Page 32 of State of Alert

“Friend with benefits. How old are you?”

“Old enough that I haven’t had one of those in thirty-three years.”

“You don’t need one. You’ve got a wife, the ultimate FWB.”

“Go home, Holland. You’re getting punchy.”

“Yes, sir. Thanks for sending the cavalry.”

“Great arrest today, Lieutenant. Archie has footage of it from one of our cameras.”

“Awesome,” she said dryly.

“It was indeed. Wait until you see it.”

“I’m picturing a water buffalo taking down an unsuspecting ant.”

“That was my thought exactly! How’d you know that?”

“I’m ending this call.”

His laughter echoed through the phone as she slapped it closed. Fools. She was surrounded by them, but thank God for the gallows humor that kept her mind off the secret she was keeping from almost everyone who mattered to her.

Her phone buzzed with a text from her stepmother, Celia.Thinking of you! Had a nice chat with the kids earlier. They said you were working all day and had arrested a bad guy. Good for you. The gals and I are having a blast in LA. Today we did Rodeo Drive and felt very fancy. We pretended to be Julia inPretty Womanand generally made a scene. Next to San Fran. Miss you all!

Sam smiled at the vision of Celia and her sisters prancing around in Beverly Hills.Miss you, too.So glad you girls are having a blast. You deserve all the fun and good things. Glad you got to chat with the kids. They miss you, too, but everyone is doing well, and Mom is holding down the fort for you.

Glad to hear!

When you get back, I want to talk to you about an idea I had for Ninth Street. Nothing urgent.

I’ve got time if you do. What are you thinking?

Ever since the home invasion incident at Avery and Shelby’s, everyone is looking for safer living situations. We’re going to rent our place to Gonzo and Christina. I thought yours might be good for Freddie and Elin, but only if it works for you. Not sure if you’re ready to cut the cord, so feel free to say no. Of course you’ll have a home with us no matter where we end up afterward.

Afterward, Sam thought. After their time in the White House ended in the far-off future.

I like the idea. Let me think about it while I’m gone. I think I might be ready to cut the cord. I don’t want to live there without your dad, and I love being with you guys and the kids. Seems silly to have the house sitting there empty if someone could be using it.

And you could make some $$.

True… I’ll be back to you about this. It’s a great idea!

Enjoy every minute of your trip. Love you!

Love you, too! Sent some pics to Scotty.

I’ll check them out when I get home. Be safe and have a blast!

Celia and her sisters were spending a month touring the West Coast before their Alaskan cruise in May.

Sam would never admit to wishing she had a smart phoneso she could see the pictures now, but if she kept the thought to herself, no one would ever know she’d had it. As the long day caught up with her, she rested her head against the back of the seat. She could never wait to get home to Nick, but tonight she was filled with apprehension about how she’d handle things with him.

Her conversation with the chief ran through her mind. Maybe they’d told her not to tell him knowing she’d never keep this from him.Was that the case? Would she be doing the right thing for him and the country by telling him what she knew? She’d give anything to know what the right thing was, but she was sure of one thing—keeping this from him wasn’t an option. If she did, she feared the very foundation of their union might crack beneath them. From the beginning, he’d hated when she kept things from him, even if she was doing it to protect him. She physically shuddered at the thought of real trouble with him. She’d never be able to handle that.

The SUV coming to a stop jarred her out of her thoughts.

“This is as close as we can get,” Vernon said.

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