoletta or anyone who associated with her.

Tomorrow, she’d take a deeper look at Worthy. She wanted to know who he was and what he was about.

The twins fell asleep watching the movie, as they usually did after a long, busy day. Nick and Scotty carried them to bed, and Sam helped to tuck them in before going to spend a few minutes with Scotty.

“I’m so proud of your algebra quiz grade.”

“Thanks. I was shocked but pleased.”

“Hard work pays off.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Does it, though?”

Sam laughed. “Don’t get me in trouble with Dad.”

“You do that all on your own. You don’t need my help.”

“That’s true.”

His face lost all hint of amusement. “This thing with the Joint Chiefs getting arrested. How bad will it be for him?”

“I don’t know. I’m hoping it’ll be a distraction more than anything.”

“We talked about it in school today.”

That shocked her. “They talked about it right in front of you?”

“We do current events in social studies every day. Mr. Estes and I have talked about how Dad and his administration might come up from time to time and that I’m allowed to excuse myself and go to the library if the conversation makes me uncomfortable.”

“Oh. Wow. I didn’t know that.”

He shrugged. “It’s usually no big deal. But today… That was the first time I wanted to go to the library.”

“Did you?”

“Nah, I stuck it out, but it was hard to hear that some people think the Joint Chiefs were heroes for sacrificing themselves and their careers to try to do something for the good of the country.”

“They’re not heroes. They’re criminals.”

“That’s what you and I believe, but other people, who don’t know Dad the way we do… it’s given them doubts about him.”

“I hate that you had to sit there and listen to that.”

“I could’ve left if I wanted to.”

“Which would only draw more attention to you.”

“Yeah, that was a concern.”

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