Page 10 of State of Alert

“Now you’re stuck with me, and I want you to hear me when I tell you that if it turns out to be related to the Joint Chiefs, Juan knew he was taking a huge risk passing that info on to you. He’d probably tell you he’d do it again, because that’s whohewas.”

“Yeah, he probably would say that. He was a proud American and naval officer.”

“Hold on to that when the despair threatens to drag you under, okay?”

“Yeah, I will. Thanks for the reminder.”

“You got it.” She kissed him. “Now get to the Situation Room before you’re marked tardy.”

He gave a small smile. “They can’t start without me.”

CHAPTER THREE

Nick walked her to the foyer where they would part company.

Sam was about to head out the door when the vice president, Gretchen Henderson, approached them, wearing a sharp-looking red suit with sky-high heels that put her endless legs on full display. Sam suspected that was intentional on her part—she’d be one to play up her best features.

“Nice to see you, Sam.”

“You as well,” Sam said with a coolness only Nick would notice.

“Are you heading for the Situation Room, Mr. President?”

“I am. I’ll walk with you.”

“Excellent.”

As Gretchen brushed by her, all glossy glamour next to Sam’s workaday jeans and running shoes, Sam wanted to call out for the rest of this day and stick around to protect what was hers, even if he didn’t need protecting.

Nick blew Sam a kiss as he took off with Gretchen, moving quickly toward whatever new crisis awaited his attention.

If there was one thing in her life Sam was certain of, it was that she never needed to worry about him and other women.

But any time she laid eyes on Gretchen Henderson, every Spidey sense she had went on full alert. Gretchen had never said or done anything to make Sam distrust her. It was just a feeling, and she’d learned to trust those instincts.

Knowing Nick would start an international incident before he’d ever do anything to endanger their marriage, Sam walked toward the exit confident in him and them, but with another reminder to keep an eye on the VP.

When she was in the back seat of the Secret Service SUV, Sam called Freddie. “Where are we?”

“Back at HQ, and Agent Truver from NCIS is here. I told her Gonzo is in charge of the Rodriguez investigation, but she wants to see you and only you. I told her you’d be back shortly, and she’s waiting in your office.”

“I’ll be there in ten.”

“I’ll let her know.”

“What’s she like?”

“Seems nice enough, but she didn’t have much to say to us. Said she’d wait for you.”

“Anything else popping?”

“We’re running Juan’s financials and have requested warrants for his phone and apartment.”

“Do we have the phone?”

“We have a phone that was recovered with the body. Archie is waiting on the warrant to get started. How did Nick take it?”

“Hard, even if he’d begun to expect it wasn’t going to end well. I was with him when he called Juan’s mother to tell her that her only child has been murdered.”

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