Page 8 of State of Alert

Julie and the other admins had been instructed to wait for him to grant admission whenever Sam was with him in the office. Otherwise, his staff were on a knock-and-enter system.

“Secretary Jennings and Acting Attorney General Conrad for you, sir.”

“Thank you, Julie.”

“Do you want me to go?” Sam asked.

“Not yet.”

“Thanks for coming in,” Nick said to the others. “I’ve been notified that Lieutenant Commander Rodriguez has been found dead.”

“Oh no,” Defense Secretary Jennings said. He was tall, with silver hair and a normally stern expression that cracked with emotion when he heard the news. “I’m so sorry to hear that.”

“As was I. I’d like you to instruct NCIS to work in tandem with Lieutenant Holland and the Metro PD to fully investigate his death.”

“Is it being looked at as a murder?” In her mid-fifties, Conrad was a career prosecutor with shoulder-length brown hair and dark eyes. She’d been tapped to take over for former AG Cox, pending Senate approval.

“We don’t know yet,” Sam said. “Our medical examiner has his remains, and we’re awaiting the results of the autopsy. He was found in uniform inside a clothing donation bin on New York Avenue.”

“Good God,” Jennings said softly. He seemed to take a second to recover his usual stoic composure. “I’ll pass along the instructions to NCIS. I assume they should reach out to Lieutenant Holland?”

“Sergeant Gonzales on my team will be leading the investigation,” Sam said.

“I’ll ask them to get in touch.”

“Thank you.”

“Please also ask them not to turn this into a battle of wills over jurisdiction,” Nick said. “We all want the same thing—answers for Juan’s mother and family as soon as possible.”

“Understood, sir.”

After the secretary and acting AG had left the room, Sam fanned her face.

“What?”

“Hot. As. Fuck.”

“Huh?”

“You, giving orders and taking charge. I dig it. And thank you for anticipating the jurisdictional battle that was brewing.”

“Only you could make me smile right now.”

“I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but that was quite something.”

“Knock it off,” he said with his usual disdain for her finding him hot.

“I’ll never knock it off.” She stood and stepped away from the desk. “Come here and give me a hug so I can go back to work feeling as if you’re going to be okay.”

He stood and reached for her.

Sam stepped into his embrace and wrapped her arms around him. “Are you going to be okay?”

“What choice do I have?”

“I’d give anything to fix it for you.”

“I know, and that helps. I’m just so angry and afraid that Juan’s murder will be traced back to the former Joint Chiefs, which would result in yet another enormous shit show.”

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